Local author generously donates book royalties to charity

A generous Edinburgh author has committed to donating royalties from her latest book to a leading education and social care charity.

Debbie Irving, who was born and raised in Edinburgh, has published her book, ‘My Brother is Different’, the royalties of which will be donated to LOVE learning.

This book is aimed at children with brothers and sisters who have autism, as a tool for them to better understand and explain why their siblings and other children might behave differently to them.

The picture book tells the story of how a brother and sister discover that their little brother’s autism can be difficult for them at school, but with some help from their mother, they realise that he is special in a good way too.

Written with experts on children’s mental health, ‘My Brother is Different’ is a way to help young children cope with autism and the effects it can have on their family and friends.

It has been estimated that more than 50,000 people in Scotland have an autism spectrum disorder. 1

Debbie, who is currently the Head of HR for an engineering company based in Fife, worked at Edinburgh City Libraries for nearly 18 years. She was inspired to write her book after a personal experience that took place two years ago when she went passed a school’s playground.

Debbie witnessed a young boy with autism experiencing a breakdown and was surprised by the looks of confusion in the faces of the other children, who did not understand what was happening to their friend.

Debbie who is a trustee of LOVE Learning has partnered with the charity to illustrate and print the book and has decided to donate all royalties in full to help with fundraising. The charity, which acquired Edinburgh’s much-loved LOVE Gorgie Farm, works to provide alternative education and social care for children with mental health problems and learning difficulties.

Debbie Irving and LOVE Learning intend to continue releasing several books for children, from short stories to novels, on themes concerning mental health, additional learning needs and the changes children go through as they grow up.

Debbie Irving, local author of ‘My Brother is Different’ commented: “I am thrilled to see a project like this book take off and I truly hope that ‘My Brother is Different’ serves as a tool to help many children understand more about autism and about what their sibling and friends with this condition go through.

“LOVE learning has been incredibly supportive during the whole process and I decided to donate all royalties to this charity so that the book can contribute to their mission of helping give children the best possible start in life.”

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE learning added: “We are so grateful that Debbie decided to so generously donate the royalties of her book to LOVE learning and look forward to keeping supporting her in her future work.

“Too often we see children with autism facing exclusion in many social and educational settings. We believe that ’My Brother is Different’ is a great educational tool for children to better understand autism and help harness love and compassion amongst siblings and friends.”

‘My Brother is Different’ can currently be purchased online as hard copy on LOVE Learning website and as an e-book on Amazon

Britain’s most dangerous roads

Motorists have been warned about some of the most dangerous roads in the UK and urged to take caution when driving them, particularly in winter weather.

Motoring experts from LeaseCar.uk have revealed roads in Northumberland, Cheshire and the Scottish Highlands could cause the most danger to drivers and passengers alike.

Lindisfarne Causeway, which links the famous island of Lindisfarne to Northern England may look safe, but the quick rising tide catches many a motorist off guard.

Roads such as the A39 in Somerset can also cause problems, especially when it reaches the 25% incline found at Porlock Hill.

A spokesperson for LeaseCar.uk said: “It’s easy to think that once you’ve passed your test or conquered a particularly long drive that you can cope with anything the roads throw at you.  

“However, some routes are significantly more dangerous than others.

“By ensuring you take time with your journey and pay even more attention to the road and other traffic, you can stay safe and navigate these risky roads.”

These is LeaseCar.uk’s list of most dangerous British roads:

1. Bealach-na-ba, Scottish Highlands

This is the third highest road in Scotland, reaching heights of 2,000 feet in some places. Learner drivers, large vehicles and caravans are advised to leave the road after the first mile. This leaves more experienced drivers to tackle the regular gradients of 20% that this road offers.

2. Lindisfarne Causeway, Northumberland

This road is open only twice a day, as the rising tide covers the causeway from mainland England to Lindisfarne at high tide. This perilous route can be picturesque and simple when the tide is out. However, the two-mile journey catches many drivers out due to the speed that the tide comes in. It’s not uncommon to see vehicles swept away and passengers stranded in huts situated on the side of the road in the middle of the sea.

3. Cat and Fiddle Road, Cheshire

This 7.5-mile route between Buxton and Macclesfield is lined with traditional dry-stone walls. Popular with tourists and lorries alike, the route has sheer drops at the side of the road and severe bends throughout. Although picturesque, it is important for drivers to keep their eyes firmly on the road.

4. Porlock Hill, Somerset

Known locally as the Atlantic Highway, the A39 near the village of Porlock is the one of the steepest A roads in England. When the road reaches Porlock Hill there is a gradient of 25%, climbing approximately 400m in less than two miles. The twists and turns of this road will keep you guessing, but the stunning scenery will keep passengers entertained.

5. Ffordd Pen Llech, North Wales

The steepest road in Britain, found in the Snowdonia National Park. Vehicles have been banned from driving parts of this road, which reaches inclines of 37.45%, meaning you may need to travel by foot on some parts of this brutal route.

6. Skyfall Road, Scottish Highlands

Famous for being featured in the James Bond film aptly named Skyfall, this road starts at the A82. Common characteristics of this dangerous road include tight hairpin bends wide enough for just one vehicle. Black ice can also be extremely common on this route, meaning care and caution must be taken.

£300k for research project on ex-Service personnel living in Scotland

Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded £300,000 to the University of Edinburgh, in partnership with Edinburgh Napier, to conduct new research into the experiences of ex-Service personnel living in Scotland.

Dr Gerri Matthews-Smith, from Napier’s Business School, will be the research lead on the study.

The project, entitled You’re in Your Own Time Now, will address the current lack of up-to-date and in-depth data on ex-Service personnel in Scotland.

It will map the distribution of Service leavers across Scotland and seek to understand their aspirations, concerns and support needs when leaving the Armed Forces. It will examine a range of outcomes for Service leavers including education, housing, employment, health, and finances. 

Line up of saluting members of armed forces - one RAF, one soldier, one sailor

The project team will also undertake qualitative research with organisations that provide support to Service leavers in Scotland, as well as research with Service leavers themselves.

The findings of this study will be disseminated widely to both the UK and Scottish Governments, as well as the third sector, to help inform them about the changing landscape of Service leavers’ needs in Scotland and the resources required to support them.

The project is expected to start in mid-November 2020 and will be conducted over two years.

Dr Gerri Matthews-Smith, University lead for Military Research, Edinburgh Napier University, said: “I look forward to accurately representing the voices and perceptions of military personnel here in Scotland. This is a practice-based study with a real Scottish focus that will have a positive impact on the military community.

“At Edinburgh Napier University, we have a proud history of supporting the military, including through high-level research projects focusing on military families, and on developing a better understanding of PTSD in service personnel and its potential treatments. This latest study will deepen our knowledge and further strengthen those armed forces links.”

Ray Lock, Chief Executive, Forces in Mind Trust, said: “FiMT’s goal is to enable successful and sustainable transition for ex-Service personnel and their families across the UK.

“To be able to do this we must first acknowledge and understand the differences in each of the devolved nations, including in the organisation and delivery of support, and how these can impact upon the experiences of Service leavers as they transition out of the Armed Forces.

“The report will complement our studies in Northern Ireland, and we continue to work with the Welsh Government to understand their evidential needs.

“This exciting project will provide policy makers, service providers and local authorities with the evidence they need to be able to make informed decisions and implement effective interventions to support the ex-Service personnel who choose to settle in Scotland.”

Doug Mackay, Project Director, University of Edinburgh, said: “I am very grateful to Forces in Mind Trust for their generous support and delighted to be working on this project in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University, which already does so much to support the wider military community.

“The University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation initiative is focused on improving many aspects of society by harnessing the power of big data. This project is all about ensuring that servicemen and women, and their families – many of whom have made considerable sacrifices and are now returning to civilian communities – are included, and given the help they need as they make that transition.”

Scottish Parliament’s Economy Committee publishes report on the impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s economy

The Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee has today published its interim report on the impact that COVID-19 has had on the economy in Scotland.

Over the summer, the Committee sought written evidence on four key strands of their inquiry:

• Impact on businesses and workers
• Role of the enterprise agencies and SNIB
• Plans for economic recovery (including scrutiny of the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery (AGER) report)
• Impact on young people.

The report published today is the result of focus groups and evidence sessions where the Committee heard about struggles that are being faced due to COVID-19.

Commenting, Committee Convener Gordon Lindhurst MSP said: “This is an extremely difficult time for many businesses and workers. They play a central role to life in Scotland, providing vital services and the revenue to fund public services.

The Committee would like to thank Scotland’s businesses and workers for their resilience and hard work throughout the pandemic and to acknowledge the trying times that many are facing.”

“More than ever our economy needs to be understood and given a helping hand and the work the Committee has been doing has had the aim of reaching out to those that need help and provide them a voice.”

While the Committee has published its report today, it is still welcoming evidence from stakeholders who have been affected by COVID-19.

Gordon Lindhurst MSP added: “The Committee is particularly concerned about the impact on the pandemic on young people; for example, there has been a severe drop in the number of young people starting Modern Apprenticeships for the period April to June 2020 (which fell by 80% over the year). ”

“Every effort must be made to support young people at this time; the Scottish Government must invite young people to participate in developing policies to help them at this critical time in their lives”

The published report can be found here

Ambulances struggling to offload patients into hospitals as corridor care returns

Dangerous crowding and corridor care has returned to Emergency Departments in England.

NHS England Performance figures for October 2020 show that patients waiting for treatment on trollies has increased by 50%, with patients waiting longer than 12 hours from decision to admission having quadrupled from September 2020.

The data also shows:

  • patients waiting longer than 12 hours (from decision to admit) has nearly doubled from the same month last year
  • the proportion of patients attending A&E who require admission is up by 3 percentage points on last year
  • the number of ambulances dispatched by NHS111 is higher than last month
  • ambulances response times are up on last month and the same month last year
  • Performance of the four-hour target is down by 4.1 percentage points in type 1 Emergency Departments from last month, with nearly 1 in 4 patients waiting longer than four hours to be seen

Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “I am appalled and alarmed; the data is massively worrying.

“Despite our repeated calls for action, crowding and corridor care is back and it has to stop. It is a dangerous and unsafe situation that puts enormous pressure on staff and departments and now increases the risk of hospital acquired infection to patients.

“We simply cannot leave patients for hours in crowded corridors without social distancing, making infection prevention control measures impossible; potentially exposing them to infections.

“Hospitals and trusts must, as a necessity, implement and follow strict IPC guidance ensuring staff are using the right PPE and are trained in how to fit it correctly to maximise safety for themselves and their patients. We welcome the news that there will be regular staff tests and look forward to hear how this will be operationalised. We need patients to be confident they are not being seen by staff who might be carrying the virus.

“But this only tackles part of the problem. To function as it should and provide the best care possible for patients, the Emergency Care system must have good flow. Without it ambulances are stuck waiting to offload patients and paramedics are unable to return to the community; waiting times increase across the board and patients suffer.

“The recent rise in covid infections in the community and a rise in general hospital admissions means there has been an increase in the number of patients in hospital. We already had a bed base far smaller than required, and the consequence of too few staffed beds is that patients are becoming stranded in EDs, putting them unnecessarily at risk. Hospitals need to be given guidance about how to prioritise the multiple demands they are trying to balance.

“Winter has only just begun and with the rise in community covid transmission it is only likely to get worse. We must stop crowding and corridor care now, we must ensure patients and staff are safe, we must ensure there is good flow so ambulances can admit patients into EDs quickly and waiting times are reduced. If these practices continue and we do not act I dread to think of the suffering this winter will bring.”

East of Scotland leads the way in tackling type 2 diabetes

A pioneering, inter-agency partnership, led by NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and the six local authorities in the region, is working together to reduce type 2 diabetes across the East of Scotland.

Type 2 diabetes has been on the rise across the country for the past decade, having a significant impact on the lives of individuals and health of Scotland’s population as a whole.

Over 62,000 people are living with type 2 diabetes in the East of Scotland – around 5% of the total population – and there are over 3,700 new cases in the region each year.

Recognising that diet and excess weight is driven by a range of environmental, societal and individual factors, regional health and social care providers have joined forces with stakeholders from the public, third and private sectors to advance sustainable change.

Growing evidence of the link between obesity and an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of this shared vision, compounded by the measures recently revealed as part of the UK government’s new obesity strategy.

With national investment of £1.46 million in the East of Scotland programme this year, regional director Nicky Waters said: “Our programme is a priority initiative – reflecting the need for urgent action to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Scotland and support people to lead healthy lifestyles.

“By adopting a Whole Systems Approach and bringing a wide range of partners together, our programme is centred on tackling structural, systemic root causes – such as poverty, inequality and childhood trauma – and the part that we all need to play in addressing them.”

Four core intervention programmes – Get Moving with Counterweight, Type 2 Diabetes Remission through Counterweight Plus, Gestational Diabetes education and Let’s Prevent Diabetes – are being rolled out across the region, with partners taking advantage of technology to support people throughout the pandemic.

Over 1900 adults have been referred to Get Moving with Counterweight and the remission programme since October 2019, with 60 patients currently taking part in Counterweight Plus.

Counterweight Plus, a free two-year programme being delivered by specialist NHS dietitians, is based on ground-breaking evidence from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).

A combination of intensive, long-term support and Total Diet Replacement (TDR) of nutritional shakes and soups, is key to the intervention’s success.

Jenny*, a patient going through Counterweight Plus in Lothian, has overcome various hurdles to continue on the programme at home throughout the pandemic – receiving virtual support whilst juggling family and working life under lockdown.

Despite the challenges, Jenny’s blood glucose results, weight loss and largely positive experience to date, all indicate that she’s heading in the right direction. She said: “The programme hasn’t been easy but the consistent emotional support and awareness of the long-term health benefits has really spurred me on. I’ve lost twenty kilos since I was first diagnosed and feel great because of it.”

Jonathan Hayes, the dietitian supporting Jenny, reflected: “It’s brilliant to see that, despite this unprecedented situation, there are people out there like Jenny who have turned things around for the positive. And who stand a very good chance of coming out of the pandemic, having put their type 2 diabetes into remission. That is an incredible outcome.”

Partners are also working together to design services to meet the Children and Young People Weight Management Delivery Standards for Scotland and develop effective prevention initiatives.

Regional health and social care providers are further committed to improving the working environment for their 84,000 employees and local areas are rolling out community based pilot projects to test a Whole Systems Approach (WSA) to diet and healthy weight.

Laurie Eyles, one of the newly appointed professional advisers for diet and healthy weight at the Scottish Government, who prior to this had been supporting partners as the programme’s clinical lead, said: “From delivering targeted interventions, to addressing the widespread issue of weight stigma and tackling the health inequalities which exist across the region – partners are committed to making lasting improvements to the environment in which we live.

“It is this that will allow us to build an East of Scotland where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active – reducing our risk of developing type 2 diabetes for the long-term.”

For weight management and type 2 diabetes support during this time, please visit:

To find out more about the programme, services and how to self-refer, please visit our website: www.eost2d.scot.nhs.uk

Projects across Scotland receive funding to promote healthy eating

HENRY to tackle childhood obesity in Lothian

Projects working with young families to encourage healthy eating and good nutrition have been awarded a share of more than £600,000 of funding.

Ten initiatives around Scotland are being allocated funding by the Scottish Government, supported by Public Health Scotland, to help prevent and reduce levels of childhood obesity.

Among the initiatives are the Bump and Beyond Buddies scheme in Tayside, which aims to extend its successful peer support infant feeding programme and a pilot scheme in areas of deprivation in Lothian where 120 family workers and early learning childcare practitioners will be trained to support families in community settings in good nutrition.

The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet-related health inequalities.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “We want children and families to have access to appropriate support to achieve as healthy a weight as possible, no matter where they live and we will continue to support local partners to develop ambitious and effective plans to prevent and reduce childhood obesity.

“We all have a responsibility to work together to help people in Scotland to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and these projects will help address inequalities in obesity between children in our wealthiest and poorest areas.

“As we set out in our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery plan, our ambition is to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet-related health inequalities.”

NHS Lothian will trial HENRY, an evidence-based training package, with family workers and early learning childcare practitioners working across the four local authority areas.

The pilot brings together support for parenting efficacy, family emotional welbeing and behaviour change with information about nutrition, physical activity, oral health and more.

Tracy McGillivray OF NHS Lothian’s Health Promotion Service said: “The Childhood Obesity, Early Intervention and Prevention funding will allow NHS Lothian to work closely with our partners in City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. 

“The project will work in areas where families are at increased risk of diet-related health inequalities.

“We will be able to provide training to community-based family support staff to have increased knowledge, skills and confidence around the promotion of eating well and ensuring consistent messaging in the importance of establishing good nutrition in the early years.”

New online community requests Veteran stories for new app

  • As generations pass since the two World Wars, the history of our fallen has the potential to be forgotten as sentiment wanes
  • Memories will have added longevity by engaging users with a web-based platform that appeals to families and younger people
  • The free app, Faces of Valour, will launch in 2021 combining the community stories and military history

As generations pass, are we likely to move further from the emotional resonance our generation has over the history and memories of our fallen heroes? Those who fought for our freedom and way of life. There is no blame to be placed, it is human nature that as time passes our understanding and emotions begin to deplete.

However, Canada based Memory Anchor are pleased to be developing a brand-new mobile application, Faces of Valour with the mission to address this. The app, which will be launching soon, will combine many resources which include the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) who honour and care for 1.7 million men and women, in 23,000 locations worldwide that died in the first and second world wars.

Whilst the app is in development, the co-founders of the project are hoping to collate as much information as possible from communities in Canada, the UK, and US. The community hub has been launched to coincide with the Remembrance services to engage with people who have stories to tell and information to share.

Ryan Mullens, co-founder of the Faces of Valour from Memory Anchor comments: “When we decided to create the Faces of Valour app, it was always our intention to create a unique and interesting way for people to interact with military history and honour those that have fallen to protect our freedom and way of life.

“By creating an app that offers physical interaction, modern technology and can appeal to more generations will help us to retain the memories of our loved ones we lost. With each generation we move further in time from the conflicts, but this should not mean that those people and their sacrifices should be lost or forgotten. 

“By collecting information, pictures and real-life stories of family members and loved ones, will ensure the app is rich with information when it is launched.”

The team have begun to build a community across the UK, Canada and the US to act as a resource by providing information, pictures, images of service records, medals and so much more – that will ensure the family members, friends and loved one’s memories are available for the world to engage with.

Anyone wishing to engage with the community can visit the website www.memoryanchor.com and register for free.

Matthew Cudmore, co-founder of Faces of Valour comments: “We are so excited to launch our community site and begin to collate lots of stories of real people.  We are so grateful to our professional partners at Beechwood, Veterans Affairs Canada and of course the CWGC. The development of the app has been the focus for Ryan and I for months, and we can wait to bring it to market soon. 

“For now, we are excited to focus on our community in time for Remembrance celebrations, in whatever form they may take this year. With every story we are told we hope to continue to tell that story for many years to come.”

You can follow the Faces of Valour team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Barratt Homes helps Edinburgh communities with charity donations

LifeCare and Tiphereth have each received a £1,000 donation as part of Barratt Homes East Scotland’s regular Community Fund giveaway.

Elderly care charity, LifeCare, will be using the cash boost from the five-star housebuilder to upskill its frontline workers to better deal with the changes to their working environment caused by COVID-19. For Tiphereth, the donation will help towards the refurbishment of one of its facilities, allowing them to welcome more people back to the organisation’s day service.

LifeCare specialises in dementia care, home care and incare for older people, allowing them to live with dignity. By helping older people keep connected to their communities, and to the things they love and enjoy, Life Care aims to guard the elderly against social isolation and the trap of defining people by dementia, poor mobility or advanced years.

Tiphereth is a unique community in Edinburgh where people with learning difficulties, staff and volunteers work and grow together. Through undertaking work for local community groups as well as their own cookery, art and gardening projects members increase their self-confidence while developing lifelong skills.

Alison Condie, managing director at Barratt East Scotland, said: “LifeCare and Tiphereth carry out incredible work supporting the vulnerable and people with learning difficulties.

“We’re pleased to be able to help them and hope that our donation will allow them continue to provide these crucial and important services through what are difficult times for us all.”

Speaking of the donation Vicki Bradley, Fundraising Manager at LifeCare added: “We are delighted that Barratt Homes has chosen to donate £1,000 to LifeCare.

“The people who use LifeCare services are amongst the most vulnerable in society and many are still shielding, so it is extremely important that our workers are knowledgeable in how to keep their clients and themselves safe. COVID-19 has not only changed the way we work but has added extra costs to all that we do, so we are very grateful to Barratt Homes for their generosity to help us continue to support those who rely on our services.”

Gordon Hudson, Fundraiser Manager at the Tiphereth said: “We would like to extend a huge thank you to Barratt Homes from everyone at Tiphereth. While our residential homes have been able to operate throughout lockdown, getting our day service back to 75% capacity has used up 100% of our staff.

“The donation will go towards bringing an extra building up to normal office standard, allowing us to utilise our locations differently and establish safer smaller groups.  This, in turn, will help us welcome more people back, offering respite to parents.”

Now in its second year, the Barratt Homes Community Fund has pledged to donate £1,000 each month to a charity or organisation in the East of Scotland. Charities are nominated by and voted for by employees of Barratt Homes and the focus for the fund continues to be on organisations that improve the quality of life for those living in the area.

The Barratt Homes Community Fund will be continuing into 2021.

Interested charities can enquire about donation opportunities at charity.eastscotland@barratthomes.co.uk

For more information on Barratt Homes, visit the website.

Book your place at the #BigClimateDebate

Wednesday 18 November: 5.20 – 7.20pm on Zoom

The #BigClimateDebate has now arrived. Join the most important discussion of our time.

We will hear the major political parties’ proposals to tackle the climate emergency and their achievements to date. Our guest politicians will give a short presentation on their party’s environmental actions and policies and then debate your questions.

Book your ticket here: https://thebigclimatedebate.eventbrite.co.uk

Our panellists are:

Sarah Boyack – Labour MSP for Lothian

Deidre Brock – SNP MP for Edinburgh North and Leith

Finlay Carson – Conservative MSP for Dumfries and Galloway

Christine Jardine – Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West

Alison Johnstone – Green MSP for Lothian