Day: May 28, 2020

Scottish Power signs C-19 Business Pledge

ScottishPower has today signed up to the C-19 Business Pledge, highlighting its commitment and efforts to help customers, colleagues and communities through the COVID-19 crisis and into the recovery phase. 

The Pledge – founded by former UK Cabinet Minister, Rt Hon. Justine Greening and UK entrepreneur David Harrison – encourages employers to pledge to help employees, customers and communities across Britain get through the crisis.

Crucially, businesses are asked to focus on how they will tackle the challenges of recovery as well as the challenges of keeping going through coronavirus. 

ScottishPower Chief Executive, Keith Anderson, signed the company’s networks, retail and renewables businesses up to the Pledge, saying he is proud to highlight the company’s support for its people, customers and communities. 

He added: “Since coronavirus became part of our daily lives, we’ve been working hard at ScottishPower to ensure our efforts provide the right support – not just to see us all through the crisis, but to help get the country back on its feet as well.

“More than ever, we know the difference our help makes and the C-19 Business Pledge is a great platform to showcase all we are doing across all our businesses for our customers, our colleagues and our communities. 

“Our message is clear – we are here for you – whether that’s supporting you to work in a different way, keeping the energy flowing to your homes and businesses, generating the clean energy we all want, helping you manage your finances during these difficult times, or supporting the most vulnerable in our communities. 

“By continuing to work together, we can achieve a better future, quicker which will make a real difference and benefit all of us in the longer term.” 

ScottishPower’s efforts to support customers, colleagues and communities through the COVID-19 pandemic have included: 

Customers

·      SP Energy Networks working round the clock to keep the power flowing to 3.5 million households across the UK, ensuring people can continue to work and stay connected to family and friends as well as going the extra mile to protect power supplies to critical facilities like hospitals, health and social care facilities and essential shops.

·        Our ScottishPower retail business providing residential and small business customers with the flexibility to adjust their direct debit payments to as little as £5 per fuel per month or take a payment holiday of up to two months if they are struggling financially.

·        ScottishPower retail issuing pre-loaded payment keys/cards with available credit or remotely adding credit to meters for prepayment customers unable to top up their meter due to illness, self-isolation, or financial difficulties. 

 Colleagues

  • Introducing an employee volunteer scheme that allows staff to get involved in local and national initiatives both during and outside normal working hours. This has resulted in employees getting involved in the likes of sewing PPE and scrubs for frontline NHS staff across the country and apprentices volunteering with charities providing vital food delivery services.
  • Promoting and supporting positive mental and physical health for employees.
  • Keeping employees informed and supporting them to work well at home and ensuring those performing critical roles are supported to work in line with government guidelines.

 Communities

  • Supporting partner organisations – thanks to almost £2 million previously awarded from SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund. This has helped provide the resources and capabilities for partner organisations to respond, enhance and extend their vital services during the COVID crisis. The monies, invested in new electric vehicles and improved infrastructure, are now helping provide patient transport, free transport and bike hire for key NHS workers, as well as essential food supplies to vulnerable people and rural communities.
  • Providing funding of more than £50,000 from our networks business for partner organisations who provide additional support services for vulnerable customers on our Priority Services Register. This has helped them deliver key services such as essential food and medicine deliveries.
  • Donating PPE from ScottishPower Renewables’ offshore wind team to a local NHS hospital in East Anglia.

Over and above this, ScottishPower advocates the importance of a green recovery being at the heart of the country’s economic recovery, providing a driving force that will help us all move closer to net zero.

 The C-19 Business Pledge has now received the backing of employers representing more than three million people, staff and students throughout businesses and universities.

As well as ScottishPower, these include BP, Barratt Developments, Everton Football Club, Compass Group, Coca Cola, Persimmon Homes and Severn Trent Water. It has also received the backing of more than 60 Members of Parliament, across all major political parties. 

Justine Greening said: “With the future of many employers hanging in the balance and incredibly tough times unfolding in sectors across the UK, businesses face many incredibly difficult decisions. But those organisations – who are able to – can have a huge role in battling the impact of coronavirus and make a real difference in these uniquely challenging times. 

“In spite of everything, lots of employers have already shown amazing initiative and commitment to helping people affected by coronavirus. The C-19 Business Pledge is all about encouraging as many businesses and universities as possible to get involved and then helping them do that faster and better by sharing all the great work that’s already been done. 

“The early response from businesses across the UK has been incredible and it is great to see ScottishPower making this commitment too.” 

For more information on what ScottishPower is doing to support people and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, visit https://www.scottishpower.com. 

For more on the C-19 Business Pledge visit www.c19businesspledge.org.

‘The virus has not gone away. Lockdown is not over.’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, this afternoon (Thursday 28 May):

Good afternoon. Thank you very much for joining us. Today, as you are probably anticipating, I will confirm some careful and cautious changes to the current lockdown regulations.

I will set out what those changes are in a moment – but I want to begin with a simple but really important point.

The only reason we can make any changes today is that we have made progress in suppressing this virus. And that is entirely down to the sacrifices that all of you have made.

So more than ever today, I want to say thank you to each and every single one of you.

I’ll come to the changes themselves in a moment – and because there’s a lot to cover today, my update will be a bit longer than normal – but first of course I will provide the usual statistical update.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,288 positive cases confirmed – that is an increase of 48 since yesterday.

A total of 1,238 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. That represents a decrease of nine overall from yesterday, including a decrease of 13 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 37 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. That is a decrease of 1 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,635 patients who had tested positive for the virus have now been able to leave hospital.

Unfortunately though, in the last 24 hours, 12 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus, and that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,316.

Now I feel very strongly, as I’m sure you do, particularly today as we start to take the first steps out of lockdown, that we must never become inured to these statistics – and we must never ever forget that behind every single one is a person who was loved and is now deeply missed.

In future, we will want – collectively as a nation – to remember and mourn that loss.

But for now let me send my condolences to every family who has lost a loved one to this virus.

Let me also express my deep gratitude to our health and care workers for the incredible work you have done and continue to do, in such extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

The figures I have just given remind us that the progress we have made so far is real. But these figures also remind us of the toll this virus has taken – and that our progress remains fragile.

The virus is still proving fatal for too many. Hundreds of people are still in hospital. And new infections are still being identified in most health board areas.

As I have said before, that means we must proceed with the utmost care and caution.

Nevertheless, a downward trend in COVID-19 cases is now sustained and unmistakeable.

As you know, the law requires us to formally review the lockdown regulations at least every three weeks and to keep them in place only for as long as is necessary. And the latest review period ends today.

I can confirm that we have considered the latest evidence of the spread of the virus and I can report as follows.

The R number – the transmission rate of the virus – remains in a range of 0.7 to 1.

We can’t be certain how far below 1 it is – and that confirms, and underlines, that we must continue to exercise caution.

However, we have now reasonable confidence that the R number has been below 1 for a period of more than three weeks.

Our modelling also shows that the prevalence of the virus is reducing.

Last week you might recall that I reported an estimated 25,000 infectious cases across the country. Our latest estimate is that as of last Friday 22 May, there were 19,000 infectious cases in Scotland.

In addition, the number of patients in intensive care has fallen by 80% since the peak.

And the number of new hospital admissions has fallen by more than 80%.

Also, as we saw yesterday in the National Records of Scotland report, deaths associated with COVID-19 – both overall and in care homes – have now declined for four consecutive weeks.

This evidence has allowed the Scottish Government therefore to conclude that we can now move into Phase 1 of our four phase route map out of lockdown.

My confidence in that conclusion is bolstered by the launch today of Test and Protect – a system of test, trace, isolate.

We are now asking any person who has symptoms of COVID-19 – that is a cough, a temperature or loss of taste or smell – to take immediate steps to book a test.

If this applies to you, please go straight to nhsinform.scot to get a test or, if you can’t go online, call NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816. Don’t wait to see if you feel better before booking a test. And apart from going for the test, you – and all people in your household – should self-isolate.

If you are contacted by Test and Protect to say you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, please follow the advice to self-isolate for 14 days.

But remember – and this is a really important point – that you can minimise the chances of that happening by taking care not to be a close contact of someone outside your own household – and that means staying at least two metres distant from anyone who is not part of your household.

Test and Protect will be a crucial part of our efforts to control the virus in the weeks ahead. But it will not do it – cannot do it – on its own.

The decisions that all of us make – about staying two metres apart, washing our hands, wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces – these matter just as much.

In many ways, in fact, they will matter even more as we start to slowly relax these lockdown rules.

If we don’t pay close attention, and follow physical distancing and hygiene rules, those 19,000 estimated cases I mentioned earlier will quickly rise again.

However, all of that said, we are now in a position to make careful changes. And I want to set out now what those changes will be. Many of these changes will come into effect tomorrow.

We are publishing on the Scottish Government website specific guidance to help you understand the changes and also the rules that we are still asking you to follow. So please take the time to read that.

The focus of our Phase 1 changes is on outdoor activity.

And the reason for that is this – as long as people from different households remain two metres apart, do not touch the same surfaces and wash hands and surfaces regularly, the risk of the virus spreading is lower in an outdoor environment than it is indoors.

Even so, in making changes at this stage, we have limited room for manoeuvre. So we need to get the balance right.

Of course we want to restart the economy as quickly as possible, but we have also kept very firmly in mind the things that matter most to our quality of life – family, friendship, love.

I will therefore spend most of my time today talking about what these changes will mean for your ability to interact with friends and family.

But first let me cover what they mean for business and public services.

From tomorrow, most outdoor work that has been put on hold can resume, and the construction industry will be able to restart site preparation – that’s the first phase of its restart plan. It will require to consult further with government before moving on to the second stage of that plan.

From tomorrow, garden centres and plant nurseries can reopen some of their services, and we will no longer be discouraging drive-through food outlets from re-opening as well.

However, non-essential shops, and pubs, restaurants and cafes – except for takeaway – must remain closed at this stage.

Household waste recycling centres can re-open from Monday – and guidance on this was issued yesterday.

We continue to ask other business premises to remain closed at this stage, unless providing essential goods and services, and we ask all businesses to let staff work from home wherever possible.

From Monday onwards, 1 June, teachers and other staff will be able to enter schools for the purpose of preparing for a re-opening of all schools on 11 August, for a blended in school / at home model of learning.

And from next Wednesday onwards – that’s 3 June – childcare will be available to a larger number of children who most need it, for example vulnerable children and children of essential workers.

Childminding services and fully outdoor nursery provision will start to reopen from next Wednesday too. However, there will continue to be limits on the number of children that can be cared for, and guidance for childminders will issue on Monday.

During Phase 1, some key public services – for example some respite care, children’s hearings and some key health programmes – will also begin to restart their work, and further announcements on timing will be made in due course.

In terms of sport and recreation, some non-contact outdoor leisure activities will be allowed to restart – again from tomorrow. 

This applies to activities where you can safely keep a two metre distance from others at all times and follow strict hygiene practices – for example golf, tennis, bowls and fishing.

You will also be able, from tomorrow, to sit or sunbathe in parks and open areas. I am sure that will welcomed by many, particularly in this weather – but it will be welcomed especially by those who do not have gardens.

And you will be able to travel – preferably by walking or cycling – to a location near your local community for recreation. However we are asking you, for now, to please stay within, or close to, your own local area. And don’t use public transport unless it is absolutely necessary.

Now we are not setting a fixed distance limit in law – but our strong advice is not to travel further than around five miles for leisure or recreation.

And it is still the case that you should not go to our island communities, except for essential reasons.

We simply don’t want, in this phase, to see large numbers of people at tourist hot spots or local beauty spots. Crowds of people – even if they’re trying to socially distance – bring more risk than we judge is acceptable and safe at this point.

So if you do go somewhere and find it is crowded, please use your judgment, change your plans and go somewhere else.

Now the final area I want to talk about is social interaction.

But before I do that I want to say something specifically and directly to people who are shielding – the people who are most vulnerable to the virus.

You are now well into your third month of being advised not to leave home at all. And I know that listening to today’s changes – which don’t yet bring a change to your own circumstances – will be particularly hard for you.

So I want to assure you that we will be providing you with more information and guidance in the next couple of weeks. And we will be trying, as far as possible, as far as safe, to move to less of a blanket approach – one which requires all of you to stay at home all of the time – to one that more reflects your individual circumstances.

We know the impact that our advice is having on you, and on your loved ones, is significant – and we are doing everything we can to get that advice right so that you can safely, albeit gradually, start to lead a less restricted life. I want you to know today that you have not been forgotten – and you are a central part of our thinking, as we consider how we move forward.

More generally, though, we can today confirm changes to the rules on meeting socially. And this, I know, is something everyone has been eagerly anticipating. From tomorrow the regulations on meeting other people will change.

You and your household will be able to meet with another household out of doors – for example in a park or in a private garden.

We said last week this should be in small groups – and to give you greater guidance on that, we are asking that the total number of people between the two households meeting up should be a maximum of eight. Please keep it to less than that if you can.

Now, we are not saying that you must pick one household and only meet the same one during Phase 1. But we are saying that you should not meet with more than one other household at a time.

And while this will not be the law, we also strongly recommend that you don’t meet with more than one other household per day.

This change will obviously allow you to meet with more people that we can right now – but please remember that we should still be meeting far fewer people outside our own household than we would in normal times.

Now, I know how much all of you will be looking forward – all of us will be looking forward to seeing family and friends for the first time in a while. But how we do this is going to be really vital.

Before you meet up with people from another household you should stop, think, read the guidance and make sure you are protecting yourself and others.

In particular, you must stay outdoors and stay at least two metres away from people from the other household. That is crucial.

You should also avoid touching the same hard surfaces as they do.

Let me give an example of that. I suspect many of you will be planning a picnic or a barbecue this weekend. If you are, not only should you stay two metres apart from those in the other household, but each household should also bring its own food, cutlery, plates or cups. Don’t share these things.

And please – don’t go indoors. Being in someone else’s house should still be avoided, unless of course you are providing support to someone who is vulnerable.

And that means thinking in very practical terms. We are not putting a legal limit on how far you can travel to meet another household, but please use your good judgment. If the distance is so far that you would have to use someone else’s bathroom, then perhaps you shouldn’t be doing it.

And the reason for all of this is simple, but it is worth repeating, because I am not putting all of these restrictions – or asking you to put these restriction on your activity for no reason.

And the reason is this – if you go inside a house or if you share items, if you touch the same surfaces as another household, or come within two metres of each other, that is when you are creating an opportunity – a bridge, if you like – for the virus to spread from one household to another.

And that is what all of us must still do everything we can to avoid.

Now, I know the information I give at these briefings sometimes must be hard to absorb.

But today’s information is really vital. So please watch this back later to make sure you caught all of it.

And please read the guidance that you will find at www.gov.scot

What I have announced today are important first steps back to some kind of normality I hope. But they are by necessity cautious.

I’ve said before that no changes are risk free – and there are no certainties in any of this – but I have also said that I wanted to ensure that with every step we do take, the ground beneath our feet is as solid as possible. And that is what we are taking care to ensure.

But I don’t mind admitting to you that as we take these first steps, I do feel a bit nervous.

I worry that the limited changes we are making to these rules, the very careful changes, might lead to much greater change in reality. And so I really need your help to make sure that is not the case.

I am sure there are going to be lots of emotional reunions this weekend. You will be planning to see family and friends that you haven’t seen for weeks. And based on the current forecasts, the sun will be shining too. We’ve all waited a long time for this, so I hope you all really enjoy it.

But please, please – respect the parameters we are setting out.

Be respectful of each other’s space, and make sure things still feel different to normal,  because they should still feel different to normal.

Above all, remember that each individual decision we will take, will affect the safety and the wellbeing of everyone. Make sure that love, kindness and solidarity continue to be our guiding principles.

So to recap: Still stay at home as much as possible – the virus has not gone away. Lockdown is being modified slightly – it is not over.

Make sure you are still seeing far fewer people than you might normally do.

Don’t meet up with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day and keep to a maximum of eight people in a group.

Stay two metres apart when you do meet. And that, I know will be really difficult – perhaps the most difficult part of all. The instinct to hug somebody you love is a really strong one – especially when you haven’t seen that person for quite some time. And I know that for some – couples who live apart for example – for them, this is even more difficult. And I want to assure you that we are considering that point very carefully.

But for now – whether it’s parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, siblings, partners from other households – don’t put your loved ones or yourself at risk.

Also wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.

Avoid hard surfaces – and clean any that you are touching.

And if you have symptoms, get tested and follow the advice on self-isolation.

To end where I started, we are only able to take these careful steps towards a less restricted lifestyle for all of us now because all of you have, overwhelmingly, stuck to the rules so far.

And the truth is that we will be able to take more steps more quickly in the future, if we all continue to do the right thing, stick to the rules, and most importantly of all now, exercise good judgment at all times.

I want to thank you again for all you’ve done so far, but thank you in advance for continuing – as I know you will – to do the right thing and remember that this is all about protecting not just ourselves – it is about protecting each other.

And though these changes are small at this stage, I really hope they do make a positive difference and leave all of us with a real sense of hope that we are on the right track, the track towards greater normality while we continue to beat this virus along the way.

Thank you very much indeed for listening.

Back to School: John Swinney publishes scientific advice

Education Secretary John Swinney has published a summary of the scientific advice behind the plans to re-open schools and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings.

In agreement with councils, professional associations and parent representatives, all schools will return on 11 August while ELC settings such as nurseries and playgroups will open over the summer.

The plans are contingent on scientific and medical advice that it is safe to proceed and complementary public health measures, such as Test and Protect, being in place.

The paper (see below) highlights:

  • growing evidence that the susceptibility to clinical disease of younger children is lower than for adults
  • generally good evidence that the severity of disease in children is lower than in adults
  • the majority view of the Chief Medical Officer’s Advisory Group is that actions to support distancing guidance in schools where children are in indoor environments for extended periods of time would be appropriate, while a minority believed schools could operate without distancing

Mr Swinney yesterday updated Parliament on the work to re-open schools and ELC settings.

He told Holyrood: “School closures are considered to have a negative effect on all aspects of children and young people’s progress and development, as well as their wellbeing.

“That is why we are working to enable as many children and young people as possible to return to education and care settings at the earliest date it is safe to do so.

“The scientific evidence and advice is an important part of that decision, alongside consideration of the other harms caused by ongoing restrictions. That is why I have published a summary of the scientific evidence which has informed our discussions and decisions to date.

“The evidence around coronavirus in general, and that relating to children in particular, is continuing to evolve. Some aspects are not yet well understood – the science cannot in many cases provide us with definitive conclusions.

“The scientific advice that we have received so far leads us towards taking a cautious approach and we will continue to monitor the evidence and advice to inform decisions.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scientific evidence on schools and ELC settings

Four in five Ryanair passengers still waiting for refunds

The majority of Ryanair passengers surveyed who have asked for a refund for a cancelled flight during the coronavirus crisis are still waiting for their money back, according to new research from Which?.

Which? surveyed nearly 2,800 airline customers that had flights cancelled since mid-March as a result of the global pandemic, to find out about their experience with their airline. Of those, over 1,600 people told Which? they asked their airline for a cash refund.

Ryanair was the worst of the UK’s four biggest airlines for processing refunds for cancelled flights, with 84 per cent of those who asked for a refund telling Which? they have still not received their money back.

Just five per cent of Ryanair customers surveyed said they had their money returned to them within seven days – the time frame that EU carriers are legally obliged to process refunds within. Only one in six (16%) Ryanair customers have received a refund at all.

Ryanair customers have continuously complained to the consumer champion about the airline’s approach to processing refunds, with numerous changes to its approach to refunds confusing customers of their options.

Despite initially telling customers it was processing refunds at the beginning of the crisis, customers reported that Ryanair provided refund forms that didn’t work, before attempting to force vouchers on passengers who had specifically requested refunds. It also repeatedly changed the timeframe for receiving a refund, suggesting at one point customers may have to wait up to 12 months for their money back.

Easyjet customers also reported finding it difficult to get a refund. Just one in seven (14%) Easyjet customers received a refund within seven days, and around three in five (63%) are still waiting for their money back.

In contrast, a quarter (23%) of British Airways customers and one in five (19%) Jet2 customers are still waiting for their money back, with four in 10 (39%) BA customers receiving their money back within the legal time frame, and three in 10 (29%) Jet2 customers refunded within the seven day window.

British Airways has previously been criticised for its approach to refunding customers, removing its online form for requesting a refund and instead directing customers to a phone line where they are often unable to speak to someone due to high call volumes.

Which? recently revealed that trust in the travel industry has reached an all-time low, with data from its Consumer Insight tracker showing that trust in airlines and holiday companies has dropped to its lowest score on record in the seven years the consumer champion has collected the data, following airlines’ handling of refunds for cancelled flights.

Following the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announcing its investigation into airlines’ handling of refunds, Which? has launched a tool to allow consumers to report their airline to the regulator if they have been unable to get a refund for a cancelled flight, and is encouraging people to share their experiences.

Which? has also repeatedly called on the government to step in with urgent support for the industry, to allow airlines and holiday companies the financial means to refund their customers without fear of going bust, and to help restore trust in the travel industry.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “We have heard from thousands of frustrated passengers who have told us they are finding it almost impossible to get refunds they are legally entitled to from airlines, with some having waited months now without a penny returned to them.

“Some airlines are doing much better than others at refunding their customers, proving that while these are indeed difficult times for the industry, withholding customers’ money from them is simply inexcusable.

“The regulator and government cannot sit on their hands any longer. The CAA must urgently hold airlines that are brazenly breaking the law to account, and the government must set out how it will support the industry where necessary if airlines are unable to refund their customers without fear of going under.”

Time taken to refund British Airways Easyjet Jet2.com Ryanair
Within 7 days 39% 14% 29% 5%
Refund not yet received 23% 63% 19% 84%

Ryanair did not respond to Which?’s request for comment.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “If a customer’s flight has been cancelled, they should call us to discuss their options. They can rebook, refund or choose to take a voucher to fly at a later date. Refunds can be requested at any point up to 12 months after the start date of the journey.”

A spokesperson for Easyjet said: “Customers on cancelled flights can transfer to an alternative flight free of charge or receive a voucher for the value of their booking online. Customers may also request a refund by submitting a claim in writing via a dedicated refund webform, online. We are processing refunds for customers and aim to do so in less than 28 days.”

A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “In view of the ongoing travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have taken the decision to recommence our flights and holidays programme on July 1st. The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is our absolute priority, and we are continuing to monitor the situation very closely.

“Like all other airlines and tour operators, the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted us. With aircraft grounded, our focus has been on looking after the many thousands of customers whose flights and holidays have been affected, and we are very proud to have been repeatedly praised by customers, media outlets, industry commentators and consumer organisations for how we have been treating customers in response to the pandemic.

“We are continuing to operate a fully staffed call centre, and even though our teams are subject to the same difficulties and restrictions as everyone else, they are working tirelessly to proactively contact customers in departure date order to discuss their options. We believe that contacting customers in departure date order is the fairest way to deal with this, and the feedback we have received tells us this has been the right thing to do.

“We understand that these unprecedented events have had a huge impact on our customers, and we would like to thank them for their loyalty, understanding and patience.”

Report your airline to the regulator: https://action.which.co.uk/page/s/flight-complaint

 

Home delivery on the menu for fruit and veg wholesaler

A family run fruit and vegetable wholesaler has launched a delivery service offering an expanded range of products to homes across Scotland’s Central Belt, with support from Bank of Scotland. 

The majority of Charles Stamper Fruit & Veg’s customers, which include bars, restaurants, hotels and schools, closed their doors when the government mandated lockdown came into force on the 23rd of March, creating significant pressure on its cash flow.

In response, the Edinburgh business immediately decided to diversify into home delivery using its fleet of refrigerated vans. It set up a dedicated website to take orders and added household essentials to its product range, including tinned goods, condiments and kitchen roll.

The shift to home delivery was supported by long time banking partner, Bank of Scotland. It provided a six-figure loan through the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), helping the wholesaler pay new suppliers and cover costs while its catering customers are unable to pay for orders completed before Scotland entered lockdown.

Charles Stamper Fruit & Veg has provided Scotland’s hospitality, education and care sectors with fresh produce since 1992. Bar some specialty items that are imported from suppliers in Europe, all its products are sourced locally and delivered loose to minimise the use of plastics. 

Louise Stamper, managing director, Charles Stamper Fruit & Veg, said: “We were watching television as a family when the stay at home order was announced and decided almost immediately to launch a home delivery service.

“Such a radical change seemed daunting at first. But, thanks to a massive team effort, we’ve now completed thousands of home orders. We’ve been blown away by the demand and motivated by all the positive feedback we’ve received on social media.

“Crucially, our new retail customers pay for goods ahead of delivery. It’s a departure from the traditional business model of a wholesaler that gives us steady income until our catering clients reopen. The support from Bank of Scotland has been invaluable as we’ve made that change.” 

Daniel Burns, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, added: “Charles Stamper Fruit & Veg is a prime example of a well-established, family run business that has quickly adapted its services during unprecedented times.

“The business’ focus on quality put it in a good position as home delivery became a preferred option for Scottish consumers keen to support local firms impacted by Covid-19.

“The loan we’ve provided will help Louise and the team take advantage of this demand and keep the business going until its catering customers are able to open their doors again.”

It’s Alright, Annie’s Coming Back!

Annie Lennox is to perform an exclusive lockdown gig from home tonight for STV Children’s Appeal.

  • Pop legend will play Songs for Scotland to raise funds for families affected by COVID-19
  • The Fratellis also confirmed to play exclusive online set
  • Annie Lennox: “Vulnerable children need support now more than ever”

Annie Lennox has been announced as the latest star to perform an exclusive live set from her living room in aid of the STV Children’s Appeal’s Emergency Coronavirus Campaign.

The multi Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, who grew up in Aberdeen, will perform some of her biggest hits as part of the Appeal’s ongoing Songs for Scotland Facebook series this evening (Thursday 28 May) at 18:30 BST.

Annie Lennox said: “In Scotland, one in four children are living in poverty, and because of the coronavirus pandemic, those vulnerable children need support now more than ever. 

“Over the last nine years, the STV Children’s Appeal has raised over £21 million to provide much-needed support for over 95,000 children and young adults. This year, the need is far greater.”

Annie’s performance will be streamed from her Los Angeles home, where she has been locked down since California’s stay-at-home order was imposed in March.

Last week, the Walking on Broken Glass star expressed her concern about the restrictions being lifted, telling her 306,000 Instagram followers: “For the moment, I’m staying on lockdown.”

Following Annie Lennox in playing Songs for Scotland next week will be Jon Fratelli, frontman of Brit Award-winning Glasgow band The Fratellis, with an exclusive performance of the band’s new track – a surprise collaboration with P. P. Arnold – as well as hits including Whistle for the Choir.

Ahead of his performance, Jon Fratelli told Songs for Scotland host Polly Bartlett that he was “one of the lucky ones” as lockdown has had little impact on him.

“You tend to have to spend a lot of time squirreled away on your own [in the music industry],” he said, adding: “If you do that from a really young age, then it becomes just your normal way of life,” he said.

The Songs for Scotland livestream series – which has already seen performances by KT Tunstall, Marti Pellow and Amy Macdonald – was launched by the STV Children’s Appeal last month to raise money for the young people and families that have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.

Fans of the series can donate £5 by texting HERO to 70507.

Natalie Wright, STV Children’s Appeal Campaign Manager, said: “We’ve been bowled over by the support we’ve received from Scotland’s top music stars in recent weeks, and now to have global icon Annie Lennox and everyone’s favourite Glasgow rockers The Fratellis also helping us raise vital funds is just fantastic.

“These exclusive gigs not only provide an opportunity to see your favourite artists like you’ve never seen them before, but they also play a hugely important role in helping the vulnerable children and young people in Scotland who have been left devastated by this global pandemic.”

PIC: STV

Recycling Centres to reopen on Monday – but it’s appointment only

Edinburgh’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will reopen from Monday (1 June), with changes in place to ensure the safety of staff and the public. To minimise crowding and help staff and customers to maintain physical distancing, centres will reopen on an appointment-only basis.

HWRCs are expected to be extremely busy at the beginning so we’re encouraging the public only to visit if necessary and if waste can’t be stored safely at home.

Time slots can be booked online from this afternoon (Thursday, 28 May) though will be limited to one per household for the first two weeks of reopening.

Anyone without an appointment will not be permitted to enter recycling centres. Full details of restrictions at each of the city’s three sites will be available online.

Special uplifts will also resume on Monday, 1 June, and the council will be accepting online bookings for the collection of bulky items from today (Thursday, 28 May), with a maximum of five items per household.

Both services were suspended in March due to staff shortages and physical distancing guidance, as well as Scottish Government advice against non-essential journeys.

However, in light of changes to guidance from the Scottish Government, HWRCs at Seafield, Sighthill and Craigmillar will reopen. With enough crew members now in place the council is now able to resume special uplifts too.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’ve been working extremely hard to deliver services as close to normally as possible and, as of Monday, HWRCs will be reopening, on an appointment-only basis.

“However, it’s likely recycling centres will be extremely busy at the beginning, so please only visit if you are unable to continue storing your waste safely at home and ensure you book an arrival slot if you are coming.

“It’s essential that we look after the health of all those who work in and visit our HWRCs, and there will be changes to the way they operate for the foreseeable future to allow us to do this.

“I’m grateful to residents for their patience as we have adjusted to this unprecedented situation, and I’d like to thank them for holding on to any bulky items, and those who continue to do so during the initial busy period.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “I’m pleased that, following Scottish Government guidance and as changes to allow crews to maintain physical distancing have bedded in, we’ve been able to reintroduce these services while ensuring the safety of our staff.

“It’s thanks to the efforts of our waste team that we have been able to resume this service, albeit on a reduced basis, and I hope that residents join me in recognising the commitment they’ve made to keeping the city moving during this difficult time.

“Please help us to protect workers’ safety, and your own, by following our guidance and only visiting HWRCs if it is absolutely necessary.”

A dedicated online booking system for HWRCs will be available on the Council website from this afternoon – it won’t be possible to book visits over the phone as the contact centre continues to focus on emergency calls.

During the initial period only cars will be permitted on-site, no vans or trailers, and staff will not be able to help unload vehicles so please only bring what you can carry.

Queueing is expected at each HWRC upon reopening and there will be traffic management in place, including at Seafield, where we will be temporarily reverting to the old entrance on Fillyside Road for the first three weeks.

The special uplift service is expected to be busy during the first weeks, so there may be a wait for collections – check the council website for updates.

Residents can book an uplift on the Council website – though not currently over the phone while phone lines are kept free so contact centre staff can deal with emergency calls. Special uplifts are charged at £5 per item and details of what we can and can’t collect are available online.

Garden waste collections were reintroduced from 12 May after they were suspended in April, and glass recycling collections, which were suspended in March, recommenced from 28 April.

Further information on changes to bin collections and other services can be found on the Council website.

National Lottery money helps connect Edinburgh communities

An award of £9,500  announced today to Children with Cancer and Leukaemia Advice and Support for Parents SCIO (CCLASP) means that they will be able to provide essential food and household items for families with children suffering from cancer leukaemia. 

Scotland Yard Adventure Centre also receives an award of £10,000 to provide a targeted advice service for some of the most vulnerable disabled children and their carers. And an award of £14,000 means that Children 1st, based in Edinburgh, will be able to increase the capacity of their telephone helpline and digital support service, Parentline, to meet increased demand during the COVID-19 crisis.

The awards to CCLASP, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre and Children 1st are three of 31 Edinburgh based projects sharing in £271,636  of funding from The National Lottery  Community Fund.

There’s money too for LifeCare’s Cheyne Gang choir to move online, Granton Youth Centre for a mudic video project and support for both Leith Festival and ELREC’s Edinburgh Climate Festival.

Across the country 282 groups, from charities to smaller voluntary led community projects, are receiving funding raised by National Lottery players for a range of activities, many of which will help people to support each other through the COVID-19 crisis.

Gordon Murdie, General Manager, CCLASP, said: “The National Lottery Community Fund award has ensured that the charity can meet its ongoing staff and running costs through the pandemic and be ready to resume its operation in full as soon as the Scottish Government allows.

“This funding has allowed us the financial security to diversify and assist the families we serve in the best way we can during these difficult times.  Lockdown is challenging in general but for families with children suffering from cancer and leukaemia it is particularly difficult.

“Since lockdown began, we have delivered over 20,000 items to around 300 children and their families.  These deliveries of essentials, small treats and toys to brighten the days have meant so much to so many.”   

Ellen Starkey, Fundraising Assistant, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre, said: “Here at The Yard we were delighted to receive a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund for our COVID-19 services.

“It will enable us to provide at-home play ideas, online mental health and wellbeing sessions, online play sessions and much more for disabled children, young people and their families, as well as our small, targeted service at The Yard, Edinburgh.

“We hope this support will offer fun, respite and a much-needed community of support for our families at this time. Thank you!”

Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Family Services, Children 1st, said: “Right now, more families across Scotland are getting the support they need to cope through the coronavirus crisis, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund’s support for Parentline.

“Parentline is our digital family support service, offering help by phone, by webchat and online, every day of the week.  Families are telling us that as they face the strains of losing loved ones, mounting financial pressures and the stress of juggling the care their children need with work and other demands, the support Parentline offers is quite simply a lifeline.

“Parentline is here for any family in need of support on 08000 28 22 33, or online: www.children1st.org.uk/parentline.”

Announcing today’s funding totalling £3,384,222, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Director, Neil Ritch, said: “These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, are making an amazing contribution to the nation-wide response to combat the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across Scotland.  

“This funding will make a huge difference to the lives of thousands more people and highlights the vital work that’s being done in communities across the country at the moment.  It also reminds us all how important a package of tailored support can be to improve well-being and help forge a sense of belonging to a wider community again.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, over the next six months, will focus its National Lottery funding in Scotland on those projects that supporting organisations and communities to respond to the challenge of COVID-19.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk    

Test and Protect

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman explains how we can all play our part in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19):

Test and Protect is NHS Scotland’s new approach to controlling the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community.

The system will help to prevent you from spreading the virus, and protect the country from a second peak. But just like lockdown, it can only work if we all play our part.

From today, if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 – a new continuous cough, temperature or loss or change of taste or smell – you should immediately visit NHS Inform or call 0800 028 2816 if you can’t get online.

It is really important you do this as soon as you suspect you have symptoms. The quicker the NHS can tell if you have the virus, the better chance we all have of stopping it spreading.

When you contact the NHS you will be able to book a test at a mobile testing unit, a drive-through testing centre or order a home testing kit.

While you wait for that result, it is important that you and everyone in your household self –isolates.

If you test positive, you will need to self-isolate for 7 days, and your household for 14.

That has always been the case.  What’s new is that now, as we begin to ease some of the lockdown measures, in order to keep the virus suppressed, we will also need to trace your close contacts and advise them to isolate for 14 days, with support.

So if you get a positive test result you will be asked who you have been in close contact with. This includes people in your household, people you have had direct face to face contact with for any length of time, and those you have been within 2 metres of for 15 minutes or more.

This NHS system is entirely confidential, when the people you have been near are contacted they will not be told who it is that they have been in contact with. This information is only collected and used by NHS Scotland for the purposes of tracing your contacts. The Scottish Government will not have access to it.

If you receive a call or a message from a contact tracer to say you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, they will ask you to self-isolate immediately. It is hugely important you do this in order to stop the spread of the virus.

It is only by all playing our part, getting tested, providing information and agreeing to isolate, that we can cut the numbers of people getting the virus.

You can find guidance on the Scottish Government website to help you self-isolate, which includes advice on what to do if you care for someone who is shielding, and how you can access food and medicine. It’s also a good idea to take steps to ensure that you are prepared in advance, in case you are ever  asked to isolate.

For those who cannot leave their home and who cannot get the help they need from family, friends or online, the National Assistance Helpline (0800 111 4000) is available Monday to Friday, from 9.00 am 5.00 pm.

We have also published guidance for employers which makes clear that they should support anyone who  needs to self-isolate as part of Test and Protect. We are also working with the UK Government to ensure that people are fully protected by their employment rights and benefits, such as Statutory Sick Pay as a minimum.

Of course, the best way to avoid having to isolate, is to follow the rules on physical distancing and stay 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your own household.

Test and Protect will be part of all our lives for the foreseeable future, until we know we have fully suppressed the virus, or there is a treatment or a vaccine that we can be confident will protect people properly.

So as we slowly change the lockdown restrictions, for everyone to enjoy more freedoms, we must all play our part by isolating when we are asked to.

FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce the first steps on the road to a loosening of lockdown restrictions at lunchtime today.