Category: News

We have now become accredited with the Living Wage! This means that each year an employee’s wage is calculated based on the cost of living in the UK for anyone over the age of 18. This has benefits for both employer and employee.

Research undertaken by the Living Wage Commission has shown that for an employer accredited to the Living Wage there is a 25% fall in absenteeism as well as 80% of employers believing that implementing the Living Wage has enhanced the quality of the work of their staff. This has also been confirmed by the employees, 75% of whom reporting that there is an increase in the work quality since receiving the Living Wage.

The Living Wage has also been found to have an impact on the wider community as it enables workers more time to spend with family and friends and contribute positively to their communities.

Some information from the Living Wage website.

• Only the real Living Wage is independently calculated  each year  based on what employees and their families need to live
• The current UK Living Wage is £8.75 an hour
• The current London Living Wage is £10.20 an hour
• Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis
• The rates apply to all workers over 18 – in recognition that young people face the same living costs as everyone else
• The real Living Wage that meets the cost of living enjoys cross party support, with public backing from MSPs and MPs across the political spectrum
• Paying a wage that is enough to live on is good for business, good for the individual and good for society
• The Living Wage Employer Mark and Service Provider Recognition Scheme provide an ethical badge for responsible pay

There are currently 4,400 businesses who voluntarily pay their staff the real living wage – now we can say we are one proud to be of them!

Val and Jasmine have been selected to receive Inspiring Volunteer Awards from the Edinburgh Lord Provost at an awards ceremony in June.

Val was selected as a long service volunteer as she has been visiting families for over 11 years and made an amazing difference to every one.

Jasmine’s is getting a Young Volunteer award, designed to recognise a young person aged between 11 and 25 who has shown a real commitment to their volunteering.

We had a wonderful Christmas party at our Stay & Play session at Goodtrees.  We made Reindeer Food, Stockings and Marshmallow Snowmen.

The sesssion will be continuing next year Weds 11-12.30, Goodtrees community Centre, Moredun.

Open to parents with children under 5.

Come along!

‘Our staff are being Santa’s Elves this week delivering masses of amazing presents and Christmas hampers to families who wouldn’t otherwise be getting much this year, ’ says Paula Swanston Manager at Home Link Family Support

Home link Family Support identified 70 children of  Edinburgh and Midlothian families who were dealing with finances, homelessness and low wages and would struggle to provide presents for their children. Scott-MonCrieff partnered with charity Freshstart and also Forth One’s Mission Christmas provided a deluge of wonderful presents that are being distributed this week.

Scott-Moncreiff’s staff volunteer to go shopping for a family with brief details of the ages and stages of the children.  We deliver the presents along with all the sellotape and xmas paper so the parents get the fun of wrapping up their child’s gifts ready for Christmas morning.

Fresh Start also provide hampers of food to help a family stretch their budget at this expensive time of year.

 “Thanks for the gifts, I hadn’t started yet and was worried because I’ve no money. So knowing I’ve now got something has helped me loads – at least the kids will now have something to open. Thanks a bunch – and Merry Christmas.”

Dalkeith Mum

Home Link Family Support  is a charity aiming to give children the best start in life in Edinburgh and Midlothian  0131 667 0890.

Freshstart is a Charity helping people make a home for themselves, tel: 0131 476 7741 / www.freshstartweb.org.uk

Scott-Moncrieff, Business Advisers and Accountants, www.scott-moncrieff.com

I’ll run Marathon a month for a year says Sean.

Sean Ferguson is going to be 50 in 2019 so to celebrate he’s decided to do some serious charity fundraising for Home Link by running a marathon every month for a year. 

That’s 12 marathons! 

Sean’s generously included us in the fundraising.

If you would like to donate https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/seanferguson1

The runs are:

2018

• 24th March – Kielder Dark Skies
• 29th April – Stirling
• 27th May – Edinburgh
• 10th June – Strathearn
• 15th July – Dundee
• 5th August – Gloucester City Marathon
• 23rd September – Loch Ness
• 14th October – Yorkshire Marathon
• 10th November – Gower Coastal (nr Swansea)
• 9th December – 26.2 mile free run (this one takes in Dalgety Bay/Dunfermline/Forth Road Bridge & Edinburgh)

2019

• 13th January – 26.2 mile free run (Loch Leven and around Fife)
• 14th February – Northumberland Coastal
• 30th March – Glasgow to Edinburgh 55 mile Ultra Marathon.

We think you are probably a little crazy, but thanks so much Sean and Good Luck from all of us at Home Link

Home Link Family Support, in partnership with Midlothian Sure Start, Lawfield Primary School, Children 1st and Play Therapy Base have won the award for Charity Partnership with the Third Sector Awards. 

We are all very proud of our organisations and the collaborative work which we do and have been taking turns at displaying our award with pride.