A number of people – understood to be fewer than five – have died in the Western General Hospital following an outbreak of Covid-19 on a cancer ward.Six other patients have also been confirmed with the virus.
NHS Lothian is investigating the outbreak and the oncology ward has been closed to new admissions and discharges to allow tests to be carried out.
Patients and staff are being screened for the virus as part of the health board’s response.
Public health expert Prof Linda Bauld told BC Reporting Scotland: “Infections do happen, not just for Covid, but the cause is always that someone has brought in the infection normally from outside, then it does spread.
“I know that the NHS has been working incredibly hard to develop Covid-secure areas, including priority testing for cancer patients. Obviously we just need to get to the bottom of why this happened.”
An incident management team (IMT) has been set up and strict infection control measures have been put in place on the ward.
All patients have been informed of the outbreak and contact tracing is being carried out.
Patients who would normally return home for the weekend have been asked to remain in the hospital to reduce the risk of further transmission.
Dr Donald Inverarity, consultant microbiologist and chair of the Incident Management Team, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased and I would like to express our sincere condolences.
“The situation will continue to be reviewed and monitored very closely.
“Patient safety is our main priority and while we understand that the request not to go home for the weekend may be upsetting, it is necessary.
“It will help reduce the risk of onwards transmission and protect their families and the wider community. I would like to thank patients and their families for their co-operation and understanding.”
Consumer spending fell in almost every city and large town in UK as Autumn approached
Double digit drops in visitor footfall for many UK tourist destinations this September
Almost everywhere saw a fall in consumer spending as summer concluded
But the 10pm curfew made little change to visitor numbers, with a number of areas still above pre-lockdown levels of footfall
The recovery of the UK’s high streets stalled in September as many cities’ and towns’ summer booms ended. This is according to the latest data from the Centre for Cities High Streets Recovery Tracker in partnership with Nationwide Building Society.
Overall footfall in the centres of cities and large towns increased by just one percentage point last month. This is 17 percentage points lower than the increase seen in July and August.
Consumer spending in city and town centres also fell almost everywhere – in many places significantly. While Bournemouth had the biggest increase in visitors this summer, in September the amount of money being spent there fell by 46 percentage points – the most of all the cities studied.
Additionally, Bournemouth and many other tourist destinations such as Blackpool, Brighton, York and Edinburgh saw large drops in the numbers of visitors in September as the summer holidays ended, raising concerns that their initial recovery from Covid-19 may have been short lived.
Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in footfall this September
Rank
City
Percentage point fall in footfall in September
1
Bournemouth
-31
2
Blackpool
-25
3
Swansea
-16
4
Brighton
-14
5
York
-14
6
Edinburgh
-12
7
Southampton
-11
8
Southend
-10
9
Cardiff
-10
10
Liverpool
-10
UK urban average: 1 percentage point
Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in spending this September
Rank
City
Percentage point fall in spending in September
1
Bournemouth
-46
2
Middlesbrough
-43
3
Blackpool
-39
4
Birkenhead
-29
5
Liverpool
-28
6
Brighton
-28
7
Wigan
-26
8
Newport
-25
9
Preston
-25
10
Cardiff
-24
UK urban average: -9 percentage points
Data from the end of September suggests little indication that the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants had an effect on footfall, which overall has not fallen as a result of the measures.
Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in footfall this September
Cities with the highest footfall as a percentage of pre-lockdown average
Cities with the lowest footfall as a percentage of pre-lockdown average
Rank
Rank
1
Basildon
132
1
London
35
2
Chatham
129
2
Manchester
51
3
Birkenhead
123
3
Cardiff
51
4
Blackpool
116
4
Birmingham
55
5
Burnley
112
5
Oxford
55
6
Doncaster
108
6
Liverpool
59
7
Telford
107
7
Edinburgh
60
8
Southend
105
8
Leeds
61
9
Wigan
103
9
Glasgow
62
10
Bournemouth
102
10
Newcastle
65
UK urban average: 64%
The persistently low numbers of people going back to work in city centres, particularly in big cities, reinforces the concerns for the future of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars that depend on office workers for custom.
On average, across large cities and towns just one in five workers have now returned to their place of work. In London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds and Oxford the figure is even lower – at around 15%. Meanwhile in Basildon and Mansfield, the figure has reached almost half.
Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said:“Many places in the UK benefited from the good weather, Eat Out To Help Out and domestic holiday makers. But it’s clear that this was a seasonal boom and with winter approaching, Covid cases rising and the prospect of more local lockdowns, policy makers need to think hard about how to support places through the difficult months ahead.
“The Job Support Scheme and related measures will help but, as the Chancellor said, it can’t support every job. However, there is a still risk that many of the local amenities that many of us have made use of this summer could be lost in the months ahead. So, I’d like to see the Chancellor set out how he proposes to protect these for us to enjoy once again when it is once again safe to do so.
“Greater devolution of powers and responsibilities, such as those expected in the postponed devolution white paper would have been one way for to help places help themselves so the Government should press ahead with doing this as soon as possible.”
Aldi is once again embracing the season of goodwill by calling on charities, community groups and food banks in Edinburgh and the Lothians to register now to receive surplus food donations this Christmas Eve.
Last Christmas, Aldi donated nearly 48,000 meals to good causes throughout Scotland, and expects to increase this number for Christmas 2020. The meals will support those in need at a time when more households are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity as a result of the pandemic.
Thanks to Aldi’s successful partnership with Neighbourly, a community engagement platform that links businesses to food banks and charities, all of Aldi’s 92 Scottish stores now donate surplus food seven days a week, all year round.
Christmas provides an opportunity for even more charities to benefit from the initiative, and any charities and community groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians with the resource to help can get in touch to register for a festive food donation from Britain’s fifth largest supermarket.
Charities will be paired with local Aldi stores and can collect fresh and chilled food products that are near the end of their shelf life – including fruit, vegetables, fresh meat, fish and bread – ahead of stores closing on Christmas Eve.
Luke Peech, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “Our Christmas food donations scheme plays a big role in supporting those in need during the festive period and is something we are very passionate about. This is our fourth year running the initiative and we look forward to working with local charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians once again.
“Last year we were able to help thousands of people across Scotland, and this year we’re hoping to extend this even further in what has been a challenging year for so many.”
Steve Butterworth from Neighbourly, added: “Sadly, charities and local causes are expecting record demand for their services this Christmas because of the pandemic and its impact on communities up and down the country.
“We’re sure there are lots more groups out there that could put the food to good use, so we’d encourage them to get in touch.”
Organisations do not need to be a registered charity to apply but must:
Have a level two hygiene certificate gained in the last two years
Be able to transport and store chilled food products after collecting them on Christmas Eve at 5pm
Those interested in working with Aldi this Christmas should contact Neighbourly at aldichristmas@neighbourly before 7th December 2020.
How to help your child find emotional intelligence
The global pandemic and lockdowns on top of all the usual life challenges can affect children just as much as adults. To mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, former primary school teacher CATHERINE LYNCH of education resources experts PlanBeeprovides six stepping stones, and free downloadable resources, to help parents support youngsters to develop good mental health:
Name emotions and feelings
Until someone has the vocabulary associated with emotions and feelings, they will not be able to explain how they feel or identify how others are feeling. Name emotions when your child experiences them, it might feel like you are stating the obvious, but you are giving your child an important tool to becoming emotionally intelligent.
Explain the physical sensations linked to emotions and feelings
Help children to recognise how different emotions present in their bodies. Do they normally feel a bit sick when they are anxious? Do their shoulders feel tight when they are stressed? Do they become very busy when they are avoiding something? By helping them notice these physical representations of emotions they will begin to recognise when they are starting to feel something and might be able to react before their brains get flooded with the stress hormone cortisol.
Understand when and why a feeling or emotion is felt
The better children become at naming and spotting their emotions the easier it will become for them to notice the triggers for their emotions. If they always get a knot in their stomach on the way to school and know it is because they feel anxious you can start to explore where the anxiety comes from. Are they worried about the moment of goodbye, is it walking into a formed group of people or is it something else? By pinpointing the cause of the feeling, you and your child will be able to understand it better.
When you and your child are able to notice, name and understand the source of a feeling or emotion you can begin to work out ways to help them regulate. Is a big calming and focusing breath needed? Or maybe a few star jumps? There isn’t one route to regulating the child’s emotions, what works best for your child will be something you need to figure out together.
Rules that maintain safety should be non-negotiable. These will vary depending on the age and developmental stage of a child. When a child is feeling a big emotion, their brain will not be working in the same way it does when the child is calm. Expectations and language may need to be adjusted to help the child stay safe. Rather than seeing a rule as something that a child should be punished for breaking, work with your child to help them succeed in staying safe and maintaining the boundary.
Relate with your child
Once they have calmed down and are able to listen, empathise with your child. Talk to them about a time you felt the same way and what happened. This will help them to understand their own feelings and feel like you understand and care about them.
“I am wondering if you are excited about seeing your friend.”
“Take a deep breath with me.”
“I can see you are finding it tricky to stay close by. Hold my hand as we cross the road to keep us safe.”
“One time I was so excited I had so much energy that I thought I might be able to fly.”
Angry
“I can see you are really angry.”
“Your face is scrunched up and your fists are clenched.”
“I am wondering if you are angry because someone didn’t let you play.”
“Take a deep breath with me.”
“I cannot let you hit me. If you need to get your angry out try hitting this cushion or blowing away the clouds in the sky.”
“Once I was so angry I wanted to throw everything I could see but your grandad helped me calm down by giving me play dough to squeeze.”
Sad
“I can see you are really sad.”
“Your eyes are hidden and your shoulders are hunched.”
“I am wondering if you are sad because it is time to leave.”
“Would you like a hug?”
“It is ok to feel sad. We need to go home now to have dinner.”
“I sometimes feel really sad about things ending too. Shall we make a plan to come back here again?”
As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup, so make sure you are getting the support you need to help you support the people around you.
Catherine Lynch is an experienced teacher, play therapist and senior manager at PlanBee, which creates teaching resources for primary school aged children (aged five-11). The resources have been created to meet the English National Curriculum objectives.
The founder of The Thriving Box Co, Robbie Allen, has been named Pivot Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Having been working as a digital marketing consultant prior to lockdown, Robbie launched The Thriving Box Co after losing all his clients within two weeks. It gives independent business owners the opportunity for their products to be put in the hands of newly engaged customers each and every month. Customers get to discover new amazing products and local businesses now have a steady stream of new customers and revenue.
Robbie Allen, founder of Thriving Box Co. comments, “Since launching in March 2020, we’ve placed almost £1M worth of business with local independent retailers across the UK and that’s something that we’re really proud of.
“By partnering with these local businesses and placing sizable orders with them, we can support their cash flow during these really challenging times. I’m glad that I have managed to adapt my business, and in doing so, support so many others.”
Now in its eighth year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in partnership with Starling Bank celebrates the hard work and inspiring stories of entrepreneurs in the UK, rather than the business’ balance sheet.
The Pivot Entrepreneur of the Year category was added in response to the outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown measures. It celebrates those who have adapted their business to ensure they survive, and even thrive after, the crisis.
With Covid-19 restrictions preventing the regional finals taking place at a live event, Robbie won the award during a virtual award ceremony joined by finalists across every region.
In a video message to finalists, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Entrepreneurs [have shown they] stay strong, even during a global pandemic. Coronavirus hasn’t stifled enterprise.
“Entrepreneurs are creating new businesses and adapting to the crisis, as seen in this year’s entries. And that’s what we need to happen if we want our economy to bounce back. We need all of you to keep inventing, keep taking risks, keep creating new businesses.
“It’s my job as Chancellor to celebrate, champion and support you. Congratulations to all the winners. Thank you to all of you for everything you’ve done.”
Francesca James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: “Robbie has a wonderful entrepreneurial story and I’m delighted for him to win this award. He has shown exactly what it means to pivot your business.”
Anne Boden, founder and CEO of Starling Bank, said: “We’re entrepreneurs and we have spirit. We fight back and we’re very good at dealing with adversity. And Robbie is an example to us all, of entrepreneurs that are creative, innovative, and changing the world.
“I’m so excited that Starling, a business I founded in 2014 and now the Best British Bank, is sponsoring such an important Awards. And as one entrepreneur to another, congratulations to getting where you are this evening and best of luck for the future.”
The winners of each category will now go to the National Final of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, with a date to be announced due to restrictions on large events.
Night shelters will be replaced with rapid rehousing ‘welcome centres’ for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough this winter, in updated plans for tackling homelessness.
The centres will provide emergency accommodation for people who have no other options, encouraging them to move on to other services. People using the centres will be offered targeted support, including for wellbeing, health and social care issues, legal rights, employment and welfare.
Announced yesterday in an updated action plan for tackling homelessness, the centres are part of plans to phase out night shelters entirely by expanding rapid rehousing approaches such as Housing First that provide settled accommodation as quickly as possible.
The Ending Homelessness Together updated plan also contains actions that will:
minimise the risk of evictions
strengthen protections for people experiencing domestic abuse
give people with lived experience of homelessness or rough sleeping a greater say in the development of policy
explore alternative routes to reducing migrant homelessness.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, who co-chairs the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group, said: “Our vision is of a Scotland with no need for night shelters – where everyone has a home that meets their needs.
“Since our plan for tackling homelessness was first published in 2018 we have delivered on many of the urgent issues facing homeless people. The Scottish Government’s swift response to coronavirus (COVID-19) has led to a dramatic reduction in the numbers of people sleeping rough and we must not let the problem return.
“This updated action plan renews our commitment to ending homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all, particularly by expanding services such as Housing First that provide longer-term accommodation and give homeless people the time and space to establish new lives for themselves.
“We are also placing even greater emphasis on preventing homelessness in the first place, and our new rapid rehousing welcome centres and are a first step to ending the use of night shelters altogether.
“I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this updated plan.”
Cllr Elena Whitham, CoSLA’s Community Wellbeing Spokesperson and the strategy group’s other co-chair, said: “The pandemic has reminded us all of the importance of having a safe and comfortable home that meets our needs. However, we know that the impacts of the crisis have not been felt equally.
“People facing poverty, inequality and other social harms have felt the impact far more greatly. Local Government has shared the ambition to end homelessness and our resolve to do this is now stronger than ever.
“The updated action plan sets out an inclusive and human rights-based approach focused on preventing homelessness, responding quickly, working together with our partners across sectors, taking a person-centred approach which is tailored to reflect individual needs and circumstances.
“I am grateful to the partners who have contributed to this plan, in particular to those with lived experience of homelessness. We must not allow the deepening of inequalities in our response and recovery to the pandemic, and ending homelessness is vital in preventing this.”
Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes, chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, said: “The ambition shown by the Scottish Government in publishing a revised Action Plan is brilliant to see.
“It builds on unprecedented action throughout the pandemic to protect people experiencing homelessness, and shows renewed ambition – including a commitment to move away from night shelters. The outbreak has shown that we can tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping when the will is there.
“As the economic impact of the outbreak continues to be felt, it is more important than ever to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place, and ensuring that if they do, they are helped to find somewhere safe and settled straight away. These actions must be a priority to ensure that Scotland continues towards ending homelessness for good.”
LifeCare invites you to join in for the third of its online quizzes on Tuesday 13th October at 15.00.
Enjoy 60 minutes of fun, laughter and topics including the Movies, Nature and lots more.
The quiz will take place on Zoom and for details on how to join in, please contact Aleks, the Community Engagement Facilitator: alekspacula@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk
October 9-15th is a very important week in the work of Held In Our Hearts.This is Baby Loss Awareness Week #BLAW and every day the charity will be sharing stories/ videos and podcasts of families and their own experience of loss.
From the workplace to home the families will share about how they have been supported by the charity and how you can get involved. The event will end on 15th at 7pm with a wave of light that will be shared by many.
You can get involved by sharing as much as you can.
14 babies a day die in the UK and as a charity we want to make sure that all families get support. Charities have been adversely affected by the pandemic but we want to make sure that no one sits in silence.
A package of financial flexibilities and extra funding for councils which could be worth up to £750 million has been agreed by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA.
To address the financial pressures caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic over the next two years, councils will be granted additional spending powers which could be worth around £600 million.
In addition to this, a Lost Income Scheme will be established to help compensate councils and council trusts for lost sales, fees and charges from services such as sports centres and parking charges.
Councils and their trusts will have access to an estimated £90 million of funding with council trusts delivering services on behalf of councils able to receive a share of a further £49 million of support through the scheme.
Added to additional funding already committed, this brings the value of the overall COVID-19 support package for councils to more than £1 billion.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I have been clear that the Scottish Government needs appropriate fiscal levers in order to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is equally true for local government, which is why I am very pleased that we have been able to deliver a package of support for local services worth up to £750 million.
“Working in partnership with COSLA, the Scottish Government has delivered on our commitment to support councils across Scotland with a game changing package of financial flexibilities, giving them the powers they need to make informed decisions about spending at a local level.
“In addition, we are close to finalising the details of additional financial support through a Lost Income Scheme, worth an estimated £90 million subject to confirmation of the funding from the UK Government. For trusts delivering services on behalf of councils this can also be topped up with £49 million of additional funding already confirmed.
“This support will help councils and their trusts manage the loss of income they are facing from local services due to COVID-19.
“These measures are excellent examples of how the Scottish Government is working together with COSLA and local authorities to ensure that we are doing everything within our power to save jobs, protect our public services and reboot our economy.”
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Cllr Gail Macgregor said: “We welcome this substantial package of measures from which councils can choose, depending on local circumstance.
“Responding to COVID-19 whilst continuing to deliver essential, everyday services has put extreme pressure on Local Government finances this year. The pandemic has also meant substantial losses of income across a range of council services including leisure, sport, culture, and planning.
“Balancing budgets will be a real challenge and this has been fully recognised by Scottish Government who we have worked with constructively and positively.”
As leisure venues start to adapt to the new norm, Edinburgh Leisure has introduced new Family Swim sessions at their five pools that are open, in a bid to offer activities for all ages and stages.
The Family Swim sessions will be available to book at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, The Royal Commonwealth Pool, Gracemount Leisure Centre and Leith Victoria Swim Centre.
To enable customers to safely enjoy the benefits of family swimming, the pool will be sectioned off into ‘pods’, with each family having their own private area. Each pod will cost from £9.60 – £12, depending on type of membership held.
Members can book eight days in advance or seven days for non-members, with sessions starting from Saturday, 17 October 2020. Booking is now live to members and non-members can book from 9pm tonight (Friday, 9th October).
Customers will be able to book a 40-minute session with a maximum of five people, from the same household bubble. However, customers will need to stick to the existing adult: child ratios*.
This will allow flexibility for how customers use the space – e.g. children from 9-12 years who do not need to socially distance, can book to attend with their friends if they wish. During any one sessions, there will be between three to eight pods to book.
Angela McCowan, Swim Development Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We are delighted to be welcoming families back to our pools. We know how popular previous family swim sessions have been so opening up our pools to families in time for the October holidays, will mean that more people, of all ages and stages, can continue to get active with Edinburgh Leisure.
”Things may be a little different than before but we have everything in place to keep families safe and most importantly, enjoy making a splash with us.”
Following guidance from Scottish Swimming and from Edinburgh Leisure’s Health and Compliance Manager, Edinburgh Leisure has introduced the following guidelines to keep everyone safe:
All Family Swim Sessions must be pre-booked online or via the Edinburgh Leisure app. To book a session, an Edinburgh Leisure account is required. (This will be in place if a person is an Edinburgh Leisure customer of hold a discount or loyalty card). For customers who do not have an account, one can easily be created by visiting the Edinburgh Leisure website.
Customers are encouraged to arrive ‘beach-ready’, wearing their swimwear underneath their clothes to minimise time spent in changing areas. Lockers will be available for customer use but customers should bring their own token. (These are also available to buy at reception with cashless payment.)
Customers will be asked to follow the COVID-19 guidance, and maintain physical distancing, sanitising hands before and after each session, and following any signage guidance around the venue. Masks are mandatory when moving around public places, unless exempt due to age or health conditions.
Customers are asked to arrive only 5 minutes before their swim time. Any earlier, they will be asked to wait outside the venue, physically distanced in their groups.
No toys or equipment will be provided or loaned by Edinburgh Leisure. However, customers will be allowed to bring their own toys with them to the session, including floats, sinkers, armbands – but they must be washed before entering the pool. Large inflatables are not allowed. There will also be items available to purchase, using cashless payment only.
Once a family session has finished, customers will be asked to exit the pool safely and ensure they maintain distancing from other family groups. Although showers will be available to rinse off after the session, the use of soaps, shampoos and conditioners is discouraged. This is to maintain physical distancing. Hairdryers and costumer drying will not be available.
Customers or any family group/household displaying symptoms of COVID-19 are asked not to book or to cancel any pre-booked sessions.
