October 2020 – Page 11 – The NEN

Youth Work needs a home

Young people are being reduced to meeting under gazebos and tarpaulins to access vital local services as a new survey reveals a lack of facilities threatens to keep youth work out in the cold this winter.

YouthLink Scotland, Scotland’s National Youth Work Agency, released the latest results of a two-month survey of the youth work sector’s access to facilities, which painted a picture of youth work organisations up and down the country struggling to find appropriate indoor spaces due to confusion over lockdown restrictions.

It has now issued a call for national and local leadership to help the sector overcome the barriers to youth work resuming, with YouthLink CEO Tim Frew warning that a lack of access to facilities threatens to leave young people in Scotland without vital support.

The calls are backed by Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner and See Me, the national mental health charity.

The results show an extremely concerning situation for young people involved in youth work, in particular vulnerable youngsters who rely on that support.

While some youth work organisations had previously been able to offer limited services in public spaces such as cafés, youth workers voiced concerns that even this offers little privacy for vulnerable young people who need intensive support.

Lack of access to appropriate facilities has left many youth work organisations unable to return to face-to-face indoor youth work. Over 50% of council youth work services have not been able to resume, and this rises to over 80% for national voluntary organisations like Scouts, and local voluntary youth work projects across the country.

The survey also revealed that over three-quarters of youth work organisations still have no access to any school facilities, while around 95% remain locked out of local leisure centre facilities.

This is despite Scottish Government guidance enabling indoor face-to-face youth work to resume from 31^st August.

The agency says it is not acceptable to leave many vulnerable young people without access to vital support at a time when youth work is needed more than ever, as we face an increasing youth mental health crisis as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

The situation has meant that youth workers are having to deliver services in parks, school grounds, on the streets, using tents, gazebos and tarpaulins for shelter as it gets colder.

It’s clear that although youth work organisations have the necessary risk assessments for practice in place, access to buildings and facilities is still being restricted or denied. Guidance is being interpreted differently in local areas.

Commenting on the findings of the latest survey, Tim Frew, CEO, YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, said: “We need to move forward and ensure that access to facilities for youth work increases.

“From our survey we can see that almost all youth organisations responsible for facilities have completed risk assessments. Detailed guidance for school facilities and for outdoor centres has been developed.

“For centres where youth work is the tenant and not the landlord we need to understand what the barriers are to their re-opening.

“If the issue is guidance from the Scottish Government on the use of Community Centres, we know that this is in development and is needed urgently. If the issue is more about the cost then we need to ensure that extra funds are found, as we cannot allow for young people to be prevented from accessing youth work when they need it now more an ever.”

Gina Wilson, Head of Strategy for the Children and Young People’s Commissioner said: “Youth workers play a significant role in ensuring children and young people can access their rights to good mental and physical health as well as their educational, social and recreational rights.

“The pandemic has highlighted and further entrenched existing inequalities and providing vital youth work services over the coming winter months and beyond must be a priority to ensure children and young people’s rights are protected and promoted.”

Wendy Halliday, director of mental health charity, See Me said: “At See Me, youth work has been vital in allowing us to tackle the stigma and discrimination that young people can face when they’re struggling with their mental health.

“Youth work provides a platform for young people to speak out about mental health to other young people and to the adults in their lives, while also getting help and support for themselves.

“Through this pandemic more young people than ever are struggling with their mental health and to help those young people it is essential that youth work can resume in a safe way. We know that youth work is key to reaching and engaging young people that can be missed by other services and forms of support, while also connecting young people who can feel alone and isolated.”

Councillor Stephen McCabe, Cosla’s children and young people spokesman, said: “Sadly there is no denying that these are difficult times and we are dealing with an issue the likes of which we have never seen before.

“Councils have an extremely difficult balancing act between supporting local services, their responsibilities as employers and adhering to local restrictions, however, above all else the health and safety of everyone remains our number one priority.

“The best way to get through this is by a collective push and working in partnership both locally and nationally.

“That is what we are committed to continuing to do and why we would be happy to work with YouthLink, Scottish Government and others to find solutions.

“The seriousness of this situation, the speed at which things can change and the pressure on councils are all very real.“

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We recognise the valuable role that the youth work sector has to play in supporting the health and wellbeing of young people in Scotland.

“We are investing £3 million through the Youth Work Education Recovery Fund to ensure youth work services are supported to deliver vital interventions to young people across Scotland.

“Community centre opening guidance is being developed with input from a number of key stakeholders, including YouthLink Scotland.

“Local authorities have responsibility for their buildings, including community centres, and make decisions over what activities can take place in them.”

COMMENTS FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS:

“Safe and supportive conversations with young people on their own who are grieving, and exploring coping strategies, need to be carried out in a safe, nurturing space and not in the public domain of outdoor pitches or fast-food eateries.”

“Blanket bans on lets for Council-owned properties such as school lets but also some community halls. Groups are responding by only meeting outside or online but this issue will grow as we approach colder and darker evenings after October half term.”

“Outdoor group work has been possible, but with reduced light and poor climate, it is challenging. Youth workers are seeking spaces in coffee shops, supermarkets, and car parks to be able to have shelter/conversations with young people for support and meetings on projects. The digital challenges continue and return to face-to-face is what young people are requesting.”

“Unfortunately we are not providing any youth work at the moment (indoors or outdoors) as we do not have access to any spaces that are classed as safe. The restrictions mean that we can’t host the number of young people we used to and as such the service is struggling to organise youth work opportunities for young people in our area.”

“We remain frustrated at not being able to use our youth centres for indoor youth work. Our local Recovery Group initially granted us access to resume indoor youth groups but have since withdrawn that permission. We are unable to operate school-based youth groups as we don’t have access to school lets in the evening and after school. Only school groups are using our youth centre on a few hours per day.”

“I feel that fear has caused a blanket ban on all group meetings instead of allowing choice and thinking about the needs and capabilities of different groups. All our local Girlguiding units are affected in the same way as we all meet in a hall or community centre.”

“Barriers accessing schools to provide informal learning. Community centres still not opened and youth centres the same. All of our work is still digital. Real want from youth workers to get back to work but no physical spaces to do this.”

“Our group has to rehearse outside in the back playground of our usual venue. The back of the hub is covered in glass from broken alcohol bottles and is clearly a ‘den’ for some. We have to sweep the ground every week and risk assess to ensure the area is safe. There is no sufficient lighting, which is going to pose a major problem when the darker night come in! The area is an old school shed that is no longer in use – there is an old couch and rubbish dumped and it smells of urine! The young people I work with are happy to be together again but it poses a challenge – drama is an activity that requires a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and develop confidence.”

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Keeping your pets calm this fireworks season

Top tips from the team behind the all-natural Be:Loved pet care range

Covid-19 has put the dampener on public Bonfire Night events this year, which means private displays will be the order of the day. With our skies lit up more than normal at this time of year, pet owners will be eager to ensure that their beloved pets are saved from the brink of fear with every whizz, pop and bang.

One company which cares deeply for pets of all shapes and sizes is Podium Pet Products, the supplier of the utterly divine Be:Loved range of 100% natural pet care products including shampoo bars, nose & paw balms, skin & coat oils, sun protection and room fragrances.

Here the company’s founder, Carina Evans, shares some top tips for keeping your pets safe and stress-free this fireworks night:

 Preparation is key. Start by rescheduling your dog’s walk for during daylight hours and, if possible, add a little extra to the walk to ensure they will be worn out come nighttime.

 As nighttime approaches close all windows and draw the curtains to muffle the noise from outside, as well as minimising visibility of flashing lights.

 Be sure to add additional sounds to the home, such as the TV or radio. If possible, increase the volume throughout the day to gradually drown out exterior noises.

 Make sure your pets are kept indoors and ensure that their favourite place to sleep or relax is accessible.

 Why not add a few extra distractions to the evening – extra cuddles, a few more rounds of catch, and treats and snacks that will keep their attention away from the fireworks.

 If you pet does want to hide then give them plenty of space to do so, and don’t be tempted to drag them out of their hideaway. Instead, stay with them, offer soothing words and comfort as much as possible.

 Pheromone diffusers are available but natural solutions do also deliver results. Scents such as Lavender, Chamomile, Marjoram, Frankincense Carterii and Valerian are well-known for their calming abilities so look out for candles, room fragrances or other products, including essential oils, which contain these scents to create a calming environment.

Though Carina notes: “Essential Oils have so many healing benefits for our furry friends but with them are associated risks if the “blends” and quantities are incorrect. Just like humans can eat lots of chocolate without too much trouble, a dog doing the same can become fatally ill.

“Cats in particular are very sensitive to essential oils as their kidneys and other organs have real trouble processing them. It is therefore incredibly important that pet parents carefully check the dosage allowed, and only use pure oils if they choose to administer essential oils to their pets.”

Let Be:Loved offer a calming ‘hug’ this Guy Fawkes night

The inspiration for Be:Loved came in the form of an old family heirloom: a farmhouse recipe book. This book held a treasure trove of recipes for treating common ailments for both farmer and livestock alike, and it is these recipes which have been reimagined within the Be:Loved collection.

Drawing upon years of experience, and lovingly handmade in the UK, each Be:Loved product has been carefully designed to deliver results whilst providing the ultimate pamper experience for pet and owner. All the products are tested on humans so we know they work whether you have two legs or four!

This November reach for the Be:Calm Shampoo Bar (£5.00) . With the calming scent of lavender and extra moisturising goat’s milk, Be:Calm is the perfect way to help your pet unwind, making it perfect for bath lovers to stay distracted whilst your neighbours enjoy celebrating November 5th .

For those pets that enjoy cuddles and strokes, the Be:Silky Skin & Coat Conditioning Pet Massage Oil Rub (£20.00) is the perfect companion. Help your pets drift off as you massage the enriching and conditioning blend of natural botanical oils and essences, including Grape Seed, Lavender, Vitamin E, Sweet Almond and Rose, into their coat and skin.

Or why not reach for the Be:Loved, Soothing and Nourishing Nose & Paw Balm (£8.00)? Enriched with shea butter, Vitamin E, avocado oil and manuka honey, this balm will not only tackle cracked paw pads, elbow callouses or dry noses, but it will help you to soothe your pet with the most delicious massage session, perfect for banishing the fireworks blues whilst strengthening the bond between pet and pet parent.

Whilst you are at it, set the scene for some pure relaxation with the Be:Calm – Lavender & Chamomile Mud & Boot Room Candle (£15.00). Perfect for the boot room, kennels or kitchen, this odour-eliminating candle is formulated with enzymes which not only cover up but remove household odours – whether from pets or cooking smells. Come November 5th, the candle comes into its own, helping to waft the gentle and soothing aroma of lavender around the home.

All of these products, plus the full Be:Loved range can be purchased via www.wearebeloved.co . Every product is backed by the Be:Loved EcoPledge, which means no plastic is used anywhere in the range and is fully designed to be recycled or repurposed, whilst everything also benefits from being free from ‘nasties’ including MIT and paraben.

Children asked to share their views on Child Rights Bill

Care experienced children and young people are among those who will have the opportunity to give their opinions on new legislation which would incorporate an international human rights treaty into Scots law – in a Zoom chat with MSPs.

Virtual calls hosted by children’s rights organisations will allow children and young people from a diverse range of groups across Scotland to meet privately with members of the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, which is seeking views on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.

Their comments will form part of the evidence to the committee in its scrutiny of the legislation, which would allow children and young people to take public bodies to court for breaches of their rights.

The Bill legally obliges public authorities – including Scottish Ministers – to respect children’s rights, placing them under a duty not to act incompatibly with the UN Convention, while Ministers will also be required to make a Children’s Rights Scheme to set out how they will comply with the duty.

Children and representatives acting on their behalf will be able to challenge public authorities in court for infringing their rights, and the new legislation will allow the courts to strike down legislation that is incompatible with any UNCRC requirements.

The Bill also provides new powers to the Children and Young People’s Commissioner in Scotland (CYPCS) to litigate in the public interest, which would enable the Commissioner to take cases to court on behalf of children and provide advice to courts about the Convention.

Committee Convener, Ruth Maguire MSP, said: “This legislation has the potential to transform the way public bodies approach the needs and rights of children in Scotland. It is therefore vitally important that we hear from those children who, by reason of ethnicity, gender, religion or disability, are most likely to face discrimination and who may not normally have an opportunity to express their views.

“Online meetings facilitated by organisations that work with care experienced children, young people within the criminal justice system, children with disabilities or other additional support needs, as well as young LGBT people and BAME groups, will allow members of the committee to learn more about the experiences of children and young people and the issues they have to deal with in their daily lives.

“We want to know what barriers they face and what they think should be done to make sure their rights are respected.”

A facilitator’s pack developed with children’s organisations provides groups with activities to help them respond to the consultation. Education resources are available for primary and secondary schools to explain the Bill and Committee process and invite pupils to take part in the consultation. British Sign Language users will also be able to contribute to the Committee’s evidence-gathering by sending in videos with their views.

The closing date for responses to the call for views is midnight on 20 November 2020, which is Universal Children’s Day, marking the day on which the Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted in 1959.

The private virtual calls will be hosted by: Who Cares? Scotland; Aberlour; Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice; Scottish Commission for Learning Disability; LGBT Youth Scotland; and Intercultural Youth Scotland.

Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) is also hosting virtual calls with the following organisations: The Children’s Parliament; Licketyspit; Children in Scotland; Scottish Youth Parliament; Youth Link Scotland; Barnardo’s Scotland; and Carers Trust Scotland.

Restriction-affected Capital businesses encouraged to apply for coronavirus funds

Edinburgh businesses that have been affected by the current closures and restrictions can now apply for relief from the Coronavirus Restrictions Business Fund.

Businesses can apply for Scottish Government relief through Business Closure and Business Hardship Funds from 9am Tuesday 20 October
Scottish Government has made £40m available nationally to Scottish businesses impacted by the most recent set of restrictions that saw licensed premises close across Edinburgh

This follows the Scottish Government’s announcement on 9 October that £40m would be made available through one-off grants to support businesses directly impacted by the most recent set of restrictions.

Local businesses can apply online with the grants distributed by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The Business Closure Fund is a grant of up to £3,000 available to hospitality and other eligible businesses required to close (except for takeaways) by these new regulations. Up to £1,500 is available to businesses that are able to remain open but have been significantly impacted by the restrictions through the Business Hardship Fund.

The first round of applications for both funds is open to hospitality businesses that are required to close or operate in a restricted way due to the regulations and are able to evidence a minimum 25% reduction in turnover during the brake period.

Scottish producers or wholesale businesses supplying primarily short-life goods or products to hospitality businesses and some gyms that can show the same reduction in turnover will also be able to apply for the Business Hardship Fund.

Retail and businesses that provide takeaway food as the core and established basis of their operations are not eligible for these closure or hardship funds.

The Scottish Government will also work with business and sector representative organisations to provide additional support through a new £11 million contingency fund for businesses that need support but do not qualify for either of the new Funds.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Our local businesses have been fantastic during the last seven months but there’s no getting away from how difficult this situation is and now more than ever it is imperative that we continue to support Edinburgh’s local traders.

“This funding is to help our businesses survive and to enable them to thrive when they’re able to trade again as normal. Our team are ready to process applications quickly to make sure businesses get this support as fast as possible.

“As well as helping our local businesses access the Scottish Government Funds, we’re looking at other actions we can take to build on the continued support we have been providing since the start of the lockdown.

“Again, I encourage everyone to support where they can: visit your local cafes and unlicensed premises, look out for your neighbours and continue to follow the public health guidance provided.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh’s local economy has been hard hit and we need to do everything we can to support them during this incredibly difficult time.

“We are working with the Scottish Government to help our affected local businesses access the funding that has been made available to them and will continue working with them and other partners throughout our ongoing response to and recovery from Covid-19.

“We have to double down on our efforts to support local industries, businesses and jobs in the best way we can: by coming together as one Team Edinburgh and supporting our local businesses and communities.”

The Council has taken previous steps to promote a sustainable economic recovery and support small businesses throughout the pandemic, including:

Awarding £112.5m in more than 9,000 Government funded Coronavirus Business Support Grants to local businesses
Supporting businesses to gradually reopen safely with a ‘Ready, Set, Go’ advice service, including guidance provided to 20,000 business owners
A more flexible approach to licensing to help more businesses apply to use outdoor space
Accelerating plans to use the Council’s supply chains to better support local business and stimulate economic growth
Creating more space for people to travel to businesses safely and enjoyably through the Council’s Spaces for People initiative, with priority being given to support walking, cycling, wheelchair use and prams
Working with the Edinburgh Tourism and Action Group and other partners to support the #ForeverEdinburgh campaign which will gradually market the City as an attractive place for shopping, dining out and visiting with a £55,000 contribution from the Council.

Extension of measures ‘cataclysmic’ for hospitality industry

Statement given by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Wednesday 21 October 2020:

Good afternoon, thank you for joining us. I will start with the usual daily report on the COVID statistics. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,739.

That represents 19.8% of people newly tested, and 9.7% of the total number of tests carried out.

The total number of cases in Scotland since the start of the pandemic therefore now stands at 50,903.

Of yesterday’s cases 605 were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 520 in Lanarkshire, 250 in Lothian and 105 in Ayrshire and Arran.

The remaining cases were spread across nine other health board areas.

Now I would remind you that an element of today’s cases will be catch up on the past few days given the backlog in testing that we’ve had over the weakened, and that I have spoken about earlier in the week.

I can also confirm that 873 people are currently in hospital which is an increase of 49 from yesterday.

And 73 people are in intensive care, that is three more than the figure yesterday, although again, for them who follow these figures very closely,

Let me point out that yesterday’s figure was revised in the course of the day from 69 to 70. So today’s 73 is an increase of three.

I very much regret though, to report that in the past 24 hours, 28 additional deaths have been registered of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.

That is the highest number of deaths we’ve reported in the daily figures since the 21^st May. And it takes the total number of deaths, under this measurement, to 2,653.

National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update, which you will recall includes cases where COVID is a suspected or contributory cause of death.

Today’s update shows that by Sunday just passed, the total number of registered deaths linked to COVID, under that wider definition, was 4,376.

75 of those deaths were registered last week, that is 50 more than in the week before – and that is the highest weekly total since early June. 58 of the 75 deaths took place in hospitals, 12 in care homes, and five at home or in other non-institutional settings.

Every single death, of course, represents the loss of somebody who was special and loved and I want, again today, to send my deepest condolences to all those families and networks of friends across the country who have been impacted in this most extreme and cruel way by the impact of this virus.

I want, though, to just give a point of context though, and it doesn’t in anyway take away from the very upsetting nature of the statistics I have just reported to you.

Today’s figures on hospital and ICU admissions and the figures I’ve just reported on deaths are obviously clearly concerning – and we take them very seriously as we consider our response and our next steps in the fight against the virus – however, as Jason will touch on briefly as well, these figures, it must be remembered, relate to people who could have been infected with the virus perhaps two to three weeks ago.

So they should not be taken as an indication that the current restrictions we are all living under are not having any impact.

I’ll say a little bit more about the early indications that the impact that is having later on.

My main update for today though concerns the temporary restrictions on hospitality which we introduced two weeks ago, and which legally took effect on Friday 9^th October.

As I said yesterday, we will publish, and I can tell you now that we will do this on Friday, a new strategic framework for managing the virus, and indeed living with the virus through the winter and into the early parts of next year.

That strategic framework will include different levels of restrictions that can be applied, either nationally or regionally, depending on the level of infection across the country or in different parts of the country.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the broad framework, it is intended that the levels will be applied from the 2^nd November and reviewed regularly thereafter.

The detail of what level will initially apply to each part of the country will be assessed in the coming days and set out in advance of 2^nd November.

It is important for me to be clear at this stage that given the nature of what we are dealing with, and given some of the numbers I’ve just reported, all be it with the caveats attached to them that I did.

We can’t rule out that this new approach will entail further extension of existing restrictions, or perhaps even tougher restrictions for all or parts of the country, if we think that is necessary to safeguard health and life.

But that will depend on up to date assessments of the impact of our current restrictions, and it’s also important to be very clear that all of our decisions will be balanced by an assessment of the wider harms that COVID and the measures we are taking to tackle it are having, and that includes the wider harms to health and wellbeing and to jobs and livelihoods.

The timescale for introducing the new levels system leaves us with a short term decision about the current temporary restrictions on hospitality. These are currently due to expire on Monday coming, the 26^th October.

However, following a meeting of the Cabinet this morning, I can confirm that we have decided to extend these measures for a further week.

This is first and foremost a public health decision. Although we have grounds for cautious optimism that the restrictions are having an effect, the clinical advice to Cabinet is that it would not be safe to lift them as early as Monday.

But, secondly, the extension allows us to transition more smoothly to the new levels system that we hope that will be introduced on 2^nd November.

So I can confirm that the current temporary restrictions will now apply until 6am on Monday 2^nd November. And that of course includes the tighter restrictions that are currently in place across the Central Belt.

Let me run through what those restrictions are.

But before I do so, let me take the opportunity to remind everyone that the rule against visiting other people’s houses also remains in place for now.

Because that is best way of limiting transmission from one household to another.

Let me run through the wider restrictions.

Firstly – and with the exception of the five Central Belt health board areas that I’ll come onto in a moment – the restrictions mean that pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes can only operate indoors from 6 am to 6 pm.

These premises cannot serve alcohol indoors at any time, although they can serve alcohol outdoors up until 10 pm.

In addition, hotel restaurants can serve residents indoors beyond 6pm, but not with alcohol.

We also introduced much tighter restrictions in the five health board regions where case numbers have been especially high those are Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley.

In these areas, all licensed bars and restaurants must remain closed indoors and outdoors, although takeaways are permitted.

And again there is an exception for hotels serving food and non-alcoholic drinks to guests. And cafes – whether licensed or unlicensed – can stay open until 6 pm to prevent social isolation. But they must not serve alcohol.

In addition in these areas, snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling alleys, casinos and bingo halls will remain closed for an additional week.

Contact sports for people aged 18 and over will also remain suspended – with an exception for professional sports.

Indoor group exercise activities will not be allowed for people aged 18 and over for that further week – although gyms and pools can remain open for individual exercise.

And outdoor live events are not permitted in those five regions.

Finally, we continue to advise people very strongly who live in these Central Belt areas, not to travel outside the health board area that they live in, if they do not need to do so.

Similarly, people in other parts of Scotland should not travel to those areas unless it is absolutely necessary.

I know all of this is really unwelcome and these restrictions are harsh. They are harsh financially for many individuals and businesses, and they are harsh emotionally for all of us.

So I want to stress again, firstly that none of these decisions are being taken lightly. This is all about trying to save lives and minimise the health damage that this virus we know is capable of doing.

But I also want to stress that we do believe that these restrictions do make a difference, and indeed we believe they may already be making a difference.

Even allowing for today’s figures, though it is and I must insert this note of caution, it is too early to be certain about any of this this.

But even allowing for today’s figures we think that we may be starting to see a reduction in the rate at which new cases are increasing.

So the early data underlines the importance of all of us sticking with the restrictions that are in place.

Now given that today’s Cabinet decision today requires many business to stay closed or continue to restrict their trading, I also want to confirm today that we will extend the support, the financial support available to them, to cover the additional week.

Full details of that support and how it applies to different sizes of business will be published online. But there will be extensions to both the Business Support Grants that we offer, and the support we are providing at this stage for the job furlough scheme.

All businesses will receive, proportionally, the same level of support over the extension 7 days – for each day of closure – as they did in the first 16 days of restrictions.

And, for this limited period, as I say, we are also extending the Scottish Governments furlough support scheme for an extra week as well.

Now later in the week, when we publish the new Strategic Approach to managing COVID, we will also set out our planned levels of support for the future in the event of further restrictions.

It is important to be clear at this stage, and this is a point that I will speak more about in days to come, but I want to be clear about it now.

That while the level of support we set out in the strategic framework will be the maximum level of support that the Scottish Government is able to provide within the resources available to us at this time, it is the minimum that we think is necessary.

In common with other devolved administrations and indeed many councils now across England, we will continue to pursue urgent discussions with the Treasury about the provision of adequate support and funding to support businesses and individuals through the kinds of restrictions that are likely to be necessary in the period ahead.

Now I’ve spent, for good reason, a bit of time talking about the extension to the temporary restrictions, but I want to draw my remarks to a close by just giving my usual reminder of the general rules and guidelines that we are asking everybody to follow right now.

Again let me remind people living in Lothian, Lanarkshire, Forth Valley, Ayrshire and Arran and Greater Glasgow and Clyde not to travel outside their own health board area unless they really need to do so.

Let me remind everybody, all of us across the country that we should not visit other people’s homes right now except for very specific purposes. If you are providing childcare or looking after a vulnerable person.

And when we do meet people from other households – outdoors, or in indoor public places that are open, for example cafés, we shouldn’t be meeting in groups of more than 6, and those 6 people should not be from more than two households.

Please don’t share cars with other people outside your household if you can avoid it.

Work from home if you can and download the Protect Scotland app, if you haven’t already done so.

And finally;

remember to wear Face coverings when you are out and about
remember to Avoid crowded places.
remember Clean your hands and hard surfaces
remember keep Two metres away people in other households.
and remember Self isolate, and get tested, if you have any of the symptoms of COVID.

Thank you all for the sacrifices you continue to make.

It will make a difference, I know it is hard but we must stick with it in order to continue that process of getting COIVID under control.

Extra week of closures and new tiered restrictions could be end of Scotland’s pubs as we know them: CAMRA

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement for further restrictions for pubs, CAMRA’s Director for Scotland Joe Crawford said: “The First Minister’s announcement of an extra week of pub closures and the prospect of further lockdowns and restrictions from 2nd November has come as a hammer blow to pubs and breweries across the country.

“These businesses feel like they are being offered up as a sacrificial lamb without sufficient evidence that pubs – who have done everything they have been asked to track and trace customers and make their venues COVID-secure – are responsible for transmission of the virus.

“The Scottish Government must urgently review and improve their support package to make sure all our pubs and breweries get the financial compensation and support they need to get through this extended closure period – and, crucially, also during the tiered restrictions that will follow.

“In addition, ministers need to give breweries and pubs enough notice about their plans so people can plan and re-stock for opening their doors again.

“Without a longer-term support package to make up for lost trade and reduced consumer confidence I fear that this could be the end for the beer and pub sector as we know it.”

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association has expressed “extreme disappointment” at the decision by the Scottish Government to extend current restrictions on hospitality across Scotland ahead of the “tier” approach to local lockdowns that is expected to be introduced next month.

Paul Waterson, media spokesman for the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA), said: “We expected this so we are not surprised. However, yet again there has been no consultation with the industry and as we said earlier this month, we believe these measures to be cataclysmic for hospitality operators.

“Hundreds of businesses are facing permanent closure and with that thousands of jobs will be lost – the damage could be irreparable.”

A recent survey highlighted that nearly 40% of hospitality businesses were considering closure or business exit. In September, an SLTA survey of 600 on-trade premises highlighted that within the pub and bar sector, 12,500 jobs could go.

Mr Waterson added: “We estimate that two-thirds of hospitality businesses could be mothballed or go under in the coming months. Over 50% of jobs in the pub and bar sector could also be lost which will have a particularly deep impact on the employment of young people as over 40% of staff employed are under the age of 25.”

Reiterating that responsible operators continue to run safe, carefully monitored establishments, he said: “Our industry is in serious trouble and it is only going to get worse. The £40 million financial support package is nowhere near enough to save jobs and prevent operators from going under. And once again we do not have details of other financial help promised by the Scottish Government.

“Once again it is the licensed trade that is suffering and the current measures affect not just our industry but the wider economy.”

Conifox Adventure Park to host Scotland’s only drive thru Christmas experience

Conifox announces a festive and immersive experience for the whole family

Family run, for family fun, Conifox Adventure Park announces the return of its sell-out Christmas experience this December, but with a ‘2020’ twist. Due to ‘elf’-and-safety, visitors will now meet Santa and his gang in an utterly enchanting drive-thru experience, delighting in the highly anticipated winter-wonderland, but at a safe distance.

Tree-mendously festive, imaginations will run wild as you drive through the park stopping at various points to enjoy scenes and actors in the Toy Workshop, the Reindeer Flying School, Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, the Enchanted Forest and most importantly, Santa’s Livingroom, where you will meet the big man himself.

From 3^rd – 23^rd December, tickets for Scotland’s only drive thru Christmas experience will be available from 2pm – 4pm (£20 per car) and 4pm – 9pm (£25 per car), allowing for gorgeous Scottish country views by day and breath-taking twinkling lights by night.

James Gammell, director of Conifox Adventure Park marks this special occasion: “In a year of uncertainty, we are all eagerly awaiting Christmas and the arrival of Santa. Here at Conifox Adventure Park we are honoured that the main man himself has chosen us to make a pit-stop before the big day, inviting all our favourite families down to say hello.

“With everything from a trip to the magical elf village in the Enchanted Forest, to a quick stop to see Mrs Claus, this immersive experience will see their little faces light up and with the magic and wonder of Christmas all around, it will spark the imaginations of the big ‘kids’ too!

“Remember, before your sense of Christmas wonder takes over and you are too entranced and enraptured to think of anything else, why not pop to the catering drive-thru, which will be offering festive food, a BBQ, chips, ice cream and coffee…and maybe a carrot or two for the reindeer.”

Due to government guidelines, Santa will not be able to handout presents to the visiting children, but he suggests bringing wrapped presents with you, hiding them in the boot of the car and seeing them magically appear after the family has met with him. “Did I just hear an elf scurrying in the boot?”

The drive will take around 20 minutes, with actors, waving and engaging with visitors from the safety of open marquees.

Tickets available now and are subject to additional government guidelines. They can be purchased via: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/conifox

To find out more visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.

About Conifox

Situated on the outskirts of Kirkliston, 5 minutes from Edinburgh Airport and only 20 minutes from the City Centre, Conifox Adventure Park is the perfect place to have some family time with kids of every age.

Speed around their pedal go-kart racetrack or get rough with off-road pedal tractors. Or why not try their 9-hole footgolf course, giant jump pillow, trampolines, or giant sand pit. With so much to do you can stay all day!

Then after building up an appetite, enjoy the Stables Bistro’s delicious food and drink or visit at the weekends to eat a sizzling BBQ (weather dependent).

Coming soon there is an exciting new activity centre with an indoor soft play, baby room, 3 party rooms, cafe, 200-seater function suite and much more.

Charity urges public: Act now for safer streets

With just one week until the Government’s consultation on the Highway Code closes on Tuesday 27 October, Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, is urging people to speak up for safer streets.

The Prime Minister unveiled the consultation in July, as part of the Government’s ‘most ambitious plans yet to boost cycling and walking’. A key feature of the proposed changes to the Highway Code is the idea of a ‘hierarchy of responsibility’, with road users who have the potential to cause the greatest harm, taking more responsibility for reducing the threat they pose to others.

There are also proposed changes at zebra crossings and junctions to give pedestrians priority and additional narrative on the dangers of speeding.

The proposed amends to the Highway Code were developed in partnership with the Walking and Cycling Alliance (WACA).[1]

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Everyone – walker, driver or cyclist – is a pedestrian at some point in their journey and has the right to feel safe on our streets. This Highway Code review offers the chance to do just that.

“With great power comes great responsibility, so we want to see an end to the current position where a child walking to school has the same level of responsibility as an HGV driver.

“We are calling for people to back the changes which give more priority to pedestrians, and to the proposal for vehicles to give way to pedestrians at junctions and crossings.

“Supporting these proposed revisions will take a couple of minutes but could save hundreds of lives.”

The Highway Code consultation applies to England, Scotland and Wales.

For more information, visit livingstreets.org.uk/no1

Landmark Clinical Trial on MND Begins in Glasgow

A groundbreaking clinical trial for motor neurone disease (MND) begins this week at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow.

The pioneering trial MND-SMART is testing multiple drugs, rather than a single treatment at a time, and so aims to speed up the time it takes to find medicines that can slow, stop, or reverse the progression of MND.

The trial, based at the QEUH, will welcome participants from across the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde region which cares for the largest number of people living with MND.

Motor neurone disease (MND), also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, is a progressive condition that causes muscle to waste away. It occurs when nerve cells called motor neurons, which send messages from the brain and spinal cord to the body’s muscles, stop working properly.

More than 1,500 people are diagnosed with MND in the UK each year. There is no cure and half of people die within two years of diagnosis.

MND-SMART is a pioneering clinical trial in its reach and design and is recruiting hundreds of people living with MND across the UK to take part in tests of potential treatments. Unlike typical clinical trials which test a single treatment at a time, MND-SMART is testing multiple drugs and so aims to speed up the time it takes to find medicines that can slow, stop, or reverse the progression of, MND.

Dr George Gorrie, Consultant Neurologist and Lead for Motor Neurone Disease Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “The MND-SMART trial launching in Glasgow is some good news at a time when there isn’t much around.

“Ensuring the safety of people taking part in MND-SMART is the research team’s highest priority and we will follow all government requirements relating to COVID-19 and research.

“The pandemic and ensuring practices are COVID-19 compliant will impact how quickly people can be recruited to the trial but we are delighted to be able to start seeing participants.”

Those who have already registered online interest in the trial and who live in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area will be contacted by the Glasgow trial team over the coming months to discuss taking part.

The trial was first announced in January and centres are due to open across the UK. Glasgow is the third such centre after Edinburgh and Dundee.

The trial has been developed by people with MND and clinical trial experts from across the UK. The study is led by the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research at the University of Edinburgh.

Funding for the trial has been provided by the Euan MacDonald Centre, substantial private donations, MND Scotland and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

For further information about the trial please visit www.MND-SMART.org

Council launches search for Lockdown Legends

The search is on for neighbours who go that extra mile as nominations open for the City of Edinburgh Council’s Good Neighbour Awards.

Established in 2016, the award is a way for residents to pay tribute to Council tenants who make an outstanding contribution to their local community.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “This year, we want to hear about Edinburgh’s lockdown legends – those incredible neighbours who have gone above and beyond to support others in their community during what has been one of the most challenging years many of us have ever faced.

“I am always amazed at the inspiring stories I hear from our tenants and blown away by the selfless acts of our Good Neighbour Award winners. Please give back by taking the time to put forward your good neighbour for the recognition you know they deserve.

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, added: “At the height of lockdown, things we once took for granted became difficult or impossible for many of us. Yet we very quickly saw big-hearted residents from all over the city give their time and energy to help others get through this challenging time.

Maybe you know someone who helped deliver shopping for someone who was shielding, or collected their prescriptions, or maybe just made sure people didn’t feel alone. Whatever difference your local lockdown legend made to you or your community, get nominating now.

Last year’s Good Neighbour Award winner was Council tenant Gilbert ‘Gibby’ McIntyre, who sadly passed away before he learned of his win. A donation to the RSPB has been made in his name, on the request of his family.

Speaking about his kind-hearted Dad, Gibby’s son Scott said: “Dad was very much interested in enhancing his, and others’, surroundings through his hard work in the garden.

“A big part of this was to attract birds and other wildlife and he made a point of positioning feeders and nesting boxes so that his neighbours could also enjoy the many visitors to the garden. This was particularly appreciated by those who were less able to get out and about.”

Nominations for this year’s awards should be emailed to the Council by 1 January 2021 at housing.research@edinburgh.gov.uk or by phone on 0131 529 7805.

The winners will be announced on the Council’s social media channels and in an edition of the Tenants’ Courier, the Council’s newsletter to all tenants.

Nominees and those who cast nominations will also be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a £100 shopping voucher.

UK exposes series of Russian cyber attacks against Olympic Games

Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU, conducted cyber reconnaissance against officials and organisations at the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games due to take place in Tokyo this summer before they were postponed, the UK has revealed.

The targets included the Games’ organisers, logistics services and sponsors.

The attacks on the 2020 Summer Games are the latest in a campaign of Russian malicious cyber activity against the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The UK is confirming for the first time today the extent of GRU targeting of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.

The GRU’s cyber unit attempted to disguise itself as North Korean and Chinese hackers when it targeted the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Games.

It went on to target broadcasters, a ski resort, Olympic officials and sponsors of the games in 2018.

The GRU deployed data-deletion malware against the Winter Games IT systems and targeted devices across the Republic of Korea using VPNFilter.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) assesses that the incident was intended to sabotage the running of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, as the malware was designed to wipe data from and disable computers and networks.

Administrators worked to isolate the malware and replace the affected computers, preventing potential disruption.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “The GRU’s actions against the Olympic and Paralympic Games are cynical and reckless. We condemn them in the strongest possible terms.

The UK will continue to work with our allies to call out and counter future malicious cyber attacks.

The UK has already acted against the GRU’s destructive cyber unit by working with international partners to impose asset freezes and travel bans against its members through the EU cyber sanctions regime.

Today (Monday 19 October), the US Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against Russian military intelligence officers working for the GRU’s destructive cyber unit – also known by the codenames Sandworm and VoodooBear – for conducting cyber attacks against the 2018 Winter Games and other cyber attacks, including the 2018 spear phishing attacks against the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

The UK attributed the attacks against DSTL, which followed the Salisbury poisonings, to Russia in 2018.