Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a cyclist was injured in a crash in the city. The 51-year-old woman was found injured on Braid Road in Edinburgh around 11.20am on Sunday (19 July).
She was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment. Her injuries are described as being serious but non-life threatening.
The cyclist is not believed to have been struck by any other vehicles. Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused her to come off her grey Apollo bicycle.
Inspector Roger Park of Edinburgh Road Policing said: “We are particularly keen to speak to a man who came to the cyclist’s aid but then left without leaving his name or contact details.
“If that was you or if anyone else has any information about the incident then please call 101, quoting incident 1597 of 19 July, 2020.”
Standard masks don’t meet the needs of deaf people, who rely on lipreading and facial cues. In collaboration with Breathe Easy, Deaf Action is campaigning to provide suitable alternatives.
Since we last updated you on our Clear Masks for All campaign, our supporters have contacted their MSPs (you can still do this online via our last blog post) and the issue has also been raised in an oral question to the First Minister. It’s a promising update, and we’re monitoring things closely as we continue to work with other organisations on Clear Masks For All.
Now, we want to hear your experiences of clear masks. We know that the current ‘opaque’ masks present barriers to everyday conversations for deaf people, from shops to healthcare settings. We need your thoughts on clear masks you have tried out, so we can share this with the Scottish Government and use this in our campaigning work.
Don’t forget that you can donate to our JustGiving page to help us provide clear masks to those who need them, and share your support for our campaign using #ClearMasksForAll on social media.
THOUSANDS OF SCOTS TO BENEFIT FROM BOOSTED BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT FOLLOWING £10K DOUBLE DONATION FROM SCOTMID FUNERALS
Two Edinburgh-headquartered charities that provide services and support for the bereaved across Scotland, have received a welcome boost following a donation from a Scottish funeral care provider – to the sum of £10,000.
Scotmid Funerals, part of the Scotmid Cooperative which exists to serve the communities in which it operates, made the donations as part of its Covid Community Fund, which has seen more than 300 organisations benefit from financial support since lockdown began earlier in the year.
Cruse Scotland, which offers support for around 5000 bereaved people every year, via a helpline and one to one counselling sessions, has received a £7500 donation from Scotmid Funerals which will be used to support the many people who have found themselves grieving in isolation or not being able to attend funerals due to lockdown.
The funding will go towards the cost of running Cruse Scotland’s helpline and one-to-one services, which are available to everyone who has faced the passing of a loved one, regardless of the cause of death, anyone who is bereaved in lockdown or has been affected by the impact of the pandemic.
Keith Robertson, chief executive of Cruse Scotland, welcomed the donation. He said: “The helpline is a compassionate listening service that offers people guidance about grief, reassurance that their feelings are normal and information on how to access further support.
“We have found that during lockdown, calls are more complex as people are grieving in isolation, they may not have attended funerals and many more are feeling anxious about Covid-19.
“The generous donation from Scotmid Funerals will help us to ensure that anyone who is grieving, wherever they are, will be able to access the help and support they need to get through a very difficult period of their lives.
The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC), which works to enable communities and individuals to support each other during hard times, has received a £2500 donation from Scotmid Funerals in the wake of Covid-19, which has resulted in many people finding themselves either experiencing declining health, without the usual family support or grieving the loss of a loved one in isolation.
The funding will go towards Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief (GLGDGG), a Scotland-wide alliance set up in 2011 which works collectively to raise awareness on ways to cope with dying, death and bereavement.
Mark Hazelwood, chief executive of the SPPC, welcomed the donation. He said: “Declining health, death and bereavement affects everyone at some point. Our work is about ensuring that people are as well prepared as they can be and can get the care and support they need during those hard times. other.
“We are really delighted to receive this generous donation from Scotmid Funerals. It will help us to continue our work which we know can make a big difference for people during a very difficult period of their lives.”
James Blackburn, head of funerals for Scotmid Funerals, said: “End of life care and looking after those who are bereaved are both areas which need to be managed sensitively and compassionately.
“Our donations to both charities will help ensure that anyone who needs support in end of life care or to cope with the loss of a loved one, will be able to get it. It will help make sure that nobody feels that they need to go through this by themselves – and that can often be the first step in the healing process.
“I am delighted that we are able to make these contributions and help make a little difference to people across Scotland.”
Latest update from the New Town North project team
Latest Information From The New Town North Project Team
Welcome to the fourth edition of our newsletter updating you on New Town North – a new mixed-use development being delivered in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town by developers Ediston and Orion Capital Managers.
Plans are in place to transform a 5.9-acre site between Dundas Street and the King George V Park, previously owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, into a vibrant mixed-use community bringing together new homes, offices and local amenities.
Project Update
We are aiming to submit the planning application for the New Town North development to the City of Edinburgh Council by the end of July 2020. The team is currently finalising proposals as well as considering feedback from all our statutory stakeholders and from the latest consultation event which was held in April 2020.
Because of the coronavirus lockdown, the planned public exhibition was replaced with a fully interactive online consultation which generated a huge amount of interest from local, national, and international audiences. Viewers could access updated design information online and use a special ‘chat-box’ to ask questions or raise issues before submitting an online feedback form. During the ‘live’ exhibition period, the website recorded almost 2000 hits with visitors hailing from Scotland, the UK and overseas – proving how much national and international interest there is in this development.
In total, 87 completed feedback questionnaires were received covering a wide variety of issues. This compared favourably with previous public exhibitions held in September 2019 (59 completed forms received) and December 2010 (77). Thanks to all those who took part in this latest public consultation and made it such a success. All feedback from individuals and from nearly a dozen local groups at numerous local meetings has helped inform our proposals.
Key Consultation Issues & Responses
Height and Scale of the Proposals
Some residents have expressed concern about the height and scale of the proposals. This has been raised throughout the consultation. As a result of our approach and the feedback, the proposals have been have been carefully designed to ensure that the overall scale and density of the proposed development are in keeping with the character of the surrounding area. Density levels reflect that of the existing communities and developments around the New Town North proposals.
Green and Public Space
Residents were keen to understand the impact of the proposals on King George V Park, and considerable effort has gone into ensuring that additional green space is created within the development and that it blends well with the park. In total the available green space and soft landscaping on the site will increase that provided within the park by more than 25%, in addition to extensive public realm in newly created courtyards and pathways. The design team has been determined to make a significant improvement to the available public space and is confident this has been achieved in the latest proposals. We’d like to thank everyone, particularly the Friends of the Park, for their help in improving the proposals through the consultation.
Tree Maintenance
Trees in the area have now been subject to detailed reports by two independent arboriculturists to make sure we are taking a fully informed approach. The tree survey work has included King George V Park and the tree belt along Royal Crescent and Fettes Row will be managed in order to maintain its long standing and important presence. The team is finalising proposals on how this can be best achieved with the Council. In addition to the long-term management of the trees on Royal Crescent and Fettes Row there will be considerable new tree planting incorporated into the soft and hard landscape throughout the proposals.
Overshadowing
Some residents asked about overshadowing of the park. The team has been aware of this issue from early in the consultation process and this has been fully taken into account in the latest proposals. The plans remain fully compliant with the guidance applied by the Council for development beside parks and public places and will not result in any material additional overshadowing and in a couple of locations will offer a moderate benefit. The team has always worked to ensure that the proposals are coordinated with King George V Park and the planning application will reflect that approach.
Parking
Some of the local residents have raised concerns about the number of car parking spaces and seem to have been advised that there were only going to be 20 car parking spaces created. We have no idea how this rumour originated, but we are delighted to clarify the position. Parking numbers are strictly controlled by the Council on new developments. The proposals comply with Council Parking Standards, with off street parking being created for a total of 164 cars, across all uses. We also have incorporated 700 spaces for cycle parking, also based on guidance from the Council.
Eyre Place Courtyard
Eyre Place residents have raised questions about the relationship of the new development with their existing courtyard, which currently abuts a blank wall adjacent to the existing office building. An expanded courtyard is being created adjacent to their properties. We can confirm that this expanded courtyard space is 50% larger than the existing space. Sunlight penetration into the courtyard will also be increased. There were also questions about overlooking, which is inevitable on any city centre development. Any new directly facing windows will be the same distance away, or further, than at present.
Materials
Many residents asked about materials being used in the development. We have been working hard with the Council and Historic Environment Scotland to get the right mix of stone and other materials for use in the development, which is obviously a major challenge on such a complex proposal. These discussions are nearing a conclusion and will be reflected in the Planning Application.
Pathways/Cycling
Some residents were concerned about increased cycling through the park. The proposals for pathway access have been significantly reduced to reflect these concerns and to manage the interface between pedestrians and cyclists, with one of the proposed access points being removed. This will create an environment where walking is given an appropriate priority.
Local Businesses on the Road to Recovery
Local business in Dundas Street and the area surrounding the New Town North development are now opening up for business, following almost four months of lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. And while economic forecasts for the area make grim reading, with Edinburgh predicted to record its highest levels of unemployment since July 1995, the New Town North planning application is set to bring confidence and hope to many neighboring businesses who are committing to a long-term future in the area.
Latest published research shows the New Town North development is poised to bring significant economic benefit to the local area, and the wider Edinburgh economy. A report by UK planning and engineering consultancy The Waterman Group, commissioned by Ediston, reveals that the operational phase of the development would create more than 700 full-time jobs whilst generating an annual GVA (Gross Added Value) economic uplift of £34.4 million to the local and regional economy.
The construction phase alone would create a further £27.7 million GVA at a regional level, creating a further 60 full-time jobs. And many of the local bars, restaurants, cafes, barbers, hairdressers and shops will also benefit from the huge amount of business and activity that development is set to generate during construction and beyond.
Reflecting the Best of the New Town
New Town North is a new mixed-use development being delivered in the heart of Edinburgh’s celebrated New Town by developers Ediston and Orion Capital Managers. Plans are in place to transform a 5.9-acre site between Dundas Street and the King George V Park, previously owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, into a vibrant mixed-use community bringing together new homes, offices, hotels and local amenities. The site has lain largely derelict and inaccessible for almost three years since RBS moved out in 2017. We now have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform this empty space into a world-class development for Edinburgh’s city centre, reflecting the very best of the city’s New Town. Visit Our Website
Feedback & Contact
For more information on New Town North, please contact:
A Bill aiming to strengthen local government in Scotland is to be scrutinised by a Holyrood Committee.
The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee is seeking views on a Member’s Bill which aims to incorporate the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law.
The Charter, which was created in 1985 by the Council of Europe and ratified by the UK in 1997, sets out 10 principles to protect the basic powers of local authorities, concerning the political, administrative and financial independence of local authorities.
The Bill would allow people and organisations to challenge the Scottish Government in court if its laws or decisions are not compatible with the Charter.
Speaking as the call for views was launched, Committee Convener James Dornan MSP, said: “Local authorities deliver a wide range of services that are a vital part of our daily lives; from social care and public libraries to planning and street cleaning.
“The aim of this Bill is to strengthen local democracy by increasing the autonomy of local authorities and enshrining support for local government into law.
“The Committee are interested in hearing from people across Scotland as to whether they feel this Bill will support local government, strengthen the bond between councils and communities and make a practical difference to people’s lives.
“We also want to make sure it would have no unintended consequences. We are keen to hear whether the public supports these measures.
“We also want to gather thoughts on the financial impact of this legislation, and whether this will have a positive impact on equality and human rights.”
The deadline for responses to the call for views is Thursday 17 September 2020.
Border health measures requiring people to quarantine for 14 days on arrival into Scotland are being lifted for those arriving from Spain.
The decision, which has been taken following a thorough review of infection prevalence rates, means that mainland Spain and the Spanish islands will be added later this week to the list of destinations exempt from the two-week quarantine rule.
All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official.
Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. A fine which could be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.
Since Friday 10 July, passengers arriving in Scotland from 57 overseas destinations and 14 UK overseas territories that reported similar or lower levels of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection than Scotland were no longer required to self-isolate.
Exemptions from the self-isolation requirement are kept under regular review and any increase in the prevalence of the virus could result in the requirements being put back in place.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Following this latest review and having carefully considered the potential public health impact of changing the country exemptions for quarantine, we are able to lift that requirement for those travelling from Spain.
“We are continuously keeping other countries under review and where there is clear evidence that it is safe to do so, we will add further countries
“Clearly the virus has not gone away. It is still active and it is still deadly. With the quarantine restrictions being lifted from these countries this means we have to be even more careful about what we are doing.
“Anyone travelling should follow public health advice at all times including wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, washing hands and surfaces, staying two metres apart and self-isolating if they get symptoms and immediately registering for a test.”
The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling on schools to provide all autistic children with a personalised transition plan to help with their return to school in August.
The lock down has been extremely challenging for many families with autistic children. The huge change to routine and daily life together with strict restrictions resulting from the lockdown has led to distress for many autistic children putting families under huge pressure, often with very limited support.
According to the Scottish Government there are 6500 autistic children across Scotland. A third of autistic children also have a learning disability and, in many cases, also mental health difficulties.
Families have been under huge pressure juggling home schooling and working from home as well as supporting their autistic children. Some schools have provided specialist educational support throughout the lockdown while many others have not.
Families have reported that some home education packages received from schools have been either poor quality or generic and not differentiated for their child’s needs, so they have struggled to home school effectively and are worried that their children have fallen behind.
Similarly, many autistic children have now settled into a different routine, with limited social interaction outside of the family. They may well have been affected by the virus itself whether through illness of a parent or relative or even bereavement which can be all the more traumatic if that person also had a role in providing care and support.
All of these things combined mean that many autistic children will find returning to school in August difficult and in some cases even distressing, particularly as there are likely to be fundamental changes to daily school life.
NAS Scotlandare therefore calling on schools to make sure that every autistic child has a personalised transition plan to aid their return to school in August.
This might include visits prior to school starting, more autism awareness among staff, safe spaces, accessible information and videos showing any changes to layouts or school rules as well as a principle contact for parents.
Nick Ward, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland said:“Many autistic children will have been out of school for over 4 months by the time the new term begins. Some have coped very well. Others however, have struggled under the strict restrictions and huge change to routine and we’ve heard from families under severe pressure with profound impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
“We know that change can be incredibly challenging for autistic people. It is important that transition back into school is handled sensitively and in a personalised way.
“Transitions are already hard for autistic children, often because of a lack of support or understanding about autism, and that’s why we’re calling on schools to make sure that each and every autistic child has a personalised plan with input from parents to make the transition as smooth as possible. We don’t feel that this is too much to ask in a system which should be focused on getting it right for every child.”
Suzanne who lives in Dunfermline said:“The lock down has been hugely challenging for us as a family. I’ve had to stop my Open University course together with my volunteering in order to care for and educate by two autistic children.
“Callum has quite significant needs and doesn’t understand the restrictions so it has been difficult to follow social distancing and I’m worried it will be very hard when he goes back to school as he has a compulsion to run up and touch or hug people.
“Emma is very different and is quite quiet. She has enjoyed lockdown to some extent, particularly with us being together as a family. She is however, very anxious about returning to school and has really struggled with sleep because she is so worried.
“Both my children have very different needs and so their transition back into school will need to be done with lots of understanding and support. The school have been quite helpful in my case and have offered to talk things through but I worry not everyone out there will get the same level of help.”
Optometrists in Scotland have collaborated with the charity RNIB Scotland to produce a video [https://bit.ly/2AZ55VO] explaining what blind and partially sighted people can expect when visiting their local optometry practice.
The video seeks to emphasise that new procedures in place will ensure the safety of anyone who needs to attend for examinations or treatment.
At present, visits to optometric practices (also known as opticians) are for emergency treatment only and must be pre-arranged. Otherwise people are asked to phone their local practice which will decide if cases can be dealt with over the phone or via tablet or laptop.
In the video, Alastair Duff, an executive committee independent member of the professional body Optometry Scotland, explains that those who do need to attend in person will first be asked some questions to ensure they and the staff in the practice won’t be put at risk.
“The measures that are in place in practices include social distancing and requesting patients not to speak when an optometrist is in close proximity,” he says. “All staff will have personal protective equipment and consultation rooms will be disinfected after each visit.
“Spectacles and any other low vision aids will be delivered so patients won’t have to come back into the practice.”
Blind or partially sighted patients will be allowed to take a guide-dog or sighted guide with them as long as they let the practice know in advance. All other patients are asked to attend by themselves.
James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted health care across the board, so it’s very reassuring that people, especially those with a visual impairment, can still access treatment in a safe environment.
“Maintaining eye-health remains as important as ever to detect any problems early enough to arrest or hopefully reverse any sight-threatening symptoms. Left untreated, some conditions could eventually result in permanent deterioration in sight, so we don’t want anyone to neglect eye-health.”
It is expected that optometric practices will reopen to the general public in August depending on the advice given by the Scottish Government.
During the summer drink and drug drive campaign, which ran from 27 June to 10 July, police officers stopped 7457 drivers and 264 of these were detected for drink/drug offences.
Additionally 122 people failed the roadside drug test and enquiries into these incidents remain ongoing, pending forensic tests.
Deputy Head of Road Policing, Superintendent Simon Bradshaw said: “Over the course of our summer road safety campaign 1 in 28 drivers were detected for drink/drug offences and it is disappointing that we are still stopping people who drive whilst under the influence of drink or drugs.”
Out of the drivers detected over the drink-drive limit, 27 were caught ‘the morning after’.
Notable incidents include:
• A 52-year-old man charged in connection with alleged drink driving and speeding after being detected driving at over 90mph on the A96 at Carden, near Alves and found to be nearly five times over the limit on 9 July.
• A 27-year-old man charged in connection with alleged drink driving, disqualified driving and refusing to provide an evidential specimen of breath after being seen by CCTV driving his vehicle erratically near Cleland in Lanarkshire on 28 June.
Superintendent Bradshaw added: “Our campaign this year was intelligence led in order to target areas where we know people take unnecessary risks by drink or drug driving.
“It is disappointing to see that despite our advice and that of our Road Safety partners, some people are still willing to put themselves, and other innocent members of the public, at risk by drink or drug driving.
“Drink or drug driving is known to be a contributory factor in serious injury and fatal collisions. By driving under the influence of drink or drugs, your actions could be responsible for causing someone’s death or your own, leaving behind grieving family and friends.
“We continue to see a number of drivers reported to us by family members, friends or colleagues and I want to thank people who had the courage to report drink or drug drivers to us. This information helps our officers to act quickly to stop drivers under the influence before they seriously injure or kill someone and I would continue to encourage reporting of such unacceptable behaviour to us.”
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “It is disappointing that there continues to be a persistent minority of drivers who ignore the law and put their lives and those of others at risk, by driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“This is the first summer campaign with Scotland’s new drug driving offence operating and the irresponsible actions of these few drivers caught under the influence is discouraging as we try to make Scotland’s roads safer.
“My message is absolutely clear; to drink and drive is utterly unacceptable and will ruin lives. We fully support Police Scotland’s summer enforcement campaign, which reinforces the message that the best approach is none.”
All health and social care workers in Scotland will now have access to mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a new national helpline.
The Scottish Government is funding the wellbeing helpline for those who need further psychological support, including in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. This follows the success of the National Wellbeing Hub for staff launched in May.
Trained practitioners at NHS 24 will offer callers a compassionate and empathic listening service based on the principles of psychological first aid, as well as advice, signposting and onward referral to local services if required.
Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “I am deeply grateful for the hard work, commitment and professionalism of those working in health and social care services at this time of unprecedented challenge.
“The National Wellbeing Hub has had over 30,000 online visits since its launch in May and the new helpline will complement that service. Whatever your role and wherever you work, I would encourage you to make use of the many resources on the Hub, including advice on managing stress and anxiety, fatigue, sleep, relaxation and exercise.
“For those who need one-on-one support, the new mental wellbeing support line will be available around the clock to help staff access appropriate additional support.
“We are continuing to monitor the impact of the pandemic on our valued workforce and will do our best to ensure that appropriate support services are put in place to help them.”
Stephanie Phillips, Director of Service Delivery at NHS 24, said: “NHS 24 are delighted to support our partners by offering this helpline to complement existing services.
“Our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners will respond with compassion and empathy to offer support whenever it’s needed. Health and social care staff look after us – this is one way in which we are looking after them.
“We know that for everyone calling us, being listened to, and knowing that someone cares, is really important in difficult times. This is just as important to our health and social care colleagues as to those they care for.”
The health and social care workforce mental wellbeing support line (0800 111 4191) will be operated by NHS 24 on a 24/7 basis.
