Day: August 29, 2020

Screen & Shield: tying up with style!

Screen & Shield, local supplier of high quality, multi-choice face masks, is hoping to see their coverings being worn by some of the UK’s best-known celebrities.

They have collaborated with beauty director and celebrity stylist influencers This is Mothership – who have a large, engaged and loyal following, including a host of TV and reality stars – to produce the Dot Blizzard #sasMASK.   

When Screen & Shield arranged an informal tie-up with This is Mothership last month, they sold out of their Dot Blizzard #sasMASK in less than two hours. 

10% of all sales will go to This is Mothership’s adopted charity Camp Simcha and a further 10% of sales will go to NHS Charities Together.

Edinburgh-based Screen & Shield was created after self-employed dad Hass Paymani became alarmed at the unavailability, distribution and quality of face coverings.

Hass said: “We believe we offer the best masks in the market in terms of quality and style, so this collaboration with This is Mothership is the perfect partnership.

“We’re looking forward to seeing some of their best-known followers from the TV and celebrity world, as well as their many loyal followers, wearing our mask.

“We’re also delighted to help This is Mothership continue to raise much-needed funds for Camp Simcha.”

This is Mothership – Samantha Silver and Gemma Rose Breger – who described their blog as a fashion and beauty destination for busy mamas, has some 55,000 followers on Instagram.

This is Mothership stated on their Instagram Page: “We’re smiling behind here, we promise, because the other week we did a shout out asking if anyone who couldn’t access a re-usable mask for any reason to get in touch with us. @screenandshield, a brilliant small business, have worked with us to provide re-usable face masks for families in need and they are on route to them now.

“We’ve also collaborated with @screenandshield on the This Is Mothership Dot Blizzard print mask. It’s triple-layered, reliably sourced cotton and monochrome, with a nose guard that doesn’t steam up glasses. It’s £10 and we are donating all of our proceeds from the collaboration to the charity @campsimchauk – supporting seriously ill children and their families.”

Hass Peymani set up his Screen and Shield brand from scratch just two months ago – but since then, he’s had tens of thousands of masks produced to keep up with demand.

Unlike many of the masks on the market, the #sasMASK is manufactured in Europe and complies with the latest material and layering guidelines for non-medical-grade face coverings.  

The #sasMASK has not only been designed to be washable, comfortable and affordable but also comes in more than 50 designs.        

As well as sales to individuals, Screen & Shield have increasingly set up relationships with many businesses, community groups and organisations to supply masks to their networks.

Screen & Shield is using its website https://screenandshield.co.uk/ and social media to drive awareness and sales, particularly facebook.com/screenandshield/.  

For more information on Screen & Shield – go to: https://screenandshield.co.uk/

For more information on This is Mothership – go to :

https://www.thisismothership.com/

‘All possible measures to be taken before schools and colleges close’

England prepares for schools return

The UK Government has published detailed guidance for England’s schools on contingency planning for areas with local lockdowns in place.

The guidance sets out that all possible measures should be taken before any restrictions are imposed on schools to maintain consistent education for children and young people.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Our primary focus remains supporting all schools to welcome back all pupils for the start of term and we thank teachers and staff for their hard work in preparations.

“We hope that we won’t have to implement the guidance set out today because the local lockdown measures we have introduced so far are working. Changes to school attendance will only ever be an absolute last resort.

“However, it is important that both government and schools prepare for a worst case scenario, so this framework represents the sensible contingency planning any responsible government would put in place.”

The updated CONTAIN guidance sets out four tiers of restrictions for education settings, for use as an absolute last resort in areas subject to local restrictions.

All schools, colleges and other education settings are opening for the start of term, with all those in areas subject to local restrictions currently at Tier 1 – fully open to all pupils full time, with face coverings required in corridors and communal areas for pupils in Year 7 and above.

Local authority leaders and directors of public health, alongside national government, would be at the centre of any decision making to move out of Tier 1 for education settings.

They would take all other possible measures, including implementing restrictions on other sectors, before considering restricting attendance in education.

If all other measures have been exhausted, Tier 2 would advise secondary schools and colleges in a restricted area to use rotas to help break chains of transmission of coronavirus, while primary schools remain open to all pupils.

Tiers 3 and 4 introduce remote learning full time for wider groups of pupils, with vulnerable children and children of critical workers continuing to attend.

The government asked schools in July to ensure they were able to provide high quality remote education that mirrors in-school education, in case any pupils were required to self-isolate or local restrictions were needed. These plans should extend to rotas if ever required.

All children are due to return to school for the autumn term and schools have been putting in place protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission.

School staff have been working to implement increased hygiene and handwashing with children remaining in consistent groups, using measures such as staggered break times to keep groups apart.

To further reassure parents and teachers that all proportionate measures are being taken to make schools as safe as possible, the government has announced that in areas of the country currently subject to enhanced restrictions, staff and pupils in secondary schools should wear face coverings in communal areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.

From this week, schools and colleges have begun receiving home testing kits, each receiving a pack of 10 tests, with more available to be ordered if needed. The home testing kits are to be used in exceptional circumstances such an individual with symptoms who may have barriers to accessing a test elsewhere and the home kit would significantly increase their chance of getting tested. This will enable schools and colleges to take swift action to protect others if the test result is positive.

Schools are also receiving packs of PPE to use in the very limited circumstances it may be required, such as when it is not possible for a staff member to maintain 2m distance from a pupil with a suspected case of coronavirus.

This week the Chief Medical Officers from all four nations in the United Kingdom made it clear that the risks to children contracting Covid-19 in school or college is extremely low and that the risks associated with not being in school or college outweighs that of not being there.

The Department for Education has also published further guidance to help schools plan for potential Tier 2 restrictions, which will involve secondary year groups operating a rota system in order to reduce pupil numbers on-site.

Education leaders have expressed frustration that the latest guidance was published on Friday evening at the start of a Bank Holiday weekend, giving them little time to prepare and organise for schools returning next week.

Tory concerns over ‘bungled’ road closures

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs and Edinburgh Councillor Nick Cook have launched a campaign for Edinburgh Council’s SNP/Labour administration to immediately reopen Braid Road.

In May, the Council rushed through the closure of Braid Road under the auspices of Covid-19 emergency powers. They did so without any substantial consultation with residents or local Councillors, leading to strong protest from Cllr Cook. 

There may have been a case, during the early phases of lockdown, for a strict time limited closure of Braid Road to aid social distancing. However, it is clear that with many restrictions eased and children back at school, the road needs re-opened immediately to reduce inconvenience for residents and re-route the traffic that the closure has displaced to nearby streets, including outside South Morningside Primary on Comiston Road.  

The Edinburgh Conservatives have consistently voiced concerns at the impact of this closure and have led the opposition to the move in the City Chambers.  

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “It is clear to me from the number of local residents who I have been contacted by that Braid Road needs to be reopened without delay.

“As lockdown restrictions have eased and schools have returned, the level of traffic that these closures have created on Comiston Road is insufferable for commuters.

“Whatever political party you support, please sign now to add your support to this campaign to get Braid Road reopened.”

Edinburgh Councillor, Nick Cook, said: “In contrast to my Morningside ward colleagues who either dithered or waved their lycra aloft in support of the Braid Road closure, I have voiced robust concerns at the Council’s bungled closure of Braid Road from the outset.

“The inconvenience to drivers, coupled with displaced traffic being funnelled outside South Morningside Primary School demands the Council finally listen to the public and reopen Braid Road immediately.”

Now, what about Silverknowes Road … ?

AGEIST BRITAIN?

OVER A THIRD OF SCOTS REVEAL THEY FEEL NEGLECTED AFTER TURNING 50

·       Over a third (33%) of Scots revealed that 50 was the age they begun to feel neglected or invisible in society

·       36% of Scots over 50 don’t think brands advertise to their age and 17% don’t think magazines represent their age

·       Over half (56%) of Scots say that being neglected by society makes them feel underappreciated, and a third say it makes them depressed and anxious

·       This also impacted over 50s’ career decisions in Scotland, with a quarter (25%) admitting they feel they’re unable to apply for jobs because of their age

Over a third of Scots (33%) have revealed that 50 was the age they begun to feel neglected and invisible in society, according to new research by SunLife released today.

The research found that 56 was the average age Scots over 50 began to feel this way, and that over half (56%) of those over 50 said prejudice towards their age causes them to feel underappreciated, let down (34%) and depressed or anxious (36%).

The new Retiring Ageism report, which follows SunLife’s 2019 Ageist Britain campaign, surveyed 2,000 UK adults and analysed UK brands’ representation of over 50s across their marketing activity.

SunLife’s new research found that due to feeling neglected or invisible in society because of their age, a quarter (24%) over 50s living in Scotland are less inclined to try new things, and a third opt to stay home and miss events (31%).

A fifth (21%) of those over 50 said these feelings made them less inclined to keep fit, active and healthy, directly impacting their physical health. 

These feelings also influenced Scots over 50s’ career decisions, with a quarter (25%) admitting they didn’t apply for jobs because of their age and one in six (14%) not applying to a job they had wanted.

Feeling neglected also has a harmful effect on relationships, with 16% of Scots believing their friends and family don’t invite them out because of their age.

Claire Turner, Director of Evidence, Centre for Ageing Better, commented on the lasting effect misrepresentation can have on those over-50: “We know that ageism has a hugely devastating impact on people, and this report highlights the scale of the issue. Too many people are made to feel invisible because of their age.

“Ageism affects people at work, it affects people’s health, and it can affect the way they see themselves. Our research has found that many people over-50 believe they have been turned down for a job because of their age, and many have been put off applying for jobs as they sound like they’re aimed at younger candidates.

“From the casual ageism of products labelled ‘anti-ageing’ to the way we’ve seen older people spoken about during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s clear that as a society we’ve got a long way to go on this issue. It’s great to see this report shine a light on the issue, and contribute to the vital conversation around ageism.”

Across the UK, SunLife’s Retiring Ageism report found that misrepresentation of over 50s remains prevalent, with more than half of adults over 50 citing that the fashion industry (56%), the sports industry (52%) and the business industry (43%) fail to represent their age well.

Additionally, over three quarters (78%) of those over the age of 50 said they hadn’t seen accurate representation of their age bracket by companies or celebrity personalities within the past year, with Nike, Next and Adidas called out as the top three worst brands for representing over 50s.

The media has also been revealed to mischaracterise over 50s, with just 15% feeling as though national newspapers represented their age bracket well, and only 12% feeling well represented in local newspapers. Furthermore, 21% of 50-59 year olds felt as though they didn’t see people their age in magazines, with this rising to a quarter (24%) of 60 to 69-year olds.

Ian Atkinson, director of marketing at SunLife, added: “We want to keep shining a spotlight on the issue of ageism – specifically, on the misrepresentation of the over 50s in society and the media. Our new report has revealed that this is particularly prevalent in the workplace, advertising and the world of entertainment.

“Unsurprisingly, it can have lasting effects on the mental and physical health of those over 50 who feel misrepresented, causing them to alienate themselves from family and friends. By raising the profile of this problem, we want to continue our ambition of retiring ageism once and for all and encourage other brands to cater to this age bracket who deserve to be recognised.”

Alongside the report, this year SunLife will be actioning three pledges to encourage brands to celebrate life over 50 and help retire ageism once and for all. These include sharing the research and image galleries with leading UK charities to help support them with their initiatives aimed towards over 50s, as well as developing a series of best practice guidelines to assist brands and media.

SunLife found that when searching for imagery of older people, the results often portray an inauthentic view of life after 50 and embody ageist stereotypes. To help counter this, SunLife have embarked on creating their own image galleries, generating these from photoshoots using real people to help authentically show the positive side of life after 50.

The full report and opening foreword from Ian Atkinson can be viewed here:

 https://www.sunlife.co.uk/siteassets/documents/sunlife-ageism-report-2020.pdf

Emergency funding for culture and heritage organisations

Culture and heritage sectors are to benefit from a £59 million funding package to protect jobs and help the industry weather the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

A new £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund will provide critical support to a range of businesses such as art galleries, studio facilities, comedy venues, large music venues, commercial theatres, orchestras, dance companies and nightclubs.

It will help to reduce the threat of insolvency, protect jobs and create conditions for a more viable and sustainable future for the sector.

The funding also includes £21.3 million for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to protect jobs and support the reopening of properties in their care.

An additional £5.9 million will be made available to support heritage organisations through committed grants, and £270,000 for the New Lanark Trust (above) will help secure the future of one of Scotland’s six World Heritage Sites.

The package also includes:

  • £5 million to address the immediate financial hardship faced by creative freelancers
  • £5 million to support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19, including £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme to support organisations employing freelance artists to work in communities across Scotland
  • £3.5 million for independent cinemas
  • £3 million for youth arts including a funding boost for the Youth Music Initiative which will provide work for musicians

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s been an extremely trying time for everyone in the culture and heritage sectors over the last few months. The major issues presented by the pandemic are not going away but as we slowly start to reopen, this funding will provide much needed emergency support and aid the recovery.

“We have taken time to work closely with and listen carefully to the sectors, to understand exactly what they need. We want to reach as many people as possible and I do believe these funds will make a marked difference in ensuring our culture and heritage sectors not only survive the pandemic but thrive in future.

“As extensive as this package of support is, we know there will still be more needed. Culture and heritage are vitally important to all of our lives in Scotland, at this time more than ever. Without significant borrowing powers, there is only so much the Scottish Government can do.  I urge the UK Government to consider extending the furlough scheme, to ensure longer term support as we continue to navigate this crisis.”

Iain Munro, Creative Scotland Chief Executive, said: “We very much welcome this significant announcement of much needed emergency support. This follows a great deal of work involving Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government, but also many people and organisations from across Scotland’s cultural community.

“We appreciate the challenges that everyone working in culture is facing and are pleased to now be able to offer some clarity. Creative Scotland will continue to work at pace to deliver this emergency funding to where it’s needed as quickly as possible.”

The culture funds will be delivered through Creative Scotland and follows on from the previously announced £12.5 million Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund and £2.2 million support for Grassroots Music Venues. It comes as part of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials for the culture and heritage sectors.

Creative Scotland are establishing the details of the funds and how they can be accessed. More information will be made available next week.

Funding that has been announced so far to support the culture and heritage sectors includes:

  • £10 million funding package for events
  • £4 million Museums Recovery and Resilience Fund
  • £3.8 million to protect jobs at the National Trust for Scotland
  • £12.5 million Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund
  • £2.2 million for Grassroots Music Venues

From Monday, Lothian will no longer operate Services 20 and 63

After going to tender earlier this year, the City of Edinburgh Council awarded the contract for services 20 and 63 to a new operator, First Bus, who was expected to take over the running of these services in April 2020.

However, due to the Covid-19 crisis, Lothian agreed to continue the contract on a temporary basis until such time as a handover could be made possible.

As of August 31, the new operator will take over provision of these services.

Timetable information for both services can be found here or at the links below:

Service 20 – https://bit.ly/3go2aVf
Service 63 – https://bit.ly/34vtjmV

Customers with questions or queries can contact our social media team on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or our customer service team by emailing mail@lothianbuses.co.uk.

Both teams are here to help.

Eggs-ercise! Morrisons trains hens to produce the tastiest eggs

  • Morrisons have teamed up with industry experts to create a programme to give Hens the best training at the finest facilities –
  • Investment into fastest growing protein industry will raise awareness about an industry that needs additional investment –
  • Brits consume 36 million eggs a day with each person eating an average of 197 eggs a year –

Morrisons is investing in British farming by teaming up with the ‘British Egg Academy’ to create a hen training programme. The tailored “training” plan aims to produce the fittest chickens and the best eggs.

Hens lay more eggs when they are active. Students of the academy will learn how to develop exercise routines to create the healthiest environment possible to keep their hens happy. Students will learn everything there is to know about producing elite hens and the best eggs; including the right amounts of feed and water needed, the amount of necessary light exposure and even how to create calming environments to give them time to relax and put their claws up. 

The hens will be given all the exercises that they need to produce the best eggs. They will be given access to trees – that they use to play hide and seek in, footballs and other toys – that they are encouraged to play with, and perches at various levels within in their houses – so they are able to jump, climb and fly on a daily basis. For the hens that need downtime after their training, dust baths will be available out in the range.  

Young people have consumed more eggs in recent years, making the egg industry the fastest growing protein industry in the UK. Last year, Brits consumed over 13 billion eggs, that’s a whopping 36 million eggs a day, and 197 eggs per year per person. 

As well as creating tastier eggs, the academy will increase awareness about the job opportunities available in an industry worth over £1 billion to the UK economy, and improve training opportunities for those who are looking to help feed Britain with the best British eggs.   

Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons said: “We want to produce some of the healthiest, fittest and happiest hens in the UK.

“We are always looking at ways to continually improve our egg quality and this Academy will help achieve that goal, whilst giving our students insights into how to crack the industry for generations to come.”

Bill Meredith, Principal at Bishop Burton College’s Principal said: “The college is delighted to be working with Morrisons and poultry farmers to provide opportunities for those seeking rewarding careers in the egg industry.

“Our commitment is to provide the skills needed to maintain the highest possible welfare standards – happy hens are us!”

The British Egg Academy will be based at Bishop Burton College and the course will start in January 2021. Applications to the course will close in December 2020. 

For more information, visit: https://www.morrisons-farming.com/backing-british/british-egg-academy/

Time to sign up for garden waste collection

The current garden waste service year ends on 8 November

To continue to receive collections in the next service year which runs until 7 November 2021, residents need to renew their permit or sign up for one by 2pm on 9 September. The cost remains at £25 per bin.

The current service year for fortnightly brown bin collections was due to end on 4 October but the council is extending current permits to make up for the service being temporarily suspended in springtime due to coronavirus.

The current health pandemic also means that CEC is encouraging residents to register online and they have made this easier by making the MyGov sign in optional. 

Unfortunately, you’re not able to pay in person at locality offices this year as they are being used as community resilience centres for coronavirus, but you can also pay over the phone. Phone lines are likely to be busy so if you’re unable to register online yourself, we’d encourage you to ask a friend or relative to help you.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Just over 40,000 people have already signed up to receive the service, but I would urge anyone who wants to continue having their brown bin collected but hasn’t yet registered to do so in the next couple of weeks to avoid a gap in collections.  

“The quickest and easiest way to do this is online, which is why 90% of the people who have already registered have done so via our website. We know not everyone has access to the internet though, and there is an option for registration over the phone.  

The council has made a decision to keep our charge at £25 per bin. This is one of the lowest annual fees in Scotland among local authorities operating a similar service and works out at just under 50 pence a week.

Emails and letters were sent to all 70,900 current subscribers to the service advising them on how to renew their permits.

About the service

  • Permits cost £25 per brown bin. A one-off payment of £25 will be taken by debit or credit card, unless you’re exempt from paying because you receive Council Tax Reduction.
  • The deadline to register is 2pm on 9 September and the quickest and easiest way to do this is on our website.
  • You can also register and pay over the phone by calling 0131 357 2800. Please note we expect phone lines to be busy and there may be long waiting times. Phonelines are open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3.40pm Friday. Please note we don’t accept cash or cheques.
  • The deadline to register is 2pm on 9 September and the quickest and easiest way to do this is on our website.
  • The next service year will run from 9 November 2020 – 7 November 2021.
  • Brown bins will be emptied once every two weeks, except over the festive period when there will be no collections between 14 December 2020 and 10 January 2021
  • There will be another opportunity to sign up to the new service year, but the payment will remain at £25 and permits will be valid until 7 November 2021.
  • Once we’ve received your payment, we’ll send you a permit sticker between 23 October and 4 November to put on your brown bin before the new service year starts. We can only empty bins with valid permit stickers.

Exemptions

If you are a low income household and receive Council Tax Reduction (formerly called Council Tax Benefit) or you, or someone who lives with you, has been classed as severely mentally impaired, the service will be free, but you’ll still need to register for the service. Other council tax discounts, such as single occupancy or disabled person discount, don’t qualify for this reduction. Households that pay for garden aid are not exempt from paying for the service.

Further information about the service is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website, including details about alternative ways to pay, exemptions, how to pay on behalf of someone else and our terms and conditions.

Expansion of free debt advice service

More people will be able to benefit from free debt advice following investment from the Scottish Government. More than £2.4 million will be distributed among a number of advice organisations to expand their services and invest in more effective methods to help individuals with problem debt.

The investment will assist projects offering face to face advice using video calls and projects aimed at moving debt solution processes online. This investment will also help the debt advice sector to manage the expected increase in demand as a result of the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).

AdviceUK will be one of the new recipients of funding and has 70 Scottish-based partners who will now be able to extend their services.

Minister for Communities Aileen Campbell said: “I am pleased that this funding will enable more people to access free debt advice, especially as we expect to see increased demand on these services due to the long term effects of COVID-19.

“Our Debt Advice Routemap sets out our vision for a user-friendly and collaborative free debt advice system in Scotland. Through this additional investment we aim to distribute funds across Scotland, focusing on those hardest to reach, including those who maybe have never sought advice before.

“Debt advice services are looking at innovative new approaches, using technology and new ways of working. I would encourage anyone who finds themselves struggling with problem debt to seek help at the earliest opportunity.”

AdviceUK Executive Director Chilli Reid said: “AdviceUK warmly welcomes this funding from the Scottish Government, which will make a huge difference to people struggling with money worries.

“Our members serve communities across Scotland, and this investment will support them in their vital work tackling child poverty, supporting households on low incomes, and helping those most exposed to the impacts of COVID-19.”

The funding is part of the Financial Services Levy for debt advice which has been increased by the UK Government in response to the expected growth in demand for free debt advice due to the long-term effects of COVID-19.

The funding was devolved to the Scottish Government in 2019 and the Debt Advice Routemap was launched to help improve access to services across Scotland.

Established in 1979, Advice UK is the largest network of independent advice providers in the UK.

Granton Information Centre has continued to provide an advice service throughout the coronavirus lockdown, supporting people with debt, housing and employment issues.

If you need help to deal with mounting debts, or are unclear about which benefits you may be entitled to, call Granton Information Centre on 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 or you can email info@gic.org.uk

Renewed appeal five years on following death of Saima Ahmed

The brother of a woman from London who went missing five years ago and whose body was found on the outskirts of Edinburgh five months later has renewed his appeal to the public to help find out what happened to her.

Saima Ahmed was 36 when she left her home in north London and is believed to have travelled to Edinburgh by train via Hemel Hempstead and Birmingham on 30 August, 2015. Her remains were found at Gogarburn Golf Course on 9 January, 2016. Her death remains unexplained and the police investigation into what happened to her remains open.



Sadat Ahmed, 37, re-visited the area for the first time in four years to ask the public to come forward with any information that may help his family to find out what happened to Saima once she arrived in Edinburgh.

Speaking at the golf course, he said: “As a family we think about her every day. Time has not helped. There is so much we don’t understand. She never talked about coming to Edinburgh and as far as we know she did not know anyone in Edinburgh.

“She was a very inquisitive person so if she was in an area she had never been to before she would have asked questions, she would have spoken to people. We think she probably met someone but who don’t know who or why.

“How you get to Edinburgh and then here, it is not somewhere you would walk to by mistake. She must have had contact with people. It is unbearable not knowing, from day one to now, we still don’t have answers to the questions, and it is really hard.

“Someone must know something. I would like them to come forward and tell us. We will never give up hope. We will keep looking for answers.”

Saima was around 5ft 5ins tall, of medium build, with shoulder length straight dark hair. She was last seen wearing a dark long v-neck top, black trousers, black shoes and a black jacket.

Detective Superintendent Martin MacLean said: “Police Scotland has carried out a painstaking investigation into Saima’s death and we continue to support Sadat and his family. There is no evidence of criminality at this stage.

“There were sightings of a woman that appear to meet Saima’s description at Portobello beach on the Sunday evening and again on the Monday morning by a dog walker. We are appealing to anyone who may have similar information, whether it was a taxi driver, or a bus driver. Perhaps she stayed in a bed and breakfast on the Sunday night in the Portobello area?

“Edinburgh would have been very busy as it was the end of the Festival and also the height of the tourist season. If you were on holiday in the city, wherever you might be now, please think back to see if you can help. I would ask anyone who may have seen her or have any information, no matter how insignificant they might think it is, to get in touch.

“We still don’t truly understand why Saima came to Edinburgh and what her movements were when she was here.  These are gaps we are very keen to fill. From every appeal that we have had, we have always obtained some small piece of information from the public.

“The investigation remains open so if there is anyone out there who can help please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 2194 of 9 January, 2016, and help provide some of the answers that Sadat and his family are seeking.”