Five things you need to know today
Assisted Dying Bill
Liam McArthur MSP will launch his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill today in The Scottish Parliament.
The bill was first lodged at parliament in September 2021 followed by a consultation and then the right to introduce the Member’s Bill was secured following support from MSPs of all parties.
Follow the progress of the bill here.
Hopetown Coffee
Edinburgh’s new not-for-profit safe space café raising awareness of mental illness and mental health in Scotland has opened on Broughton Street..
National mental health charity Change Mental Health and its new enterprise arm is behind Edinburgh’s first coffee shop raising awareness of mental illness and mental health. The café also provides the highest quality coffee and food. The hops is to allow people to purchase their daily coffee and cake knowing that their money is going directly to helping people affected by poor mental health.
Nick Ward, CEO at Change Mental Health, said: “Hopetown Coffee is everything that Change Mental Health is about: providing hope and support in communities in a non-stigmatising way. When creating Hopetown Coffee, we wanted to shift the dial on what a not-for-profit coffee shop should be like. We won’t compromise on quality of coffee, food or ambiance and every single penny made will be reinvested back into helping people across Scotland who are needing support with their mental health.”
www.changemh.org/hopetowncoffee
Funding for Oxgangs
National Lottery funding has been secured for Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, which was founded in 1995. The charity awarded the sum of £150,000 from their Community Fund in Scotland.
Sue Webber MSP has tabled a Parliamentary motion congratulating the Centre and thanking The National Lottery.
Ms Webber said: “I know Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre very well and have attended many good events there from Quiz Nights to celebrations such as the Coronation.
“But more importantly, it is a vibrant hub in Oxgangs which provides a place that is welcoming to those in our community who may feel vulnerable, isolated, or lonely.
“It really does live up to its motto as ‘A Centre For All’ and I am pleased that The National Lottery has generously recognised this by their support.”
Centre Manager, Dom Heslop, said: “This is a truly great achievement to receive this funding. It wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of my staff and volunteers who dedicate so much of their own time to making such a success that the Centre is for the community.”
Local Councillor and Chair of the Centre, Jason Rust, added: “The National Lottery has given our Centre a much-needed financial boost, so we are very grateful for that, especially as we receive no funding from local or national government. It is a tribute to the volunteers who have clearly impressed our funders.”
Cycling by numbers
Ed Tissiman has answered our question about the number of cyclists using Leith Walk cycle lanes – even in the recent wet weather which Cllr Joanna Mowat wondered about out loud here.
Read more of his analysis here.
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