We still have places available for our Childcare Academy Information Sessions on:
Monday 8th February @ 10am
Wednesday 17th February @ 1.30pm
If you would like to book a place to come along and hear more about the Academy, ask any questions and take away an application pack, please do not hesitate to contact me on the number below or Barbara Webster on 0131 311 6926.
Audrey O’Neill
Training Administrator
North Edinburgh Childcare
18b Ferry Road Avenue
Edinburgh, EH4 4BL
Five World War Two veterans, including Edinburgh Award winner Tom Gilzean, have received France’s highest honour for bravery in a special ceremony in Edinburgh. Continue reading City veterans receive France’s highest honour
Chief Constable praises local residents who ‘make a difference’
Recently-appointed Chief Constable Phil Gormley said community is they key to tackling crime during a visit to Leith with Justice Secretary Michael Mathieson last week. The visit coincided with news that reported crime in the North Edinburgh area has dropped by almost a quarter, with over 1700 fewer crimes reported in the last nine months. Continue reading Community ‘the key’ to tackling crime
Improving excellence and equity in Scottish education for all is at the heart of the Education Bill, says Scottish Government
The Scottish Government’s Education (Scotland) Bill, which is due to be debated in Parliament today, contains provisions placing a duty on local authorities and Ministers to prioritise activity aimed at closing the attainment gap.
The bill also legislates for the introduction of the National Improvement Framework, recently launched by the First Minister, to support efforts in raising attainment through improving information available to ensure pupils get the right support they need.
Other provisions targeted on enhancing children’s rights, Gaelic education, teacher registration and the creation of a Chief Education Officer post in councils are also included.
Speaking ahead of the Stage 3 debate on the Bill, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Angela Constance said: “The Scottish Government is working with local authorities, parents and others to ensure our education system delivers both excellence and equity for every child. All of the measures of this Bill have a role to play in helping to achieve that aspiration.
“We have already taken a series of steps that show how seriously we are taking this, such as the launch of the £100 million Scotland Attainment Challenge, and I am pleased to see our Bill reach its final stage in Parliament.
“Our National Improvement Framework will build on a strong record of achievement, with the aim of ensuring we have the right information about children’s progress right across Scotland. The Framework will look at a range of existing and new evidence which will tell us how we are progressing and where support is required for improvement purposes. Parents will have access to more information about their children’s education and progress than ever before, on what they are doing well and where they might need extra help.
“One source of data will be a new standardised assessment, focusing on reading, writing and numeracy. We have no interest in a return to high stakes testing. This new system will help to reduce the burden of assessment, building on best practice and replacing the wide variety of approaches taken by local authorities with a new streamlined, consistent approach. Crucially, the assessments will inform teacher judgment, not replace it.”
Education looks set to be the key battleground in the forthcoming Holyrood elections. Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale will promise to protect the education budget in real terms over the next five years if Labour is in government after the May election.
“Mr Valizadeh’s views on rape are dangerously idiotic” – Deirdre Brock MP
Edinburgh North & Leith MP Dierdre Brock has written to police expressing concerns over the visit of controversial ‘pick up artist’ Roosh V. Continue reading Brock concern over ‘Roosh V’ gathering
Even when it’s not snowing, Viburnum brings snowballs to the garden – and if it does freeze, this garden plant stays green and brings an early spring-like invigoration into a garden lover’s garden!
Snowball is a diverse family of shrubs. There are species that remain green in winter, and semi-evergreen varieties and species that shed all their leaves. As compensation, they do grow sprays of white and pink flowers on the bare branches between November and March. Those flowers have a fabulous fragrance and are very frost-resistant: a spectacular combination.
Generally speaking, the later the shrub blooms, the larger the flowers will become. Snowball also either has a second flowering in the autumn or will produce lovely red, blue or black berries at that time of year. With foliage that also changes colour beautifully in autumn, this garden bloomer has something special to offer in every season.
More information about Snowball and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk.
You can find out about all our other plant-related categories on Flowercouncil.co.uk.
Travel disruption likely in some areas
The Met Office has issued an Amber, Be Prepared warning for high winds across parts of Scotland later today and through until the end of the morning peak period on Tuesday, as Storm Henry is set to arrive.
The worst of the conditions are expected in the Highlands, Strathclyde and along Western Coastal areas with wind speeds of up to 90mph forecast in some exposed areas.
This could lead to restrictions or closures of some of the key bridges on the trunk road network and disruption across other parts of the transport network, including ferries.
Details of the weather alerts are available at: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings.
The winds are expected to worsen on Monday afternoon (1500) through the peak period on Tuesday morning (0900).
Transport Scotland is working with partner organisations, including Police Scotland and the transport operators, to try to mitigate the effects of the conditions. Our Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) has been active throughout the weekend at the National Traffic Control Centre and will continue operations into the new week.
The Trunk Road Operating Companies winter fleets have been out across the country, with teams treating and patrolling the roads and reacting to any incidents, but as conditions are expected to be changeable, motorists should follow Police advice.
Passengers should also check with their travel operator’s website before they leave and be mindful of the conditions. Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: “A wide range of agencies and organisations have their response plans in place to help mitigate the effects of this latest set of conditions but there is every likelihood of some disruption to the transport network in the coming few days.
“The wintry weather is forecast to deteriorate tomorrow with the arrival of Storm Henry which carries an Amber Alert for high winds from Monday afternoon continuing through the peak on Tuesday morning. Our Multi-Agency Response Team, based at the National Traffic Scotland Control Centre which has been in operation throughout the weekend will remain in place to monitor events and respond as required. Our fleet of patrol vehicles and gritters are treating roads where needed around the clock to help keep roads open to traffic, but quickly changing conditions means journeys could be disrupted.
“As always we would ask the public to play their part by listening to the latest weather forecasts and plan their journeys accordingly. With wet and windy conditions continuing and wind speeds expected to be as high as 90mph in some more exposed places, people should continue to check radio reports, visit the Traffic Scotland website or twitter feed, check with their transport operator, and take the latest police advice before setting off.”
LGBT History Month takes place in Scotland every February. It is an opportunity to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender lives and culture, and to recognise the significant contribution LGBT people have made to our country and the world at large.
Aligned with Scotland’s ‘Year of Innovation’, LGBT History Month 2016 will highlight ‘LGBT innovators’ who have made a difference in Scotland.
The 2016 brochure features a stunningly illustrated Edwin Morgan poem, ‘Strawberries’. Born in the West End of Glasgow in 1920, Morgan was Glasgow’s first official Poet Laurette and Scotland’s first official Makar, his poems often refer to gay love and life in Glasgow and he was an active supporter of LGBT rights.
This year ‘LGBT Innovator’ First Minister Nicola Sturgeon expresses her support for LGBT History Month. Ms Sturgeon has consistently expressed her support for LGBTI people and communities, supporting the introduction of the ground breaking Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act in 2014, opposing David Cameron’s plans to repeal the Human Rights Act and last year was named ‘Politician of the Year’ at Scotland’s first LGBTI Awards.
First Minister for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon commented: ‘I have always been committed to making Scotland a fair and equal society for all, and we are making great strides in doing so for the LGBT community’.
‘We have seen a change in the law to allow same-sex couples to adopt jointly and the introduction of hate crime legislation extended to cover LGBT people; Scotland was also the first country in Europe to provide national government funding to a transgender rights project, and Scotland has its own standalone Gender Reassignment Protocol.
“Same sex marriage is now legal and I took great pride in not only leading the consultation on marriage for same sex couples, but also attending one of the very first same sex marriage ceremonies in Scotland. That decision challenges the negative attitudes that still exist today towards LGBT people, and shows love is love regardless of a person’s sexual orientation.
‘The Scottish Government has strongly supported LGBT History Month since 2005 and it provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made, but also look to the future and what more can be achieved.
‘Continuing to address the barriers that exist for LGBT people in Scotland and ensuring that everyone has the same chances to participate in every aspect of life is, for me, the most effective way of making sure that each and everyone one of us benefits from the diversity this fantastic country and its people has to offer’.
Fergus McMillan, Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland commented: ‘We are delighted that the First Minister supports LGBT History Month. This year the brochure, featuring more than 40 events, is supported by the Equality Network, LEAP Sports Scotland and Stonewall Scotland. Events will take place all across Scotland, facilitated by organisations, community groups and LGBTI artists from the Scottish Borders to the Highlands.’
‘With the LGBTI Innovators theme we hope to highlight the musicians, artists, sports people, activists and unsung heroes who have really made a difference to LGBT life here in Scotland. We want to know your stories so tell us your LGBT Innovators on our social media channels and go to the website www.lgbthistory.org.uk for the full programme.”
Guide dog Jasper returns to his roots!
Sainsburys Blackhall have been sponsoring Guide dogs for the blind for four years now (writes Gail ). One of the first puppies we sponsored was Jasper.
After fulfilling his year in Edinburgh with Diane Hare, his puppy walker, Jasper then went to Forfar to do his formal training. Of course he passed with flying colours and is now the official Guide dog for Robert Blackwood, who lives in Irving.
Robert found out that Sainsburys Blackhall had sponsored Jasper from birth and wanted to come along to our store and meet the colleagues who had helped him get his guide dog. The colleagues were thrilled to see Jasper back!
