“Do You Love Me?” among top five questions we most want to ask our dogs

Dogs Trust is calling on owners in Edinburgh to show their four-legged friends some extra love this Love Your Pet Day (20^th February), as new statistics show the number one question that we most want to ask our dogs is “Are you happy?”

The UK’s largest dog welfare charity polled 2,000 dog owners and 73% of people in Edinburgh said they wish their dog could talk, especially as 70% of owners say their dog surprises them at least once a week.

Among the top questions owners in the area said they would most want to ask their dogs if they could talk were “are you happy” (50%), “how could I make your life happier” (44%), “do you understand me when I talk to you” (44%), “what do you dream about” (30%) and “do you love me” (28%)?

Dogs Trust has some top tips to show your pet pooches just how “paw-some” they are:

Have a treasure hunt – hide some of your dog’s favourite treats in different rooms around the house and see how quickly they manage to locate them.
Play their favourite game – Catch? Fetch? Tug of war? They’re all great fun to your dog! Show them some love by spending time playing their favourite game with them.
Make them their very own Snuffle Mat! – A snuffle mat is an enrichment toy that encourages your dog to sniff and search out hidden treats amongst the mat.
Build them a Doggy Den – has your dog’s bed been looking pretty well lived in recently? Create your furry friend a cosy, comfortable place to sleep.
Teach them some new tricks! With our easy to follow Dog School videos or enrolling them in some classes.
Take your dog out on an adventure to their favourite walking location. Allow them to have a run around and really stretch their legs!
Teach your dog to treat bob! – Keep your dog entertained with these easy to make toys by following these simple instructions.
Give them a squeaky-clean smile – Dental hygiene is important for dogs. Head to our advice page to follow our helpful guide on how to brush their teeth.
Buy your dog a new collar – Your dog wears their collar 24/7, so why not make sure it’s nice, comfortable ‘fetch’ing?! Head here to get a personalised dog tag to complete the look.
Make them a delicious treat! There are plenty of recipes for treats which can be eaten at all times of the year on our website, including dog friendly pancakes and mince pies!

Susan Tonner, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust in West Calder, said: “Dogs are such wonderful characters and play such a big part in our lives, and what’s clear from these statistics is that we want nothing more than to make our dogs’ lives even happier.

“Of course, every day should be love your pet day and there’s lots of different ways you can show your pet pooch just how much you love them from building them a doggy den to playing their favourite game.

“This Love Your Pet Day why not show some extra love to our rescue dogs as well and make some of their wishes come true by donating toys and treats to your local rehoming centre.”

The charity also asked owners in Edinburgh what they loved most about their dogs. How affectionate they are (65%), how much of a good companion they are (45%) and how much happier they make our own lives (51%) were among some of the main reasons why we can’t live without our four-legged friends.

For more information on how to donate to your local rehoming centre through its Amazon Wish List visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/wishes

110 – Hermie Now and Then

Hello,

Please find attached a poster and link to our online plea for past Hermitage Park Pupils to share stories with us.

As you know, this is part of our ‘110 – Hermie Now and Then: an intergenerational story told in film, podcast and print’ project with author Dan Gray.

The completed ‘110- Hermie now and then” short film will be screened at our community ceildhi event on 24^th April.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Warm regards,

Lisa Black

Lisa Black | Depute Head Teacher (PEF)

Hermitage Park Primary School | Hermitage Park, EH6 8HD | 0131 554 2952

Scotland’s prisons creaking at the seams

Developing a contingency plan for HMP Barlinnie in the event that it fails must be of the highest priority for the Scottish Prison Service, says Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee.

Given the condition of Scotland’s prisons in general, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) must also develop robust contingency plans in case any other part of the prison estate becomes uninhabitable.

All contingency plans should reflect the immediate capacity issues faced by the SPS and the fact that there is no evidence to suggest that prisoner numbers will decrease in the short term.

In a report published today, the committee says ten years of capital underspend to stay within budget should have raised serious concerns at an early stage given the deteriorating state of prisons. The impact of the delay in the capital programme cannot be overestimated.

Urgent action by the Scottish Government and SPS is needed to address under-lying pressures on the prison service, with solutions required from across the justice system.

The report says this situation is now undermining the Scottish Government’s policy objectives of rehabilitating prisoners and reducing re-offending.

Jenny Marra MSP, Convener of the Public Audit Committee, said: “Audit Scotland says HMP Barlinnie presents the “biggest risk of failure in the prison system” but warns there is no clear contingency plan for accommodating the 1,460 prisoners it currently holds should it fail.

“Developing a contingency plan for Barlinnie in the event that it fails must be of the highest priority. Given the state of prisons generally, the Scottish Government and the SPS must develop robust contingency plans should any other part of the prison estate become uninhabitable.

On underlying pressure on the prison service, Ms Marra added: “It is clear to the Committee that there are significant and wide-ranging challenges both the SPS and Scottish Government must overcome. The SPS is currently accommodating around 500 prisoners above capacity and there is no evidence to suggest that prisoner numbers will decrease in the short term.

“At the same time, the SPS’s revenue budget is down by 12.5 per cent in real terms; the capital programmes for HMPs Barlinnie, Inverness and Greenock are behind schedule and prisoner violence is on the increase. At its core, this situation is undermining the Scottish Government’s policy objectives of rehabilitating prisoners and reducing re-offending.”

The report finds that either the numbers entering prisons needs to be reduced or additional capacity provided to ensure that prisons are a safe and adequate environment for those who live and work in them.

As such, the service should be funded for the population it currently holds and for the expected increase rather than it being assumed that prisoner numbers will fall. Suggestions of doubling up prisoners in individual cells are a backwards step, says the committee.

The report states that action needs to be taken now by both the SPS and the Scottish Government to address these significant pressures. Such action must be based on a whole-system approach, requiring solutions from across the justice system.

On HMP Barlinnie, the report says: ‘Given the history of the prison service capital programme to date, it would seem that further delays in the completion of HMP Barlinnie are likely. It is crucial that the SPS and the Scottish Government anticipate and plan for such delays and put in place robust contingency plans.

‘The Scottish Government and the SPS must take all steps to ensure that the proposed timetable for the completion of a replacement for HMP Barlinnie is adhered to because if HMP Barlinnie fails, the whole prison system is at risk’.

Read the Committee’s report here.

Cutting football club expenses by just 5% could help 118,137 vulnerable people

Top football clubs could improve the lives of 118,137 vulnerable people by giving just 5% of their expenditures to the local community, new research shows.
Football club expenses equate to help for 2.3 million vulnerable people.
Club vs Community reveals the potential social impact top clubs could have if they were to reduce their inessential expenses over a year.
Real Madrid could reduce the risk of poverty for 2,321 children by cutting their spend on acquiring players by 5%, or help 1,431 adults find employment.
It would cost €1,669 to provide intervention for a homeless adult in the UK, and just €800 to teach workers the skills they need to find employment in Paris.
Top football clubs could improve the lives of 118,137 vulnerable people by giving just 5% of their expenditures to the local community, new research shows.
Football club expenses equate to help for 2.3 million vulnerable people.
Club vs Community reveals the potential social impact top clubs could have if they were to reduce their inessential expenses over a year.
Real Madrid could reduce the risk of poverty for 2,321 children by cutting their spend on acquiring players by 5%, or help 1,431 adults find employment.
It would cost €1,669 to provide intervention for a homeless adult in the UK, and just €800 to teach workers the skills they need to find employment in Paris.

If the world’s top football clubs were to cut their inessential expenditures by just 5%, they could collectively improve the lives of 118,137 vulnerable members of society, new research shows.

The 15 highest-earning teams in the world, as decided by the Deloitte Football Money League 2019, have spent a staggering €6.923 billion on salaries and bonuses, upgrading facilities and acquiring players over the past year.

Club vs Community calculates the cost of rectifying key social issues in various countries around the world – including homelessness, social care and unemployment – and measures this against football clubs’ expenditure as detailed in the latest available financial reports.

However, with the question as to whether footballers are overpaid remaining a point of contention among fans, Club vs Community asks how much more teams could be doing to help address prevalent social issues.

Although directly rectifying hard-hitting social issues may be beyond the remit of football clubs, the fact remains that the average pay in the Premier League is around €230,000 per month – a staggering 120 times more than the typical €1,916 EU monthly wage.

In Spain, raising the income for all impoverished households with children to the OECD average and thereby reducing the risk of poverty would cost €5,365 per capita – while Real Madrid spent €249 million on player transfers alone in 2019.

The highest-earning football clubs and their potential social reach

Over the past year, Manchester United have spent €27 million on sponsorship and broadcasting, while Inter Milan have splashed out €183,000 on PR and gifts. If both teams were to cut these expenditures by 10%, they could improve the lives of 1,839 local people.

To find out more about the cost of tackling social issues, and how high-earning clubs can help reach this goal, view the full Club vs Community study here: https://www.netbet.co.uk/blog/club-community/.

Over a quarter of people with liver disease say they were diagnosed too late, survey reveals

Over a quarter of people with liver disease in Scotland say they were diagnosed too late, survey reveals

26% of people with liver disease in Scotland said they were diagnosed late, by which time there were very few treatment options and the disease had progressed, a survey carried out by leading liver charity, the British Liver Trust, reveals.

The largest ever UK survey of over 2,000 liver patients also showed that in the region:

· 18% of people said their condition was dismissed as nothing to worry about when they were first seen by a medical professional.

· 15% of patients were very unsatisfied with the medical care they had received.

· Over half of liver disease patients had no signs or symptoms of a liver problem before diagnosis.

The survey also shows that in the UK:

· A third of patients were diagnosed after being tested for another condition

· Tiredness, abdominal pain and itching were the most common symptoms experienced by half of respondents

· More than half felt they were given not enough or no information upon diagnosis

· 22% of patients waited more than six months before being referred to a specialist

Experts are warning that late diagnosis of liver disease is causing a liver disease crisis across the UK, denying many of these people the chance of getting the best possible treatment. Evidence shows the earlier a patient is diagnosed, the greater their chance of survival.

Professor Stephen Ryder, Consultant at Nottingham University NHS Trust said: “We need to be diagnosing people with liver disease at a much earlier stage in primary care. We have equipped GPs with a very poor test for diagnosing liver disease – Liver Function Tests (liver enzymes).

“Repeat testing of liver enzymes just wastes NHS money and does not provide early diagnosis. We now have excellent tests for liver scarring, the process which matters in the liver, and those tests should now be universal in primary care.”

Over 14,000 people will die from liver disease this year – more than 40 people a day. It is the third biggest cause of premature mortality and it’s the only major disease increasing year on year.

Pamela Healy, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust said, “The UK is facing a liver disease crisis. Liver problems often develop silently as patients do not tend to experience symptoms until the disease has progressed. This survey highlights the shocking number of people who are diagnosed late and who do not feel they are receiving the care they need.

“The survey also highlights the need to help people understand how to reduce their risk of liver damage to address the increase in deaths from liver disease. Although the liver is remarkably resilient, if left too late damage is often irreversible.”

The British Liver Trust is the largest UK charity for all adults with liver disease. Their national awareness campaign, Love Your Liver, aims to raise awareness of the risk factors for liver disease and includes a roadshow that stops in locations across the UK offering free liver screening and scanning.

The Love Your Liver campaign focuses on three simple steps to Love Your Liver back to health:

· Drink within recommended limits and have three consecutive days off alcohol every week

· Maintain a healthy weight by eating well and taking more exercise

· Know the risk factors for viral hepatitis and get tested or vaccinated if at risk

To find out if you are at risk visit www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener

Council announces latest plans for Waterfront regeneration

The latest proposals to transform Edinburgh’s largest brownfield site at Granton Waterfront – this time into a new ‘coastal town’ – have been published.

With a rich history and heritage, this former industrial land is set to become one of Scotland’s leading sustainable developments, bringing new homes, business, culture, leisure, learning and employment opportunities.

The plans will be presented to the Council’s Policy and Sustainabiltiy Committee, which meets on Tuesday next week.

A new coastal city park linking Granton Harbour to Gypsy Brae will re-connect the city with its waterfront providing the opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy spectacular views across the Forth while experiencing enhanced leisure and outdoor activity. The plan is also set to deliver on exemplar urban design centred around climate resilience, leading the way in future sustainable development and growing the economy in an inclusive way.

The proposals will bring around 3,500 new homes of which at least 35% will be affordable, a school, medical centre, new cycling and walking routes and enhanced sustainable transport connections with the city, making a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net zero carbon city by 2030. With an overall gross development value of around £1.3bn, the Council is committed to investing around £196m to accelerate the regeneration, attracting significant public and private sector funding to deliver the vision.

The Council’s housing association partners are currently delivering around 700 new homes for sale and rent within the Granton Waterfront area with commitment by key public sector partners National Museums Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Edinburgh College to work in collaboration to make this one of Edinburgh’s best places to live, work, learn and visit.

Following extensive consultation with the local community and other key stakeholders, a Development Framework for Granton Waterfront will be published by the Council today.can b

This sets out the vision, key principles and design guidance and will be considered by the Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday, 26 February. When agreed it will be used as a guide for developers when making future planning applications to ensure placemaking stays at the heart of any future proposals.

The Framework supports the Council’s draft City Mobility Plan as it proposes a vast network of new routes which promote walking and cycling over car use. Car parking has been reduced to a maximum of 25% or less for the area and there is a commitment to improve bus services and other forms of sustainable public transport which will include looking at the business case for a future phase of the tram. Cultural hubs and business start-up space are also part of the framework to create a diverse place for people to live, visit and work in.

An exhibition of the Framework opens today at Edinburgh College Granton Campus and runs until Friday 6 March. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions at the exhibition today from 4 -7pm.

Cllr Adam McVey, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’ve made a commitment to become a net zero carbon city by 2030 and the regeneration of Granton offers the perfect opportunity to showcase how this can be delivered.

“We are committed to working with the local community and partners to create vibrant new neighbourhoods where people live and travel and grow the economy in an eco- friendly way.”

Cllr Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council and a Forth ward councillor, said: “The regeneration of Granton will create hundreds of new jobs linked to growth of new services, business, leisure and creative industries and will strengthen the retail and small businesses that already exist.

“Our public sector partners Edinburgh College, National Museums Scotland and National Galleries Scotland, who all have land or buildings within Granton Waterfront, are committed to working collaboratively to maximise the impact of combining our resources.

“I’d encourage everyone interested in this exciting new plan for the area to go along to Edinburgh College and have a look at the plans which will be on display for two weeks from the 20 February.”

Following committee approval, the Council will work with the Scottish Government and other key partners to develop the funding strategy. A programme of temporary uses for the site and early action projects in vacant buildings or land awaiting development will also be taken forward to encourage community empowerment and activity aimed at enhanced social and economic growth and health and wellbeing.

The Council will shortly be bringing forward plans for an initial phase of development at Western Villages ahead of the wider transformation. Proposals for the development of around 400 new homes for sale and rent in the area will be out for consultation in Spring 2020.

Progress on site so far

• Over 700 affordable homes recently completed or under development within Granton Waterfront by our RSL partners, Polha, Link and Places for People
• Council support for Friends of Granton Castle and Walled Garden and Granton Hub in Madelvic House – projects aimed at supporting community enterprise and health and wellbeing
• Lease granted to Edinburg Wake Ltd on the quarry pond for leisure use as a wake boarding park – site due to be operational spring/summer 2020
• Council appointed contractor to restore Granton Station – work due to commence in Summer 2020 to create a new enterprise hub, with completion due in early 2021
• Council contributed £100,000 towards the lighting of the Granton gas holder and a launch event. Work is continuing to seek additional funding to complete the project
• Promotion of temporary uses for empty buildings as a valuable resource for the local community while the site is being permanently developed – possible uses include
Urban Wind Turbine Pilot
Beach Box Granton – shipping containers on the shoreline to provide affordable space for cafes and leisure
The Platform – market and events at the station building and surrounding open space
Lighting of the gas holder
Adventure playground – outdoor learning space for children in collaboration with Edinburgh College
Hoarding exhibitions – animate the hoardings while showcasing work of partners and local people or organisations
Forthside festival – use the open space at Gypsy Brae for a range of outdoor activities set against the backdrop of coastal views