Day: August 14, 2012

Bak to skool lunchbox tipz

Healthy Packed Lunches Tips for the New School Year

A collective sigh of relief will be heard around the country as many exhausted parents send their little loved ones back to school! However, with the new school year about to start, many parents begin the process of that infamous New School Year Resolution: Healthy Packed Lunches.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is issuing some quick and handy tips to create not only healthy packed lunches, but packed lunches that are full of flavour and variety.

The BDA is the professional association for registered dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with approximately 7,000 members.

Rachel Cooke, British Dietetic Association Spokesperson and Bristol Healthy School Dietitian, said: “What children eat at a young age has a massive impact on their eating habits for life, so it is essential we get the younger generation into choosing and enjoying healthy nutritious food. When putting together a packed lunch, it is so easy to go down the usual route of packets of salty savoury snacks crisps, bars of chocolate, fizzy drinks and the same old boring sandwich day after day.  Many adults wouldn’t accept eating the same things day in day out, so why should children?

“Packed lunches can be exciting and full of healthy options and variety.  They need to provide children with the energy and sustenance they need to grow and develop healthily and help them to concentrate in the school class.”

The BDA Tips for a Healthy Packed Lunch:

Back to basics – bread, cereals and potatoes…

  • Try to keep a selection of breads in the freezer for sandwiches. Using a different type of bread each day can make sandwiches more interesting. Try multigrain and seed rolls, bagels, baguettes, pitta breads, wraps…the list is endless! (Children have reported they like meat / cheese or fish etc and bread separate so it doesn’t go soggy)
  • You could also raid the fridge for leftovers – some foods taste just as good cold such as pizza or pasta. Cook extra pasta, couscous or rice. Mix it with cut-up vegetables, a few nuts flaked tuna or mackerel.

Filling the void – meat, fish and alternatives…

Try to include lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, beans or pulses in your lunchbox:

  • Tuna with cucumber, green pepper, sweetcorn or tomato
  • Low fat hummus and cucumber
  • Egg and cress (grow your own?)
  • Cottage cheese and dried apricots
  • Cooked chicken or turkey, tomatoes, and lettuce
  • Peanut butter and banana
  • Grated cheese and tomato
  • Oily fish, such as salmon sandwich or mackerel pasta salad

Remember, if you are using a spread choose a reduced fat one – or do without it completely if you are using a moist filling.

Vegging out or Feeling fruity..?

It’s important to eat 5 (or more) portions of fruit and vegetables every day. You won’t be stuck for choice when it comes to lunchtime:

  • fresh fruit e.g. apple, grapes, banana, kiwi fruit (children have also said they like different fruits every day and not always the traditional choices e.g.. wedge of  melon / peeled orange / kiwi and spoon / pot of strawberries. Why not surprise your child with a different fruit / veg choice every day of the week?)
  • dried fruits, e.g. raisins, apricots
  • chopped raw vegetables e.g. carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes or a mixed salad
  • tinned fruit in natural juice – pop in a small container or buy small tins with a ring pull

Dairy delights…

Try to include some dairy products in your lunchbox – important to keep your teeth healthy and your bones strong (remember to look at sugar levels – 5g equals about one teaspoon):

  • low fat yogurt – plain or fruit flavoured
  • low fat fromage frais
  • small pot of rice pudding or custard
  • Milk / fruit-based milkshakes

Tasty treats…

Fancy something sweet in your lunch-box? There’s nothing wrong with this. Just try and make healthier choices when you can:

  • currant bun, scone or fruit loaf,
  • plain popcorn
  • cereal bar (remember to look at sugar levels)
  • fun sized bar of chocolate

Put in a drink…

Choose from:

  • Plain water (still or sparkling)
  • Plain milk (skimmed or semi-skimmed) or plain yoghurt combined with fruit e.g. smoothies, pureed fruit with plain yoghurt
  • Pure fruit juice in small cartons or in a small bottle
  • Hot drinks in the winter, e.g. soups

Keep cool…

  • Use a cool bag and pop in an ice-pack or freeze a carton of juice and place in with food to keep cool
  • Keep in the fridge until morning if you make it the night before
  • Don’t store your lunch next to a radiator or in the sun.

NEN Board Meeting

The Board of NEN meets on a regular basis, the most recent meeting being on 7 August.  We thought readers might be interested in a brief summary of discussions and decisions.  This is what we discussed and agreed:

  • There has been some correspondence with the printer regarding the timing of payment.  We agreed to look at alternatives.
  • We discussed the financial position and agreed that it was vital to step up efforts to increase income.  There was a report on a few outstanding debts, but we are hopeful of a positive outcome regarding payment.  We agreed to send the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2012 to the auditor in time for reporting back at the AGM.
  • We noted that Pilton Central Association had agreed to sponsor the August edition of the paper, for which we are extremely grateful.  We hope a few more bodies will come forward to offer the same support!
  • We agreed that we will publish bi-monthly while new pursuing new sources of income.
  • We agreed to deliver more papers door to door this month, particularly in the Stockbridge area.  Other areas in Inverleith will be targeted in the future.  Community drops will continue.
  • There was an update on the social media course, which is being funded by the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership.  This is about to get off the ground at Stockbridge Library (see elsewhere on this blog for further information).  This will give training to interested local people, who wish to get to grips with Twitter, facebook, blogging etc. in order to provide us with news items in the future.
  • AGM – we agreed to hold this on 27 September at 7pm in Drylaw Church.  All interested people are welcome.  There will be an update on where the NEN is just now and where we hope to be in the future.
  • The next Board meeting is 24th September.

NEN Board

East of Scotland league preview

Alan Clark checks out local clubs’ prospects as the new season kicks off …

For the local teams of North Edinburgh, the new season is well under way. The area has two clubs in the top division of the East of Scotland set-up – The Spartans FC and Civil Service Strollers FC. Leith Athletic FC dropped down to the First Division for the new campaign, and join Craigroyston FC there.

Having taken over from long-serving co-managers Sam Lynch and Mike Lawson, Spartans boss Douglas Samuel is keen to re-claim the league title but is wary of holders Stirling University, who have recruited ex-Falkirk manager Eddie May as boss. He said: “The short term goal is to win the title back. I believe we are capable of doing so. However, two or three other club managers will be thinking and feeling exactly the same way.”

The Ainslie Park side are going through a transition and have started blooding more youngsters in the first-team. Samuel explained: “I believe our new squad has a good combination of established players with a great pedigree and proven track record mixed with younger players with great potential; however, it’s also fair to say that it’s a work in progress.”

After a trophy-less season just past, Samuel is desperate to win silverware in his debut in the Spartans’ dugout, and sees a huge benefit from a Scottish Cup run. Spartans host Highland League outfit Wick Academy in the Cup on Saturday 25 August. He added: “Clearly after a season when the team didn’t win a single trophy we are desperate to win something this coming season. A Scottish Cup run would give everyone a huge lift at the start of our journey.”

Civil Service Strollers will be looking to raise their game as they strive to better last season’s disappointing 7th place finish in the Premier Division. Manager Chic McAleavey – appointed near the start of the year – will be hoping to put his stamp on the team. Newton Stewart, from the South of Scotland League, will travel to Silverknowes this Saturday in the Scottish Cup, the draw giving the Strollers a great opportunity of making the next round of the prestigious old tournament.

With an opening-day league fixture at home to local rivals Spartans on the first day of September, it gives the Strollers something to look forward to and a good result there would give them a confidence boost heading into their league campaign.

Relegated last season, Derek Riddel’s Leith Athletic are looking for a swift return to the top-tier, with a title success on their minds. He said: “Two teams are promoted from the First Division to the Premier so whilst we’d be happy just getting there, I’d have to say that going up as champions would be sweeter. We finished a very close second to Gretna 2008 two years ago so it would be nice to win the league and give the players a medal to cherish.”

However, Riddel is well aware of the forward planning that the club officials have who see Leith as a long-term project. He added: “We’ve only been in the East of Scotland league for four seasons, with this being our fifth. In that time we’ve won a cup, been promoted and been relegated. A lot of clubs haven’t achieved that in a longer period of time and whilst promotion is our aim for the season, the club’s committee are looking at the long-term future of the club and they see great potential over the longer term.”

Craigroyston, who finished a respectable fifth in the First Division, are looking forward to meeting Leith in the league and expect their players who have Premier League experience will aid their promotion hopes. Head coach Ross McNeil said: “I have played the Leith team over the years as a youth manager and I always enjoyed playing them – I am looking forward to playing them even more in the East of Scotland league. We have the right balance of experienced players who have got out of this league before and this was one of the reasons in signing these players as they have played well in the Premier League.”

Alan Clark

The Edinburgh Guarantee

Ann Confrey with the third in a series of articles on Employment and Training opportunities in North Edinburgh:

The Edinburgh Guarantee

A joint initiative to improve employment opportunities and break the cycle of youth unemployment 

At almost double the adult level, youth unemployment is a growing problem in Edinburgh. Addressing this problem is one of the highest priorities for Edinburgh and the city is meeting the challenge head on with a new political coalition that is working in partnership with business.

The challenge of finding employment is significant enough for those with degrees and good exam results but for anyone without those qualifications that challenge can appear insurmountable.

The numbers tell a bleak story:

  • In the year ending September 2011, 6,000 residents of Edinburgh aged 16 to 24 were unemployed – 36% of the total number of people unemployed in the city
  • In May 2012, there were 2,845 Jobseekers Allowance claimants aged under 24 in Edinburgh – 24% of all claimants
  • Of the 3,423 pupils, who left publicly- funded schools in 2011, 423 – almost 12% – were unemployed nine months later.

So what is the City of Edinburgh Council doing to address this problem and secure a future for our young people?

When Chief Executive Sue Bruce (above) took over as Chief Executive in 2011, one statistic struck her more than any other. She said: “Of the thirty two local authorities in Scotland, Edinburgh was sitting at 32nd for providing positive destinations for its school leavers from publicly funded schools.”

“Scotland’s Capital city was at the bottom of the list when it came to getting its young people into a job, a training course or higher education. That trend had to be tackled, it had to be arrested and reversed.

“It was clear that the problem would not be solved either quickly or by the council working alone. To create an environment where school leavers would have opportunity to realise and fulfil their potential, every sector of the city would need to come together with one purpose, to galvanise business and change the landscape for the better forever.”

The result was the Edinburgh Guarantee, created to drive a cultural change that recognizes the creativity and energy that young people can bring to business, dispel the negative perceptions and unite the public, private and third sectors to achieve a common goal – A positive destination for every school leaver.

On 8 December last year a call went out to city businesses and organisations across all sectors to provide jobs, paid work experience, training or continued education for every school leaver in Edinburgh.

The call was made at a breakfast debate which brought together 120 individuals from Edinburgh businesses and organisations to discuss the ongoing issue of youth unemployment in Edinburgh and to encourage participation in the development and delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee.

Under the Guarantee, Edinburgh City Council has committed to ensuring that “…all teenagers will have the chance to leave school with a job, work placement or apprenticeship secured in order to drive down youth unemployment to zero”.

What is the Council doing?

As a lead partner in the Edinburgh Guarantee, and as the city’s largest single employer, the Council has fully committed to taking positive action to increase the number of opportunities that it offers to young people and to provide additional targeted support to maximise their take up.

In 2011/12 it created:

  • 50 new apprenticeships in the Council using existing Modern Apprentice Framework
  • 80 new training places in the Council offering support and work experience for young people assessed as not job ready
  • 50 opportunities with Council contractors through the use of community benefit clauses

How are businesses encouraged to participate?

The Council will provide support to other employers who join the Edinburgh Guarantee through the services of a dedicated Economic Development Business Liaison Officer. (pam.peters@edinburgh.gov.uk)

The types of support available include:

  • Marketing of opportunities
  • Briefing of young people’s support agencies
  • Pre-screening of applicants
  • Practical support for young person’s transition into work eg bus passes, food vouchers etc
  • In work support for vulnerable young people
  • Training for staff to be coaches/mentors for young people
  • Sign posting to potential funding sources
  • Sharing success and best practice

Facts’n’ Figures update:

Since it’s inception in 2011

  • more than 100 businesses and organisations have joined the Edinburgh Guarantee
  • over 400 additional opportunities have been generated
  • 50 new apprentice posts have been created within City of Edinburgh Council

What does that mean for young people in North Edinburgh? Will this initiative benefit them or pass them by?

From the progress being made it certainly looks like North Edinburgh is benefitting greatly from the initiative and employers are delighted at the choice of talent in the area.

The success of local initiatives has been noticed further afield – so much so that earlier this year Craigroyston Community High School had a very high profile visitor when HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay joined a number of business leaders on a ‘Seeing is believing’ visit.

As part of the visit, two local business leaders talked about their experiences of taking part in a paired reading programme every Thursday to support the school’s literacy programme.

The Duke heard all about the Employability Course – a course that offers pupils in S4 the chance to develop their skills, make the most of work experience opportunities and business mentoring.

Muirhouse Youth Development Group demonstrated how, having become a Social Enterprise, they ran a Bike Project in the school.

Scottish Champions of the ‘Formula 1 in Schools’ programme demonstrated their winning car and explained how business support had been crucial to their success.

Prince Charles visited each of these projects, and commended the links that the school and business leaders had established. He encouraged business leaders to increase their engagement with schools, and encouraged everyone to continue working towards positive destinations for all leavers.

Edinburgh’s Telford College – Junior College

“There are a huge number of young people who could excel in certain areas of employment if they were made aware of them and given access and opportunity to pursue them.“ says Principle Miles Dibsdall OBE (pictured above). Here at our Junior College students are presented with a range of courses to help them chose a route to further education or employment. The College works together with Children and Families and Economic Development teams at the Council to ensure that course planning is linked to both senior phased in secondary school and employment opportunities being created in the city.

“By understanding the areas of work in need of employees and reflecting this need in the qualifications we provide we have a good chance of making this (the Guarantee) a reality.” added Miles.

Other contributing local initiatives include Barnardo’s Works Edinburgh based close to Granton Square. The established team is about to embark on a fourth successive year delivering employment programmes across the city.

Participants of the programme go through a tailored induction to develop their employability skills before moving on to a placement with an employer whilst still able to claim benefits. Placements give the young people opportunity to demonstrate what they can bring to a business while the employer benefits from dedicated support throughout the placement period.

Employers can be part of this success – contact helen.brown@barnardos.org.uk

Facts’n’Figures: So far 40% of young people going through the Barnardo’s programme are now in independent employment across a range of sectors.

Ann Confrey

 

Woman and baby taken to hospital after suspicious fire in Granton

A 28-year-old woman and her three-month-old baby girl were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for a check-up after a deliberate fire in Granton this morning.

Firefighters from McDonald Road and Crewe Toll fire stations responded shortly before 11.30am after a report of a building alight in Royston Mains Gardens.

When crews arrived, they discovered the back door and rubbish to the rear of the three-storey property well alight and the common stair filled with smoke.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and checked out all the neighbouring flats to ensure no one was unaccounted for.

The woman and her baby were lead to safety by firefighters before being taken by ambulance to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. Crews left the scene at 1pm.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: “Initial investigations suggest that rubbish which had been stored at the back door was deliberately set alight. This led to the door catching fire and the common stair filling with smoke.

“This would have been a very frightening experience for householders. Fortunately, firefighters were on site quickly and were able to help residents out of the building before extinguishing the blaze.

“We can’t stress enough the importance of keeping common areas free from junk and rubbish. It’s an attractive target for firesetters and can put people at risk of deliberate set fires.”