Be Dog Smart!

Be Safe Around Dogs: free dog safety workshops

Hello,

My name is Rachel and I’m the Education and Community Officer for Dogs Trust in Edinburgh. My role is to provide FREE workshops that teach children, young people and families about responsibility and safety around dogs.

I am currently offering community groups fun and interactive workshops from our ‘Be Dog Smart’ safety initiative and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you more.

With nearly 9 million dogs in the UK, it is vital that all children and indeed adults too are educated and informed about interacting safely with them. Be Dog Smart workshops educates children on how to behave around dogs, how to meet a dog correctly and what to do if scared of dogs.

For more information please visit http://learnwithdogstrust.org.uk/free-learning-resources/Community-Education/be-dog-smart/index.html.

Workshops last approx. 45mins and suitable for age 5+ and for parents/guardians.
There is no cost and you may book as many as you like!

If you would like to arrange for me to visit your group, or simply require more information, please email me at rachel.bliss@dogstrust.org.uk or call 0792 065 8660.

Warm words: More help to tackle fuel poverty

Scheme could help 28,000 Scots to heat their homes

A new scheme to tackle fuel poverty – backed by up to £224 million from the Scottish Government – will help as many as 28,000 Scots heat their homes, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said today.

Over the next seven years, Warmer Homes Scotland will install measures such as insulation, heating and domestic renewables in households identified as fuel poor.

People in rural and island areas will be offered the same service as those in easier to reach parts of Scotland.

The Home Energy Scotland campaign has also been launched to encourage Scots to call the hotline 0808 808 2282 and take advantage of the free help to reduce fuel bills.

It will provide advice on how to reduce heating bills and which of the home energy improvement schemes, including Warmer Homes Scotland, they are eligible for.

Speaking after visiting a toddlers’ and local pensioners’ group based at Glenboig Community Centre, Ms Sturgeon said: “Nothing is more important to me than responding to the real pressures that individuals and families across Scotland face.

“Through this scheme, the Scottish Government will deliver the best possible help to thousands of people who are blighted by fuel poverty, struggling to keep their homes warm and pay their energy bills.

“Warmer Homes Scotland is tailored to give vulnerable households living in fuel poverty access to measures to make their homes more energy efficient.

“Since 2009, we have allocated over half a billion pounds to make Scotland’s homes more energy efficient, which has helped over 700,000 households reduce their fuel bills.”

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil said: “Tackling inequality is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s commitment to creating a fairer country for all.

“Warmer Homes Scotland will help thousands of Scots on low incomes have homes that are easier and cheaper to heat.

“People living in our island and rural mainland communities will have the same chances to make their homes easier to heat as people living in urban areas.”

Mike Thornton, Energy Saving Trust, Director of Government Services, said: “This scheme helps householders who are struggling with their energy bills with really practical support, helping them right the way through the process from the time they call up through to when the work is done.

“Vulnerable householders will receive their own personal adviser and all customers will be supported through any complex issue or challenge they may face along the way.”

Sustainable Edinburgh meets in Muirhouse this week

The Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership (ESDP) is holding its next meeting on Wednesday 16 September in North Edinburgh Arts Centre – and the Partnership is keen to meet local community groups.

The ESDP meeting itself is from 9 – 11 AM and it would be great if community group members could come along at 11 AM to meet partnership members and highlight local projects and activity.

If you would like to attend please contact Fiona MacLeod at fiona.macleod@edinburgh.gov.uk , telephone 469 3513 or Jenny Fausset on 469 3538 jenny.fausset@edinburgh.gov.uk

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/sustainabledevelopment

Latest ESDP annual report SE2020_updated

PM outlines details of £100 million package to support Syrian refugees

UK aid contribution reaches £1 billion

Prime Minister David Cameron will visit Lebanon today to see first hand how UK aid is helping the most vulnerable people who have been driven from their homes in Syria.

While there, as the UK’s aid contribution reaches £1 billion, he will outline the details of the extra £100 million package to help Syrian refugees, including £40 million to be used in the region surrounding Syria.

The £40 million will be allocated to the UN and NGO (non-governmental organisation) partners working in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, including British aid agencies like Save the Children, providing shelter, food, relief packages, health and protection services, as well as cash assistance – giving individuals the freedom to decide how best to cover their needs.

what the government is doing to help Syrian refugees.

Up to £29 million will go to Lebanon – host to 1.1 million Syrian refugees, or over a quarter of Lebanon’s population. The aid will help refugees and impoverished host communities cope, helping to reduce tensions between those communities and lower the risk of conflict in Lebanon which, if it broke out, could lead to more displacement of people who may look to come to Europe. Some of the aid assistance will also focus on Palestinian refugees (via United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), and support to Lebanese municipalities (via United Nations Development Programme).

The new support to Lebanon will provide:

food packages or vouchers for over 250,000 refugees living in Lebanon and the most vulnerable people in communities hosting refugees
relief packages for thousands of refugees, with items such as thermal blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets, fuel and heating stoves, cooking stoves and kitchen utensils
psychosocial consultations for children and counselling for adults to help them work through the trauma they have experienced
child-friendly spaces offering a safe place for children to play, study and spend the day
support for agencies working to reduce the incidence and impact of sexual and gender based violence against women and girls, including counselling, legal services and safe spaces
food, water, relief packages, health and protection assistance for over 21,000 Palestinian refugees
support to help Lebanese municipalities cope with the increased populations in villages and towns.

Up to £6 million will help Jordan – host to over 629,000 refugees, or over a fifth of its population – to meet essential needs and reduce the incentive for refugees considering routes to Europe.

Up to £5 million will also support the most vulnerable refugees in Turkey, providing food and healthcare for those situated outside of the camps. This aid comes in addition to the £4 million announced for Turkey by the Development Secretary in February, bringing the UK’s total contribution to Turkey this year to £9 million. This support will be channelled through UN and NGO agencies who are best placed to respond to the crisis, alongside the Turkish authorities.

The additional £100 million, announced by the Prime Minister last week in Madrid, will be used to provide food, water, health care, education and shelter to people in Syria as well as in neighbouring countries, helping them to meet their basic needs where they are, rather than taking the desperate decision to risk their lives by attempting to get to Europe.

Nearly 12 million people have been displaced by violence in Syria and nearly 8 million of those remain in the country, including many tens of thousands in informal camps near the Turkish border. Millions more suffering from the violence – who are yet to leave their homes – also need assistance.

In Syria itself, working with the International Rescue Committee, World Food Programme and UN agencies, £60 million will be spent to provide thousands of internally displaced people with a range of support including food, water, urgent trauma care and first aid. British funds will also help to provide essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment, as well as training for hundreds of dedicated health specialists and workers in the region.

Of those funds:

over £20 million will go to partners delivering aid across Syria’s borders without the consent of the Assad regime, including £10 million to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for medical assistance, protection services, education and livelihoods
£10 million will go to OCHA’s Humanitarian Pool Fund to support and build capacity of local Syrian NGOs in Syria
£18 million will go to the World Food Programme, expected to provide over 2.7 million individual monthly food rations
the remaining £12 million will go to organisations providing humanitarian support inside Syria

The Prime Minister said: “As the second largest bilateral donor to the humanitarian crisis in Syria our aid effort is supporting thousands of people to rebuild their lives, providing protection, counselling and schooling, alongside the provision of basic food and water.

“Investment in health, education, jobs and stability is the most effective way to help people overseas, and it is clearly in Britain’s interests.

“Around 3% of the 11 million Syrians forced from their homes have sought asylum in Europe, and without British aid hundreds of thousands more could be risking their lives seeking to get to Europe, so these funds are part of our comprehensive approach to tackle migration from the region.

“For thousands of refugees this money means a meal for their families, the security of a home with basic sanitation and clean water, and for children it means an education so we don’t lose a generation to the Syrian conflict.

“Our goal remains to support the development of a secure, stable and peaceful Syria. Without our investment in international development, the numbers of people seeking to embark on a perilous journey to Europe would be far greater.”

Stage is set for Showcase 2015

Showcase aims to raise £250,000 to aid Macmillan Cancer Support in anniversary year

Following the hugely successful Showcase 25, charity Showcase Musical Productions is now in rehearsals for its regular annual show-stopping performance.

From 22-26 September, Showcase returns to the Church Hill Theatre to continue celebrating its 25^th anniversary raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. This will be a double celebration as this year also marks the 50^th anniversary of the Church Hill Theatre.

Director, Andy Johnston, describes the programme as: “An eclectic mix of old and new including songs from throughout the lengthy career of Sir Elton John and a tribute to the genius that was Jacques Brel.

“We celebrate the recent reunion of classic 1970’s megastars Fleetwood Mac and perform some of the most celebrated cover versions of all time, including songs from artists as diverse as Pet Shop Boys, Faith No More and J2.

“We even manage to squeeze in songs from classic shows such as Les Miserables, Priscilla – Queen of the Desert and Cabaret, alongside songs from current West End hits Gypsy, The Kinks Musical; Sunny Afternoon and Carole King’s Beautiful.”

Showcase is one of the biggest fundraisers for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, having raised over £230,000 in the last 25 years. Showcase hopes to raise sufficient funds from this anniversary year to reach their £250,000 target.

This is a cause that is close to all Showcasers’ hearts, many of the company and supporters have first-hand experience of the tremendous work of Macmillan.

Jayne Forbes, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Edinburgh, said: “The support of Showcase is pivotal to Macmillan’s presence in Scotland. We couldn’t have developed services in the way we have without them. And with more people living – and not dying – from cancer, the need for our support is greatly increasing.

“It’s great to work with Showcase. They are fantastic fundraisers but more than this they are truly passionate about, and dedicated to, Macmillan. We couldn’t wish for better advocates and supporters and we would like to thank each and every one of them for their commitment to us.”

Showcase 25 was a phenomenal success and it helped to kick off the 25^th anniversary celebrations for Showcase. All Edinburgh Theatre’s Thom Dibdin felt that Showcase ‘rose to the challenges of staging a big choral show on the King’s stage with significant success.’

Showcase 2015 is already shaping up to be just as exciting and is a show not to be missed. Vice President Alan Hunter sums up why tickets should be bought for this performance: “By coming along and buying a ticket, you are genuinely making a difference to somebody’s life, and what could be better than that?”

It’s a snip: Edinburgh College salons re-open

Support student scissor stars at Edinburgh College

Student hairstylists are sharpening up their scissors and their skills as Edinburgh College’s training salons reopen for business this week.

The college’s Hair & Beauty Training Academies at Granton and Milton Road Campuses offer a range of hair treatments provided by students in top-of-the-range hair salons at discount rates.

Customers at the academies get the chance to get their locks chopped by the celebrity stylists of the future while helping these students hone their skills and gain credits towards their final grades. All treatments are delivered under the expert guidance of industry professionals.

Services offered include conditioning treatments, styling and cutting, colour, colour correction and barbering, along with a specialist Nioxin range of treatments.

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for Hair and Beauty, said: “Getting a treatment at our Edinburgh College salons is a fantastic way to support our students in their development while receiving high-quality professional salon service at a reduced cost.

“Our students regularly prove their skills in national hairdressing competitions, making the heats of the Wella Xposure competition and picking up prizes from the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists.”

All treatments start from just £5, and the salons are currently offering a variety of annual memberships. For just £70 per academic year, customers can receive unlimited daytime cut, style and hair treatments.

The salons will start to offer beauty therapy treatments from 28 September, with beauty memberships at £100 per year and combined hair and beauty memberships at £150.

The Salons are open Monday – Friday from 9am-4pm and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:30pm-7:30pm.

Visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/trainingsalons for more information on the treatments available.

Community invite to strategy consultation

Craighall Centre Health & Social Care event

The three month public consultation on the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership’s draft Strategic Plan and Joint Strategic Needs Assessment ends on 31 October and the Strategic Planning Group, which is overseeing the consultation, is keen to hear from citizens, communities and stakeholders.

The city council is inviting local community groups, organisations and individuals to participate in and give their views on the integration of health and social care services and has organised a number of events across the city to enable you to find out what’s been proposed and have your say.

The local event takes place at Craighall Centre, 210 Ferry Road on Monday 28 September from 1 – 2.30pm (note change of time).

There is a web link included in the flier so people can access to view the plan:

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/

Edinburgh College student Sarah is ‘tres bon’!

Auld Alliance: Award for Scotland’s top French student

An Edinburgh College student said ‘bonjour‘ to success as she was crowned the country’s best Advanced Higher French student after working her way to top marks in her final exam.

Sarah McArthur scored 190 out of 200 in her final exam, the highest mark in the country. The Franco-Scottish Society has presented her with the Lansdowne Prize, awarded annually to the candidate who achieves the best mark in Advanced Higher French.

Sarah studied for the qualification at the college through open learning while completing her sixth year at Balerno High School, which was unable to run the Advanced Higher course.

Her college lecturer, Caroline Cordier, said: “I am extremely proud of Sarah. I would like to emphasise the difficulty of the Advanced Higher exam. The Advanced Higher courses is a huge jump from Higher and is very challenging academically. Taking an Advanced Higher course is the perfect way to prepare yourself for progressing to university study.

“Her achievement is all the more outstanding considering that she took an open learning course, which requires a great deal of self-motivation. Thanks to resources and feedback available through new tools like Skype tutorials, Sarah was able to make huge progress and have a fulfilling learning experience.”

Sarah, who is now going to the University of St Andrews to study Sustainable Development and hopes to work for charities in the developing world, said: “I was surprised and delighted to discover that I had won the Lansdowne Prize, and I am of course very grateful to the Franco-Scottish Society for presenting me with this award and for the support they give to French language learners.

“I am also very grateful to Edinburgh College for running the course, as otherwise I would have been unable to study Advanced Higher French. I am especially grateful to my lecturer Caroline. She was so flexible and willing to work around my busy timetable as I’m sure I was not the most convenient student.”

Tom Wight, vice-president of Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, said: “Sarah McArthur’s results in the Advanced Higher Exam are outstanding. She is a worthy recipient of the prize and an inspiration to young language learners throughout Scotland.”

Since studying at the college, Sarah has taken part in an eight-month placement in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Africa Inland Mission where she taught English to English teacher trainees and developed her French-language skills.

Pictured: Lecturer Caroline Cordier, Sarah McArthur, Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland president the Rt Hon Lord Brodie, vice president Tom Wight and honorary treasurer Anne Collette Lequet.

Some places are still available on a range of part-time Higher and Advanced Higher courses at Edinburgh College including a range of languages courses such as French, Spanish, Italian, German and Gaelic.

For more information on available courses, visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/august2015/pt.aspx

The Vikings are coming!

Today … Leith’s very own Viking Festival!

Free exercise classes for over 65s

People aged 65 years and over in Edinburgh and East Lothian are being offered free exercise classes as part of a new research project being undertaken by Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University (QMU).

Scientists at QMU are studying how lifestyle changes can improve quality of life in people aged 65 and over, including how exercise and nutrition plans can help people increase their lean mass and strength.

The exercise classes will take place between September 2015 and April 2016 at QMU’s Sports Centre and will include balance, aerobic and resistance exercises provided by trained physical instructors.

The study is being conducted by QMU’s department for Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences, so some participants will also receive free nutritional plans.

The research-active unit offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of diet, human biology and health. Their staff have particular expertise in public health, clinical nutrition and metabolism, as well as complementary medicine.

Nutritionist and fitness trainer, Christos Theodorakopoulos, who is leading the research at QMU, said: ‘It is never too late to start exercising and enjoy the benefits of healthy living, so this is a great chance for over 65s living in Edinburgh and East Lothian to get fit with our experts for free.”

People interested in taking part in the study can contact Christos Theodorakopoulos at QMU to find out if they are eligible to participate: email: CTheodorakopoulos@qmu.ac.uk