This is important as Dads are growing in their influence in a family and yet so many facilities are STILL slacking for them to appropriately be there for their families.

As the new school term gets underway, school cleaners and janitors employed across Ayrshire by the local schools contractor, Mitie, are taking to the streets to campaign against their second-class treatment by Mitie and the local council. GMB Scotland, the union for school support staff, is stepping up its campaign for a Living Wage for school cleaners. GMB Scotland is also demanding that janitors working in local schools, which are operated on behalf of North, South and East Ayrshire councils by the contractor, Mitie, are paid at least the same as council employed janitors. Members of the public across Ayrshire will be asked to sign petitions backing the cleaners and janitors at special street stalls organised by the union in Kilmarnock, Ayr and Irvine over the next few weeks. In each of the 13 Mitie managed schools across Ayrshire low paid, predominantly women, workers are being treated as second class citizens with the full knowledge of the political leadership of local councils. School cleaners employed by Mitie are paid nearly £1 below the Scottish Living Wage, currently £8.75 an hour, which is paid as a minimum to every other council worker. Many of these workers transferred to Mitie's employment from the local council but have seen their pay erode year on year compared to their colleagues, doing the same jobs, and still employed by the council. There are even examples of women working in school kitchens and also as school cleaners who see their rate of pay drop when they change a council overall for a Mitie one. Sign below to support GMB Scotland’s campaign for all our school staff to earn at least the Living Wage and for fair pay for all school support staff, no matter what school they work in.

Who does he think he is? He made these comments thinking that he has the authority and no one has the power to do anything. He should be made to apologise otherwise other people will think it is ok to make such comments.

Under the Equality Act 2010, a house cannot be refused to be let to someone because of disability, gender, race, sexual orientation or religion; these are known as protected characteristics. However - with suitable disabled accommodation being very sparse among social housing - downstairs toilet facilities, first floor apartments, bungalows, etc, are being refused to be let to potential tenants on the basis the potential tenant is in receipt of a government subsidy towards rent. These subsidies are awarded because individuals are unable to work due to disability, yet disabilities are a “protected characteristic” under the Equality Act. No matter whether you are willing to provide references, admin fees, bonds, or consent to a credit search. Due to lack of social housing, disabled people are being pushed into the private rental market yet being discriminated against and refused housing there too. No person should be discriminated against for something that is beyond their control; where else are disabled people supposed to live? It’s a daily struggle to live in a house that’s not suitable, I think it’s abhorrent that disabled people are being refused to rent in the private sector because they receive a government subsidy towards rent. Take a look at properties for rent near you and see how many say "no DSS"! Imagine how difficult it would be for someone disabled looking for somewhere to live. It is discriminatory. Please take a moment to sign this petition!

Currently, if you enter a same-sex affair, whether you are in a heterosexual marriage or a same-sex one, the affair is not considered adultery. This is because the UK law around this does not recognise a same-sex relationship in the same way it recognises a heterosexual one. This is not equality.

The 1st Musselburgh Senior Section want to end period poverty. We’re calling for free period products for everyone who needs them. We’ve been working on Girlguiding Scotland’s Citizen Girl challenge badge in our unit – which is all about exploring why our voices matter and how we can speak out on the issues that matter to us. This got us thinking about some of the barriers girls our age face and we decided to campaign to end period poverty after seeing how condoms are provided for free at our school but how girls currently have to pay for period supplies like tampons and pads. It’s not fair that girls have to pay for something they have no choice in! We’re really encouraged to see free period products will now be available in Scottish schools but think more needs to be done to end period poverty once and for all. That’s why we’re calling for free products in other public places like Community Centres, Sport Centres and Libraries and for a system to make sure these products are easily accessible and freely available to anyone who needs them. We also want to tackle the stigma around periods and period poverty – so girls and women know this isn’t something they have to hide or be ashamed of. Women worldwide, are incapacitated by an inevitable biological process, not one of their own making. Many women cannot afford this basic necessity, which impacts so heavily on their lives. We would like to ask that Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, and Shona Robinson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, to help end the stigma around periods and make sure period products are freely and easily accessible to anyone who needs them, not just while we’re at school but throughout our lives.

This inaction from Pride in London has sent shock waves around the world. Hate is not the message of pride and it was platformed for all the world to see .

Frida Kahlo was a cultural icon who celebrated her beauty with internationally acclaimed flare. She taught young girls everywhere that despite their disability or background - beauty is for all. Her iconic dark brows and lipstick adorn the walls of the public and elite alike, in her stunning original works or dog-eared printouts, torn from borrowed magazines. Frida made a stand for women everywhere, challenging perceptions of beauty and idealised standards for women, she stood for strength, for justice and for equality. We can't all afford an original piece to honour her memory but what better way to do it than by keeping those ideals alive through the medium of make-up.

This is important because female tunics are to heavy to wear in the summer months.

More families in the UK have been reaching out to food banks for sanitary products, as they just can’t afford the ‘luxury’ of buying them. Sanitary towels and tampons aren’t cheap, but they are an essential part of a women’s life. This has resulted in women and girls using toilet paper, old socks, pieces of cloth, newspaper, and other unhygienic items and this could cause serious threats to their health. Without the sufficient and proper protection, which every girl and women deserves, girls have been routinely missing school. Shocking statistics from planUK.org said ‘49 per cent of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period, of which 59 per cent have made up a lie or an alternate excuse’. A girl’s, and every young persons, education is such a vital and important part of their lives, they should not have to compromise this because of their periods. Blackburn is a deprived area, and looking at the demographics, and the statistics from plan UK, Blackburn could be at a higher risk than the statistic already shown.

It is vital for victims and children’s voices to be heard, supported and truly understood. Only then can informed decisions be made for the people involved and safety be paramount. This is sadly not happening currently and the statistics continue to grow. Please see latest report on family courts and domestic abuse conducted by the APPG inquiry https://www.naccc.org.uk/downloads/NewsItems/APPG_Inquiry_report_Domestic_Abuse_Child_Contact_and_the_Family_Court.pdf We need to unite and help stamp out abuse and suport the victims and children when they need it the most. Thank you.

Because the comfort, happiness and equality of people matters .