Remembering The Holocaust

27 January – Holocaust Memorial Day

Between 1941 and 1945, the Nazis attempted to annihilate all of Europe’s Jews. This systematic and planned attempt to murder European Jewry is known as the Holocaust (The Shoah in Hebrew).

From the time they assumed power in 1933, the Nazis used propaganda, persecution and legislation to deny human and civil rights to Jews, using centuries of anti-semitism as their foundation.

By the end of the Holocaust, six million Jewish men, women and children had perished in ghettos, mass-shootings, in concentration camps and extermination camps.

Today, we remember them and the millions of human beings who have died in subsequent atrocities all over the ‘civilised’ world: Rwanda, Darfur, Cambodia, Bosnia …

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg:

Last week, I was privileged to sit down and talk with one of the bravest, most remarkable people I’ve ever met – Zigi Shipper. Zigi was just 11 years old when he first escaped deportation from the Lodz ghetto where he’d been living with his paternal grandparents. When the ghetto was liquidated in 1944, Zigi and his grandmother were rounded up and taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau. His grandfather had already died of starvation.

By the time he was 16, Zigi had witnessed and experienced unimaginable horrors. But, despite it all, his story is one of true courage and hope. As a Holocaust survivor, Zigi has dedicated his time to ensuring that the millions of Jewish people who were persecuted and killed by the Nazi regime are never forgotten.

Now 85, Zigi travels to schools to tell children and young people across the country his story. I met him with 2 dedicated, young Ambassadors of the Holocaust Educational Trust, who took part in a visit I made to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2012.

Learning about the Holocaust is not just a history lesson. It is one of the most powerful antidotes we have to anti-Semitism and extremism whenever and wherever it may occur. And, we all have a responsibility to ensure that the testimonies of Zigi and other survivors of the Holocaust continue to be told for generations to come.

This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and 20 years since the genocide in Sbreneicia in Bosnia.

So, on this day and in the weeks, months and years that follow, please take a moment to remember the victims of the Holocaust and all subsequent genocides. Together, we can honour their memory in the best way possible – fighting hatred and ensuring their voices live on.

Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister

David Berger (circled, above) was born in 1915 in Przemysl, south-east Poland. He left his hometown when the Germans invaded in 1939 and was shot dead in Vilnius, Lithuania two years later in 1941 at just 19 years of age:

‘If something happens, I would want there to be somebody who would remember that someone named D. Berger had once lived. This will make things easier for me in the difficult moments.’

TODAY, WE REMEMBER THE MILLIONS OF DAVID BERGERs

This Land is Your Land!

An update from the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden:

Granton Castle’s ‘forgotten’ Garden may well be the oldest Walled Garden in Edinburgh, and it deserves to be protected from neglect and demolition.

Local plantswoman Kirsty Sutherland was inspired by the idea that the two acre walled garden could become an oasis of locally grown food.

After a brief visit to the garden in the spring of 2013, Kirsty returned with a group of interested community growers from North Edinburgh to do a bit of remedial pruning work on the old fruit trees. They all fell in love with this ‘secret’ garden, overgrown and tangled but magical in its air of faded grandeur.

The wealth of tales recounted by the retired gardener from over 500 years of occupancy were fascinating, and the windfall of apples much appreciated!

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, a small but dedicated group of locals, have campaigned since then to save the garden and restore it as a community resource for the area. Local gardeners, historians and community groups are keen to be involved.

Recent awareness raising has garnered support from many people and organisations at a crucial time, when the future of the walled garden is being discussed by the planning department.

Strength in numbers is needed to persuade the city council that it is better to save this historic garden, rather than allow it to be demolished to make way for 17 luxury townhouses as developers wish.

” North Edinburgh is leading Edinburgh’s local food revolution. It has more community gardens per square mile than any other residential area in the city. Local people are increasingly coming to understand the fact that if we want cheap, fresh, healthy food, the best way to get it bar none, is to grow it yourself.

“Community gardening is starting to heal fractured communities and help develop relationships, skills and top class nutrition for a whole new generation. The vision for Granton Castle’s Garden is to create a safe and inclusive environment for local people to learn more about the history of their area and the skills needed to bring fresh food from local soil.”

(Quote from a member of Transition Scotland & Fife Diet)

We are asking that anyone who wants to show their support fill out a membership form. They will be left out in three places in North Edinburgh, with a dropbox to deposit them:

Muirhouse Community Shop – 57 Pennywell Road, EH4 4TY
Pilton Community Health Project – 73 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2PW
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre – 11 Pilton Drive North, EH5 1NF

Forms can also be downloaded and printed from our website and posted to the Community Shop. Community groups and organisations can also join as associate members to show their support for our campaign.

We don’t want this garden to be demolished for townhouses: it could be full of fruit, herbs, flowers and vegetables instead. A community cafe, visitor centre, plants & crafts for sale. A ‘horticultural jewel’, showcasing the history and cultural heritage of North Edinburgh!

Help local people protect the ‘Oldest Walled Garden in Edinburgh’, and restore a living link with the past, dating back as far as 1479. Please fill in a Friends Group form to show your support, or better still join in!

Read more at https://grantoncastlewalledgarden.wordpress.com/ or check out the FB page for the latest news and local meetings.

BP petrol station robbery: do you recognise this man?

Police Scotland have released images of a male they wish to identify in connection with a recent armed robbery at the Leith end of Ferry Road.

The incident happened at 10pm on Sunday 18 January when a male threatened the lone member of staff at the BP petrol station on Ferry Road near Leith Library. He was armed with a handgun.

The man pictured is described as being white and aged between 35 and 45 years old. He has a slim build and a ginger/greying goatee and moustache. He was wearing a black hooded top, blue jeans, a brown three-quarter-length jacket and tab ankle boots.

He was also possibly wearing a grey checked scarf and black gloves and carrying a brown leather bag.

Police are now looking to speak to the male, and anyone who recognises him is asked to contact police immediately.

Detective Constable Mark Seymour said: “We are keen to speak to this man. Despite extensive enquiries to find him, we have still to identify him. I am sure that someone knows who he is, and I would ask them to come forward to assist us. Similarly I would appeal to the male himself to get in touch with us.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, or the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

‘Simply unacceptable’: Western’s cleanliness standards slammed

Standards of cleanliness at The Western General Hospital have been severely criticized in a report (see below) by official watchdog The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI). NHS Lothian chiefs have said they have already acted to respond to concerns.

Chief Inspector Susan Brimelow said: “We carried out an unannounced inspection to the Western General Hospital on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 November 2014. Due to significant concerns about the cleanliness of patient equipment and the environment, we escalated our findings to senior management in the hospital.

“We requested that NHS Lothian take immediate action to address these issues and produce an improvement action plan. We returned unannounced on Thursday 27 November 2014 to assess progress against the improvement action plan and found that significant improvements had been made. NHS Lothian must address the requirements and make the necessary improvements as a matter of priority.”

In a full statement issued earlier today the HEI said:

We previously inspected the Western General Hospital in February 2013. That inspection resulted in four requirements and five recommendations. The inspection report is available on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website.

We carried out an unannounced inspection to the Western General Hospital on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 November 2014. Due to significant concerns about the cleanliness of patient equipment and environmental cleanliness within the Western General Hospital, we escalated our concerns to senior management in NHS Lothian on 18 November and then again on 19 November 2014. On ward 52/53, we also raised concerns about the lack of working macerators and the procedures in place to reduce the risk of cross-infection to patients, staff and visitors. Macerators break human waste down into slurry so it can be sluiced effectively. We requested that immediate action be taken on these issues and an improvement action plan produced to show how these issues would be rectified.

We returned unannounced on Thursday 27 November 2014 to assess progress against the improvement action plan at ward and departmental level. Significant improvements had been made although we still noted some issues with the cleanliness of patient equipment and the environment.

We assessed the hospital against the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) healthcare associated infection (HAI) standards and inspected the following areas:

ward 2 (oncology)
ward 4 (oncology)
ward 15 (winter ward)
ward 20 (ICU)
ward 26 (general medicine)
ward 27 (colorectal)
ward 43 (regional infectious diseases unit)
ward 50 (stroke unit), and
ward 52/53 (gastroenterology).

Overall, we found evidence that NHS Lothian is not complying with the NHS QIS HAI standards to protect patients, staff and visitors from the risk of acquiring and infection.

In particular we found:

the standard of cleanliness of the patient environment was poor
the standard of cleanliness of patient equipment was poor, and
a lack of appropriate risk assessments, for example for out-of-order macerators.

The report highlights areas of strength and weakness as well as areas for further improvement, including requirements and recommendations.

This inspection resulted in eight requirements and one recommendation.
NHS Lothian must address the requirements and make the necessary improvements within the stated timescales.

Responding to the report, Melanie Johnson, executive nurse director at NHS Lothian, said staff had acted on the inspectors’ findings as ‘a matter of urgency’.

Ms Johnson said: “We recognise that some standards were below those we would expect and I apologise to any patients who may have been affected. I would also like to reassure them that those areas have been rectified – since the first of the visits in November, immediate changes were put in place to address all areas that were singled out for improvement.

“A detailed action plan was drawn up and all points have been completed. Many of these significant improvements were proven during the subsequent unannounced visit by inspectors as is detailed in the report.”

Commenting on the ‘extremely disappointing’ findings, Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The report shows that standards have fallen well short of what the public and patients expect. The inspectors have uncovered simply unacceptable levels of cleanliness and infection control in certain wards, and I will be meeting the chair of NHS Lothian to reiterate my desire to see standards immediately improve. The improvement plan in place must be delivered urgently.”

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Local charity? Let’s talk funding!

LOCAL CHARITIES INVITED TO COME AND TALK FUNDING

Charities working in and around Edinburgh and the Lothians are invited to come and have a face to face chat about funding opportunities with Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.

An advice surgery will be held all day on Tuesday 10 February at the Foundation’s offices on Gorgie Road in Edinburgh. The Foundation is particularly keen to hear from grassroots charities which benefit disadvantaged people and who need funding to continue their work.

Unlike many other funders, the Foundation’s Henry Duncan Awards programme will contribute towards staff and running costs, as well as new projects and services. And charities which have had a grant before can also apply again. The advice surgery gives charities the chance to find out if they meet the funding criteria and to get tips on how to fill in the application form.

Fiona Duncan, Chief Executive, said: “Our next deadline for applications to the Henry Duncan awards is 23 March so this is the perfect opportunity for groups to get some face to face advice before they apply.

“We want to give our money away to good causes doing great work in their communities to make a difference to people’s lives. So we’ll be as helpful as we can, explaining the application process and whether their work fits with what we fund. I’d encourage all community based charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians working with disadvantaged people to book an appointment.”

Appointments are held at Riverside House, 502 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, EH11 3AF. They last for 45 minutes and can be booked by calling 0131 444 4020 or emailing enquiries@ltsbfoundationforscotland.org.uk

Too grand! STV Appeal support for PYCP

Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) has received £2000 from the STV Appeal 2014. The funding is welcome news for the local project and will support PY’s clubs and groups throughout the year.

The STV Appeal team’s Natalie Wright called in at The Greenhouse last week to present the cheque and met children from PY’s P5 – P7 Club.

PYCP provides a wide range of services and activities – from open clubs and groups to community and school-based individual support in North Edinburgh. Each provision is designed to meet the needs of a particular age and peer group, and activities are tailored to meet these needs in consultation with the children and young people involved.

PYCP carry out open access youth work plus promotion of good health and well being. The project offers targeted and referred support work to children and young people in need. There is also a Preventative Opportunities Programme which supports young people by engaging their whole family in activities, outings and workshops together.

The STV Appeal is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and young people living in poverty in Scotland. Across the country, 220,000 children live in poverty and figures from the Campaign to End Child Poverty show that in Edinburgh it’s actually 21.1% of children. Pilton Youth and Children’s Project is one of the projects the STV Appeal is supporting in Edinburgh.

Since launch in 2011, the STV Appeal has raised over £8.2 million with 297 big and small grants distributed to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, providing much needed support to over 37,000 children. The money raised is distributed to provide practical help like food and warm clothes; create opportunities for training and employability; and enable social and emotional support for those who need it most.

PYCP youth and children’s worker Mark Hunter said: “As someone who has been part of PYCP for the past ten years, I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact that the project has made in the lives of so many young people, their families and the community around them.

“I think PYCP is unique in the way that it is there for children when they start their school career aged five and continues to be there for them until they are 18 and beyond. It is really important that we can provide opportunities for all children and young people in Pilton to have fun with their friends and take part in organised activities, all free of charge.

“Because of that we are ideally placed to offer additional support to those who want it and support all young people to reach their potential. Being part of PYCP has been immensely rewarding for me and I’m excited to see how the next ten years pans out too.”

Rob Woodward, STV CEO and trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “The money donated to the STV Appeal remains in Scotland and will help bring about a positive change to the lives of vulnerable children and young people on our doorstep. With the help of the extraordinary fundraising efforts taking place in communities across the country we have raised an incredible £2.6m in 2014 allowing us to make grants to 297 projects. We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported this year’s Appeal.”

Sir Tom Hunter, trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “Yet again the people of Scotland have cast their vote – end child poverty. Through the STV Appeal we are attempting to deliver sustainable solutions to do just that. It is simply unacceptable in modern Scotland to still have young people debilitated by poverty, through this project and many more the people of Scotland are doing their level best to combat poverty.”

Sir Ian Wood, trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “The generosity of the people in Scotland who provide such great support to the STV Appeal is incredibly encouraging and heart-warming. However, it is deeply concerning that there continues to be a significant requirement across Scotland for financial support for child poverty.

“Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, a commission I chaired recently, has the overarching aim to enable Scotland’s young people to move into sustainable employment upon leaving education. But how can they achieve positive destinations if they have a less than adequate start in life?

“I sincerely believe that the grants donated by the STV Appeal can have a significant impact on the lives of Scotland’s young people and make a real contribution to eradicating child poverty in Scotland.”

The STV Appeal 2015 is now well underway with an exciting line-up of fundraising activities planned. Watch this space!

Ye’ll have had yer Burns Supper, then?

Exports of iconic Scottish favourites are generating billions for the UK economy

Over the weekend millions of people around the world tucked into haggis and toasted Robert Burns with a dram of whisky – and new figures have revealed exports of iconic Scottish favourites have risen since 2010, generating billions for the UK economy.

In the last four years the UK has exported £4.85 million of haggis to 28 countries, up 51% between 2011 and 2013 – Ireland, France, Spain and Hong Kong are the biggest buyers of haggis outside the UK.

Scotch whisky is enjoying rising exports, with a 24% increase between 2010 and 2013. There were 1.3 billion bottles exported in 2013, worth £4.37 billion and enough to fill Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Swimming Pool 145 times!

Exports of Scotch whisky are worth £135 a second to our economy and, along with haggis, contributed to a record year for the UK food chain which generated £103 billion in 2013 and now employs 1 in 8 people.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: Robert Burns called haggis the ‘great chieftain o’ the pudding-race’ and it’s wonderful that more than 200 years later, this delicious, wholesome dish is now being appreciated around the world. In a Burns night meal, nothing goes better with haggis than a dram of Scotch whisky, one of our greatest export success stories.

More and more food and drink from Scotland and the rest of Britain is being sold abroad thanks to this government’s efforts and the success of our long-term economic plan. It is yet more proof of how we are stronger together in the United Kingdom.”

Scottish haggis brand Macsween sells more than a million units of haggis over the Burns period.

Jo Macsween, Haggis Ambassador and joint Managing Director of Macsween, said: “Macsween have seen a rise in haggis consumption outside of Scotland as our brand continues to grow through innovation and our dedication to introducing our award-winning products to those who have yet to discover the versatile dish.

“Haggis is indeed very popular in Europe, where consumers are engaged with nose to tail eating. In fact, haggis is actually an ancient global dish, and many European countries have their own equivalents—so haggis is well-received. Haggis is very popular across the globe—we have seen requests from India, China and the Middle East.”

2013 also saw a successful year for Scottish farmed salmon, with growing global demand making it the UK’s second most exported food after chocolate confectionary. Worldwide sales of UK salmon in 2013 reached an all-time high of £571 million.

Scottish wild salmon and Scottish farmed salmon are among 62 foods produced in the UK that enjoy Protected Food Name status, which gives them legal protection against imitation throughout the EU. Products with this label must be made in particular geographical areas and follow specified production methods.

Scotland currently has 13 protected food names, including Arbroath Smokies and Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar. Other applications for PFN status in the pipeline include Dundee Cake and Ayrshire Early Potatoes.

Putting the ‘power’ into Empowerment

Changes are needed to ensure legislation designed to empower communities delivers on its promise, according to an influential parliamentary committee.

The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee reports today on the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill.

Whilst fully supporting the general principles of the Bill, the Committee noted for communities to be truly empowered there needs to be a change in the mind set of public authorities. They have to be more open to communities setting the agenda and this must be coupled with support to communities to help them access these new powers.

The Bill aims to provide local communities with the power to participate in local decision making via participation requests. It also sets out powers for communities to take ownership or management of lands from public authorities into community control. Other measures include reform of allotment provision as well as changes to the rules governing Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs).

Committee Convener, Kevin Stewart MSP said: “During our consideration of the Bill we met with folks in communities across the country who said time and again that they wanted to be more involved in the decisions being made about them.

“There can no doubt this Bill is generally a welcome boost towards putting power in the hands of communities. However, for a Bill which is designed to empower, we were struck by the requirement that only groups with a written constitution could submit a participation request. This seems out of step with the whole ethos of the Bill. In the words of Jeanie Mackenzie – who responded to our video on participation requests: ‘Sometimes an individual has a very good idea for improving public services, but lacks the time or opportunity to find others and form a constituted group.”

Whilst noting the vital role of CPPs, the Committee expressed concern that local communities are not sufficiently involved in the decisions being made and CPPs were too focussed on a ‘top-down’ approach. The report recommends that the Bill should require CPPs to actively seek input directly from the community and not just its representatives.

The Committee also raised concerns about the language used around the proposals which in itself could be seen as a barrier to community involvement.

Kevin Stewart MSP added: “During our consideration of the Bill we heard expressions used like ‘third sector interface’ and ‘partnership-framework’ when taking about community involvement. Language like this can act as a barrier for people getting involved. For the Bill to truly empower, public authorities must avoid ‘gobbledygook’ phrases which cannot be easily understood.”

Other recommendations in the report include:

Provision should be enshrined in the Bill for consultation and engagement with affected communities in relation to the National Outcomes.
There should be an explicit requirement on all CPPs to include community capacity building in local plans.
The Bill should stipulate a 6 month maximum time limit for public authorities to conclude contracts for community transfers.
Whilst agreeing that there should be no defined allotment size, guidance should be produced for local authorities outlining the different needs and good practice.

Improved recycling for city’s tenements

Recycling will be made easier for people living in tenements and flats around Edinburgh as part of two pilots launching next month. Streets involved will see the capacity for recycling increased, as well as the range of materials that can be recycled expanded.

Aiming to encourage recycling participation, as well as improving the service for residents, the two six-month pilot projects target areas served by on-street waste containers, namely around Montgomery Street, Hillside and Bellevue.

The first pilot will simplify the mix of materials that can be recycled by combining paper with cardboard, cans and plastic bottles in one bin instead of two. Where possible, remaining bins will be converted into glass recycling bins.

The second pilot will take place in areas where large 3200 litre bins are currently used for landfill waste, and will increase the capacity for recycling while reducing the space for residual waste.

Here, the mix of recycling materials will be changed as in the first pilot, but in these areas around a quarter of the larger 3200 litre bins will be used for mixed dry recyclables with the rest remaining as landfill. The smaller 1280 litre paper and packaging banks will, where possible, be replaced with glass banks.

It is anticipated that the scheme will be extended to the rest of the city’s flats and tenements following the pilots.

Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Improving recycling rates is a real priority for the Council as we aim to drive down landfill and the associated costs, as well as making a positive impact on the environment.

“A similar approach to simplified recycling elsewhere in the city has already seen a significant drop in rubbish being sent to landfill, and I know that many people living in flats and tenements want to contribute to this.”

The pilot comes alongside the city’s new kerbside recycling service, currently being rolled out to 140,000 homes, which also aims to simplify recycling, expanding capacity for different materials. Initial figures show the redesigned service is already reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Proposals to introduce the scheme were approved last year by the Council’sTransport and Environment Committee, based on public consultation by both Zero Waste Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council on residents’ attitudes to recycling in flats and tenement areas.

Findings include a general appetite to reduce the size of landfill waste bins while maintaining or even increasing capacity for recycling. Survey results also highlight a demand for more information on what to recycle where as well as a lack of facilities, particularly for glass.

For more information on the pilots, visit the Council’s website.

All change! Climate funding for Leith projects

£2.86 m to local communities to help tackle climate change

Two Leith-based community projects are among thirty-three organisations from across the country to receive grants from the latest round of Climate Challenge Funding announced today.

The Fund has helped communities throughout Scotland reduce, reuse and recycle their waste, increase the energy efficiency of homes and community buildings, encourage active travel and the use of low-carbon transport, and promote and produce local food.

Leith Schools Food Project will receive almost £109,000 and The Himalayan Centre Climate Change Hub will receive over £70,500 from the fund.

Leith Schools Food Project, run by Leith Community Crops in Pots, will reduce food-related carbon emissions through the establishment of community growing space at three local primary schools and initiatives to encourage production and consumption of local, lower carbon produce. Additional project activities include a programme to help reduce food waste and encourage composting. (£108,966)

The Himalayan Centre Climate Change Hub will operate from the Himalayan Centre for Arts & Culture in Leith, Edinburgh. Advice will be available to help the local community reduce home energy use and carbon emissions with the hub also providing a meeting space to learn more about climate change. A bike pool and cycle training will support lower carbon travel while swap shop events will re-use items that would have been destined for landfill. (£70,510).

Announcing the awards, Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod said the awards will support local communities to take action on climate change and move to low-carbon living.

Dr McLeod said: “Climate change is one of the most serious challenges to global society and the natural environment both at home and abroad. We know that reducing greenhouse gas emissions isn’t easy, but the Scottish Government takes climate change extremely seriously. This is why we have set the most ambitious global targets to cut emissions.

“Some of the best initiatives to reduce carbon are devised and delivered at a local level. That is why I’m delighted to announce the latest round of grant awards. Beyond doubt, the Climate Challenge Fund is making a real difference in our transition to a low carbon future.

“To date we have invested £64.4 million in the Climate Challenge Fund and helped 527 community led organisations across the length and breadth of Scotland tackle climate change at a local level.”

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “We congratulate the latest projects to be awarded Climate Challenge Fund and Junior Climate Challenge Fund grants and look forward to working closely with them in the implementation of their projects.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is very proud to support community action on climate change through our management and development of the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government and see it as part of our work to help make Scotland clean and green, today and tomorrow.”

Other city projects to receive good news today are Community Alliance Trust’s Magdalene Community Food Growing Project (£119,251) and central Edinburgh student-led co-operative SHRUB (The Swap and Reuse Hub) who receive over £87,000.

For all full list of successful applicants see below:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/climatechange/ccf/projects/CCF20