The British High Commission Singapore announces today (2 October) two young, outstanding Singaporeans as recipients of the 2020/2021 Chevening Awards.

Ms Loh Yin Shan, 32, and Ms Ili Kaiyisah Binte Mohammad Rahan, 28, are this year’s successful applicants from Singapore for the Chevening programme, which gives future leaders an opportunity to study in the UK, helping them develop academically and professionally.

Over 50,000 professionals from around the world have studied in the UK through the Chevening programme since 1983.

Notable Chevening alumni from Singapore include Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, Singapore mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, and world-record breaking wheelchair racer Dr William Tan.

Yesterday, Her Excellency Kara Owen presented Ms Loh and Ms Ili Kaiyisah with their Chevening Awards, during a private event held at Eden Hall, the official residence of the British High Commissioner.

Ms Loh is an Assistant Director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and on the founding team of an award-winning social change consultancy, Conjunct Consulting. She is currently a mentor to female students in university through the Young Women’s Leadership Connection platform.

She is pursuing an MBA in Business Administration at the University of Cambridge, which has also awarded her the Forté Foundation Fellows Scholarship in recognition of exceptional female candidates. Ms Loh is also a recipient of the Boston Consulting Group’s Women’s MBA Fellowship.

“Doing my MBA will equip me with a vast array of management skills, including strategic thinking and problem solving. At Cambridge, I’ll also be working with renowned professors and I can tap on the minds of my talented classmates. This will increase my ability to make an impact in Singapore’s public and social sectors,” Ms Loh said.

Ms Ili Kaiyisah is a Senior Research Analyst with an interest in developing sustainable economic development models for companies. She is studying for an MSc in Environment and Development at London School of Economics and Political Science.

She has worked closely with Consumer Goods companies on sustainability-focused business insights and is a seasoned public speaker on circular economy processes and mindful consumerism in Southeast Asia.

“After completing my Masters, I hope to leverage my multi-disciplinary background in research to deepen the collaboration between corporate, NGOs and governmental actors and create a sustainable development framework for the region,” Ms Ili Kaiyisah said.

The Chevening Scholarship supports successful applicants to pursue a Master’s-level course at a university of their choosing.

Applications for study in 2021-2022 are open until 3 November 2020.

About the Chevening Scholarships

The Chevening Scholarships are funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations and are open to applications from around 150 countries and territories.

Known previously in Singapore as the Raffles Scholarships, the Chevening programme offers bond-free scholarships to promising young Singaporeans.

Scholarships are usually awarded for one year postgraduate courses at any UK university and on any course of the Scholar’s choice. In Singapore, the financial support usually covers the scholar’s university tuition fees

• Investment is part of the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund and will help cinemas from Northumberland down to Devon through the pandemic

• Funding for independent cinemas welcomed by Luther co-stars Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson

• The UK Government’s Film and TV Production Restart Scheme is now open for applications

42 independent cinemas from across England have received a cash boost from the UK government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, in the first awards made by the British Film Institute (BFI) to support England’s screen sector, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced today.

The first tranche of money from the £30 million pot is being allocated by the BFI on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), it will support cinemas across England from the Jam Jar Cinema in Whitley Bay, Northumberland, down to Devon’s Totnes Cinema.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

We all enjoyed the escapism of a good film during lockdown, but nothing beats the experience of the big screen. This first wave of emergency funding will help dozens of independent cinemas around the country, preserving their unique character and history for future generations.

Our Film and TV Restart Scheme will keep cameras rolling on British-made film and TV – protecting jobs, boosting this hugely important industry and giving us more great content to enjoy.

But now we need the public to pay their part too. So I urge everyone to get booking your seats and support your local cinema.

This important cash boost of more than £650,000 will help independent cinemas – the cultural organisation closest to home for so many people – weather the storm of the coronavirus pandemic.

The support for independent cinemas has been welcomed by Luther co-stars Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson.

Idris Elba OBE, award-winning actor, producer and director (Mandela, The Long Walk to Freedom, Yardie, Luther) and BFI Governor said:

In a time with so much change and uncertainty around us, there is comfort in the familiarity of a comfy pair of seats and some popcorn at your local cinema. It’s a simple and effective way of bonding with our cities and culture. We depend on the independent cinema and they depend on us to support them, now more than ever.

Ruth Wilson, actor and producer (Saving Mr Banks, His Dark Materials, Mrs. Wilson), said:

What lockdown has made very clear is how vital local communities are. I am thrilled independent cinemas will be able to access the Culture Recovery Fund. They, alongside all local arts organisations are lifelines for their communities and for the people that work in them. It was in my local cinema in Walton-on-Thames where I saw films for the first time that moved me, that made me understand the power of storytelling, the power of communal watching and made me want to be part of that world.

Cinemas are able to apply for Safety Grants, to help independent venues meet the additional costs of creating a safe and covid-secure environment for staff and audiences, and Business Sustainability grants of up to £200,000 to help stabilise venues as they reopen.

Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive said:

The Government’s support for independent cinemas through the Culture Recovery Fund is having a positive impact for venues and local communities in cities, towns and villages across the country as they reopen with new covid-safe measures in place and new releases including current hits Rocks, After We Collided, Tenet and Monsoon, re-releases of classics such as La Haine and Star Wars, and the forthcoming Saint Maud and Eternal Beauty, all from great talent. Thanks to the Culture Recovery Fund we look forward to more cinemas gearing up to reopen in the coming weeks.

Saffron Screen, received £46,096 to help the venue restart its screenings including its pop-up screenings in in local villages providing the only opportunity in the area to see a range of films from mainstream to foreign language and archive as well as streaming performances like Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes.

Kinema in the Woods, in Woodhall Spa, received a Safety Grant of £4,002 so that the site can welcome back its diverse audiences that attend its wide range of screenings including baby-friendly film showings and regular accessible screenings for local people with autism and dementia.

Philip Jones, Cinema Manager of Kinema in the Woods, said:

We are very grateful to the Culture Recovery Fund for supporting the costs of putting into place safety measures and providing PPE which meant we could safely reopen our doors.

The £30 million fund will remain open for applications until 30 October and support for cinemas making an application is available from the BFI.

To support the UK’s film industry at every point of the screen supply chain the government has also opened the application process for the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme to help productions get the cameras rolling.

Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said:

The UK’s cinemas and film & TV production industry are a key part of our culture – they provide thousands of jobs and help to entertain the nation. So I’m delighted that we can support independent cinemas through the Cultural Recovery Fund, and help to get productions up and running again through the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme, protecting vital jobs across the industry.

The £500 million Scheme is designed to help TV and film productions across the country that have been halted or delayed by a lack of insurance to get back up and running. The Scheme will give productions the confidence they need that they will be supported if future losses are incurred due to Covid-19.

Detailed eligibility criteria for the scheme are available online so that productions can prepare applications ahead of the scheme formally opening in the coming weeks.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The full list of successful cinemas is:

• Bellingham Film Palace, London, £4,662
• Hailsham Pavilion, Hailsham, East Sussex, £5,760
• Hollywood Plaza, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, £5,450
• Boleyn Cinema, East Ham, London, £8,325
• Lexi Cinema, north-west London, £8,439
• Jam Jar Cinema, Whitley Bay, Northumberland, £5,914
• Keswick Alhambra, Keswick, Cumbria , £4,884
• Kino, Hawkhurst, Kent, £8,469
• Kino, Rye, East Sussex, £8,469
• Kino, Bermondsey, south-east London, £8,469
• Regal Cinema, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, £8,375
• Red Carpet Cinema, Barton under Needwood, Staffordshire, £9,973
• Kinema in the Woods, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, £4,002
• Totnes Cinema, Devon, £4,602
• Savoy, Heaton Moor, Greater Manchester, £4,983
• Orion Cinema, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, £5,254
• Hollywood East, Dereham, Norfolk, £5,318
• The Clifton Community Arts Centre, West Midlands, £3,662
• Rex Cinema, Wilmslow, Cheshire, £5,365
• The Northern Lights Cinema, Derbyshire, £8,050
• The Regent, Christchurch, Dorset, £5,292
• Backyard Cinema, south-west London, £8,207
• Sherborne Cinema, Gloucester, £8,940
• Ritz Cinema, Belper, Derbyshire, £10,000
• Showroom, Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber, £10,000
• Reel Cinemas, £139,958 14 Reel cinemas receiving support for health and safety equipment – Borehamwood (Hertfordshire), Chippenham (Wiltshire), Chorley (Lancashire), Dudley (West Midlands), Kingston Upon Hull (Yorkshire and the Humber), Blackburn (Lancashire), Morecambe (Lancashire), Rochdale (Greater Manchester), Wakefield (West Yorkshire), Widnes (Lancashire), Hollywood Park (Burnley, Lancashire), Market Quay (Fareham, Hampshire), Scala (Ilkeston, Derbyshire), Majestic (Bridgnorth, Shropshire)
• Royston Picture Palace, Hertfordshire, £46,096*
• Saffron Walden Community Cinema, Essex, £46,096*
• Catford Mews, south-east London, £252,697*

The Saffron Walden Community Cinema, Royston Picture Palace and Catford Mews cinemas receive funding for health and safety equipment and for business sustainability planning.

Applications to the Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinema are open until 30 October. Further detail can be found here.

Applications to the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme can be made from 9am on Friday 2 October, and further detail can be found here.

Please note that as the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme is still subject to State Aid approval, it may be subject to change. We have opened applications now in order to give the sector the opportunity to submit their applications in advance, to expedite the process of reaching a decision on their application. The scheme will formally provide certificates of eligibility for successful applications when state aid approval has been granted. No fees will be due until that point in time.

Cinemas are allowed to reopen in England so long as they follow the COVID-19 secure UK Cinema Association guidelines. They are exempt from the 10pm curfew if a performance starts before 10pm, however no alcohol or food can be served after 10pm. Cinemas are able to continue to host more than 6 people in total but no one should mix in a group of greater than 6.

People arriving into the UK from Turkey, Poland or Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba from 4am Saturday 3 October will need to self-isolate for 2 weeks as the countries are removed from the travel exemptions list.

At the same time, from tomorrow (Friday 2 October) the penalties issued to people who breach self-isolation after returning from a non-exempt country will increase.

The penalties, which mirror those recently announced for those breaching self-isolation following a positive COVID test or contact from Test & Trace, will now increase incrementally for repeat offenders – rising from £1,000 for first offences up to £10,000 for subsequent offences.

Data from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England has indicated a significant change in both the level and pace of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Poland, Bonaire, and St Eustatius and Saba, leading to ministers removing these from the current list of travel corridors.

A range of factors are taken into account when deciding to remove a country from the exemption list, including the continued increase of coronavirus within a country, the numbers of new cases, information on a country’s testing capacity, testing regime and test positivity rate and potential trajectory of the disease in the coming weeks.

The Turkish Health Ministry has said it has been defining the number of new COVID-19 cases in a different way to the definition used by international organisations such as WHO and ECDC, meaning that the JBC’s risk assessment for Turkey has been updated to reflect the likely impact of this on the data for incidence and test positivity rates.

Data from Poland shows a 66% increase in the weekly incidence (cases) per 100,000, rising from 14.7 on 23 September to 24.4 on 30 September. Test positivity for Poland has nearly doubled in a week, increasing from 3.9% to 5.8% too.

Data shows there has been a consistent increase in newly reported cases in Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba over the past 2 weeks with a 740% increase in newly reported cases from 5 between 10-16 September to 42 between 24-30 September.

At the same time, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice to advise against all but essential travel to Poland and Turkey. The FCDO already advises against all but essential travel to Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba.

The government has made consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus, including removing countries from the travel corridors list rapidly if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high.

People currently in Turkey, Poland, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba are encouraged to follow the local rules and check the FCDO travel advice pages for further information. The government is urging employers to be understanding of those returning from these destinations who now will need to self-isolate.

Covid-19 has profoundly changed the nature of international travel. Travellers should always check the latest advice from the FCDO, given the potential for changing coronavirus infection rates to affect both the advice about travelling to other countries and rules about self-isolation on return. All travellers, including those from exempt destinations, will still be required to show a complete passenger locator form on arrival into the UK unless they fall into a small group of exemptions.

• Trucks arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos carrying UK aid to help families affected by camp fire.
• The package, which includes basic supplies such as plates, cutlery, and solar lamps, will be distributed to people in need.
• Minister for Europe Wendy Morton says the UK is standing by Greece and working together to support those in dire need.

The UK has sent much needed plates, cutlery and solar lamps to Moria camp in Greece following a devastating fire which left thousands of people homeless, Minister for Europe Wendy Morton announced today, 1st October.

Many of the people staying in the camp had fled from conflict zones, such as the decade-long war in Syria, and will have lost the few possessions they owned.

Today’s UK aid package will mean nearly 2,000 vulnerable families can prepare, cook and serve food, as well as being kept safe with solar lanterns. The 2,000 lanterns can be used to charge torches and mobiles phones.

The UK Government is working closely with the Government of Greece to make sure people living in Moria camp have access to food and shelter.

Minister for Europe, Wendy Morton, said:

We have all been moved by the devastating images of the fire in Lesbos, and my thoughts are with the thousands of people who have been left with nothing.

The UK is standing by Greece and working together to support those in dire need. Our aid will help the most vulnerable families to stay safe and make sure they are able to feed themselves.

Today’s support is in addition to over £500,000 of support provided earlier this year to the International Organization for Migration to provide supplies to vulnerable people on Lesbos and other islands, including tents, shelter kits, towels and x-ray machines to help treat minor injuries.

Notes to editors

The items – totaling around £150,000 – were sent from the FCDO’s UK warehouse and a supplier in Belgium, and travelled by land through to Greece. The 1,854 kitchen sets arrived in Greece today, and the solar lanterns are expected in the coming days. They will be distributed by the Government of Greece.

Businesses affected by local lockdown restrictions in Bolton will now be eligible for grants of up to £1,500 each, the government announced today (Thursday 1 October).

Last month the government announced further funding for local authorities to support businesses required to close as part of localised lockdowns to control the spread of COVID-19.

Certain businesses in Bolton have been closed for 3 weeks, making them eligible for this support. Those that are eligible will have a period of several weeks in which they can claim the money they are entitled to for the 3 weeks they were in lockdown.

This funding will allow Bolton Council to distribute grants to businesses that fit the following criteria:

• eligible business properties with rateable values of less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £1,000
• eligible business properties with rateable values of £51,000 and over will receive a grant of £1,500
• eligible businesses with more than one affected property will receive a grant in respect of each property

Business Minister Paul Scully said:

We understand how difficult it is for businesses required to close as part of localised lockdowns, but we must take action to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while minimising damage to lives and livelihoods.

We have put in place a wide-ranging package of support to help struggling businesses and today’s announcement means Bolton Council can start distributing cash grants to those who need it, helping them through this challenging time.

In addition, Bolton Council will receive an additional 5% of funding to run a local discretionary grant fund which could be used to support businesses that do not pay business rates and other severely impacted businesses that are prioritised locally.

As with the grants to business-rate paying businesses, this additional top-up grant will be paid every 3 weeks to businesses where closures persist.

From Saturday 3 October, Bolton will be brought in line with measures in place throughout the rest of Greater Manchester as case rates have fallen.

This means hospitality businesses including bars, pubs, cafes, restaurants can resume table service subject to early 10pm closure and the rule of 6 restrictions, and other businesses such as bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, casinos, soft play and conference centres and exhibit halls will also be able to reopen in Bolton.