Category: News

Hello and happy new year to you all from Volunteer Midlothian! Also not so happy, since we have entered another full lockdown across the UK, but we can only make the best of it and try to be kind to each other in the coming weeks and months.

There is an ongoing need to support the mental wellbeing of third sector staff and volunteers at this time, so we are confident that the provision of three special training sessions later on in January from Volunteer Midlothian and Health in Mind will be welcomed. The sessions have been organised as part of the mental health and volunteering grants project, hosted by Volunteer Midlothian and launched during lockdown 2020. Our development worker Natalie, and also Lisa Hodkinson from Health in Mind, have worked hard to roll this provision out in the last month of funding for the project.

During the staff session there will be an emphasis on maintaining wellbeing at work (including work from home). For volunteers, the focus will be more general, looking at self care and support to stay well in times of stress or additional challenges. Sessions will be short and easy to access. We are sure you will agree that now is the time to encourage people to pause and take a moment to reflect on how best they can support their own mental wellbeing, and that of others around them, as we move through another lockdown and try to deal with the longer term uncertainty of the pandemic.

We’d appreciate it if you could promote the sessions widely around your networks and encourage others to sign up. For more information check out the two poster links below, or contact Natalie from Volunteer Midlothian.

Info about staff sessions.

Info about volunteer sessions.

We are sad (but happy for George!) to share the news that George Wilson, Manager of MVA, retired at the end of September.  George has worked in Midlothian since 1994. He initially managed Woodburn Action Group, which then merged with MVA in 1998.  He has been with us ever since. 

His calm and supportive manner has been appreciated by everyone in the sector, and we can’t put into words how much everyone at Midlothian TSI will miss him.  His leaving collection raised over £400, and we were able to buy him a very nice bottle of Islay Malt. We hope you enjoy it George – but definitely don’t drink it all at once!

Our partners at Police Scotland and Midlothian Council have asked us to endorse this statement about sharing of personal data on social media and other digital or online platforms. Please folks – be careful about what you post on social media, particularly if it relates to vulnerable people who need services and support. Would you want your name, phone number, address and the fact that you’re vulnerable or live alone shared publicly for all to see? We’re pretty sure the answer to that question is no, so please do follow this important advice and ask others to do the same. 

ATTENTION: Are you part of a social media group on Facebook?

Do you know everyone on your social media group?

There have been instances of people sharing personal details and circumstances on social media and we would take this opportunity to remind you to be cautious about what information you are sharing about yourself and making public through social media.

Your personal information could be used for the purposes of criminality including fraud and theft.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are sharing information on behalf of other people, remember to be equally careful with their details, particularly as you may be identifying them as a vulnerable person.

Details which you should be careful about sharing are:

• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• That you are in possession of money

People who you should ask for assistance in the first instance should be:

• Family
• Friends
• Neighbours

If this is not possible Midlothian Council are working with a number of organisations including
support volunteer groups which can assist in providing you access to food, medicine and support.
Support provided by:

• Midlothian Contact Centre – 0131 270 7500
• Red Cross Shopping Assistance – 0131 654 0340
• Midlothian Council Communities and Lifelong Learning service – CLL@midlothian.gov.uk

The Communities and Lifelong Learning service will coordinate a response either from them or the local community resilience group in relation to prescription collection and delivery, food, money and pets. This email box is actively checked and requests allocated Mon to Friday 8.00am – 6.00pm

Volunteer Midlothian – (If you or someone you know wants to help volunteer with essential
services we would direct you to Volunteer Midlothian) via email to volunteering@mca.scot