There’s an Open Day at the Festival Theatre on Nicolson Street for care experienced families on Sunday February 1st.
This is an opportunity to take part in a FREE takeover day with a host of arts activities to engage the whole family. Light buffet lunch will also be provided.
If you would like any more information, please contact Cat Sheridan on catrin.sheridan@capitaltheatres.com
Firefighters staged a dramatic ‘rescue’ at a new multi-million-pound training facility officially opened by Scotland’s Community Safety Minister yesterday.
The crews raced to a fire at a petrochemical facility and snatched a casualty to safety before dousing the flames during the realistic practical scenario.
They showcased their technical skills to mark the official launch of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s new £10.5million facility at Newbridge.
The facility is now the second largest fire training site in Scotland. It will equip 1,600 personnel from across 65 fire stations with the knowledge and skills to respond safely and effectively to fires within domestic, industrial and commercial buildings.
Firefighters will also be trained to respond to a wide range of other incidents such as road traffic collision, urban search and rescue, mass decontamination, rope rescue and water rescue.
And they will further be equipped to use new firefighting technologies such as Ultra High-Pressure Lances (UHPL).
Community Safety Minister Ash Denham was joined at the official opening by SFRS Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent and Chief Officer Martin Blunden.
Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “I was very impressed to see firefighters being put through their paces at the new training facility.
“Training is an essential component in ensuring firefighters maintain the skills and professional competencies needed to keep our communities safe. Having these fantastic facilities in the east of Scotland also allows training to be delivered closer to home, enabling firefighters to spend less time away from their core duties and their families.”
Chief Officer Blunden said: “This is truly a landmark occasion for our national Service.
“This state-of-the-art training facility will ensure our firefighters receive the best training to respond to a very wide spread of emergency incidents including water rescue and urban search and rescue.
“It will also support a total of 42,000 training hours each year for those 1,600 operation personnel. It is imperative that they are equipped with the skills and the knowledge to stay safe when responding to some of the most challenging and dynamic incidents.
“This investment is therefore good news for the communities we serve and protect.”
Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent added: “It is a pleasure to be here today to mark the official opening of what is indeed a very impressive facility, and this significant investment signals our very clear commitment to both firefighter and community safety.
“This facility was delivered seamlessly, built in one single phase over just 20 months and I commend our teams who worked so hard to make this possible.
“It even includes a Smoke Cleaning unit which will ensure there are no smoke emissions, therefore minimising our environmental impact which is also to be welcomed.”
Edinburgh College is encouraging prospective students to find out more about the range of courses available at the College in 2020 at two campus open days this week.
The College’s Milton Road Campus (above) will welcome guests tomorrow (Thursday 30 January) from 4pm until 7pm, while Granton Campus’ open day is taking place on Saturday 1 February between 10am and 2pm.
Those in attendance will have the opportunity to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer at each campus and to discover the best study options available to them.
Prospective students can also get advice and guidance on funding and fees, tour the College’s facilities and even apply for their chosen course on the day.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We look forward to welcoming prospective students to the College and I encourage anyone thinking of studying with us to come along to the open days to find out more about the courses we offer.
“We have courses to suit everyone, from school leavers, to people wanting to improve their job prospects, boost their qualifications or learn new skills in 2020.”
To find out more about the courses on offer at Edinburgh College visit the college website: www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/opendays.
Further open days will be held at Sighthill and Midlothian Campuses on Saturday 22 February and Saturday 29 February respectively.
NHS Lothian has launched its Nightingale Challenge to inspire nurses and midwives across the board to become future leaders.
The challenge, which is taking place around the world, forms part of the celebrations for the Year of the Nurse and Midwife and marks 200 years since the birth of Florence Nightingale.
The Nightingale Challenge encourages health employers to provide leadership and development training for their young nurses and midwifes during 2020. To date, more than 570 employers in 66 countries have signed up, involving around 25,000 nurses and midwives worldwide.
Across NHS Lothian, the focus for the challenge is ‘Inspiring the Next Generation.’ Through a programme of work NHS Lothian wants to promote the diversity of nursing and midwifery roles, and to highlight the various pathways to joining the professions. Already around 50 students and registered nurses and midwives across Lothian have signed up to take part.
The launch event on 24 January provided an opportunity for attendees to share their journeys into nursing and midwifery and to get involved in developing ideas to support the programme of events taking place throughout 2020 to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.
Professor Alex McMahon, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professionals, NHS Lothian said: “I am delighted that NHS Lothian is joining the celebrations to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and that as part of this, will be getting involved in the Nightingale Challenge.
“The skills and experiences that I gained from my nursing days really have supported and enabled me to move into a range of leadership roles.
“I hope that through the Nightingale Challenge, we can inspire and encourage our young nurses and midwives to see themselves as future leaders, who will help to shape and support our NHS for years to come.”
NHS Lothian’s promotional activities in support of the Nightingale Challenge and the Year of the Nurse and Midwife can be followed by searching the hashtags #LothianYNM2020, #NightingaleChallenge, #ScotNurses2020 and #ScotMidwives2020 on social media.
The amount given in crisis grants to those most in need has increased by more than a third, latest figures show. The Scottish Welfare Fund paid out a total of £3.2 million in crisis grants between July and September 2019 – 34% more than the same period the previous year.
The Scottish Welfare Fund is distributed by local authorities and provides Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants.
Crisis Grants help families on low incomes with unexpected expenses arising out of an emergency or a disaster. Community Care Grants help those on low incomes live independently in the community or to help people maintain their home in the face of exceptional pressure.
The most common reason families said they applied for emergency funding was because their benefits or other income had been spent – up 33% on the previous year.
Estimates suggest the UK Government’s social security spending in Scotland is set to reduce by £3.7 billion per year by 2021. In addition, the benefit freeze and benefit cap are now in their fourth year.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is the latest evidence that the UK Government’s swingeing benefit cuts are hitting the poorest in Scotland hardest.
“The large increase in people applying for emergency funding shows how much those on low incomes are struggling just to make ends meet.
“The Scottish Government will not stand by and let people who are already in need continue to face a reliance on food banks and the stress of debt and rent arrears.
“That’s why we are continuing to spend over £100 million each year to mitigate the worst effects of the UK Government welfare cuts – part of the £1.4 billion we spent last year to support low income households.
“This is money we should be able to invest elsewhere to help pull people out of poverty but we instead we need to use it to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
“We are introducing the Scottish Child Payment to tackle child poverty head on which will start for eligible families with a child under six by Christmas. But there is no doubt that without the cuts inflicted on families by the UK Government this could go so much further.”
First Port is a Scotland wide organisation which supports social enterprises throughout Scotland, from start up to further on in their development. What If…North Edinburgh? is a programme specifically for this area to support the development of social enterprises from idea to action.
I’m Julie Smith, the programme manager and I’m based in the area in North Edinburgh Arts. I want to work with local people who have ideas about helping themselves and their community through developing businesses which do both!
It could be an idea about anything: a gardening service for older people; teaching people a skill; supporting people to get physically active. Whatever it is I want to hear it. Even if it isn’t a business idea, it might be a good project.
One of the issues we have in the area is a lack of space for people to work in. There has been a growth in co-working spaces in the city, but there’s not a lot between South Queensferry and Leith. A co –working space means someone who just needs a desk and broadband connection can share space with others in a similar situation. Some of the spaces can be quite expensive.
The new North Edinburgh Community Resource Centre, housing Community Renewal and Citizen’s Advice on Pennywell Road has some suitable space available to rent.
There’s room for co-working space, a small training/meeting room and access to a kitchen. It would be a great space for people to work in, meet others and for training and workshops to be delivered in.
I would like to find out if there are people throughout North West Edinburgh who would be interested in such a space and developing a vision for it. The local area has never had a business hub where people can get support, can develop ideas and share with others. I think this is a great opportunity.
There is a viewing on Thursday 6th February at 10am – 11am or 6pm -7pm. Contact me at julie@firstport.org.uk if you’d like more information or to sign up for the tour!
A campaign encouraging families in Edinburgh to seek help has been launched by the city’s Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland.
All of Us has been set up to help people find out where to get support and advice with parenting or other worries about family life and where to turn if they have concerns about a child.
The campaign will also raise awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling.
About one third of calls made to the NSPCC Helpline are from people concerned a child might be experiencing neglect, which is when a young person’s basic needs are not being met.
This includes the child not having warm, clean clothing; enough to eat or drink; receiving love and care; access to healthcare; and support with education.
Neglect can happen as a result of a number of issues, including parents not having support, funds or skills, and having poor mental health.
The partnership wants to help parents and carers, who may be struggling, and signpost them to where they can get advice and support before reaching crisis point.
One 20-year-old mum, who attends Stepping Stones North Edinburgh – a local charity that supports young parent families, said: “Coming here has made me feel more confident. I go to group sessions and have one-to-one support. It’s good to be able to talk to others and know that we’re all in the same boat.
“It makes you realise you are not alone, no-one judges you and it’s confidential. I sometimes come feeling really stressed but leave feeling chilled and happy to see my son and in a better place to play with him.”
Another 21-year-old mum-of-two, who is also supported by the charity, said: “Being a parent is the hardest job in the world, no matter what age you are or your kid is, and if you’re struggling just ask for help because there’s always someone out there.”
The first phase of the campaign, which launches this week, consists of a series of free family events across the city, with activities for children and information for parents and carers about where to find support and advice.
From next month, workshops will be held with professionals and volunteers who work with children, as well as with various community groups.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “Looking after a child can be challenging for all parents and carers at times, and it is so important that people feel they can seek support and know where to turn for help.
“The NSPCC Helpline is there for anyone who wants advice or knows a family that needs support.”
Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “This campaign is a first for Scotland and highlights the very real issues around child neglect. Many families may not be aware that there’s a wide range of support and we also need to raise awareness among communities and professionals about the signs of child neglect.
“We’ve got four free drop-in events across the city over the coming weeks (see below) where families can find out more about what local support is available and I would urge as many people as possible to come along.”
PACS_booklet_North_West_September_2019_
For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324, their health visitor, GP or child’s school.
Free family drop-in events
Come along to one of our free family events to find out about support and activities where you live. There will be fun family activities, snacks and drinks and arts and crafts.
To find out more about the campaign visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus
Police Edinburgh are appealing for information following vandalism attacks on the National Museum of Scotland and the nearby Festival Theatre.
The incidents took place in the Museum last Friday (24 January) and again the following day, while a similar attack has since been reported at the Festival Theatre on Nicholson Street.
In all of the incidents glue was applied to areas of the venues’ toilets.
Inspector Trish Robertson, of the West End Community Policing Team, said: “Thankfully nobody has been seriously injured as a result of these incidents, however these thoughtless acts were extremely irresponsible and could have potentially harmed young children.
“Officers are conducting a thorough investigation and I would urge anyone with any information, of who may have seen something suspicious, to contact Police via 101, quoting incident 2808 of 27 January.”
The latest update of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2020 has been published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.
Stockbridge is oficially Scotland’s least deprived area and it’s joined in the top ten by Blackhall, marchmont and Morningside.
SIMD is a tool for identifying the places in Scotland where people are experiencing disadvantage across different aspects of their lives. SIMD gives a ranking for each small area, or data zone, which shows how deprived that area is compared to other areas. Changes in the rank for one area may be due to other areas becoming more or less deprived.
The latest figures show:
Scotland’s Chief Statistician, Roger Halliday, said: “I welcome these statistics and the work done to make this complex information more easily accessible.
“I know how widely the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is used as a vital resource for local planning, by third sector organisations bringing together resources needed to do their great work, and by many others.
“However, we must also focus on the strengths and assets of communities if we are to work together to make Scotland a fair and inclusive place to live.”
Big Tech must open up data and help fund digital inclusion as UK economy moves away from cash in 2020s, says IPPR
In a comprehensive review of the future of UK payments, the think tank IPPR has set out how the transition to a ‘less cash’, but not cashless, digital economy can be managed to protect the vulnerable and spread digital opportunities widely and fairly.
The digital transition is already happening fast. While in 2008 60 per cent of UK consumer payments were made in cash, this had fallen to just 28 per cent in 2018. The IPPR report cites forecasts that by 2028 fewer than one in 10 payments will be made in cash.
The digital revolution in finance means a shift to a considerably less cash-based digital economy, but the prospect of a fully cashless UK is not on the horizon, argues IPPR. This shift is expected to boost UK productivity and create opportunities for business and consumers, but there is a significant risk that people and areas reliant on cash may be excluded.
Giant tech firms such as Facebook and Amazon are already starting to offer more personal financial services, alongside traditional banks, but the control they could have over huge amounts of people’s data poses significant risks.
The IPPR report argues that as cash use continues to fall and digital payments break new ground, it is critical that policymakers take action to shape the future of UK payments.
To deliver a future that is both more digital and more just, IPPR recommends:
IPPR argues that these proposals, amongst others in the report, will deliver a path to a digital economy that delivers not just greater prosperity, but greater economic justice: where more people can access better payments and banking services, data is harnessed for the public good and the most vulnerable people are protected.
The report notes that an increasingly digital economy brings faster payments, more personalised services and greater convenience for digital users. However, if these benefits are only available to digitally savvy people – typically younger people and those with higher incomes – inequality could be embedded into the future of finance, it warns.
IPPR urges the government to seize this moment to prevent all the gains from digitisation flowing to big tech firms and big finance and instead deliver excellent financial services for all, a competitive innovative personal finance market and democratic control of data.
Rachel Statham, IPPR Economic Analyst and lead report author, said: “The future will have less cash. But urgent action is needed to set the UK on course towards an economy that is both more digital and more just.
“By getting ahead now, we can invest the billions needed to get every part of the country ready for a more digital future and protect access to cash where people rely on it. This could see the potential benefits brought by a move away from cash invested to narrow rather than widen inequalities, handing control over from Big Tech and banks to people and communities.
“The move away from cash should only happen as fast as people are ready for, and the benefits of doing so should be shared. By setting new digital inclusion targets at the national, regional and local level, and investing to meet these targets, we can make sure bridge the digital divide and protect cash for those rely on it.”
Carys Roberts, head of the Centre for Economic Justice and IPPR Chief Economist, said: “There are opportunities within reach as the UK economy shifts away from cash and towards digital payments – from productivity increases to preventing fraud and financial crime.
“But there’s also a danger that the shift to digital, if not proactively shaped, will work for some and leave many behind. The government should enable everyone to take part in the digital economy and ensure powerful companies like Apple and Google play their full part in shaping a fairer move away from cash in the UK.”
Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said: “While digital payments have brought great benefit to countless consumers, it is crucial that a balance is found that also protects cash for all those reliant on it – instead of stripping people of this vital payment method.
“With the cash landscape on the verge of collapse, it’s clear that industry alone cannot be relied upon to guarantee withdrawals – so the government and payments regulator must quickly step in with a plan to protect cash against the sweeping tide of bank branch and cashpoint closures.
“Ultimately, the government should legislate to give consumers confidence that they can access cash for as long as it is needed.”
