USDAW calls for key worker clarity

Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw continues to seek assurances from the Scottish Government that retail and pharmaceutical workers are covered by the key worker provisions.

Yesterday Usdaw and the Scottish Retail Consortium made a joint plea to John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills: https://www.usdaw.org.uk/About-Us/News/2020/Mar/SRC-and-Usdaw-jointly-call-on-the-Scottish-Governm

Following the Scottish Government announcement of their key worker scheme, Stewart Forrest – Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer has again written to the Minister saying: “I note that in the guidance published by the Scottish Government this afternoon, Category 2 workers include ‘those supporting our Critical National Infrastructure’.

“Food, including retail, supply and production is defined elsewhere by the Scottish Government as part of Critical National Infrastructure and therefore we are seeking urgent confirmation that these workers should be included in Category 2 of the key worker definition. We would also expect our members working the pharmaceutical supply chain to be included in this category.

“Could you provide clarity on this for our members and for the local authorities at the earliest opportunity, so that the supply of food and medicine in Scotland is not disrupted.”

Earlier this week USDAW issued an appeal for public support:

Retail workers will play an essential role in getting the country through this crisis and they need your support. Here are some things that everyone can do to help:

We understand that it can be frustrating when shops are very busy, or you can’t get the items you want, but it is never acceptable to take this out on shopworkers or delivery drivers. It isn’t their fault, and they are doing the very best they can. Please treat our members with the courtesy and respect that they deserve.
Please only buy what you need. Where supermarkets are placing restrictions on items, this is to ensure that everyone can get the essentials that they need. There is enough for everyone, if we all show some consideration for others.
Please take precautions to limit the risk of spreading infection to shopworkers and others. Wash your hands before you go shopping, maintain physical distance and try to pay using your contactless card if possible, rather than cash. If you are able to go shopping alone rather than bringing your family with you, or to shop on behalf of friends and neighbours, this would be a good idea too.
If you are using supermarket deliveries, make sure that you inform the company beforehand if you are self-isolating. Please be understanding of the measures that delivery drivers are taking to protect themselves and you, such as doorstep only deliveries.

We are working with employers to ensure that our members have the support they need to limit the spread of the virus as much as possible.

Some of the measures we are calling for include paid time off for sickness and self-isolation, ensuring that staff are not penalised under any absence policies for time off, access to handwashing facilities, hand sanitiser wherever available, and clean workplaces.

We are also expecting employers to take appropriate security measures to keep workers safe. Any member with concerns should contact their Union rep for advice.

We would like to thank all of those customers who have been understanding, patient and supportive towards our members during what has been a stressful and difficult time.

We would also like to express our solidarity with the millions of health and social care workers, who are working hard and putting themselves on the front line every day to help us all.

Pub closures: Police comment

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM said: “I fully support the instruction from the UK and Scottish Governments for public houses, cafes, restaurants and other entertainment venues to close.

“I would like to thank the overwhelming majority of people who are already complying for their assistance and co-operation.

“The response to coronavirus has been fast moving and I would urge everyone to do what they can to comply with the advice from government and the health service to keep people safe.

“You should also stay informed about developments and reflect on the implications of them on how you go about your lives during these difficult days.

“To be clear, no public houses or other entertainment venues should be opening for patrons until further notice.

“Our dedicated officers and staff are working round the clock to support the magnificent work of health professionals and wider society as we work collectively to protect our fellow citizens.

“I urge everyone to play their part in the national effort.

“We are aware of proposed legislation in relation to COVID-19 and are carefully monitoring its progress and considering what the implications for policing will be.

“In the meantime, those breaking the law will be dealt with appropriately to ensure the public is kept safe from risk and harm as we continue to police the country.

“I am grateful to all our officers and staff who continue to deliver an absolutely first class service in these challenging conditions for their continued dedication, hard work and support.

“We will continue to focus on public service and, by working together, we will come through this.”

Co-op to donate to donate £1.5m worth of food to FareShare

Convenience retailer Co-op has announced that from next week, it will be donating £1.5 million worth of food to FareShare, in a show of co-operation to help boost stocks, support local communities and those citizens who are struggling amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

FareShare – the UK’s largest hunger fighting charity – supports over 11,000 charities and community groups, including food banks and Co-op has pledged £1.5 million of essential food products which will be split amongst FareShare’s 23 regional centres, and then supplied to a network of local community groups across the country.

Food banks have seen a significant drop in donations as the Coronavirus takes hold, but it is in these times of national crisis that they remain a lifeline for those who rely on the donations to feed their families. Demand is only set to grow as the number of people who unexpectedly find themselves out of work increases.

Jo Whitfield, CEO, Co-op Food, said: “The Co-op has a critical role to play in supporting our members, customers and colleagues, as well as the local communities that our stores sit at the heart of.

“Food banks have never been more important, so it makes sense that we provide support to help FareShare keep people fed and watered during this unprecedented time.

“Co-op already supports around 1,500 local community groups with our national food redistribution programme, Food Share, and we know that they are finding it tough at the moment, so I’m really pleased and proud we can provide FareShare directly with the essential products they need to help our communities.

“It’s a great example of us all cooperating and pulling together to help those most in need and I would ask everybody if they can, to contribute to a food bank near to them. Every tin, jar or carton makes a difference.”

Lindsay Boswell, CEO FareShare, said “At this time of huge uncertainty, we all need to pull together to help those most vulnerable and most affected by the issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The very generous support of £1.5 million worth of food from the Co-op will enable the FareShare network to maintain a continued vital food supply line into our charities over a prolonged period of ten weeks, providing great reassurance that there will be a baseload of food provided to the 11,000 charities and community groups that FareShare and our partners support every week across the UK.”

Co-op have also announced today they will be prioritising more vulnerable customers and those who care for them, during the hours of 8am to 9am Monday – Saturday /10am to 11am on Sundays. As a local convenience retailer, Co-op is uniquely positioned to serve these customers.

Jo Whitfield, CEO, Co-op Food said: “I would like to thank our customers for their ongoing support as we all pull together during these unprecedented times.

“We won’t close our Co-op to other customers during this hour, but I would ask for their understanding as we prioritise the needs of our most vulnerable customers and the amazing people who look after and care for them.”

Earlier this week the Co-op also announced measures to combat holiday hunger in pupils caused by unplanned school closures. 6,500 students across 25 Co-op Academy Schools who currently have free school meals, will be given a £20 voucher for every week that schools remain shut.

Inspiring Volunteer Awards: still time to nominate

Only 1 week to go until the Nominations deadline of 27 March

Nominations for this year’s Inspiring Volunteer Awards ceremony are closing soon …

This ceremony reflects the exceptional range of organisations and individuals working in the city’s vibrant charity and non-profit sectors.

The Rt. Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh will honour some of the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and commitment to the people of Edinburgh at a special awards ceremony on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at the City Chambers.

If you know an individual, team or project that has exceeded expectations and deserves recognition, nominate them for an Inspiring Volunteer Award! Or check out the Ian McInnes Award or the one off 2020 Impact Award for something a little bit different and unique.

To nominate and for more information please visit voled.in/nominations
or contact me via email for any additional queries at events@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk

Jason McCann

Events Coordinator

find out more

An update from Sainsburys

Revised opening hours at Sainsburys from Monday

Blue box collections binned

Residents self-isolating due to Coronavirus symptoms in their household are being urged to dispose of their waste as carefully as possible to keep Edinburgh’s bin crews safe.

The advice comes as part of an update from Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes on how the Council is adapting in the context of the pandemic to deliver core services such as waste management, roadworks and parking to keep the city working as best it can.

Another waste-related update is the suspension of kerbside glass (blue box) collections from Monday 23 March until further notice to free up collection crews. Communal glass bins used in flatted and tenement areas will continue to be serviced, but should only be used by those properties.

Cllr Macinnes, who went to visit a waste collection crew out and about emptying kerbside bins, said: “These are extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances and inevitably there’s already a strain on our ability to keep core services going at usual levels.

“We’re doing our very best, though, and we’re appealing to residents to bear with us as we adapt our resources to the fast-changing and increasingly challenging situation.

“We regret that we’ve had to suspend kerbside glass collections from next week onwards. If you don’t have any space to store them, please help us out by taking any glass bottles or jars to one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres if you’re able to, or offer to do the same for your neighbour. We are all in this together, so we’ll get through it together.

“If you or someone in your household is self isolating due to Coronavirus symptoms, please make sure you are scrupulous when putting out your waste so that our bin crews on the front line aren’t needlessly exposed to the virus.

“We’ve got clear guidance on our website on what to do, and we’ll keep our pages updated for residents to access the latest advice and service information.

“Having met three of our ‘frontline heroes’ in person while they collected bins in west Edinburgh, I’m so impressed by the dedication and commitment they and their colleagues are showing in this extremely challenging and uncertain time – huge thanks to them all, you’re doing Edinburgh proud.”

ADVICE FOR SAFE WASTE DISPOSAL

This advice is aimed at people with symptoms that may be caused by Coronavirus, and do not require hospital treatment, who must remain at home until they are well, and those living in households with someone who shows symptoms that may be caused by Coronavirus:

Personal waste (such as tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths should be stored securely in a disposable bag and then placed inside another bag

Tie it securely and keep it separate from other waste

Place it aside for 72 hours and then put it carefully in your grey/black non recyclable waste bin (grey wheelie bins or black-lidded communal waste bins)

Other household waste can be disposed of as normal

When cleaning you should use your usual household products, like detergents and bleach, as these will be very effective at getting rid of the virus on surfaces. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, remote controls and table tops. This is particularly important if you have an older or vulnerable person in the house.

INFO ON OTHER SERVICES

Parking

Residents will be given a dispensation to park in Pay and Display spaces within their permit zones to make it as easy as possible to park near their homes while working from home or self isolating. The Council has also instructed its parking contractor to pay special attention to yellow lines and loading areas so that access for food and essential goods deliveries is protected.

Roadworks

Road defect repairs and capital resurfacing projects are proceeding as normal at present. The situation is being kept under review.

Public Transport

Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses are keeping their customers up to date with information and service changes online and via their social media channels. Both companies have announced that they are moving to a reduced service from Sunday (trams) and Monday (buses).

Cllr Macinnes added: “We fully support the actions Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses are taking given the hugely difficult circumstances we all find ourselves in and I welcome their commitment to providing vital public transport connections for residents who rely on their services.

Lothian: Reduced bus services from Sunday

Lothian will be reducing services from tomorrow (Sunday 22 March).

On Sunday 22 March, Airlink 100 services will be reduced to a 30-minute timetable during the day. There will be no nighttime Airlink 100 services. For a full timetable click here.

On Monday 23 March, Lothian bus services will be operating at a reduced service. We have updated our online timetables with these changes, so go to the Timetables section, choose your service and the day you’re looking to travel and you’ll get the correct departure times.

We have also updated our real-time bus departure system with the new timetables. From Sunday, live bus times will show on the Transport for Edinburgh app and this website which match the new timetables.

If you’re unsure how these changes will affect your journey, remember you can plan your journey using the Transport for Edinburgh app or this website. These will always have the most up-to-date schedules and service alerts, and we will be monitoring these each day to make sure you get accurate information quickly.

You should note that some other journey planners like Google Maps and Apple Maps may not show accurate journey times from Sunday. These systems will be updated as soon as possible, but please bear in mind that these systems are out of our control. In the meantime, the TFE app and the Lothian website remain the most up-to-date source for travel information.

Plan your journey

Check our timetables

Download the Transport for Edinburgh app

Nigel Serafini, Commercial Director at Lothian, said: “These are extraordinary circumstances we are operating in and teams from across our business are working tirelessly to put plans in place as to how best to deal with this fast-changing situation.

“While the priority of maintaining services is of paramount importance, as the situation develops, we now need to factor in the impact on staffing levels being experienced.

“By introducing a reduced service from Monday, we are aiming to ensure we can continue to provide vital links across the city for those who rely on our services. We would encourage customers to plan their journeys in advance using our mobile app or website and follow our social media channels for updates.”

The Lothian app offers journey planning tools and real-time service updates. Following a recent upgrade, it is also now available in 11 languages. It can be downloaded from tfeapp.com.

Marie Curie charity cancels all collections

Terminal illness charity, Marie Curie, has announced that all of its upcoming public collections in Edinburgh and West Lothian, and across the UK as part of its biggest annual appeal will be cancelled due to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

The Great Daffodil Appeal, which runs throughout March, sees hundreds of volunteer collectors hitting high streets and supermarkets to hand out the charity’s iconic daffodil pins in exchange for donations.

The money raised from the Great Daffodil Appeal helps Marie Curie provide much-needed expert care to people with terminal illnesses, as well as support for their loved ones, helping them to make the most of the time they have together.

The appeal also helps the charity provide practical information and support, fund research and campaigns for more people to have access to high quality, personalised care wherever and whenever they need it.

With over 2,200 collections across the country cancelled with immediate effect, Marie Curie has estimated that it will lose £1 million from these vital collections alone – with further losses coming from many other cancelled fundraising activities and events. This will impact the charity’s work, which is going to be more important than ever over the coming months as the NHS focuses on the coronavirus.

In light of this, the charity is urgently asking people to get involved in the appeal via other ways to help its nurses, it’s hospice in Edinburgh and the West Lothian Community Palliative Care Service at St John’s Hospital to care for more people including donating online (mariecurie.org.uk/donate) or via text-to-donate (text DAFF to 70111 to donate £5*).

Meredith Niles, Executive Director of Fundraising and Engagement at Marie Curie, said: “It is with great disappointment that we have decided to cancel all of our Great Daffodil Appeal public collections due to COVID-19 as well as a number of other fundraising events that were due to take place over the coming weeks and months – a decision which has not been taken lightly.

“The health and safety of our dedicated volunteers and staff is of utmost importance. We are extremely grateful to the thousands of people who signed up to collect for us, without whom the Great Daffodil Appeal would not exist.

“Where possible, we hope to be able to re-schedule collections and events for later in the year, and would like to thank all our volunteers, supporters, corporate partners and staff for their ongoing support at this challenging time.”

If you, or someone you know, is affected by a terminal illness and concerned about coronavirus (COVID-19), our Support Line team are ready to help with the information you need when you need it.

Call free 0800 090 2309. You can also find more information on our website: mariecurie.org.uk/coronavirus

Surgeons Quarter pledges to pay all staff for three months

ONE of Edinburgh’s largest hospitality businesses has committed to paying in full all 76 salaried and contracted staff over at least the next three months – despite the severe impact of COVID-19.

Surgeons Quarter, the operator of Edinburgh’s largest independent hotel and some of the capital’s busiest events venues has made the pledge to protect staff and give them vital financial certainty over the next quarter.

While many hospitality organisations will not be in a position to offer this guarantee, Surgeons Quarter’s management believes this is the correct approach while the city and wider world awaits to see how the pandemic unfolds.

The promise comes following a bold move to offer use of its four star Ten Hill Place hotel free of charge to all key clinical and medical workers at Edinburgh’s hospitals.

Owned by parent body, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), it has also signalled its willingness to the Chief Medical Officer for the hotel to be adopted by the health service should hospitals overflow.

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “In these uncertain and rapidly changing times, it is absolutely essential that we stand behind our highly talented workforce and give them financial certainty.

“When we come out the other end of this current situation we will need all of our team to be ready to regrow our business and I, the Company and the College will do everything in our power to avoid cutting our workforce.”

As a company, Surgeons Quarter does not have a company sick pay scheme and would normally operate using Statutory Sick Pay. In these unusual times, it has moved to add discretionary sick pay at full pay levels for those team members required to self-isolate for either the seven or 14 day period.

Professor Michael Griffin, President of the College, said: “Surgeons Quarter in normal times services College and external events and provides excellent accommodation and service in Ten Hill Place, Café 1505 and all parts of the College.

“These activities provide the College with supplementary funds to improve patient outcomes around the world. It is therefore only right in these unusual times that the College stands behind and protects the Surgeons Quarter team.

I would personally like to thank Scott and all the Surgeons Quarter team for their ongoing efforts in supporting the College and now the key workers within the Medical and Clinical workforce.”

Expanded and fully refurbished in 2018, Ten Hill Place is now the city’s largest independently-owned hotel.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

It typically boasts a year-round calendar of events and national and international conferences, making full use of the wide range of venues within the college campus.

Ten Hill Place Hotel can be contacted on 0131 662 2080.

Sales and evictions halted during COVID-19 outbreak

Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has suspended sale and eviction from property in ongoing bankruptcy administrations until further notice in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

New measures and greater flexibility are also being introduced by AiB – Scotland’s insolvency service – to simplify procedures to help those seeking debt relief through bankruptcy, or need more time to pay their debts through the Debt Arrangement Scheme. This action will also help alleviate the administrative burden on frontline money advisers and insolvency practitioners.

AiB deals with approximately 80% of bankruptcy cases in Scotland and it has urged other trustees to show similar leniency and flexibility.

Business Minister Jamie Hepburn welcomed the new measures, saying: “This pandemic will have severe economic consequences and we are treating it as an economic emergency, affecting everyone from the largest conglomerates to small businesses and individuals.

“The Scottish Government is working hard to respond to this and we’ve announced a £2.2 billion package of measures to support businesses.

“We’re asking banks, insurance companies and our own departments to be flexible and compassionate wherever possible, including offering mortgage holidays and extending timescales for those in persistent credit card debt.

“This will help reduce the pressure on individuals facing financial difficulties caused or made worse by the current crisis, and we are actively considering what more we can do to help.”

The full list of measures being introduced by Accountant in Bankruptcy:

in bankruptcy cases (where AiB is named as trustee), AiB will suspend action on division and sale and eviction from property until further notice
the evidential requirements for individuals seeking debt relief through bankruptcy have been amended to allow faster access, providing protection from debt enforcement
AiB has written to other trustees involved in the bankruptcy process requesting that similar forbearance is shown in light of the prevailing circumstances
the processes for AiB’s determination and audit of trustee accounts will be streamlined on an interim basis with additional detail set out in a letter to all trustees
electronic signatures on Protected Trust Deeds and associated documentation will be accepted, assisting continued access to the debt relief provided through this solution with a reduced requirement for face to face contact
AiB’s Insolvency Registrations Team will work flexibly with money advisers and clients where there are difficulties in demonstrating income and expenditure and meeting the evidence requirements associated with the debtor application process
AiB has asked trustees who have concerns about meeting statutory timescales for bankruptcy and Protected Trust Deeds to liaise with the appropriate AiB teams – a pragmatic approach will be taken.
in anticipation that the COVID-19 pandemic will exacerbate issues faced by those with fluctuating earnings, with those on zero hours contracts particularly impacted, AiB has decided not to revoke Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) debt payment programmes due to non-payment with a causal link to COVID-19 until further notice