Month: May 2020

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.

£5m to support active travel in the capital

Edinburgh will benefit significantly from £5m Scottish Government funding to support the creation of safe, accessible routes for walking, cycling and wheeling as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The Capital is receiving half of the original £10m Spaces for People funding total (administered by Sustrans) – now trebled by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Michael Matheson, to £30m – to carry out road space improvements like temporary pavement widening, pop-up segregated cycle lanes and pedestrianised streets.

Earlier this month the council published a widespread package of suggested measures to make it easier and safer for people to travel by foot, bike or wheelchair while maintaining physical distancing.

These proposals recognise a real surge in walking and cycling rates since lockdown began, and the positive impact of this, and fewer cars, on air quality and congestion levels. The changes to how we allocate road space will help sustain this increase in people choosing active travel as the city moves towards the ‘new normal’.

The council’s received many suggestions for road closures, widened pavements, segregated cycle lanes and other possible actions from across the city and they are all helping to shape our efforts over the next weeks and months.

A programme of changes is already well underway across the city, with road closures in Silverknowes, Greenbank, Cammo and Leith prompting strolling, cycling and family exercise amongst community members.

Thanks to the latest funding boost, the city council will be able to make further, extensive improvements at no extra cost to Council budgets, including the next phase of measures set to be implemented next week.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “This significant award from Transport Scotland – half of the original total for Scotland – is testament to the scale and ambition of the schemes being brought forward.

“We’re delighted that this will allow us to make extensive changes to provide a safer and more attractive environment for walking, cycling or wheeling at no cost to the Council.

“We are building a sustainable future for the Capital as we emerge from this crisis, as our Adaptation and Renewal programme demonstrates, and setting an example through our approach to transport.

“There’s been a step-change in the way people move around the city, with a surge in walking and cycling, and our proposed measures will harness this enthusiasm long term. Facilitating active travel and public transport use is essential if we are to limit the negative impacts of congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions as we return to a ‘new normal’.

“Of course, this is a complex process, and our project team are working extremely hard to get schemes in place where they are needed most. We’ve already seen a fantastic reaction to the first phase of improvements in areas like Silverknowes and Greenbank, where road closures have brought communities out to stroll and cycle on newly-peaceful streets, and this is exactly the kind of response we want to see.

“There’s clearly a desire to be able to travel on foot or bike and by giving residents safe and accessible routes to do this, we are encouraging healthier, more environmentally-friendly habits now and for generations to come.

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: This is fantastic news. Our close working relationship with funding administrators Sustrans, who have supported us to develop innovative, effective projects to enable active travel, has helped pave a smoother path to funding, which will be extremely beneficial to the city long-term.

“In line with national policies to drive down carbon emissions and encourage healthy, sustainable transport choices, we are already 100% committed to delivering a people-friendly, accessible city.

“Our existing plans for Edinburgh City Centre Transformation, the City Mobility Plan and Low Emission Zones envision a city where pedestrians, cyclists and public transport is prioritised, and the temporary measures made possible by this funding will help us build towards this.”

Transport officers have been working to prioritise areas where supportive measures are most-needed, and the next phase of improvements will be:

  • The partial closure of Stanley Street and Hope Lane between Stanley Street and Christian Grove to provide a low-traffic corridor for people to walk and cycle and access nearby green spaces like Figgate Park for exercise, from 2 June.
  • The closure of Warriston Road to through traffic to provide a wide pedestrian and cyclist-friendly space leading to access to the North Edinburgh path Network, from 2 June. Access to the allotment and Warriston Crematorium will be maintained via Ferry Road.
  • The implementation of a temporary segregated cycleway on Old Dalkeith Road, between Cameron Toll and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
  • The introduction of an advisory cycle lane on Crewe Road South, between the Orchard Brae roundabout and Crewe Toll roundabout. Both this and the cycle lane on Old Dalkeith Road will allow safer travel by bike for key workers and service users, from early June.

From this week, the council will also be prioritising pedestrians at 150 junctions by removing the need to press the button to call the green man during the daytime and evening. Those with visual impairments will be able to continue using crossings as before.

The Council’s overall approach will be implemented to support the Scottish Government’s phased approach to lifting lockdown.

The proposed partial pedestrianisation of Waverley Bridge, for example, aims to create more space at a key transport hub, while the measures in the city’s eight local high streets will support local shops, pubs and cafes to re-open in safe environments.

Space will be created on the main routes into the city to support people coming back to workplaces by walking where possible, and by bike, which has seen a surge in popularity.

All measures that are introduced will be closely monitored and refined or adapted in response to any issues, where necessary. A dedicated webpage will also be set up listing schemes that have been implemented, those that are under consideration and any which have been discounted.

Find out more about plans, and other changes to council services, on the Council website.

Sight loss charity RNIB Scotland has written to the City of Edinburgh Council asking it to ensure that new plans to create temporary cycle-lanes do not endanger blind and partially sighted people.

This week, transport secretary Michael Matheson announced he will treble the £10m originally put forward under his ‘Spaces for People’ initiative, inviting Scottish local authorities to take advantage of reduced traffic levels and introduce additional cycle-lanes or expand existing ones.

While welcoming the ‘Spaces for People’ initiative, RNIB Scotland fears this could still exacerbate problems it has been campaigning on if too hastily introduced.

“New cycle lanes must be created with full regard to pedestrians with sight loss or other mobility issues,” insisted its director James Adams.

“The problem is that blind and partially sighted people might not be able to see or hear cyclists approaching, while cyclists might simply assume a pedestrian will see them coming. Mobility aids such as white canes getting caught up in bicycle wheels is a further hazard to both.

“Mr Matheson also urged councils to engage with disability organisations so plans do not compromise the ability of people who have impaired mobility to cross roads and to use pedestrian crossing facilities.”

RNIB Scotland is promoting its Coronavirus Courtesy Code https://www.rnib.org.uk/scotland/campaigning-rnib-scotland/coronavirus-courtesy-code to encourage better understanding of the needs of pedestrians with disabilities. The charity is also calling for any extra space for cycle-lanes to be allocated from roads and not pavements, for raised kerbs to be maintained, and for warning signs to alert cyclists when they are approaching a crossing.

* The RNIB Helpline is available to help blind and partially sighted people and their families and carers on 0303 123 9999.

 

Edinburgh resident wins prestigious Activate award

History teacher Michael Davies (above) has been awarded a grant from the Winston Churchill Trust’s new Activate Fund  to  help aid the teaching of controversial histories in UK schools.  He is one of only 7 people nationwide to receive this award.

Over the past two decades, schools have stopped teaching controversial historical topics.  For example, by 2016 only 2,000 GCSE students – out of 250,000 – had studied the history of the Middle East. Government research has shown that this is caused by teachers being either worried or unequipped to address the topic.

Furthermore, at the end of 2019, two educational publishers, Hodder and Pearson, both withdrew textbooks about Israel and Palestine and 9/11 after accusation of bias, making it even harder for teachers and students to tackle these emotive subjects in the classroom.

Michael aims  to use the grant from the Activate Fund to  expand his Parallel Histories debating programme, initially across nine London schools and then beyond.

Parallel Histories  brings together students from different religious and social backgrounds to debate controversial history robustly but respectfully. The programme  will conclude in the summer of 2021 with a conference to showcase the students’ skills in front of politicians, educators and policymakers.

It has been successfully adapted to Covid-19 and three inter-school debates have already been run online.

From this, Michael aims  to introduce a Parallel Histories module into teacher training to help equip them, whilst expanding other histories to be debated as part of the curriculum.

Ultimately Michael intends this work to encourage a change in national education policy, so that controversial history – and especially the history of current conflicts – will be taught in schools .

He would like to see  accredited exam bodies such as  A QA and OCR offering a Middle East option at GCSE , and an expansion to at least 10% of students taking a Middle East module at GCSE level.

Michael was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2015 to visit  schools in Israel, Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to find a better way of teaching the contentious history of Israel and Palestine.

With the encouragement of Prof Eyal Naveh, the editor of a book telling Israeli and Palestinian history as two separate narratives, he returned to the UK and created  Parallel Histories , a new type of history resource that tells competing narratives using film clips, photos, maps and documents and challenges students to make up their own minds.

In 2017 Parallel Histories became a UK charity and in 2018 Michael stopped teaching to work on this full time.

Michael, who now lives in Edinburgh, said: “This fantastic Activate grant from the Winston Churchill Trust is to allow development of our schools debating programme across the UK.

“The initial work was in the North West and this grant will expand that work to London. We have also been working on a Scottish product and have created the Parallel Histories of the Union told from Unionist and Nationalist perspectives.

https://www.parallelhistories.org.uk/teachingscotland

“In August  when schools return we will be setting up a Scottish debating forum to discuss controversial topics around the history of the Union with the help of Gemma Lindsay at The High School of Glasgow and Monica McGhee at Biggar High School. We’d be delighted to hear from schools interested in taking part.”

Michael is one of seven recipients of a grant from the Activate Fund, a new programme from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust  which supports Churchill Fellows’ projects during the key period when they first return from their overseas research and start to make change happen in the UK.  

This year the Fund is providing £101,000 in grants to seven Fellows, as part of a dedicated support package encompassing  funds and non-financial assistance. The Activate Fund is a three-year pilot project, making its first grants in 2020.

Is COVID-19 changing our relationship with food?

How have our eating, cooking and food purchasing habits changed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown measures in the UK, Europe and much of the world?

Researchers at the James Hutton Institute are part of an EU consortium which has launched an international study to answer these questions.

Anecdotal evidence and social media suggest that more people are buying locally produced food, yet supermarkets and online retailers are experiencing record growth. It seems that our food-related habits have changed because of COVID-19, and in different ways.

That is why Hutton researchers and their colleagues across Europe have launched this large-scale study of the pandemic’s impact on how people relate to food, including food waste, at this time of crisis. Scientists are particularly interested in finding out if people are adopting more sustainable behaviours, and to see if these habits continue once the pandemic has passed.

The researchers have created a questionnaire open to anyone over the age of eighteen that can be accessed by visiting www.food-covid-19.org. The survey will be open until the end of June and the more widespread participation they get the better, so the team are calling on everyone who can to complete it and will report back on what they find.

Dr Liz Dinnie, a social researcher leading the research at the James Hutton Institute, said: “We are currently experiencing unprecedented circumstances where most people are forced to spend much more time at home.

“That also means many people eat more meals at home than before the lockdown. So far, we have no idea what consequences that has, e.g. in terms of how balanced the diets are, or how food systems in rural and urban areas might be affected. There are many contradictory trends, for instance a focus on healthy eating for strengthening the immune system, yet an increase in the sales of sweets, chocolate and snacks.

“With our research, we want to find out how food-related habits are changing in the population and what this means more widely, particularly in terms of food systems, sustainability and for tackling food poverty.

“We hope the results will give recommendations to decision-makers in the food sector and at policy level on how to respond to changes and make food systems fit for future food-related habits following the current pandemic.

“In Scotland this will include recommendations under the Good Food Nation Bill, which aims to put social justice and sustainability at the heart of Scotland’s food systems.”

Professor Colin Campbell, the Institute’s Chief Executive, commented: “Our food systems need to change if we are to change our trajectory on climate change. We also need a new relationship with food for the sake of our health.

“As the current pandemic has shown underlying health is critical to how we come through this, so we desperately need to know what people think and how they are changing if at all. It is only through understanding the changes taking place at this time that we can help to design food systems and value chains that are both socially just and environmentally sustainable.”

The survey can be accessed at www.food-covid-19.org.

Covid symptoms? Book a Test

Test and Protect – NHS Scotland’s approach to controlling the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community – will be rolled out across all health boards from tomorrow (Thursday 28 May).

From that date, everyone aged five and over who has COVID-19 symptoms of a new continuous cough, temperature or loss or change in sense of taste or smell should go to NHS Inform online or call 0800 028 2816 to book a test.

Under the system, people will need to isolate with their household as soon as they have symptoms and, if they have a positive test result, they will be asked to provide details of all recent close contacts to NHS contact tracers.  Those people will be contacted and asked to isolate for 14 days.

As part of the roll out, guidance for individuals and employers has been published which sets out advice on what to do if someone is displaying symptoms or if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

It includes information on how to self-isolate safely as part of Test and Protect, what plans need to be made by households and families, and how to help older people or those with underlying health conditions.

Additional support for self-isolation is also being made available to those who need it through the National Assistance Helpline.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The aim of Test and Protect is to protect the public from spreading COVID-19 and to protect the country from a second peak.

“By ensuring those who may have come into contact with the virus take steps to isolate, we can break the chains of transmission and keep the virus suppressed whilst slowly changing lockdown measures.

“This approach can only work if we all play our part. From Thursday, we are asking everyone aged five and over who has COVID-19 symptoms – a new continuous cough, temperature or loss or change in sense of taste or smell – to book a test as soon as possible.

“It is important to do this as soon as symptoms are suspected. The quicker the virus can be identified, the better chance there is of stopping it spreading.

“It remains vital that alongside Test and Protect people continue to follow physical distancing advice and practise good hand and cough hygiene.”

Cllr Stuart Currie , COSLA Health and Social Care spokesperson, said: “COVID-19 continues to have an impact on all of our daily lives and it is important that we carefully manage the transition out of lockdown. 

“That is why we welcome the Test and Protect guidance that has been co-produced by Scottish Government and NHS Scotland in partnership with Local Government.

“It is vital that people work together to follow this advice and self-isolate when required, not just for their own safety, but in order to protect others. Only by taking this approach will we be able to slow the spread of the virus.

“Local Government has already been at the forefront of efforts to support people during lockdown, providing essential services and assistance to the many people in Scotland who don’t have a network of support in place.  We will continue to support our communities by taking a central role in the delivery of Test and Protect.”

Guidance for the public, including a summary is available online along with guidance for employers. 

covid-19-test-trace-isolate-support-public-health-approach-maintaining-low-levels-community-transmission-covid-19-scotland

Covid Life: How’s It Been For You?

Hi folks

Hope everyone coping with the present situation – it looks like it is going to be a long haul. It would be good if we come out of this with lessons learned … citizens standing up for the NHS and Social Care and the vulnerable in our communities.

Edinburgh University’s Generation Scotland team and network are urgently researching the effect the Covid-19 situation – and the government’s policies regarding it – are having on the lives of people in the U.K, and, importantly, who is being affected.

It is a major survey of which interim results are already beginning to have an impact at national policy level in Scotland.

Its important that with all the work ongoing across NW Edinburgh and the issues we know local people are facing daily, that we feed into this.

It would be great if you would complete the survey through the link below and also share it around youre networks:

https://edinburgh.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Fc6S8ttNkyDHNP
Thanks
 
Linda
on behalf of the MAKING CONNECTIONS GROUP