LifeCare, the older person’s charity based in Stockbridge is pleased to announce August’s installment of its very popular monthly History Talks which cover local history and are delivered by local people and organisations.
The talk will be on Cramond Island and will be given by Ian Rodger of Cramond Heritage.
It will take place on Tuesday 25th August from 3pm – 4pm on Zoom.
To book a place, please contact the Community Engagement Facilitator, Aleks Pacula alekspacula@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk
North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Food Share Consortium has produced a second newsletter.
The limited print run eight page publication will initially be distributed through the Group’s food distribution network and will also be available at local projects and offices.
For further information please email northedinnews@gmail.com
VULNERABLE MISSING MAN – SELIM EL SYED – LEITH
Police are appealing for the public’s assistance in tracing Selim El Syed (54) who has been reported missing from Leith.
Selim was last seen in the East Hermitage Place area around 3.30pm on Monday (17 August 2020).
He is described as Bangladeshi, around 5 ft 5 ins tall, of slim build with dark hair. He has a noticeable gait and when walking may appear to shuffle.
Inspector Grant McCulloch said: “We are very concerned for Selim’s welfare and officers are currently carrying out a number of searches to trace him. He is known to travel to rural parts of Scotland by bus and train and will sleep outdoors.
“I would urge anyone who has seen Selim, or has any information on his whereabouts, to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 1409 of 19 August.”
14-year-old Charlie Bright of Sighthill, Edinburgh, has nominated Dad, Colin, in a national competition that asks families to name unsung heroes who’ve gone above and beyond for them in lockdown.
Colin Bright, who works as a receptionist at the Sighthill Health Centre and recently celebrated 30 years of continuous service in the NHS, has been nominated by his son, Charlie, in a national competition run by heating systems manufacturer, Viessmann.
Charlie wants to say thank you to his Dad for helping to look after him and his mum by working longer hours throughout lockdown and helping mum, Tracey, who has a long-term hearing impairment.
Colin has also taken on helping Charlie with his homework since lockdown led to a nationwide closure of schools as part of plans by the government to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
“I’ve been trying to do homework, but it’s not easy as I don’t have a teacher in front of me to help and my mum has tried her best and my dad has too,” says Charlie, 14.
Tracey has struggled with the effects of the lockdown and has felt rather lonely. With the recent government ruling enforcing masks in all shops, cinemas, galleries, banks, museums and places of worship, Tracey now feels nervous about going to the shops without Colin as she relies on lip-reading to speak with others.
“I tend to stay at home as much as possible as the wearing of face masks has left me really stressed out due to not enough awareness of the sunflower lanyard for hidden disabilities,” says Tracey.
“I have, a few times, had to explain myself to shop store staff as they have been asking me questions and I can’t see their face if they have a mask on! It feels rather embarrassing as I don’t like having to explain myself.
“After a few situations, I gave up going, so now Colin has an extra job to do and go to shops when he gets home from work or at the weekend.”
Colin, 50, works in Sighthill Health Centre in the treatment rooms and has been having to balance longer hours whilst continuing to support the family and his son with his work.
“My dad’s work is getting busier with patients as the doctors are seeing more and more people. He works on the reception desk booking patients appointments and checking them in when they arrive. He always comes home very tired as it can be a very busy long day trying to help people.”
Viessmann’s Nation’s Warmest Appreciation competition is designed to help children and families show appreciation to others’ good deeds during the first half of 2020.
“This has been a tough year for many of us, each facing our own challenges thanks to the unprecedented fallout the pandemic has brought, says James Harper, Marketing Manager at Viessmann.
“As a family-owned company that has pulled out all the stops to take care of its own members around the world over the past few months, Viessmann wanted to focus on all the good that has been going on around us all and how these times have also brought us all closer together.
“Gratitude is timeless, and because of this, we wanted to be able to help show off all the good deeds and kind acts our nation has been up to during the last six months. And by also recognising that there are still many other charities and causes that are in need of extra funding and support right now, it makes perfect sense to donate a part of the prize to those causes too.”
To enter, anyone between the age of 5-14 was invited to show their appreciation with a drawing, picture, poem or story showing who they were nominating and why they wanted to nominate them.
“I would love to nominate my Dad for all his hard work during these tough times and allowing me and Mum to stay safe at home, he is my real hero!” said Colin in his entry submission.
Entries for the competition are open until the 22nd August, with the final prize being £100 vouchers to both the entrant and nominated person and a £100 donation to a charity of their choice.
For more information and for your chance to enter, please visit the Viessmann site here.
With coronavirus continuing to have an impact across the country, one woman speaks out about the desperate need to support a social care system on the brink of collapse …
Diana McGovern, who lives in Davidsons Mains, suffers from MS and is confined to a wheelchair. She relies on her carers to complete the simple day to day tasks we all take for granted. Without ‘her angels’ as she calls them, it would be impossible for her to remain in her own home.
She is deeply concerned about the crisis facing the social care system in this country and believes any further pressure on it, such as a second wave of COVID19, would lead to its collapse.
“Protect the NHS is their claim but who is protecting the carers?” asks Diana. “An army of unsung heroes dedicated to looking after patients in their own homes with compassionate dignity and respect, preventing bed blocking in hospitals, allowing doctors and nurses to continue the vital work of saving lives.
“They work seamlessly as a team, but could the NHS function without carers? Nurses study diligently to become qualified and proudly wear their badge of office but carers also wear badges!
“Their challenge is to enhance and retain a quality of life for people who suffer from a complex and wide range of medical conditions. It’s a demanding, responsible, and emotionally draining career but one which offers tremendous job satisfaction. They are compensated with a wage less than that of a supermarket worker, while having to provide their own car and phone to carry out their duties.
“On top of an already difficult situation they were handed the challenge of COVID-19. They were expected to care for and nurture patients discharged from hospital, cope with distressed relatives and battle to save the lives of the sick and dying, with little support or guidance – all while trying to protect their own lives and the lives of their families.
“The media has highlighted how wonderful our carers are and revealed the very inadequate wages they receive. Has any policy maker or government addressed this disgraceful situation? NO.
“Have we not learned from past mistakes? We may be living with a pandemic now, but we may be facing an even greater crisis soon, with winter flu and further lockdowns possible. Doctors and nurses are making contingency plans, but what about recruiting carers? The strain on the skeleton level of care workers we have now is enormous. Any additional stress placed on the system would surely see it collapse.
“Does it take the voice of a person completely wheelchair bound, living independently with the support of carers, to highlight the urgent problem of recruiting and paying an appropriate decent living wage to all carers? Is the government ignoring this crisis?
“Nicola Sturgeon has stood up for Scotland and been applauded. Can she now take urgent action to recruit and increase the pay to compensate and reward our dedicated carers? We are dependent on the NHS, but in a crisis, we rely on our trusted carer.
“How do we keep and recruit careers when they don’t receive a decent pay? We need to pay now not tomorrow, or the government may have bigger crisis on their hands.
“Unless action is taken now, the system will crash. We must act before it’s too late.”
Police are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic crash in Sighthill. The incident happened at around 1.10pm yesterday in Bankhead Terrace when the male rider of a quad bike was injured when he came off his machine.
Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick of the Roads Policing Unit said: “We would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this crash. In particular we would like to speak to the occupants of a red coloured Toyota Prius car which was seen driving west along Bankhead Terrace at the time of the crash.
“I would also ask anyone who may have been driving in the area in a vehicle which had a dash-cam fitted to check their device for anything which might help us establish the circumstances surrounding this crash.
“Callers can use the 101 number to call in and should quote the reference number 1609 of 18 August 2020.”
Details of a voucher scheme to help ensure everyone in Scotland will have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2021 have been announced.
The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme will provide funding of up to £5,000 to help homes and businesses not in scope of either Reaching 100% (R100) contracts or planned commercial investment to obtain superfast broadband where providers may not ordinarily go.
Interim vouchers of up to £400 are also being made available for premises where superfast broadband is planned for after the end of 2021 – with an additional £250 for those in the hardest-to-reach areas.
An online postcode checker has been launched to give homes and businesses information on superfast roll-out in their area as well as providing information on voucher scheme eligibility.
Scotland’s Connectivity Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Digital Connectivity has played a vital role in supporting our efforts to keep people safe during the Covid-19 lockdown and will be pivotal in plans for our strategic economic recovery from the pandemic.
“Work is underway to build the infrastructure which will underpin R100, backed by Scottish Government funding of £579M. This, together with commercially-driven work, will ensure the vast majority of homes and businesses across the country can access superfast broadband access by the end of 2021.
“But Scotland has some of the most challenging locations anywhere in Europe for providing telecoms infrastructure and I have always been clear that additional measures may still be needed to provide superfast access to some of the hardest-to-reach areas.
“That is why we have been developing plans in parallel with the main infrastructure investment to ensure our 100% commitment is met, and the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme offering a level of funding far exceeding that of any other broadband voucher scheme currently in operation within the UK, will ensure that everyone can access and benefit from this world-leading digital capability.”
The R100 online postcode tracker is live now.
Around 23,000 low income households without proper internet access will be helped to get online with the assistance of £15 million of Scottish Government funding.
The investment, part of the Connecting Scotland programme, will prioritise disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. These families will get a device, twelve months unlimited data as well as technical support to get online safely and securely.
Households will also be linked with a Digital Champion who will provide six months of training and support over the phone. Suitable recipients will be identified by local authorities and third sector organisations who apply to the programme on behalf of those they support.
This second phase of the programme, builds on an initial £5 million to get up to 9,000 households with people at clinical or high risk from Covid-19 connected online.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “It has never been more important to be connected and online. It enables us to access information about how to stay safe and healthy during Covid-19, keep in touch with friends and family, and study or work.
“I am therefore very pleased to be able to extend our Connecting Scotland programme and tackle the digital divide by reaching over 30,000 households across both phases that are experiencing difficulties with online access.
“An additional £15 million will help thousands of families and young care leavers who could not otherwise afford to get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected.
“This builds on £25m investment in devices and connectivity which will support around 70,000 school pupils.”
David McNeill, Director of Development at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, added: “The first phase of Connecting Scotland has made a significant difference to the lives of thousands of people who were missing out on the benefits of being online. It has enabled them to stay connected to friends and family, informed and entertained, and able to continue with learning and work.
“This additional investment will enable hundreds of organisations from across the public and third sectors to provide support to those who need it most, removing the barriers related to the affordability of kit and connectivity, as well as helping to build digital confidence and skills.”
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children 1st also said: “Children 1st were delighted to take part in the first phase of the Connecting Scotland programme to help families without access to IT to cope through coronavirus.
“Good digital access is essential to keeping both children and parents connected to education, their friends and families and to wider support from charities like Children 1st during these extremely difficult times. It’s great to see the programme being rolled out to reach even more families.”
The Office for National Statistics has partnered with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to extend the ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey tracking the virus in the general population across the UK – making this the UK’s largest COVID-19 surveillance survey.
It will expand from regularly testing 28,000 people per fortnight in England to 150,000 by October, the Health Secretary announced today. The survey aims to increase to 400,000 people across the entire project.
The expanded study will play a crucial role in providing extensive, weekly data on the spread of infection, supporting rapid testing and diagnosis of COVID-19 both nationally and in areas of concern. The ONS will prioritise ramping up in the north west of England and London in light of recent upticks in infection rates in these areas.
Letters have already been sent out to tens of thousands of homes inviting new participants to take part in the survey. Anyone who receives a letter asking them to participate in the study is encouraged to do so.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This country now has the capacity to test for coronavirus on an unprecedented scale and this ONS survey will be a crucial part of this work – improving our understanding of the rate of infection in the population and how many people have antibodies.
“This will allow us to further narrow down the areas potentially affected by local outbreaks and continue our fight to curb the spread ahead of winter.
“I urge anyone who is able to take part in this study to do so – you will be playing a vital role in the fight against the virus. The data and insight gathered will help inform our national, regional and local responses to the pandemic, allowing this nation to get back to the things we love doing.”
Reporting on a weekly basis, the ONS study will provide both a national picture of how the virus is spreading as well as granular estimates of the number of COVID-19 cases down to local level.
Crucially, this will allow government and local authorities to further narrow down the areas which may be undergoing outbreaks, potentially reducing the number of people affected by new restrictions and allowing for swift action to curb the spread of the virus.
Led by the ONS and The University of Oxford in partnership with the departments of health across the UK, the survey uses routine swabbing and antibody testing to provide insight into the rate of infection and antibody levels in the community.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond, UK National Statistician, said: “Vigilance is key to containing this pandemic and the extra data on the spread of infections and antibodies at local level will be invaluable to the planning of effective local responses.
“Following this expansion, the ONS-led COVID-19 Infection Survey will be the biggest of its kind in this country. If you’ve been approached to take part then please do so. You will be helping us all to contain this terrible virus and get on with our lives.”
Alongside this significant expansion, the government is providing a £2 million grant to the ZOE COVID-19 Symptom Study app to support its data collection. Participants use the app to regularly report on their health and symptoms and whether they have tested positive for the virus or not, making it the largest public science project of its kind anywhere in the world.
Data from the app is analysed in collaboration with King’s College London researchers and provides granular data on symptoms across the country, helping identify local outbreaks and support NHS decision-making. Researchers are able to predict who has the virus and track infections across the UK as well as identify who is most at risk and where high-risk areas are.
The government will not have access to the base data gathered by the app. The ZOE app is separate to the NHS Test and Trace app launched last week for a trial run, to support national and local contact tracing and help minimise the spread of COVID-19.
Together, these studies will help control the spread of the virus by providing vital new intelligence on the scale of local outbreaks, inform our understanding of the virus and how it affects different demographics.
Jonathan Wolf, CEO of ZOE, said: “We are a start-up, so we are delighted that this funding guarantees the future of the study throughout the winter. When we started the study with Professor Tim Spector at King’s in March, we never imagined it could become so important. We have been blown away by the commitment of the British public to help fight COVID, by sharing the state of their health daily.
“The app is an amazing demonstration of the power of large-scale science and the use of machine learning. We have funded the app ourselves so far, and with this funding we can continue the essential work of hotspot detection and research on the long-term risks of COVID.
“We are delighted that ZOE and this innovative study can play a part in keeping the UK safe.”
Do you believe everyone in North Edinburgh has the right to feel safe?
Has Black Lives Matter meant something to you, your family, friends or neighbours?
Would you like to be part of a creative way to think about a community that feels safe for all and without racism?
Come and be a part of designing and creating a powerful Community Mural at North Edinburgh Arts.
This is for anyone from any background and any ability. We want everyone to be part of this to create something inspiring. We believe everyone has a creative voice that can make change.
For more info or to get involved, please email rosagarman@pchp.org.uk or text/WhatsApp 07595 589 343.
The Friends’ group’s Gillean Paterson explained: “We received £10,000 from the National Lottery to match fund the grant from The Robertson Trust.
“The money is specifically to employ a Community Project Development Officer for one year to put in place plans for the garden.
“These include more community veg growing, a green gym, planting a miniforest to increase biodiversity, longer opening times – and that’s just to begin with!”
A busy year ahead for the Walled Garden team!
