Book now to avoid missing out on a stall at Scotland’s largest Volunteer Recruitment Fair

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT FAIR

Wednesday 18th September 11am – 7pm

St Paul’s & St George’s Church

If you are an organisation and you would like a stall at the fair this year, bookings are now open! Visit https://voled.in/fair for more information. Continue reading Book now to avoid missing out on a stall at Scotland’s largest Volunteer Recruitment Fair

Edinburgh opens UK’s first ever accredited Quieter Hall student accommodation 

  • Surge in demand for quieter halls of residence in UK, as 1 in 5 students now identifies as teetotal
  • Mystudenthalls.com rolls out Quieter Halls accreditation badge on qualifying student accommodation listings to accommodate a broader range of student lifestyles
  • Quieter Halls accreditation developed in collaboration with GP and student health and wellbeing expert, Dr. Dominique Thompson
  • Badge launches with quieter halls for students in Edinburgh

A leading student accommodation search engine has today announced that it will award a Quieter Hall accreditation badge to student halls, in an effort to meet the huge national demand from students looking to live in more peaceful halls of residence, as student culture changes.

Universities and student cities have seen a surge in demand for quieter halls of residence in the past year- from students including athletes who focus on their sleep, those with a focus on wellbeing, or those who simply prefer not to live amongst the hustle and bustle of the student party environment.

The first national rollout of such a plan to help students, Mystudenthalls.com has today launched a Quieter Halls badge of accreditation on qualifying properties- with criteria developed in partnership with student wellness expert, Dr Dominique Thompson. Halls in the accommodation search engine’s listings which meet nine compulsory criteria, that demonstrate provisions toward quieter living, are clearly labelled with the Quieter Halls badge.

The criteria takes into account provisions around space, sound and general resident guidelines, and includes noise policies, accommodation of specific requests for quiet rooms and living areas and a quiet surrounding area of the accommodation building.

One of the first properties to display the badge is Student Castle accommodation in the heart of major student hub, Edinburgh- with further accommodation operators across the UK registering their interest in making changes to their sites, in order to qualify for the badge over the coming months.

On the launch of the Quieter Halls badge, Mystudenthalls.com founder and director, Dan Roberts, commented: “In the last few years, we’ve seen a huge shift in student culture. It’s so important that universities and accommodation providers are working to support every student, no matter what their lifestyle, to ensure that all students thrive.

“It’s not about providing entirely quiet student halls – that would be unrealistic. It’s about a clear support of quieter lifestyles and living spaces. We’re proud that our Quieter Hallsbadge helps us takes an important step towards giving students greater control over their experiences whilst at university.”

Dr. Dominique Thompson said: ‘I’m really happy to have partnered with Mystudenthalls.com as a Quieter Halls advisor, helping its operators to better cater for those looking for quieter accommodation.

“Over the past five years, awareness around the importance of student wellbeing has become commonplace, and we now know that it’s not something that can be nurtured through a one-size-fits-all approach to accommodation. So, it’s great to see a provider tailoring its service towards giving students the tools to find exactly the right halls for them.”

For more information on the launch of Mystudenthalls.com Quieter Halls, head to: www.mystudenthalls.com

Warehouse refit enables food charity to help feed 2,000 more people every week

An Edinburgh food charity has conducted a warehouse refit during its 20th anniversary year, which will enable the charity to help feed an additional 2,000 vulnerable people each week. 

FareShare Central & South East Scotland, which is run by partner charity Cyrenians, has also purchased a new, larger industrial chiller – all of which has been funded by Asda.  Continue reading Warehouse refit enables food charity to help feed 2,000 more people every week

“Tremendous response” to three council consultations

The city council has received more than 8,000 consultation responses to the consultation on major changes proposed for Edinburgh’s city centre. The capital’s population is now aroung half a million people.

The Council went out to consultation on three different proposals over the summer: Edinburgh City Centre TransformationMeadows to George Street and Low Emission Zones during May, June and July. Continue reading “Tremendous response” to three council consultations

FM announces more action to address climate change

New measures announced as Cabinet meets in Stirling.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has officially opened a new £6 million project which uses cutting-edge renewables technology to harness energy from waste water.

Ms Sturgeon launched the Stirling District Heat Network project while visiting the city as part of the 50th Travelling Cabinet.

The project, which received £2 million support through the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, was developed collaboratively with Stirling Council and Scottish Water Horizons. It is the first of its kind in the UK and will provide affordable and low-carbon heat to the local Stirling community.

The announcement is part of a new package of announcements made in Stirling – which is aiming to become Scotland’s first carbon neutral city – to tackle the global climate emergency. The Cabinet is meeting in the city to discuss key issues affecting the local community, including climate change, and Ministers will also be engaging directly with local residents at a public meeting held in the newly refurbished Engine Shed building.

Carbon emissions resulting from the Travelling Cabinet will be offset by the planting of trees in a local community forest, and the Scottish Government has also committed to ensuring all future similar meetings are as low carbon as possible.

In addition, £300,000 is to be invested to expand the Climate Ready Classrooms initiative to help young people aged 14-17 to develop their understanding of climate change, its causes and potential impacts. The programme aims to engage with at least 50% of Scotland’s secondary schools in the next two years and accredit almost 5,000 young people as carbon literate.

There was also additional support announced for communities across Scotland to undertake their own Big Climate Conversations, which will feed-in to the Scottish Government Public Engagement Strategy on climate change.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Earlier this year Scotland became one of the first countries in the world to acknowledge the fact that we are facing a global climate emergency, and it is only right that we take appropriate action – with all policies being re-examined to ensure they meet our climate ambitions.

“That’s why the action we’ve announced today is important – and it will build on the world-leading measures already underway to address the climate crisis we face.

“We have already proposed one of the most ambitious statutory emissions targets anywhere in the world, and today’s announcements illustrate our commitment to developing new and innovative policies which will make a real difference.

“The Stirling Renewable Heat Demonstration Project is a great example of this, using waste water to help provide energy to local businesses and public buildings.

“We are also changing the way we work as a government to provide an example to others, and our commitment to ensure future meetings are as low carbon as possible is testament to this.”

Fringe: Six Feet Three Shoes

Six Feet Three Shoes is a celebration of friendship across borders told through feisty, percussive flamenco, Scottish and contemporary dance, with three dancers, in colourful costumes that combine threads of Scottish tartan and Spanish frills, and two musicians on exhilarating live guitar and fiddle. Continue reading Fringe: Six Feet Three Shoes