Health and wellbeing

New measures announced for a just transition to Net Zero.

Investment of £12.3 million has been awarded so far this year by Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise as part of the £100 million Green Jobs Fund and is expected to create and safeguard over 850 green jobs.

Spearheaded by the Mull and Iona Community Trust, ambitious plans are underway to transform Ardura's dark conifer plantations into a vibrant community woodland, that will benefit nature, climate and local communities.

The public consultation, which attracted a total of 1,739 responses, asked for views on the Scottish Government’s Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Bill.

The proposed Bill follows the report of an independent Fireworks Review Group which recommended tightening legislation to reduce the harm fireworks can cause.

A series of three light-hearted books have raised over £100,000 for RSABI, the charity supporting people in Scottish agriculture.

The books, which are the perfect Christmas stocking fillers, were compiled by farming journalist Andrew Arbuckle with his late brother John also working on the first two titles.

Scottish Futures Trust has published their new ‘Place Guide’

Living well locally is a key ambition of the Programme for Government.  Building the conditions to live well locally is about taking a place-based approach to needs, services and investment opportunities.

As creative groups start to meet up in person again, Creative Lives is offering 18 micro-grants of £300 each to help make that happen.

Eligible groups/projects are ones that:

An additional £18 million will be available this year to help householders install energy efficient measures and reduce their heating bills, bringing the total support available through Home Energy Scotland to £50 million in 2021-2022.

A £25 million fund to improve ventilation in business premises and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission will open for applications next week.

Small and medium-sized businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms will be able to claim back costs of up to £2,500 to undertake work such as the installation of carbon dioxide monitors and remedial improvement work to windows and vents.

"You're on Mute" - a series of films from rural communities documenting the impact of Covid-19 on mental health and wellbeing, resilience and community.

At a time when people in Scotland and around the world were living with restrictions, three small communities - in East Lothian, West Lochaber and Perth & Kinross - took part in a ‘Winter Lockdown Project’.