The animals, owned by farmer Andrew Jack and famous for grazing on the green grass of the Pyramids Business Park in Livingston, will adorn Erskine’s signature purple colour to mark the charity’s Erskine Week fundraising campaign.

Motorists can now see the colourful flock on top of the statuesque verge as they travel along the M8 motorway. It is part of Erskine’s wider campaign to encourage its supporters to ‘Go Purple’ for Erskine Week, which runs from 1^st-8^th June.

During this time, Erskine looking for individuals, schools, clubs, businesses and organisations to do something purple to raise funds for ex-Service men and women across Scotland.

There are various events supporters can take part in including Wear Purple Days, Get Fit in Purple or host a Purple Party. Erskine fundraisers can also be part of our inaugural event The Big Purple Proms being held at The Drum country house estate in Gilmerton, Edinburgh on 3^rd June from 6pm.

John Fyfe, Erskine fundraiser, said: “We are delighted to have the support of the Pyramid Business Park for Erskine Week 2011. I would encourage all of Erskine’s supporters to take the lead of these sheep and join our flock by going purple for Erskine Week. We need to raise £22,000 a day to provide services to the veterans in our care across Scotland and if you can ‘Go Purple’ and raise money for our cause you will be making a huge difference to their lives.”

For further information about Erskine Week, log on to www.erskine.org.uk.

To request your fundraising pack call 0141 814 4555 or email fundraising@erskine.org.uk.

Hosted by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Charity Awards is the most important third sector networking event.

This year, it is more important than ever that organisations demonstrate their value to the public, funders and government. The Scottish Charity Awards, attended by senior third sector representatives, politicians and business people is the perfect platform for you to tell people about your organisation.

Take a look at who is shortlisted this year:

• Charity of the year
• Campaign of the year
• Charity champion
• Partnership
• Community action

Book tickets online now.

We fulfil our charitable role within the ‘homelessness’ support network by providing practical relief through the provision of:

• Soup kitchens in Glasgow’s City Centre with the assistance of over 70 volunteers
• Glasgow Street Services who offer an accessible outreach service to assist people, who are or at risk of sleeping rough, to gain access to accommodation and health services appropriate to their needs with the ultimate aim of preventing the necessity to sleep rough.
• 7 small scale supported accommodation projects in Glasgow
• Housing Support Service in North Lanarkshire
• Support services to people with enduring mental illness in Glasgow and South Ayrshire to assist them to live independently and actively participate within their own communities
• Learning and training opportunities for service users through participation in one to one and group literacy tutoring, art classes, allotment, volunteering, etc.

causes: Our mission is to combat the causes and aleviate the effect of homelessness. We provide accomodation, outreach and housing support services.

website: www.glasgowsimon.com

email: mail@glasgowsimon.com

phone: 0141 418 6980

address: Glasgow Simon Community, 472 Ballater Street, Glasgow, G5 0QW

• Walk for Scotland (12, 6.7 or 1 mile walks)
• Run for Scotland (5k run)
• The Golden Mile Walks (1, 2 or 3 mile walks)
• Toddle for Scotland (children age 6 or under)

All four events will take place on Sunday 5 June in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh and are suitable for all the family. To take part in any of these four events you must register online at www.challengescotland.com. Please remember to choose Alzheimer Scotland as your charity of choice from the drop down menu on the registration form.

Over the course of an action-packed day teams will walk or run 16 miles from Drymen, near Loch Lomond, north-east through the Trossachs to Callander, where they will switch to bikes for a 39 mile cycle to Kenmore – all in around 8-12 hours.

On the way the teams can enjoy the stunning scenery on one of Scotland’s finest long distance routes, and at the end, a sumptuous feast and party on the banks of Loch Tay will round off an unforgettable weekend!

Registration costs £110, Once registered each team member is asked to raise a minimum of £400 each, or £1,600 per four-person team. Every penny raised in sponsorship will benefit the Martin Currie Rob Roy Challenge Charity Partners, including Alzheimer Scotland.

• phone: 0845 260 0789
• email: events@alzscot.org

This year the event celebrates its 25th Anniversary and is now established as the largest 10K Road Race in the North East of Scotland and for many runners the highlight of their running season. The course is based around Aberdeen City’s Beach and Harbour area and has some spectacular views of the North Sea and the famous Beach Ballroom on the route of the course.

There are 3 races that take place:

• Ten Kilometre Race
• Wheelchair Race
• Family Fun Run.

The Baker Hughes 10k attracts all types of entries; from the serious runners who are in it to win it, to the Corporate Group who enter to raise money for charity, or simply the person who wants to use the event as motivation to get fit – the Baker Hughes has them all.

Alzheimer Scotland is one of the nominated charities for this event and as such has guaranteed places available now. To secure one of our places and to get a full registration pack, please contact the Events Team at events@alzscot.org

If you are planning to take part or are thinking about entering, why not persuade family, friends or work colleagues to take part with you.  It costs only £10 to guarantee your entry (entry fee subsidised by Alzheimer Scotland), all that we ask is that you pledge to raise a minimum of £150 in sponsorship money.

Already registered?

If you have already registered to take part in this event and would like to raise funds for Alzheimer Scotland it’s not too late! Please let us know by emailing events@alzscot.org

As more and more people are diagnosed with dementia, demand for our help continues to increase. Your support means that we can continue providing the support that makes a huge difference to people with dementia and their families.

Find out more on the Alzheimer Scotland website.

Cake Break – one of the MS Society’s best-loved fundraising events – encourages friends, colleagues and families to get together for delicious cakes and a cuppa, while raising money for people affected by MS.

Scotland has the highest prevalence of MS in the world with an estimated 10,500 people affected by the debilitating disease

Launching Cake Break, Grant called on the Scottish public to sign up for their own Cake Break – and raise funds to help the MS Society provide support and information to those affected by MS. Cake Break takes place on 20 May.

Through the cake crumbs, Grant said:

“I can’t think of a better way to spend time with friends and family than indulging in cake! The MS Society is a fantastic charity, making a real difference to people with MS. So I’m asking people to host a Cake Break on 20 May. Visit www.mssociety.org.uk/cakebreak to get your free host pack. Together we can help beat MS.”

Hazel Johnstone, Marketing Manager for the MS Society in Scotland, said:

“Cake Break is a scrumptious and delicious way to help those living with MS. Scotland has the highest prevalence of MS in the world; it can strike at any time and is, as yet, incurable. We rely on the support and dedication of our supporters to help us continue our vital work to ensure that the 10,500 people living with MS in Scotland can live their life to the full until we find a cure.”

Last year Cake Break raised £250,000 and the charity hopes this year’s event will be the biggest and best yet by breaking the £300,000 mark. Research shows there are currently 100,000 people living with MS in the UK, with 10,500 living in Scotland. The money raised from Cake Break funds MS specialists, provides grants and helps find better treatments through ground breaking research programmes.

Support really does make a big difference -

• £76 raised from tempting chocolate brownies made at home could run the MS Society helpline for an hour.
• £250 in donations from your work colleagues for yummy blueberry muffins could pay for a health / care worker to study for an MS Care in the Community qualification to better understand how to provided local services to those with MS.
• £500 donated by friends in your community for your delicious coffee and walnut cake could fund an MS Specialist nurse for four days

To sign up for your free Cake Break Host pack please call 0845 481 1577 or visit www.mssociety.org.uk/cakebreak.

Scotland needs more volunteer groups to help improve local communities and Keep Scotland Beautiful are inviting you to get involved.

Sunday 27th March saw the official launch of the Beautiful Scotland 2011 campaigns.

Staff from Keep Scotland Beautiful marked the day by helping Friends of Cumbernauld Community Park to plant 400 trees, highlighting that it’s not just about flowers, and sending out a ‘call to action’ to any interested community group in Scotland to sign up to one of their two campaigns – either the Beautiful Scotland or It’s Your Neighbourhood.

Entries are now open, and community groups have already been signing up for both….it’s not too late for you to join in the fun too.

Beautiful Scotland is a competition which supports groups within communities all across Scotland to improve and enhance their local environment. Participating communities are visited by trained volunteer judges who assess the work that has been done and award points accordingly. The best entry in each category receives a trophy.

It’s Your Neighbourhood is an inclusive non-competitive scheme which is about bringing members of the community together to make a positive change to the place they live, work or spend their leisure time. The campaign is an ideal opportunity for volunteer-led community groups which are interested in cleaning up and greening up their local area.

Friends of Cumbernauld Community Park opted to take part in the It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign. Barney Kinsler, Chairman of the Friends of Cumbernauld Community Park, said:

“Delighted to be able to host this year’s national launch of the “Keep Scotland Beautiful” scheme. Our initiative this year is to make a start on a new open woodland comprised of native trees. We have already planted 500 trees in February. Our planting day on 27 March doubled that number. The national programme is not just about gardens and plants, it is also about recycling, sustainability, and projects like the new Bio-Gas plant here in Cumbernauld. The real message is that there is a place for every effort big or small in this scheme.”

Beautiful Scotland would like to invite you to join one of the Beautiful Scotland 2011 campaigns – Scotland needs more volunteer groups to help improve local communities, so check out the Beautiful Scotland website http://www.beautifulscotland.org/, and sign up by registering online today!

With little over a week to go, Scotland’s participation in WWF’s annual global Earth Hour initiative looks set to break all records this year.

On Saturday 26 March at 8.30pm buildings across Scotland will be plunged into darkness as thousands of people switch off their lights or hold events in the dark to demonstrate support for people and wildlife affected by climate change.

To mark the official countdown, WWF Scotland today revealed that alongside support from the Scottish Government, hundreds of schools, businesses and iconic landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle and Falkirk Wheel that – for the first time ever – every one of Scotland’s 32 local authorities had committed to supporting the global event.

Last year around the world 4,616 cities and towns in 128 countries took part. Earth Hour 2011 is set to be even bigger and better with new countries and territories already registered to take part including Jamaica, Uganda and Swaziland.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland said:

“We are well on track to make Scotland’s Earth Hour the biggest and best ever thanks to the support of the Scottish Government and all our local authorities.

“While the world still waits for nations to agree a new legally binding agreement to reduce global climate emissions, we must all continue to encourage more local action to reduce pollution.”

“Earth Hour is a fun and simple way for people to show their support for strong action on climate change. Across Scotland hundreds of schools, businesses and individuals are getting together to hold a wide range of activities, including torch-lit walks or candle-lit dinner parties.  This year we are also asking people to think what they can do beyond the Hour to tackle climate change at home or in their work place and in their community.”

The event has the support of the Scottish Government, Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP said:

“The Scottish Government is delighted to back WWF’s Earth Hour.

“Our world-leading Climate Change Act with its target to cut emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 is challenging but achievable and in doing so we will create a cleaner, greener Scotland with a thriving low carbon economy. We are committed to leading by example and to encouraging others to do the same.

“Every person in Scotland typically contributes twice the global average in terms of greenhouse gas emissions produced as a result of our everyday behaviour. Small changes in our daily lives will not only help reduce emissions but can also contribute towards a healthier lifestyle, improve our environment and offer real financial savings.

“WWF’s Earth Hour provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to tackling climate change in a simple yet effective way.”

Metereologist Heather Reid is again lending her support to WWF’s Earth Hour, she said:

“I’m delighted to again be supporting WWF’s Earth Hour and would encourage as many people as possible to sign up and take part.  It’s a simple way to send a strong, visual message to decision makers that people care about the impacts of climate change.   This year we are asking people to think about what they can do beyond the Hour, this may include walking your children to school rather than taking them by car, or setting up a car-share with work colleagues.  Little changes to our day to day routines can make a big difference to our environment.”

No previous experience is necessary to take part and it’s suitable for everyone over the age of 16. Parental consent is required for persons aged 16 or 17 wishing to abseil.

Registration is only £20 and all that we ask is that you pledge to raise a minimum of £105 in sponsorship to help support people with dementia and their carers.

Guaranteed entry

To find out more about guaranteed entry through Alzheimer Scotland and to get a full registration pack, please contact the Events Team at events@alzscot.org

For more information visit the Alzheimer Scotland website here