Next Thursday’s (11th April) Supporting your Child in Grief group has been cancelled due to the Easter Holidays.
The next group will run on Thursday 9th May at 11am-12pm as usual.
Apologies for any inconvenience.
A consultation on banning the use of cages to house laying hens for egg production has been launched today.
Views will be sought on phasing out the use of enriched cages, which offered more room to nest, roost, scratch and rest than the previously used battery or barren cages that were banned in the UK in 2012.
In 2020 a survey showed that 88% of the British public consider using cages in farming is cruel and 77% of those surveyed supported a complete ban on the use of cages in farming.
Over 1.1 million hens were housed in cages in Scotland as of February 2024.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: “As we committed to in our Programme for Governments, we want to improve the welfare of laying hens to ensure their confinement does not negatively impact their normal behaviours.
“Significant progress has already been made in recognising the importance of animal welfare – both in government policies and the demand from the public in the choice they make when shopping. If implemented, the ban would be another example of Scotland leading the way in improving the welfare of animals by being the first UK nation to ban the practice.
“We’ve seen the European Union put forward legislation to prohibit using cages for all farmed livestock, with Luxembourg and Austria already banning them and others phasing them out.
“In the coming weeks will also call for evidence on the use of cages in the gamebird and quail egg and meat sectors ahead of consulting on phasing out cages in those sectors in due course.
“I would encourage everyone with an interest in this issue to take part to help us shape how we protect the welfare of laying hens.”
Consultation on a proposal to phase out the use of cages in Scotland’s laying hen sector.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks, until Tuesday 25 June 2024
| It is difficult to celebrate slight improvements as patients and staff bear the brunt of long waits. This is the response from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) as the latest performance data from Public Health Scotland shows one in eight people attending A&Es in Scotland in February waited eight hours or longer to be seen. There has been a small improvement since January – the worst month on record for A&E waiting times. However, last month was the worst February on record for four-, eight-, and twelve-hour performance in Scotland. The data also shows: One in three patients waited four hours or more in Emergency Departments, one in eight waited eight hours or more, and one in 18 waited 12 hours or more. Since February 2017, the numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by more five times (370%), the numbers waiting more than eight hours by 15 times (1446%), and the numbers waiting more than twelve hours by seven times (571%). This is despite attendance only increasing by 8% from February 2017. There were 1,874 beds occupied due to delayed discharges, an increase of 8 from the previous month and the highest February on record. There was a total of 54,355 days spent in hospital by people whose discharge was delayed. Dr Jason Long, Vice President of RCEM, said: “Any slight improvement from January is welcome, however it is difficult to celebrate when patients and staff continue to bear the brunt of long waits. “Problems exist throughout the entire system, from ambulance pick up, to delayed discharge and a lack of social care provisions. This, of course, takes a toll on hardworking staff pushing themselves to their limits and the people facing these extended waits. “Now is the time for change. We encourage the Scottish government to adopt our Manifesto points to #ResuscitateEmergencyCare.” Graphs illustrating the data can be found here. |
A man who died in a crash in Corstorphine last Saturday (30th March) has been named as 29-year-old Dylan Clack.
His family have asked for privacy and released the following statement: “Dylan, known as Dizzy, was a beloved son, brother, father, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend.
“He will be sadly missed by all of us. Dylan will be remembered for his big smile.”
The incident happened around 11.50pm on Corstorphine Road at the junction with Balgreen Road when a silver VW Tiguan collided with a wall.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, a 17-year-old male, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where his condition is described as serious but stable.
Sergeant Louise Birrell, of the Edinburgh Road Policing Unit, said: “Our thoughts remain with Dylan’s family and friends at what is a very difficult time for them.
“Enquiries into the full circumstances continue and anyone who has not already spoken to officers is asked to call us on 101, quoting incident number 4595 of Saturday, 30 March, 2024.”
Janet and David Chesney, the last residents of Mary King’s Close, the renowned Edinburgh city-centre attraction, now have their gravestone restored to its former glory thanks to dedicated volunteers.
Located in Dalry Cemetery, the Chesneys’ burial site fell into disrepair following the closure of the Edinburgh Cemetery Company in the 1970s. Over the years, the cemetery suffered extensive vandalism until Edinburgh District Council assumed ownership in 1988 through a compulsory purchase order.
More than a century after the couple’s passing, the Chesneys’ gravestone, along with numerous others, lay neglected amidst overgrowth, barely legible. However, the Friends of Dalry Cemetery volunteer group, fueled by donations, recently enlisted the expertise of professional stonemason John Burrell to restore the monument.
Today, visitors to Dalry Cemetery can once again appreciate the Chesneys’ memorial, a testament to the dedication of community volunteers in preserving Edinburgh’s rich history.
Eryk Jan Grzeszkowiak, Friends of Dalry Cemetery volunteer, said: “”During the volunteering sessions we often remark how most people associate cemeteries with death. Dalry Cemetery, however, is now very much alive.
“Every time an old monument is restored, cleaned or researched we get one step closer to bringing back the memory of those who came before us.
“In words of a poet, W. Szymborska “The eternity of the dead lasts as long, As one keeps paying them with memory”.”
Carol Stewart, Friends of Dalry Cemetery researcher, explains:
David Chesney – also known as David McKean Chesney – was born around 1798 in the parish of Kirkmabreck in Kirkcudbrightshire on the south-western coast of Scotland.
It is not clear who his parents were, although it is possible that his father’s surname was McKean. David Chesney became a sawmaker.
Janet Cowan was born in Rothesay, on the island of Bute, to Robert Cowan and his wife, Jane Duncan. Janet was baptised there on 1 June 1806.
Janet’s son, Andrew Cowan Ramsay was born on 16 January 1831 in Rothesay and was baptised on 21 February of the same year. His father was called William Ramsay and he came from Glasgow. It appears that Andrew’s parents never married but after his mother married David Chesney on 9 March 1839, in the Gorbals district of Glasgow, Andrew took his stepfather’s surname. It appears that there were no children born to David and Janet Chesney after marriage.
The 1841 Census indicates that the Chesneys were then living in the St Ninian’s district of Stirling but by 1851, they had moved to Edinburgh. The 1851 Census states their address as Mary King’s Close. Mary King’s Close was one of a network of closes running off the High Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, upon which the Royal Exchange Building was partially built in the 1750s. This meant that the premises were substantially located underground.
On the 1851 Census, David’s occupation is stated as Master Sawmaker and the information indicates that he employed two men. Also appearing on this census was their lodger, an apprentice sawmaker called David Inglis. Interestingly, Andrew Chesney, who worked with his father, was not living with his parents at that time but instead appears on the 1851 Census, living at a boarding house in Edinburgh’s Bread Street. It is possible that Andrew boarded at a boarding house in order that the Chesneys could earn additional income from renting a room to a paying lodger – in this case, their apprentice.
On 16 November 1860, Andrew Chesney was married to Margaret Marshall at 24 Grove Street in Glasgow. Margaret’s father was James Marshall, a shoemaker and her mother was Isabella Williamson. After marriage, Andrew brought his wife to live with him in Edinburgh.
David and Janet Chesney continued to reside in Mary King’s Close throughout the 1860s and 1870s, however by then their home & shop address was identified as 8 Royal Exchange. The 1871 Census indicates that David Chesney was now retired and their son Andrew was running the saw-making business. By 1875, it appears that David Chesney had acquired property in Edinburgh, owning residential premises at 11 Middle Arthur Place on Edinburgh’s Southside.
Janet Chesney died on 17 November 1882, aged 76 years, at 8 Royal Exchange, Edinburgh. The cause of her death was stated to be bronchitis, from which she had been suffering for around 5 years and general debility from old age. The informant of her death was her son Andrew. She was interred in a private plot (R. 204) in Dalry Cemetery on 20 November 1882. It was only some years after the death of Janet Chesney, that David Chesney vacated the premises at 8 Royal Exchange. The Valuation Rolls, which were local taxation records, listing people and properties in Scottish counties and burghs, indicate that he was still living there in 1885, however it appears that he was eventually the last remaining occupant to vacate before the residential and business premises of the Royal Exchange were sealed off.
By 1885, David Chesney had acquired further properties in Edinburgh – at Spittal Street and at Montague Street in Newington. Andrew and Margaret Chesney lived in Spittal Street for most of their married life but they had no children.
David Chesney seems to have retired to live in Rothesay, on Bute where he appears on the 1891 Census and it was there that he died on 9 August 1892 at 11 Bridgend Street. The names of his parents are not recorded on his death record and the cause of his death was simply stated as “infirmity”. The informant of the death was his son, Andrew. David Chesney was interred with his wife Janet in Plot R.204 in Dalry Cemetery on 11 August 1892. At the time of his death, the value of his estate was estimated to be £777 5s 4d, which at that time was a very large sum of money.
Andrew Chesney died on 3 October 1906, aged 74 years, at 34 Thirlstane Road, Edinburgh. He had been suffering from hemiplegia – presumably as the result of a stroke – for almost three years at the time of his death. On 6 October 1906, he was interred in the Edinburgh Metropolitan cemetery (Plot I. 474), now known as Morningside Cemetery.
The informant of his death was William Naysmith Marshall, his nephew. William had taken over the saw-making/repairing business which he operated from around 1895 until approximately 1930, in premises at 5 Upper Bow, which is situated on the Royal Mile, close to Castlehill.
Andrew’s widow Margaret died on 22 January 1918 at 33 Comiston Drive. The cause of her death was senile arteriosclerosis. She was also interred in Morningside Cemetery, in the plot shared with her husband Andrew, on 26 January 1918. The informant of her death was her nephew, William Marshall.
PICTURES
Photo 1: Friends of Dalry Cemetery volunteers Paul Stansell, Thomas Kielty, Jakob Assarsson, and Lani Knott.
Photo 2: In memory of Janet Cowan, wife of David Chesney, died 17th November 1882, aged 74. Also the said David Chesney, died 9th August 1892, aged 94 years.
Photo 3: The Burying Ground of D & J Chesney. It is very unusual for the wife’s name to be included on the monument base.
Photo 4: The white marble obelisk monument has been cleaned and planted by volunteers and is becoming a must-see for Edinburgh history diehards.
East Lothian Council, in partnership with greenspace scotland, has launched a call-out to commission an artist or artists to contribute to the region’s Covid community memorial, part of the Scotland-wide Remembering Together project.
Remembering Together East Lothian is managed by the Council Arts Service, and is being developed by artists Barbara Gardner-Rowell and Sophie Ferguson. In the project’s first phase they explored with local communities how best to reflect the region’s experiences during the pandemic, in order to create a lasting opportunity for the community to connect and reflect.
The result is a series of six accessible walking trails which have been mapped across the region, in Dunbar, Haddington, Musselburgh, North Berwick, Tranent, and Preston Seton Gosford.
The walks will encourage communities to come together and connect socially with the healing qualities of nature, reflecting the daily walking practice that many people adopted during lockdown. Each starts and finishes on local transport routes, offering an inclusive community resource that is easily accessible, that can be integrated into various facets of everyday life.
For the latest phase of the project East Lothian Council is seeking to commission an artist or artists to create a focal point of reflection for each of the six walking trails.
The commissions will be selected for their relevance and sensitivity to the project themes of Reflection, Remembering, Hope and Healing, and could be physical pieces situated on the walking route, or a soundscape, mural, piece of music or film, or digital artwork accessed via QR code.
The artist or artists selected for the commissions will be encouraged during the research phase to visit the walking trails and the archive to develop their final proposal. Funding of up to £60,000 is available to realise the artworks.
Submissions are required by 12 April 2024. Further details and information on how to apply can be found at rememberingtogethereastlothian.com
All Scottish social security benefits are increasing by 6.7% in April, providing more support for disabled people, unpaid carers and people on low incomes.
Scottish Child Payment, which helps the families of more than 327,000 children, is now worth £26.70 per child per week.
A person eligible for the highest rate of Adult Disability Payment will receive £184.30 per week.
Carer Support Payment, Scotland’s newest benefit, has gone up to £81.90 every four weeks. The benefit for unpaid carers launched in three local authorities last year and will be available across Scotland by Autumn 2024.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our investment in social security helps low‑income families with their living costs, enables disabled people to live full and independent lives, and supports older people to heat their homes in winter.
“This financial year we are committing a record £6.3 billion for benefits expenditure – which is £1.1 billion more than the UK Government gives to the Scottish Government for social security.
“We are making a choice to increase direct support for people who need it the most and that is more important than ever during the current cost of living crisis.”
HOLYROOD’s Cross-Party Group on International Development, chaired by Sarah Boyack MSP, is launching an inquiry into the Scottish Government’s International Development, Climate Justice, and Humanitarian funds after transparency concerns.
This comes after the CPG was made aware of concerns from the sector regarding what funds are allocated, how they are prioritised and why.
Last May, concerns were raised about the significant delays to the awarding of the Climate Justice Fund.
There has also been a lack of transparency from the Scottish Government over recent years.
The Scottish Government’s regular International Development Contribution Report has not been published since the 2019-20 edition.
The inquiry aims to establish how and why decisions have been made and seek to make recommendations for a more transparent future approach.
The CPG’s inquiry will be a mix of evidence from stakeholders, alongside desk-based research.
Commenting on the inquiry launch, Chair Sarah Boyack said: “We know the great benefits that international aid can bring to communities in need.
“However, for too long there has not been transparency on how the Scottish Government’s aid programmes have been delivered.
“This inquiry aims to take a constructive approach to bring clarity into the Scottish Government’s Aid programme.
“If Scotland is going to make a substantial impact with its international aid, it is vital that the processes for awarding this aid are suitably transparent.
“I look forward to engaging with stakeholders and others to carry out this inquiry.
“Our aim will always be to ensure Scotland is world leading in international aid, but it is critical that humanitarian support is sent to the right places for the right reasons.”
Unite members within Social Care Direct (Children’s Services) are set to strike from 16 to 18 April in a dispute about imposed changes at work, continued mistreatment from management and the failure to deal with issues raised by workers.
Read on to understand the impact and how you can help your colleagues in dispute:
Front door to social work
Social Care Direct is the ‘front door’ to social work for children and families in Edinburgh, therefore the strike will have a significant impact. However, the Council have chosen to ignore workers in this area, knowing that this would result in industrial action that creates risks.
The workers are long-standing council workers and senior professionals. They have dedicated their lives to protecting children’s welfare and are committed to safeguarding and helping families in Edinburgh. All along Unite members have been ready to engage with management to find a resolution. However, members have been forced to take action as a last resort as management refuse to take their concerns seriously or engage in a meaningful way.
How we got here
Unite members raised concerns in January 2023 and are still awaiting a response. All the while chances were impose on the service, without consulting with workers or including them in the process.
Unite members are welcoming of changes—in fact, have been calling for them for some time—but we are clear that all changes must be done with workers not to them.
All too familiar
The Council’s failures here come in the context of the Council having allegedly improved how they deal with employee concerns following the Tanner Inquiry and last year’s Stanyte vs Edinburgh Council employment tribunal, which ruled that the council failed to appropriately handle a grievance.
How you can support your colleagues
Donate to the strike fund to support striking Unite members.
The RAC has today welcomed a commitment from the Government to commission an independent study into the issue of headlight glare, after research showed an overwhelming majority of drivers affected – as many as eight-in-10 – believe the problem is getting worse.
Responding to a petition set up by a member of the public following campaigning on the issue by the RAC, the College of Optometrists, Baroness Hayter and others, the Government said: “Recognising the need for further evidence [regarding headlight glare], we intend to commission independent research shortly.”
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “The fact the Government has listened to drivers’ concerns and heeded our calls to examine the complex issue of headlight glare in more detail marks a real turning point.
“The topic has undoubtedly struck a chord with motorists up and down the country, with many people contacting us directly to call for something to be done.
“Brighter headlights, while giving drivers a better view of the road ahead, are clearly causing other road users significant problems. As many as nine-in-10 drivers tell us they believe at least some car headlights are too bright, while 14% of drivers aged 65+ say they have stopped driving altogether as a result of being dazzled.
“An independent study provides a golden opportunity for the Government and industry to get to the bottom of the problem, identify the factors involved and map out a way forward. We’re aware of regulatory changes being made at an international level that will hopefully make a difference in many years to come, but are concerned that these alone may not be enough to address headlight dazzle.
“There are also known shortcomings concerning the official road casualty data not accurately capturing the true number of incidents associated with headlight glare, so it’s absolutely right that the topic is investigated properly to understand what can be done to keep everyone safe.
“We look forward to working with the Department of Transport to help ensure the study is as robust as possible and drivers’ voices are heard.”
Baroness Hayter said: “This is a victory for all those drivers affected by glare who’ve complained to their MP, signed the parliamentary petition, or indeed sought help from an optometrist – only to discover the problem was with headlights, and not their eyes.
“ This is an issue the RAC has long campaigned on and I am delighted the Government has recognised there is a real problem. We look forward to discussing its research in due course.”
