Month: February 2020

Drylaw neighbours celebrate Lottery lift

Two people in Drylaw are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode.

The Easter Drylaw Drive neighbours netted the windfall when EH4 2QB was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery yesterday.

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt sent her well-wishes to the winners. She said: “What a great surprise to start the weekend! Congratulations to our winners!”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This draw was promoted by the Wildlife Trusts which have received over £11.3 million in funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The Wildlife Trusts look after more than 2,300 nature reserves and operate more than 100 visitor and education centres across the country. The Trusts work to make life better for wildlife, people and future generations.

Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can next apply for funding in August.

For more information on People’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook  and Twitter.

More than two-thirds of all fire fatalities were over 50-years-old

MORE than two thirds of people who died as a result of fire in Scotland in the last five years were over 50-years-old, according to the latest statistics.

Figures also show that almost a third of all fire casualties for the same period were aged 60 or over.

The stark numbers are revealed as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service launches a national Older People Month of Action, aimed at keeping Scotland’s most vulnerable and elderly residents safe in the home.

As part of this, firefighters are ready to offer potentially lifesaving Home Fire Safety Visits.

Between 2015 and 2019, 218 people sadly lost their lives due to often preventable fires in Scotland – 149 of whom were aged 50 or over.

And for the same period, there were a total 5,862 people who became casualties after being affected by fire or smoke – 1,600 of whom were more than 60 years old.

Now, SFRS is launching a wide-ranging appeal which will run through the month of March, and reaching out to families, friends and neighbours to help ensure that older people in Scotland’s communities remain safe from harm.

Assistant Chief Officer Ross Haggart is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Director of Prevention and Protection. He said: “It is heart breaking when a life is lost in any fire, particularly when they are often so preventable.

“It’s easy to think that fire won’t happen to you, but statistically there is potentially a house fire in Scotland every two hours.

“And it is clear to see that people who are around the age of 60 or over are most affected by serious house fires.

“As a service, we believe any fatality because of fire is one too many and our thoughts remain with every single person affected by such tragedy.

“While we will continue our prevention efforts across Scotland I think we all need to ask ourselves, is there more I could do?

“The time to take action is now.”

In 2018-19, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service visited almost 70,000 homes across Scotland to offer free Home Fire Safety Visits.

During these visits, which prioritise the homes of those deemed most vulnerable and at risk, SFRS can help spot possible fire hazards, sort out a fire escape plan and provide information about smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.

Trained staff can also help by suggesting other agencies who can help make sure residents are safe and protected in the home.

ACO Haggart added: “We have dedicated personnel across Scotland – operational firefighters, community firefighters and community safety advocates – ready to offer potentially lifesaving Home Fire Safety Visits.

“If you are 60 or over please contact us now.  If you have a friend, relative or neighbour in this age group, talk to them about our free Home Fire Safety Visit service.

“You can even offer to contact us on their behalf.

“We want to reach every older person in Scotland – but we can’t do that without your help.

“Together we can prevent fires happening and protect older people across Scotland.”

Princes Street Gardens: Quaich-ing in our boots?

Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Donald Wilson says too many people are currently unable to make the most of one of Edinburgh’s finest greenspaces.

“Princes Street Gardens is one of our city’s greatest green assets and quite rightly holds a special place in the hearts of Edinburgh residents and visitors. 

“Our ambition is for this to be a place for people of all ages to enjoy, now and in the future. We are clear that the Gardens will remain a publicly owned and managed treasure for generations to come.

“However, if you’re a wheelchair user or pushing a pram, access to West Princes Street Gardens is currently extremely difficult from most entrances, meaning untold numbers of residents and visitors are effectively excluded from spending time in this magnificent green space.

“The Ross Theatre is no longer fit for purpose and there is too much concrete and not enough greenery. Community use of the facility, meanwhile, has dramatically reduced from its peak in the 50s and 60s.

“Rather than continue with patchwork improvements to West Princes Street Gardens on our own, we welcome the Ross Development Trust’s (RDT) support and funding approach, which allows us to set our sights much higher. It’s important to stress that while the Trust leads on delivering the project and sourcing funding, executive control and governance remain with the Council.

“Edinburgh has long benefited from the philanthropy of generous benefactors – the Ross Theatre and nearby Usher Hall being prime examples of this – and the Trust’s philanthropic giving fundraising strategy for the Quaich Project is looking to harness these benefits to continue this fine tradition.

“The project has already seen the Ross Fountain returned to its 19th Century glory alongside the complete renovation of the Gardener’s Cottage and, should the Trust reach its fundraising target, West Princes Street Gardens would again be transformed into a space for everyone to enjoy in the heart of the city.

“We share residents’ desire to reduce the disruption of the gardens due to major events and have already announced a cap on the number of event days in West Princes Street Gardens. It’s worth remembering, of course, that income raised through events already supports the maintenance of our green spaces and other important Council services.

“In line with our Development Agreement with the Trust, councillors and officers have been closely involved with the Project throughout and the model of seeking donations has underpinned the Project since it began, with councillors agreeing this approach in June 2016.

Any significant corporate donation proposals would of course be subject to the Council’s policy on advertising and sponsorship and would have to be sanctioned by the Council through our committee process – just as the initial £5m contributed by Norman Springford was.

“And to be absolutely clear: there are no proposals to sell off any part of the gardens or for sponsorship deals which impact negatively on Common Good Land, and there never will be. 

“The Quaich Project is providing us with an outstanding opportunity to invest in and enhance one of the most stunning settings in Scotland. We look forward to continuing our support for this – and the huge benefits it could bring to the people of Edinburgh and beyond.”

 

Dogs Trust to host Longlegs Luncheon

Potential dog owners are being invited to tea by some very special long-legged canine friends at Dogs Trust West Calder, in the hopes they might meet their perfect companion.

Amongst the doggy guests of honour will be Liam ‘Longlegs’. When not napping, Liam enjoys nothing more than a good cuddle on the couch. Also present will be Lucy ‘Longlegs’, who is an older lady of nine, and Laddie ‘Longlegs’, who is playful and full of energy.

The event, named the ‘Longlegs Luncheon’ will take place on 21st March from 2.00pm – 3.00pm, with the team hoping to rehome their 16 long-legged sightsounds currently in the care of the rehoming centre.

On the day attendees will be treated to some light refreshments and provided with lots of information about the sighthounds at the centre – with a possible opportunity to meet some of the dogs themselves.

While there, guests will get to learn all about the special characters of each of the 16 sighthound dogs in need of permanent homes. Although they are best known for being long-legged what is less well known is that these dogs are affectionate, remarkably clever and full of personality.

Susan Tonner, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust West Calder, said: “Staff at the rehoming centre calculated that the length of all the legs of the 16 longlegs currently in our care, added together, would equal the height of the Scott Monument in Edinburgh!

“Most of the sighthound residents at the centre can be divided into those who are lively longlegs, playful longlegs and energetic longlegs.

“They make for excellent family dogs: kind, calm and gentle. They adore affection from their owners and like to be involved in fun activities. We have so many dogs with such different personalities, that each of our longlegs will be just right for someone.”

If you would like more information, please contact the West Calder Rehoming Centre on 01506536840 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/our-centres/west-calder to find out more about the lanky Lurchers and gangly Greyhounds currently in need of a forever home!

You can also follow Dogs Trust West Calder on Twitter @DT_WestCalder for regular updates on centre events as well as the dogs available for rehoming.

It’s YOUR money!

Funds awarded to maximise benefit take-up

Organisations which will help to maximise the take-up of benefits and household incomes in Scotland have been awarded £600,000.

Twenty-six organisations from across the country received allocations to support hard to reach groups, single parents and people with particular barriers such as mental or physical disabilities to apply for Scottish social security benefits.

Two Edinburgh-based organisations – Big Hearts Community Trust (£11,860) and FAIR (Family Advice Information Resource) (£24,214) – are among the recipients.

The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s Benefit Take-Up Strategy, launched in October 2019.

Announcing the successful applicants at North East Sensory Services, a charity in Aberdeen awarded £42,665 to help people with hearing and sight impairments, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We believe social security is a human right and an investment in the people of Scotland. That is why everyone who is eligible to apply for benefits should have the support they need.

“Along with local delivery staff, we want third sector organisations to add their expertise and reach out to help those who need it most.

“This funding of £600,000 will be vital to support those who face barriers to access the financial support they are entitled to and increase their incomes. This includes the people with sight or hearing impairments who are supported by North East Sensory Services.

“This funding shows we are determined to do things differently in Scotland and create a new social security system that puts dignity, fairness and respect at its heart.”

Graham Findlay, Chief Executive of North East Sensory Services, said: “The support we provide reaches more than 6,500 blind and deaf people across the North East of Scotland.

“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has recognised the particular difficulties our service users have in finding out about and applying for crucial benefits that help them to live their lives as independently as possible.

“This funding is vital to upskill our staff team with specialist knowledge so we can provide essential support to those who need help navigating the benefits system.”

While no North Edinburgh organisations received income maximisation funding in the latest round, receiving the benefits to which they are entitled can make a huge difference for people who face a daily struggle to get by.

Granton Information Centre’s income maximisation work has seen an incredible £3.3 MILLION put into the pockets of local people over the last financial year – money that they were entitled to but had not been claiming.

“Despite local and national awareness campaigns we still see people every week who are not receiving their full benefit entitlements”, said GIC manager Caroline Pickering.

“There are a number of reasons for this – the benefits system is complicated and there have been a number of significant changes over recent years. It can be confusing and the complicated form-filling – or, worse still, lengthy telephone calls to government agencies – can put people off.

“We encourage clients to persevere, however, as we support them through the process. For some people, getting the money they are entitled to really can make a life-changing difference.”

NSPCC Scotland receives boost from Amazon team

Volunteers and staff at NSPCC Scotland received a special delivery when the team from Amazon’s delivery station in Bathgate stopped by with a £1,000 donation. 

The Bathgate team also held a collection at the delivery station and raised a further £1,000 for the charity.

The NSPCC is the UK’s leading children’s charity fighting to end child abuse. The charity offers free, confidential advice and support to children and young people through its Childline service, visits primary schools across the country to deliver ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assemblies and workshops and works directly with families in local communities through its specialist teams.

NSPCC Scotland works specifically with local services and communities and attempts to influence national policy developments and political processes to protect the future of Scotland’s children.

The charity received the donation as part of the ‘Amazon In The Community’ programme, where the company supports the communities around its operating locations across the UK.

The donation will enable NSPCC Scotland to answer 500 more calls to Childline.

To celebrate the donation, members of Amazon’s Bathgate Delivery Station team visited the charity’s Glasgow headquarters.

Amazon’s Bathgate Delivery Station Manager, Scott Cartwright, said: “We are really pleased to be able to support NSPCC Scotland with this donation.

“The charity does such important work in our local area and we wanted to recognise that by offering our support. We had a great time meeting with the team in Glasgow to hear more about their efforts to stop child abuse for good.”

Jen Lindsay, from NSPCC Scotland, said: “On behalf of myself and NSPCC Scotland I want to say a big thank you to Scott and the Amazon team.

“The NSPCC receives 90% of its funding from supporters, so this donation will go a long way to help us make sure we can keep every child who needs us safe. We loved having the team down to meet us and hope that they know what a difference this donation will make in our community.”

Amazon Logistics is helping independent local delivery companies to grow their businesses and adds capacity and flexibility to Amazon’s delivery network to meet increasing customer demand.

Amazon has created more than 75 permanent jobs at the delivery station in Bathgate and works with around 15 independent delivery companies with hundreds of drivers to provide the fast and reliable delivery Amazon customers love and trust. Packages are shipped to the delivery station from Amazon fulfilment and sortation centres and loaded onto vehicles to get delivered to customers. 

A Culture Strategy for Scotland

Culture’s ability to transform lives and empower people is the focus of A Culture Strategy for Scotland, published yesterday.

The document, which was developed through public engagement and consultation, outlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening the sector in order to value, protect and nurture culture.

As part of the strategy, which is supported by almost £1.25 million funding, the Scottish Government will:

• Establish a new National Partnership for Culture, an advisory group led by the former Edinburgh International Festival Managing Director Joanna Baker to support delivery of the strategy’s aims and advise Scottish Ministers on matters affecting culture

• Build an Arts Alive programme to bring up to 250 cultural sessions to schools and communities, including five artists’ residencies

• Support a pilot project with Museum Galleries Scotland to recruit volunteers from diverse backgrounds and help them achieve an SQA accredited qualification

• Develop the Arts, Culture, Health & Wellbeing Scotland Network to advocate for cultural approaches to prevent poor health and promote cultural intervention to tackle health inequality and support rehabilitation

• Encourage community-led and participatory arts activity through the Creative Communities programme, which has been match-funded this year by proceeds of crime to support projects for young people at risk of re-offending

• Help schools engage more with the arts through the Supporting Expressive Arts in the Curriculum programme

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop (above) said: “Culture is central to who we are. It is Scotland’s strength. This is why it must be valued first and foremost in and of itself – that is to say culture is worth more than any financial value that can be placed on it.

“A key pillar of the strategy is the recognition that we need to do more to nurture artistic talent and support artists and to add value, recognise and champion artistic excellence. We want to harness the power of culture to transform lives, to improve health and wellbeing, to contribute to the growing economy, and to bring creative approaches to design better communities.

“I am grateful to everyone who has helped to shape this strategy as part of our national cultural conversation – which will continue to grow and evolve. It places culture at the heart of Government, and sets a shared vision which I hope will inspire all those with an interest in its future in Scotland.”

Ms Baker said: “A Culture Strategy for Scotland is a powerful assertion of the importance of culture and creativity to the lives of everyone, and of the positive contribution that a rich diversity of cultures and artists makes to Scotland’s place in the world.

“I welcome the opportunity to work alongside colleagues from across the country and from many different sectors to help to shape the future of support for culture in Scotland.”

culture-strategy-scotland

Bravery and Excellence Awards celebrated at Tulliallan

The commitment, initiative and bravery of Police Scotland officers and staff, as well as partner organisations and members of the public, were recognised and celebrated yesterday at the Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan.

Held as a joint event for the first time, the Chief Constable’s Bravery and Excellence Awards was attended by senior officers, politicians, stakeholders and family members.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM presented 29 Bravery awards to 34 police officers, 24 members of the public – and two police dogs. Among those receiving Bravery awards were:

  • PC Paul O’Donnell, and Police Dog Remo were on duty in Ayrshire when they traced an individual who became very aggressive. He hit both PC O’Donnell and Remo in the face with a metal pole, before biting the dog’s ear. Despite their significant injuries, they were able to restrain their attacked until additional officers arrived and arrested him.
  • Elizabeth Hutchison, who was driving in Edinburgh when she saw a woman in a distressed condition, walking without shoes in torrential rain, who made her way to a bridge and threatened to jump.

  • Elizabeth (above) was able to help the woman down and alert police, before restraining her when she tried to run off. As a result of Ms Hutchison’s actions, a very vulnerable member of the public was able to receive the necessary treatment at hospital.
  • Member of police staff, Alan Rae, was delivering a driving course to police officers in Aberdeen when a van with no-one inside began to roll backwards down a hill towards university and mosque buildings. He was able to catch up to the moving vehicle, get inside and bring it to a stop, avoiding a potentially serious incident.

Mr Livingstone also presented Excellence awards in 11 categories, including Greatest Contribution to Policing Priorities and Policing Partner of the Year, as well as a number of individual awards.

Police Officer of the Year was named as Inspector Kieran Dougal from City of Edinburgh Division, who, on transferring into community policing, made an immediate impact by taking ownership of key problems in the area, including road safety, hate crime, theft and domestic abuse, and is considered a valued leader among his peers.

Policing Partner of the Year was presented to Sarah Finnegan from Barnardo’s for the RISE Project, a two-year pilot project in Dundee and Aberdeen designed to address the Scottish Government’s National Action Plan to prevent and tackle child sexual exploitation. She has been instrumental in transforming local services and designing a more trauma informed approach to children and young people at risk in Dundee.

Police Scotland’s Unsung Hero was named as Detective Constable Iain McKinlay from Greater Glasgow Division for his unstinting work relating to the investigation of vehicle crime. He has established critical partnerships within the UK and abroad to identify organised crime groups involved in car theft and provided advice and assistance to officers across Scotland.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM said: “Policing is a challenging and rewarding vocation, which unites us through a shared sense of public service, and I hear, every day, about the work of professional and compassionate people who are dedicated to improving the lives of their fellow citizens.

“I believe this to be the single most important thing we must all remember as police officers and staff: we are there to serve the public. We are the public and the public are the police.

“Therefore, it is absolutely right and proper for the dedication of our officers and staff to be publicly acknowledged, and at the same time commend members of the public for the selfless acts of bravery and courage which have made a significant contribution to others and their communities.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and nominees today and thank them all for their efforts.”

The event was sponsored by Police Mutual, an organisation which has supported the police family for more than 150 years, providing financial services and wellbeing support.

Police Mutual’s Chief Executive, John Perks, said: “It’s a huge privilege to work alongside the police service and we are immensely proud to sponsor this event. 

“These awards not only shine a light on projects across various areas, celebrating successes that have been achieved amidst a backdrop of increasing challenges for the police service, they are also here to recognise the bravery of officers, where ordinary days turned into extraordinary days.

“All the nominees and winners should be immensely proud of their achievements – they have shown themselves to be dedicated to keeping the public safe through outstanding work and extraordinary levels of professional commitment, in line with Police Scotland’s values.

“We are always humbled by your outstanding demonstrations of courage and I am delighted to also be able to recognise Excellence in Policing. They are not only a credit to their families, friends and communities, but also to Police Scotland and the wider Police Service.”

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I congratulate all of those who have been honoured with this year’s Awards.  While the acts of bravery that are being recognised are exceptional, courage is often present in policing across the country. Police officers and staff are ordinary men and women who go above and beyond what is expected of them, often facing challenging and difficult situations.

“I have been struck by the incredible professionalism, dedication and expertise demonstrated in these awards. Whether call-handlers, cyber specialists, forensic experts, special constables, full-time officers, or members of the public, the people here today have played a role in keeping our communities safe. It is important to recognise this and the work that goes on across Scotland.”

David Crichton, Vice Chair of the Scottish Police Authority said: “We know our officers and staff are undertaking courageous, innovative and high quality work in the communities of Scotland.

“Today’s award ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate just a few of the selfless acts which help keep the citizens of Scotland safer. It is also an opportunity to recognise those members of the public who have helped us in that task.

“Congratulations to all today’s winners and to all those who were nominated for awards.”

Yappy Ever After!

FURRY-TAIL DAY FOR INSEPARABLE CANINES

A special ceremony took place on Sunday 23 February for two loved-up pups at a Wedding Showcase event in Edinburgh.

Dachshunds Nova and Ottis proved to be the paw-fect pair after winning a social media competition run by DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre to find an adorable four legged couple.

Since winning, the doggy duo have taken part in a puppy proposal photoshoot and enjoyed a specially catered dog-friendly afternoon tea when visiting the hotel to have the final touches for their big day put in place – arranged by the hotel’s wedding planner.

The public have been able to follow the journey of Nova and Ottis on social media with through the #skyBARKwedding hashtag.

On Sunday Nova and Ottis celebrated their love at SKYbar against the picturesque backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and the cityscape.

Among the wedding witnesses were representatives from a national Dachshund owners’ group and newly engaged couples who were touring the hotel and SKYbar as a prospective venue for their own special day.

Marcello Ventisei, General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre, said: “Couples are spoiled for choice with wedding venues, so we wanted to showcase a unique take on the full journey from proposal to vows at DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre with adorable canines.

“We’ve loved this journey with Nova and Ottis and we hope our guests enjoyed being part of this picture-perfect day too.”

Aldi takes the lid off

Aldi is removing all plastic lids on its own-label fresh and cultured cream products and ready-to-drink coffee products, as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce single-use plastics.

From March, Scotland’s fourth largest volume retailer will stock these products without unnecessary plastic lids in its 91 Scottish stores.

This initiative will remove over three million pieces of single-use plastic from the market.

In addition to this, Aldi will trial the removal of plastic lids from its large Greek-style flavoured yogurt pots in England and Wales. If successful, this will be rolled out across all 500g yogurt pots, eliminating a further 34 million pieces of plastic across the UK.

These moves are the supermarket’s latest steps to scrap unnecessary plastic as it works towards reducing plastic packaging by 25% by the end of 2023.

Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “We are committed to cutting the amount of plastic that Aldi and our customers use, particularly unnecessary, single-use plastic like secondary lids.

“Every step like this brings us closer to our target of reducing the amount of plastic we use in packaging by 25%.”

Aldi is on track to have all own-label packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022. Since 2018, it has removed more than 2,200 tonnes of plastic and replaced almost 3,000 tonnes of unrecyclable material with recyclable alternatives.

For several years Aldi has led the way with local sourcing and the retailer has built strong relationships with over 90 Scottish suppliers.

Last year, the supermarket was crowned Scottish Sourcing Business of the Year at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards. To aid Aldi’s expanding footprint in Scotland, the supermarket has invested in a new £25 million freezer and chill facility in Bathgate, which will be operational in spring this year.