Media Release 15th June 2017

People supported by Glasgow-based homeless charity, Simon Community Scotland, were given a skills and confidence boost by taking part in an Essential Cycling Skills course from Cycling Scotland today.

Ten people who receive support from Simon Community Scotland took part in the course at the Charity’s Ballater Street centre in Glasgow.

Many of those taking part in the Essential Cycling Skills course will go on to take part in Pedal for Scotland’s 45 mile Classic Challenge from Glasgow to Edinburgh on 10th September 2017.

William Wright from Cycling Scotland, said, “The Essential Cycling Skills course is for adults who are new to cycling, or who haven’t ridden a bike for a long time. As well as covering many of the technical and safety aspects of riding a bike, the course also serves to boost confidence and self-esteem of those who take part – something that can benefit everyone across many areas of life. Going on to take part in Pedal for Scotland is a great achievement for anyone, and we’re delighted Simon Community Scotland have entered a team to take part in the Classic Gold Challenge on 10 September.”

Hugh Hill, Director of Services and Development at Simon Community Scotland, said, “There’s nothing good about being homeless. It’s particularly bad for your physical and mental health and has an average life expectancy of almost half that of the general population. Cycling on the other hand is proven to improve your health and your wellbeing which is why at Simon Community Scotland we’ve been promoting cycling within the homeless community and with our staff.  It’s good for your health, your happiness, your purse and the environment! What’s not to like?”

Entry for Pedal for Scotland on 10th September is now open. An adult place on the Classic Challenge is £28 (£19 concession), while the Big Belter is priced at £48 per adult. Enter online at www.pedalforscotland.org.
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 For further information please contact:

William Wright, Cycling Scotland

0141 229 5350 / 07795 048042

williamwright@cycling.scot

NOTES TO EDITORS:

 Pedal for Scotland

1. Pedal for Scotland is organised by Cycling Scotland, the lead organisation for cycling promotion in Scotland. Cycling Scotland is the national cycle training, promotion, events and engineering organisation for Scotland. With grant funding from Transport Scotland we are working to establish cycling as an acceptable, attractive and practical lifestyle option.

www.cycling.scot.

Cycling Scotland is a recognised Scottish Charity no. SC 029760

2. Transport Scotland is the national transport agency for Scotland, delivering the Scottish Government’s vision for transport.

www.transport.gov.scot

3. Pedal for Scotland was established in 1999 as a way to encourage more people to cycle. Cycling 50 miles in a day demonstrates the considerable distances it is possible to achieve by bike, and encourages people to leave the car at home for short journeys.
4. Pedal for Scotland event is delivered in partnership with eight local authorities and support services such as Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service and the St Andrews Ambulance Association.

pedalforscotland.org/

Simon Community Scotland
Founded in 1966, Simon Community Scotland is a charity that works to combat the causes and effects of homelessness. Its vision is that everyone should have a safe place to live and access to the support they need.

It operates a ‘street team’ from premises near Glasgow’s High Street. It also provides accommodation, including emergency accommodation in 12 locations across Glasgow, in North Lanarkshire and North Ayrshire.

Its ‘street team’ sees around 150 people on the streets of Glasgow every month, with up to 40 new cases each month.

It is estimated that people who are long-term rough sleeping have a life expectancy of 47 (age 43 specifically for women). Rough sleepers are 13 times more likely than the general public to experience violence, 47 times more likely to be the victim of theft and three times more likely to have been a victim of a road traffic accident. One in ten rough sleepers are estimated to have been a victim of sexual violence within the previous 12 months.

Simon Community Scotland has entered a team in the Pedal for Scotland event. Anyone can join “Team Simon Community” when booking their place to enter this event.

Visit www.simonscotland.org @SimonCommScot

Telephone: 0141 418 6980. Its street team can be contacted on freephone: 0800 027 7466.

STV Children’s Appeal

STV Children’s Appeal is the official charity partner of Pedal for Scotland. The STV Children’s Appeal is committed to helping children and young people affected by poverty in Scotland. The money raised by the STV Children’s Appeal helps make a real difference in the lives of Scotland’s children and young people by providing practical help like food and warm clothes; creating opportunities for training and employability; and enabling social and emotional support for those who need it most.

In its first six years the Appeal has raised over £13.7 million. This has allowed us to make 722 big and small awards to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, providing much needed support to over 62,000 children.

The charity was launched in 2011 by The Hunter Foundation and STV.  In 2013, The Wood Foundation pledged its support to the Appeal for projects in the North East.

Every single penny raised by the STV Children’s Appeal stays in Scotland and 100% of donations are spent on the children who need it most, as all overheads are met by STV and The Hunter Foundation. In 2015, the Scottish Government once again committed to match fund the first £1m raised.

www.stv.tv/appeal/

STV Appeal SCIO SC042429

AN already successful approach towards eradicating rough sleeping on the streets of Glasgow has been awarded a grant of over £400,000 to help maintain its work.

The City Ambition Network (CAN) – a partnership involving key, city centre homelessness charities and statutory services – has received £430,000 to expand an existing project with its next target being to reach 70 of Glasgow’s most vulnerable people.

The initiative recognises that many rough sleepers will often remain on the streets even when shelter is available.

Therefore, it provides not just access to immediate accommodation, but also support, care and health responses with the aim of putting the homelessness person more in control of their future.

The funding has come from the USA-based philanthropy organisation, Oak Foundation.

CAN was set up two years ago, to work with people who were entrenched in a cycle of homelessness, substance use and mental health problems.

It operates as collaboration between Simon Community Scotland, Glasgow City Mission, The Marie Trust and the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.

Says Lorraine McGrath, chief executive at Simon Community Scotland: “By working together across the city, staff from our different agencies are able to support people into safe and secure accommodation.

“Service users being supported by CAN tell us they have a really strong sense of being cared for in ways they have not experienced for a long time for many this has helped them break their in and out of rough sleeping.”

It is estimated that, each year, over 1,000 people sleep rough, for varying periods of time, on the streets of Glasgow.

Added Grant Campbell, chief executive, Glasgow City Mission: “The complexities behind the phenomenon that is rough sleeping are often overlooked. If it was an easy fix it would have happened by now.

“What the City Ambition Network has been able to achieve might appear small to the casual observer, but to those in the homelessness sector, the joined-up ‘never let go’ approach to individuals dealing with chaotic lifestyles has been powerful.”

Says Simon Community Scotland, the grant will provide much-needed new staff and a research team to help connect with Glasgow’s most vulnerable homeless who need a consistent and intensive approach.

One of the people CAN is currently working with is Karen. Her needs extend beyond simply a roof over her head.

Begins McGrath: “Karen had a traumatic upbringing which followed her into adulthood. Her life was chaotic and she often slept rough in Glasgow and placed herself in very dangerous situations.

“Key workers in the CAN worked closely with Karen, over six months, helping her into a home that she felt safe in.

“A home was just the start for Karen, getting treatment for her mental health, support with her alcohol use and maintaining her belief in herself took a lot of time and expertise.

“Karen has been in her home for five months, the longest period off the streets in ten years.

“Karen’s story is not unique. Many of the people we support have very real trauma in their lives. A roof over Karen’s head will help towards her find safety, but she also requires compassion, understanding and other forms of support.”

Adds McGrath: “Over the next three years, the grant from the Oak Foundation will be invested in helping people like Karen find peace of mind, safety, a secure place to live.

“We’re obviously delighted with the support from the Oak Foundation and excited about supporting our most vulnerable in society, to find a safe place to stay and the support they need to rebuild their lives.”

In Glasgow, the Simon Community Scotland ‘Street Team’ works with around 150 rough sleepers every month, with up to 40 new cases each month.

Eric Steel, head of Homelessness at Glasgow City Council, said: “The CAN initiative is an innovative and inspiring approach to tackling the very real challenges people face and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership is pleased to be working in partnership with the voluntary sector in improving outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens.”

McGrath continued: “Rough sleeping is bad for your physical and mental health, it’s unsafe, it’s risky and it’s scary. The average life expectancy of a rough sleeper is 47, almost half that of the rest of the population.”

For more information on the City Ambition Network, visit www.simonscotland.org.