Scotland’s four science centres are being offered an extra £2 million in emergency funding to help weather the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The money is on top of annual funding of £2.67 million from the Scottish Government, and means they will be able to start to re-open in the autumn, with safeguards in place to protect visitors.
Glasgow Science Centre, Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh (above), Dundee Science Centre and Aberdeen Science Centre collectively attract around 700,000 visitors and engage with a total of 1.5 million people of all ages annually – within the centres and through outreach and community programmes – playing a vital role in supporting education practitioners, schools, families and communities in every area of Scotland.
The four sites support access to public science engagement as part of the Scottish Government’s STEM Education and Training Strategy by stimulating debate and discussion around science and promoting science-based careers across a wide range of audiences of all ages and from all backgrounds.
Since closing their doors in March, the centres – which employ around 400 staff – have continued to engage with school pupils of all ages, teachers, families and the wider public, including via video-based content.
Science Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Our science centres are a valuable national asset, and even though they are currently closed to visitors, they have continued to deliver STEM learning opportunities through the creative and innovative use of online learning.
“From daily online videos and weekly themed home-learning programmes to stay-at-home science and STEM care packages, they have been providing valuable resources to support parents, teachers and young people during the school closures.
“Science, technology, engineering and maths impact our everyday lives and this has never been more relevant than in the current global pandemic. The huge contributions of Scotland’s STEM-related research and industry have being highlighted nationally and internationally throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
“This extra money puts our science centres in a stronger position to continue to showcase Scottish research and industry excellence in STEM, inspiring our young people and supporting their learning, while helping Scotland realise its ambitions as a science and innovation nation.”
Katrina Faccenda, Scottish Labour’s prospective candidate for Edinburgh North and Leith in next May’s Holyrood elections, has written to Public Finance Mnister (and local MSP) Ben McPherson over cuts to Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s budget.
She explained: “Today I have written to Ben Macpherson MSP regarding the proposed cuts to services currently provided through the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board. Urgent action is needed and as the Minister for Public Finance and Migration, I think Ben must speak up on behalf of his constituents.
“I am incredibly concerned about the effects of more austerity-driven cuts In the Edinburgh Northern and Leith constituency where underfunding of local government has already had a devastating impact and there are already too many living in poverty and struggling with health inequality.”
The letter reads:
“Dear Ben,
I am Katrina Faccenda, prospective Labour MSP candidate for Edinburgh Northern & Leith.
Like many of Edinburgh’s citizens, I felt the latest round of cuts to health and social care services in the city was really the final straw.(I refer to the Phase Zero cuts agreed by the EIJB (Edinburgh Integration Joint Board)).
The EIJB members confirmed that they are upset about the changes which will have a significant negative impact on Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.
Do you, as Edinburgh Northern and Leith’s representative in the Scottish Parliament, share my concern that these cuts will adversely affect people in the constituency?
Even before coronavirus, three wards in this constituency were reported to have child poverty levels higher than 30% (Edinburgh Poverty Commission Interim Report, Sept 2019)
You have stated that you are ‘ focused on being a passionate voice in the Scottish Parliament for local communities and for positive change’. (parliament.scot, Current Members, Personal Information) As the Minister responsible for Public Finance how do you plan to protect the community from such reductions in vital services?
Experts in site specific and promenade theatre, Edinburgh-based Grid Iron Theatre Company hopes to bring a world premiere of Doppler to audiences later this month.
With very limited audience numbers of up to 20 people, this outdoor, socially distant show would have a limited run starting on or after 24 August with venue and exact dates still to be confirmed.
Judith Doherty, Chief Executive and Co-Artistic Director of Grid Iron Theatre Company said: “We are very cautiously excited about the possibility of bringing Doppler to Edinburgh audiences this August.
“We have been developing the show for over a year now and had hoped to bring it to Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Doppler was always meant to be an outdoor show and with our experience of producing shows in unusual spaces, we remain hopeful that we will be able to proceed with our plans. We are currently awaiting confirmation of our venue and then we can proceed with securing the required licensing.
“Having said that, we acknowledge the situation is developing fast and we might need to adapt quickly. We understand that 24 August, the date announced by the Scottish Government today as potentially the first day of live outdoor performances being allowed back in Scotland, is an indicative date which will be reviewed in 3 weeks.
“Safety and comfort of our audiences and team are always our top priority and we are simultaneously working on plans for a non-live sharing of Doppler.”
Adapted and directed by Ben Harrison, produced by Judith Doherty, with dramaturgy by Eszter Marsalko and translated by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw, Doppler is an adaptation of a satirical novel by a Norwegian writer Erlend Loe.
It focuses on Doppler, a man who, following the death of his father, decides to abandon his family and move to the forest on the outskirts of Oslo. He is determined to live a life as far removed from his previous as possible but struggles to maintain his isolation as his existence garners a lot of unwanted attention.
Ben Harrison, Adaptor, Director and Co-Artistic Director of Grid Iron said: “Doppler has been planned for a couple of years but takes on new and unexpected resonances in the context of the pandemic. The central character is jolted out of his comfortable Norwegian existence by a bicycle accident and determines to live an isolated life in the forest away from his family and social circle.
“Determined to live a deliberately simple existence, a life fused with the rhythm of the forest, he slows everything right down. Through his comical one-sided dialogue with an orphaned elk calf that he adopts, muses on life, the excesses of capitalism, fathers and sons and the footprint we leave on the world.
“As the months move slowly by however, his alternative lifestyle of bartering and hunter-gathering attracts some unwanted attention, and he finds being alone not nearly as simple and straightforward as he had hoped.”
Known for the role of Lesley in Outlander, Keith Fleming is Doppler with Grid Iron-regulars Itxaso Moreno and Sean Hay portraying all the remaining characters. The Company is also working with several talented freelancers, including Fergus Dunnet who is producing the puppets for the show, David Pollock on music and foley and Becky Minto who is responsible for design.
Following weeks of Zoom meetings, the Company has now begun outdoor rehearsals strictly following all the safety measures. These include not only face masks, hand sanitizing and social distancing but also taking people’s temperature at home and then again in the outdoor rehearsal space, props being handled by only one person, introduction of a clean objects area after they are sanitized and shorter rehearsal days to avoid having to take meal breaks.
The Company is also making it possible for people not to have to travel to work by public transport unless they are absolutely comfortable to do so and if yes, only outwith peak times.
The very strict health and safety regulations also impact on the design of the show with rigging and lighting designed to be handled by only one person at all times and actors wearing their own clothes and bringing some of the props from home.
Grid Iron Theatre Company has decades of experience of producing theatre in non-theatre, often outdoor spaces and is widely recognised as experts in audience management.
Its past productions include Roam presented at the Edinburgh Airport, Decky Does Bronco in parks and play areas across the UK and Ireland, Dr Stirlingshire’s Discovery at the Edinburgh Zoo and Crude, produced at a huge former oil-rig manufacturing shed in the Port of Dundee.
The Company is closely following the Scottish Government’s guidelines and is in touch with local authorities, and remains hopeful the staging of Doppler late in August will be possible. It recognises however that the current landscape is uncertain and everchanging and as such, is preparing for the eventuality that the live outdoor show will not be able to proceed.
If that happens, Doppler will be shared with audiences digitally as a filmed performance.
Well done! We are pleased to announce that our plans for the acquisition of Victoria Primary School are on target, thanks to your help.
Critical Meeting
Last week, we appeared before local Councillors on what is called a Community Asset Transfer Stage Two Panel. It was confirmed there that ours is the only application they are considering.
We mounted a sophisticated presentation using a wide range of colourful photographs and graphs, with critical links to an impressive number of local groups from professional firms to key charities, all involved in our three interconnected intergenerational themes that some of you now know off by heart:
Culture & Heritage Learning & Enterprise Well-being in the Community
We passed the test!
We demonstrated both the viability of our long term Business Plan and that what we propose is in the interests of the whole community, by honestly answering questions put to us by the various councillors.
Crucially important was to demonstrate how Well-being has, during “lock-down”, embraced the other two themes.
Learning & Enterprise is attracting novel ideas of helping each other face an uncertain future that with imagination has great opportunities for innovation, including awareness of environmental challenges.
Culture & Heritage has a key part too. The iconic Victorian Building will not be mothballed or converted into flats after 176 years of history but will tell the story of Newhaven over the past 500 years while looking confidently forward, using imaginative interactive techniques.
The modern Anchor Building will primarily meet the urgent need for nursery care. We expect that other compatible enterprises might well be accommodated in a flexible use of the space. The surrounding attractive garden and playground areas will help showcase this as the beating Heart of Newhaven Community.
The Panel was impressed and we have been encouraged to move forward with our plans.
And you have helped: either because you were already part of the Heart of Newhaven Community ❤️ or because through our recent postcard delivery you have just joined us, boosting support.
Keep the numbers growing. Representation of the whole community across what is technically called “the area of benefit” is essential to meet the City of Edinburgh Council targets for the ways in which they are required to provide for important needs from the youngest to the oldest in an area of growing population.
If you live in this area – as nearly all of you do – you should have received an attractive postcard designed to encourage more people to join us.
We have delivered nearly 7,000, which gives some idea of the population. We’ve still not quite finished (in case you haven’t got yours yet) but the results, together with our modern media contacts, are very encouraging.
It is now even more important to make sure your friends have signed up too.
Ask them. Nudge them. Tell them how good it will be for them too. Why not display the postcard in a window for the world to see?
Imagine Newhaven’s beating heart on display together with the rainbows of hope! What a combination! ️
The UK government must reconsider its position on people with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), says Scotland’s Housing Minister Kevin Stewart.
The move follows a letter from Minister for Immigration Compliance Chris Philp which again stated that there were no plans for the Home Office to suspend its approach to those with NRPF, despite the ongoing public health emergency.
More than £875,000 has been provided by the Scottish Government and local authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that people with no access to financial support are kept safe and secure. The Scottish Government and its third sector partners have repeatedly called for the UK government to lift these restrictions during the pandemic to enable everyone in our society to be treated fairly and equitably.
Mr Stewart said: “The Scottish Government is determined for our most vulnerable citizens not to be abandoned at a time when they need our help the most.
“The economic impacts of the pandemic are pushing thousands of people further into poverty and harming their work opportunities. However, thanks to a rapid and coordinated response in Scotland, we have been able to accommodate people who would otherwise be facing destitution, so they can protect themselves and others during the COVID-19 crisis.
“As a result, many people restricted by the UK Government’s harmful approach, who were previously sleeping rough or in unsuitable night shelters, are now being supported in hotels and other self-contained accommodation.
“I am therefore appalled at the UK government’s refusal to do the right thing and immediately lift the restrictions on those who currently have no recourse to public funds for the duration of this public health crisis and would again call for them to act.
“Their unreasonable and heartless restriction also affects women and children fleeing domestic abuse who have to leave with little resources or belongings and non EEA nationals who lost their incomes and found themselves far from their families and homes as a result of the pandemic.”
Here in Scotland, we boast some of the most stunning scenery in the UK – we’d really appreciate your help to keep it that way.
Warmer weather and the increased numbers of people visiting the countryside creates a greater risk of fire.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Alasdair Perry said: “Camping is something that lots of people enjoy each summer in Scotland and as lockdown restrictions ease many will be eager to get outdoors and rightly enjoy the stunning countryside in which we live once again.
“We always want people to stay safe and have a good experience.
“Tents are susceptible to fire which can take hold very quickly. Using stoves or other cooking and heating equipment in tents could endanger lives not only from fire but also as a result of a build-up of Carbon Monoxide so we’d remind campers not to smoke or cook within tents and use torches instead of candles.
“If barbecuing or considering a camp fire, where these are allowed, never leave it unattended, ensure it is well away from anything to which it could spread and keep children and pets away from the cooking area. Avoid alcohol if you are in charge of preparing the food.
“Do not dispose of ashes until they are cold to the touch as hot ashes can melt a plastic bin causing fire. Wherever possible, they should always be doused with water prior to leaving them unattended. The danger of wildfire is very real in Scotland.
“An important point to remember is that even cold barbecues or fuelled appliances can still give off Carbon Monoxide for some time after use therefore they should always be kept outside.
“Gas barbecues should be used in a well ventilated area.
“Remember to keep your area tidy and always clear up litter when done. Whist we all wish to keep our country beautiful, litter can seriously injure wildlife and items such as glass bottles in strong sunlight have the potential to start a fire.
“In addition to all this, if people are spending more time outdoors near waterways please be aware of the risks around cold water shock to prevent avoidable tragedies.”
Please visit the ‘Your Safety’ section of our website for more information or visit https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/
Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will be rolled out across NHS hospitals, care homes and labs from next week.
Both tests will be able to detect COVID-19 and other winter viruses in just 90 minutes
New tests will hugely increase testing capacity ahead of winter, delivering fast results that will help to break chains of transmission quickly
Millions of ground-breaking rapid coronavirus tests will be rolled out to hospitals, care homes and labs across the UK to increase testing capacity ahead of winter. The tests will enable clinicians and NHS Test and Trace to quickly advise on the best course of action to stop the spread of the virus.
Two new tests – both able to detect the virus in just 90 minutes – will be made available to NHS hospitals, care homes and labs. The 2 tests will be able to detect both COVID-19 and other winter viruses such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The tests do not require a trained health professional to operate them, meaning they can be rolled out in more non-clinical settings.
This will help to further strengthen the coronavirus response this winter, arming both clinicians and NHS Test and Trace with the ability to distinguish between COVID-19 cases, which have specific self-isolation requirements, and other winter viruses.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We’re using the most innovative technologies available to tackle coronavirus. Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will provide on-the-spot results in under 90 minutes, helping us to break chains of transmission quickly.
“The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19 will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others.
“I am hugely grateful for the excellent work done by DnaNudge and Oxford Nanopore to push forward these life-saving innovations in coronavirus testing.”
A new test that uses DNA to detect the virus will be rolled out across NHS hospitals from September, with 5,000 DNA machines, supplied by DnaNudge, to provide 5.8 million tests in the coming months.
Separately, 450,000 90-minute LamPORE swab tests will also be available across adult care setting and laboratories from next week, supplied by Oxford Nanopore.
DNA testing for coronavirus
5,000 DNA ‘Nudgebox’ machines, supplied by DnaNudge, will be rolled out across NHS hospitals in the UK to analyse DNA in nose swabs, providing a positive or negative result for COVID-19 in 90 minutes, at the point of care. The machines will process up to 15 tests on the spot each day without the need for a laboratory.
The DNA COVID-19 test machines are currently operating in 8 London hospitals:
St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington
Charing Cross Hospital
West Middlesex University Hospital
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Royal Hospital Chelsea
Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Maternity Hospital
the Renal Transplant Centre at Hammersmith Hospital
the Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health at Mile End Hospital
The machines are located in cancer wards, A&E and maternity wards to protect those most at risk.
The government is signing contracts with more companies to produce machines for DNA coronavirus testing.
Rapid LamPORE tests
The new rapid LamPORE test will be able to process swab and saliva samples to detect the presence of COVID-19 in 60 to 90 minutes.
The new test has the same sensitivity as the widely used PCR swab test, but can be used to process swabs in labs, as well as on-location through ‘pop up’ labs. The desktop GridION machine can process up to 15,000 tests a day, or the palm-sized MinION can process up to 2,000 tests a day for deployment in a near-community ‘pop-up’ lab.
450,000 of the new LamPORE tests will be available from next week across adult care settings, NHS laboratories and lighthouse laboratories, with millions more tests to be rolled out later in the year.
Details of positive test results will be shared with NHS Test and Trace, so close contacts can self-isolate in line with guidance.
Regius Professor Chris Toumazou FRS, CEO and co-founder of DnaNudge and founder of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London, commented: “The DnaNudge team worked with incredible speed and skill during the peak of the pandemic to deliver this highly accurate, rapid COVID-19 test, which requires absolutely no laboratory or pipettes and can be deployed anywhere with a direct sample-to-result in around just over an hour.
“We have been able to successfully adapt our in-store consumer DNA testing technology – which identifies genetic risks for chronic conditions related to obesity and type 2 diabetes – and validate it for detecting COVID-19 with gold-standard accuracy.
“We are extremely proud to be playing such a pivotal role in supporting the national effort on testing, as this major contract award signifies. With the ability to test not only for COVID-19 but also FluA, FluB and RSV on the same single COVID-19 Nudge cartridge, our multiplex test offers a vital solution to protect the NHS as we head into the flu season.”
Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore, said: “We are honoured to be playing a part in fighting COVID-19 in the UK, and preparing the country for the winter virus season. Ever since we founded Oxford Nanopore, our mission has been to create disruptive, high performance technology that has a profound, positive impact on society.
“LamPORE has the potential to deliver a highly effective and, crucially, accessible global testing solution, not only for COVID-19 but for a range of other pathogens. We are delighted to be working with the UK government to support and empower our communities to effectively manage testing at a national and localised level.”
Diners across the UK will see their restaurant bills slashed by as much as 50% from today as the UK government’s landmark Eat Out to Help Out scheme officially opens for business.
from today customers will get up to 50% off on bills when visiting participating restaurants, pubs and cafes
half price discount will run through August and applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks consumed on the premises – with Pizza Express, Costa Coffee and Nando’s among thousands signed up
the scheme, part of the Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs, aims to protect jobs in the hospitality sector – which has been hit hard by coronavirus
Anyone visiting a participating restaurant, café or pub on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August will receive the half price discount – keeping more money in hardworking families’ pockets and giving a vital boost to the UK’s hospitality sector.
The scheme – part of the government’s Plan for Jobs that will spur the country’s economic recovery from coronavirus – applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks, with a maximum discount per person of £10. It could save a family of four up to £40 per meal.
More than 72,000 establishments are participating, including independent eateries and family favourites such as Pizza Express, Costa Coffee and Nando’s.
There have already been over 3.3 million hits on the Eat Out to Help Out restaurant finder since it launched last week, which shows what businesses are participating in local areas, and many restaurants have since seen a boost in bookings. Apps like Opentable, Fork and Bookatable are all planning pages to support the scheme.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “Our Eat Out to Help Out scheme’s number one aim is to help protect the jobs of 1.8 million chefs, waiters and restaurateurs by boosting demand and getting customers through the door.
“More than 72,000 establishments will be serving discounted meals across the country, with the government paying half the bill. The industry is a vital ingredient to our economy and it’s been hit hard by coronavirus, so enjoy summer safely by showing your favourite places your support – we’ll pay half.”
The scheme will help protect the jobs of the hospitality industry’s 1.8 million employees by encouraging people to safely return to their local restaurants, cafes and pubs where social-distancing rules allow.
Around 80% of hospitality firms stopped trading in April, with 1.4 million workers furloughed, the highest of any sector.
Many participating restaurants offer healthy and low-calorie options, and the scheme should be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. No vouchers are needed, with the participating establishment deducting 50% from the bill.
People may be worried about returning to eat out. To address these concerns, businesses have prepared to become Covid-secure through, for example, protective screens, contactless payments, social distancing, one way walking systems, online bookings and reduced capacity.
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme is one part of the Chancellor’s £30 billion Plan for Jobs, announced last month. Other measures announced to protect, support and create jobs include cutting VAT for tourism and hospitality by 15%, a £2 billion Kickstart Scheme and an £8.8 billion investment in new infrastructure, decarbonisation and maintenance projects.
Why our weekly shop may never be the same post Covid-19
New research shows that many of the online shopping habits we have adopted over lockdown are here to stay
61% of Brits say they shopped more online during Covid-19 with 89% saying they will continue to shop as much online or even more post-lockdown
The impact on businesses could be huge with the uptick in buying groceries, home and garden products, and hygiene products all set to stick around
Your weekly shop may never be the same according to brand new research which shows lockdown may well have permanently changed Brits’ buying habits.
Trading in the shopping trolley for a laptop, the figures show that the huge rise in online shopping during the pandemic will be anything but a flash in the pan, with shoppers keen to continue to log on and check out.
An e-commerce revolution
Covid-19 is ushering in a new age of consumer behaviour according to research which shows the vast majority of Brits plan to stick to their lockdown online buying habits.
Retailers have seen online sales increase dramatically with 61% of Brits admitting to shopping more online during Covid19. This rapid increase in ecommerce is expected to add £5.3bn to UK ecommerce sales in 2020, totalling £78.9bn[1].
It looks like this rapid e-commerce revolution is here to stay, with 89% saying they will continue to shop online at the same level or even more post-lockdown. An overwhelming 93% of Brits now feel confident about buying items online.
One of the categories that has seen the biggest increase include groceries, with 39% of Brits reporting an increase in online shopping. As much of our attention turned towards our homes, it’s no wonder that 29% of Brits reported increased online shopping for home and garden products – contributing to the 41% of Brits who received a home, garden or DIY related product since the Covid-19 crisis[2].
The research is borne out further by statistics from DS Smith, a leading provider of e-commerce packaging in Europe, with the company seeing a 100% increase in packaging demand for food packaging, flowers, and hygiene products sold online since the start of the pandemic.
The new normal
Even with lockdown easing, DS Smith’s research shows that many of these new shopping trends catalysed by Covid-19 are here to stay, with more than half of Brits planning to buy groceries (60%), hygiene products (51%), and home and garden products (54%) online at the same rate or higher in the next six months.
Across all surveyed categories – except beauty – men reported a greater uptick than women and said they were more likely to continue with their online shopping habits.
Trying something new
The changes aren’t just about volume. Not only are we buying more online, we’re also buying in new ways. Nearly a third of Brits said they have signed up to a new shopping website that they hadn’t used before lockdown and spending on meal kits and grocery delivery boxes soared by 114% after people were told to stay indoors.
There’s also evidence that Brits did pick up new lockdown hobbies, spiking online orders for leisure products. DS Smith’s data shows a 60% increase in demand for e-commerce solutions for leisure.
One in five (19%) have been embracing their creative side during lockdown by ordering arts and crafts items and Peloton, fitness equipment maker, saw their quarterly revenue soar by 66% since Covid-19 took hold.
As a result of these accelerated changes and to meet new customer demand, businesses large and small have been forced to rapidly initiate or adapt e-commerce offerings – a process which may have taken years without the imperative provided by the global pandemic.
Stefano Rossi, Packaging CEO at DS Smith, said “There has been a seismic shift in the way consumers are shopping and we’ve been using our expertise to support businesses of all sizes with the rapid growth of e-commerce so they can survive and thrive through this uncertain time.
“What’s clear is that as lockdown eases further, these trends aren’t likely to fall away. Consumers have found new confidence and convenience in the way they shop, buying a whole range of items online – everything from the family food shop, to toiletries and home and garden products. If companies are not already transforming their business to meet this new age of e-commerce, they risk being left behind.”
What drives the e-consumer?
Reasons for buying online during the pandemic splits by gender and the generation. Men and younger people prioritise convenience, while women and older generations focus on safety.
However, as a green recovery and building back better becomes a global priority, sustainability is an increasing concern for shoppers post-lockdown.
Almost a quarter (24%) are more likely to buy online if items are delivered with less packaging or more sustainable packaging, and 21% are more likely to buy online if their products arrive in more recyclable packaging.
Of the age groups, those between 25 and 34 were most sustainability conscious and women held this as a higher priority than men (27% of women would rather deliveries had less packaging than compared with 21% of men).
Consumers have different reasons for why they have drastically increased online shopping during Covid-19. There are nuances between genders for choosing to shop online, with 35% of men shopping online more for convenience, whereas 48% of women said safety was the main reason they have been buying items online.
Interestingly, Brits are also mirroring some of their brick and mortar shopping habits online; a third of people have “window shopped” online or kept a wish list during lockdown and over a third of Brits bargain hunt online.
Stefano Rossi, added: “The research shows that greener packaging is a real concern for shoppers and as we help our customers make a green recovery a practical reality and priority through simple measures like adopting sustainable packaging.
“We’re keen to help brands and businesses navigate this path and work with them so that they can benefit from sustainable packaging solutions that its very clear their customers desire.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
EAT MORE FIBRE
Dietary fibre comes from the plants we eat and it is an essential part of a healthy diet. It is well known that eating fibre can prevent constipation, but did you know it can also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer? Most of us do not eat enough fibre and this may be putting our health at risk.
Check out our tips below to help you increase the amount of fibre in your diet.
Which foods are high in fibre?
Dietary fibre can only be found in foods that come from plants, such as wholegrain cereals, wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, beans, and lentils.
Checking the labels on food products will show you how much fibre they contain. A product that is “high fibre” is one that has at least 6g of fibre per 100g. White bread, white pasta, white rice and non-wholegrain cereals are lower in fibre because the fibrous part of the plant (the bran) is removed during processing.
Reasons to eat more fibre
Fibre contains the parts of plants that are not absorbed by the body. When you eat plant foods, the fibre passes through your stomach and intestines relatively intact. This adds bulk to your stools and makes them easier to pass. By increasing the amount of fibre you eat, you can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
Fibre also helps to lower high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure to keep your heart healthy. Including plenty of fibre in your diet can also help you to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, which is important for good heart health.
Tips to increase your fibre intake
Obtaining fibre from a variety of food sources is a great way to ensure a healthy balanced diet. It is important to make sure you are drinking enough fluid as this will help the fibre to do its job.
– For snacks choose unsalted nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks or oatcakes
– Opt for potatoes with their skins on, like jacket potato or boiled new potatoes
– Aim to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Remember, frozen, dried and tinned fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 a day. Choose tinned fruit in natural juice rather than syrup, which is high in sugar.
– Add extra vegetables or pulses, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas to your favourite meals like curries, bolognaise, chilli, soups and stews. You can also try adding linseeds to yoghurts, soups or juices
– For breakfast why not choose a high-fibre cereal. Look out for cereals that are labelled as “whole grain” or with “bran” or “fibre” in their name. Try to choose plain varieties with no added sugars. You could also try porridge topped with some fruit
– Some people worry that if they increase their fibre intake it will cause them to suffer from flatulence (wind). To avoid this, you should gradually increase the amount of fibre in your diet to allow your body time to adjust
– Instead of white bread, white rice and white pasta, try switching to wholemeal or granary bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta.
