West Lothian Courier

Helping families recover after a murder

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Victim Support Scotland was awarded £ 1.2 million until the end of March 2021 by the Scottish Government specifical­ly to establish this new service.

The service is completely free and family members can access it through a Police Scotland family liaison officer and other support partners.

Holyrood justice secretary Humza Yousaf attended the official launch of the new service at Victim Support Scotland’s offices in Glasgow.

He said: “We want to ensure that victims’ interests are at the heart of our criminal justice system and that it is fair, accessible and efficient for all.

“We listened when victims’ families told us that they had faced difficulti­es in accessing the support that was available to them and that is why we have provided £1.2 million funding to Victim Support Scotland to deliver this free and confidenti­al new service.”

Bea Jones said: “I am very pleased to be here for the launch of the new service which is now up and running, pleased for the sake of those heartbroke­n, traumatise­d, Scottish families who need it now and those who will need it in the future.”

Kate Wallace of Victim Support Scotland said: “What’s been critical in the developmen­t phase is involving people like Bea and others who have lived through difficult and traumatic experience­s.

What’s been critical is involving people who have lived through difficult and traumatic experience­s Kate Wallace

 ??  ?? Funding Humza Yousaf
Funding Humza Yousaf

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