With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England’s foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.
At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them.
The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918.
Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms.
To this day we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a Two Minute Silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.
With many unable to take part in Remembrance services and events this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, you can still play your part from home.
Take part in a moment of Remembrance by observing the Two Minute Silence at 11am from your doorstep.
UNKNOWN WARRIOR 100
Huw Edwards presents coverage live from Westminster Abbey of a unique event marking the 100th anniversary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior on BBC One at 10.30am.
HRH The Prince of Wales attends an event marking the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior and the unveiling of the Cenotaph by King George V.
Huw Edwards is at Westminster Abbey with experts to discuss the history of the mysterious Unknown Warrior, whose tomb has inspired similar monuments to the fallen worldwide.
The Order of Service will reflect the funeral of 100 years ago and incorporate two minutes silence at 11am. Ruby Turner performs Abide With Me, Cerys Matthews gives a reading, and there is an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Three council areas are to move up a protection level as cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to rise in their areas.
Fife, Perth & Kinross and Angus local authority areas will move from Level 2 – where they have been since the new levels system was announced – to Level 3 with the change coming into effect from 6am on Friday 13 November.
All other local authority protection levels are unchanged. The city of Edinburgh remains at Level 3.
Within Level 1, those living in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles will, from Friday, be able to meet one other household inside their homes, up to a maximum of six people. Guidance will issue for anyone who travels to the mainland to avoid in-home socialising for a period after their return.
Speaking in parliament this afternoon, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was no immediate requirement to move any local authorities into Level 4 – the highest level – but that this was being kept under strict review.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The sacrifices everyone is making are hard – and they feel never-ending. But they are helping. They have made a difference, and they are saving lives. There is no doubt that the restrictions we have put in place have dramatically slowed the spread of the virus.
“But hospital admissions are still too high. The number of new cases we are seeing – more than 1,000 a day on average – is also too high. And we cannot be sure that we are seeing a sustained fall in cases.
“As I have said repeatedly in recent days, a rising or even plateauing rate of infection is not a stable position. We want to see a decline in cases. And so we will be monitoring the situation carefully in the days ahead.
“In light of the situation I have just outlined, it would clearly not be prudent to ease restrictions today.”
The First Minister again stressed the importance of travel restrictions in bringing down the infection rate of the virus.
Those in Levels 3 and 4 should not travel outside their local authority area unless travelling for essential reasons such as work, healthcare, or caring responsibilities, while those in a Level 1 or 2, should not be going into a Level 3 or Level 4 council area, except for those same essential purposes.
She added that these will remain in guidance over the next week but preparation for regulations will continue in the event they are required to be put into law.
Level allocations from 6am Friday 13 November:
Level 1:
Highland
Moray
Western Isles
Orkney
Shetland
Level 2:
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeen
Scottish Borders
Dumfries & Galloway
Argyll & Bute
Level 3:
Fife
Angus
Perth & Kinross
Inverclyde
East Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire
City of Glasgow
South Ayrshire
East Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
Stirling
Falkirk
Clackmannanshire
City of Edinburgh
Midlothian
West Lothian
East Lothian
Dundee
North Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire
The assessment of what level of protection should be applied to each local authority is broadly based on an analysis of five key indicators:
number of positive COVID-19 cases per hundred thousand people over the last week
percentage of positive tests
forecast for new cases in the weeks ahead
capacity of local hospitals
capacity of local intensive care facilities
These factors are assessed alongside the advice and recommendations of local public health officials, National Incident Management Team, the Scottish Government’s chief clinical and policy advisors, and consideration of local circumstances, such as: specific COVID-19 outbreaks; travel and work patterns; and the extent to which health services are provided by neighbouring health boards.
Final decisions are based on all of these factors.
Alongside a table setting out the levels, a detailed analysis paper has also been published setting out the Scottish Government’s assessment and overall decision for each local authority.
The UK Government has published guidance for students to travel home at the end of the term while controlling Covid-19 transmission risk.
The Scottish Government is expected to follow suit with a statement at Holyrood later today.
University students will be able to travel home to spend Christmas with their families once the national restrictions end on 2 December, following steps set out in new Government guidance published today.
In order to travel home safely, students in England will be required to follow the current national restrictions in place until 2 December, completing this four-week period in their term-time accommodation.
From 3 December to 9 December, which will be known as the ‘student travel window’, students will be allowed to travel home on staggered departure dates set by universities, who will work with other institutions in the region to manage pressure on transport infrastructure.
The student travel window will mean students can travel having just completed the four-week period of national restrictions, reducing the risk of transmission to family and friends at home.
Universities should move learning online by 9 December so students can continue their education while also having the option to return home to study from there.
As announced by the Prime Minister this week, the Government will also work closely with universities to establish mass testing capacity. Tests will be offered to as many students as possible before they travel home for Christmas, with universities in areas of high prevalence prioritised.
This will provide further reassurance that where students test negative, they can return home safely and minimise the risk of passing coronavirus on to their loved ones.
If a student tests positive before their departure they will need to remain in self-isolation for the required period of ten days. Moving all learning online by 9 December gives enough time for students to complete the isolation period and return home for Christmas.
The guidance delivers on the Government’s pledge to ensure students can be with their families at Christmas while limiting transmission of the virus.
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: ”We know this Christmas will feel different, and following this incredibly difficult year we are delivering on our commitment to get students back to their loved ones as safely as possible for the holidays.
“We have worked really hard to find a way to do this for students, while limiting the risk of transmission. Now it is vital they follow these measures to protect their families and communities, and for universities to make sure students have all the wellbeing support they need, especially those who stay on campus over the break.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries said: “The mass movement of students across the country at the end of term presents a really significant challenge within the COVID-19 response.
“The measures announced today will help minimise that risk and help students get home to their families as safely as possible for Christmas. It is crucial that students follow the guidance in order to protect their families and the communities they return to.”
Universities are expected to make plans to ensure students can travel home safely at the end of term, working with local public health officials and transport operators.
Students should follow the Government’s travel guidance, which includes wearing face coverings unless exempt, avoiding busy routes and times, and limiting car sharing with only their household or bubble where possible.
We are working with the other governments across the UK to ensure that all students, no matter where they live or study are treated fairly and can travel home as safely as possible to keep all our communities safe.
English students at universities in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, should follow the guidance relevant to where they are living before returning home.
When they return to England, they should follow their local guidance for their home area. Students returning to their home in England who have not completed the 4 weeks of national restrictions should undertake at least 14 days of restricted contact either before or after return home to minimise their risk of transmission.
Universities have also been asked to provide additional help and practical support to students, particularly for students who remain on campus over Christmas, which can include care leavers, international students and students estranged from their families. Universities should ensure they are properly cared for and can access affordable food, medical and cleaning supplies if needed.
The Government has provided over £9 million to leading mental health charities to help them expand and reach those most in need, as well as working closely with the Office for Students to provide up to £3 million to fund Student Space, a new mental health support platform.
The department also worked with the Office for Students to clarify that providers were able to use existing funds, worth around £23 million per month for April to July this year and £256 million for Academic Year 2020/21, towards hardship support.
Police are appealing for information after a 17-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the Corstorphine area.
The incident happened at around 6.40pm on Saturday (7 November). She was walking from the direction of the Tesco Extra store at Corstorphine and turned onto Broomhall Road at a convenience store and hair salon.
She was aware of a man following her along Broomhall Road. As she approached the junction of Broomhall Road and Broomhall Loan, she was approached from behind by the man, who asked her for the time.
He then assaulted her before running off along Broomhall Road towards Meadow Place Road.
He is described as white, around 30 to 40-years-old with short black hair and fair eyebrows. He was wearing a black mask and a black padded jacket.
Detective Sergeant Mark Seymour said: “We are appealing to anyone who was in the area both before and after this incident who may have seen this man or know who he is. In particular we are asking anyone with dash-cam footage or private CCTV that may have picked up anything suspicious to get in touch.
“Anyone who can help is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1676 of Sunday, 8 November, 2020, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Whether you’re considering a change of career or have an interest in innovative ways to solve the global climate crisis, you could be among the swarms of Scots getting smart on insect farming thanks to events from Zero Waste Scotland this month.
Scotland’s circular economy expert organisation will run three public events on the future of food with a focus on farming insects like mealworm and black soldier fly. The events will be delivered in partnership with Dutch insect sector experts NGN, New Generation Nutrition, under the EU project ValuSect.
New European Union regulations introduced in 2017 allow farming of seven insect species which can upgrade food waste to high quality protein. A recent Zero Waste Scotland report¹ identifies insect farming as a sustainable way to produce more food using less resources – and with lucrative jobs potential to boot.
Demand for protein is increasing, yet food systems like agriculture already take up around half of the Earth’s habitable surface. Rearing animals for food accounts for more than three quarters (77%) of that space². What’s more, food systems are behind an estimated 26% of global carbon emissions³.
Both agriculture and aquaculture – or fish farms – have worked hard to maximise sustainability in recent years, but there is still a growing need for more sustainable sources of feed proteins to reduce pressure on the environment, support biodiversity, and help fight the climate crisis.
Insects could play a valuable role as an alternative feedstock for fish, poultry and pigs – while they can also be used to make pet food.
In addition, insect farming could help us add value to some of the food waste generated in Scotland. That’s because insects can be fed on surplus produce from arable farms, supermarkets and bakeries on everything from broccoli to crisps. The exoskeletons can be made into a bioplastic, the oils are a useful feed supplement, and even the manure can be used as a biofertiliser.
Dr William Clark (above), a bioeconomy specialist at Zero Waste Scotland, explained:“Insect farming could become the next big thing – a way to plug the predicted ‘protein gap’ that has real potential to bring Scotland’s carbon footprint down at the same time.
“It’s also open to everyone, from householders to smallholders, existing food producers looking to diversify to companies in the bioeconomy sector, and entrepreneurs with an eye for innovation. That’s because it doesn’t require lots of space – insect farms can range in size from a small shed or a few shipping containers to industrial scale feed mills. You need to know how to look after them but, in all cases, you can produce significant volumes of sustainable protein using a fraction of the resources.
“Insect farming is already well established all over the world. We don’t have an insect industry here yet but Scotland really is a great place to farm insects and we’ve seen lots of interest. It’s great for Scotland’s circular economy ambitions that we’re in a position to take advantage of the opportunities insect farming offers, and I would encourage anyone with an interest to sign up to the events to find out more.”
Zero Waste Scotland and NGN will host An introduction to the insect sector on Tuesday 17 November. To book a place visit http://ngn.co.nl/ukwebinar/
It will be followed by two sessions on protein production and the circular bioeconomy on Thursday 19 and 26 November. To book a place visit https://zerowastescotland.org.uk/events
All events will be free but limited and hosted online.
Celebrating Edinburgh’s creative community and local businesses
Advent Stories: Santa has a special ask of Edinburgh this year.
Neighbourhood Market: Shop local and support city businesses.
Edinburgh’s Christmas is set to help the city celebrate Christmas safely and differently this year, with the announcement of a new digital programme by Underbelly, Producers of Edinburgh’s Christmas.
Following a year of unprecedented hardship for both residents and businesses, this year Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrates its creative community and supports local businesses to bring festive cheer to people across Edinburgh.
Santa Claus will keep the Edinburgh’s Christmas spirit alive and bring some magic to each day of Advent, by reading a free, festive story every evening before bedtime on Edinburgh’s Christmas website each day of Advent providing families with a daily dose of comfort.
Edinburgh’s Christmas (and Santa Claus, who needs some help as his elves are busy making toys) are calling on budding writers of all ages, from within Edinburgh and the Lothians to send in a story filled with festivity, hope and fun.
Santa Claus himself will select the winners and will read them out, and Edinburgh’s Christmas will publish them on the website.
Entries open today and should be submitted by Sunday 22nd Nov.
Supported by the team at Forth 1, Boogie In The Morning hosts, Boogie & Arlene will be among the presenters who will encourage listeners to enter the competition and will support Santa in reading some of the stories from his grotto in the North Pole.
Shop local at Edinburgh’s Christmas Neighbourhood Market
Edinburgh’s local businesses will be the focus of a new online campaign and virtual shop window in a new online neighbourhood market.
From today, a sign up portal on www.edinburghschristmas.com will open for local, independent businesses to enter their information to be part of the Edinburgh’s Christmas Neighbourhood Market.
The Market is expected to showcase artisan producers, makers, local retailers, bakers, gift companies, accessory and clothing businesses, hotels and restaurants – putting the focus on supporting and celebrating local, independent businesses and will open to customers on 19 November.
The Market is entirely free to sign up to. It will act as a directory to direct people to a fantastic range of local suppliers where they can purchase and interact on the supplier’s own site.
Throughout the campaign, the neighbourhood market will put a spotlight on a range of selected local businesses each day, showcasing the wealth of product and produce on offer in Edinburgh.
In addition to featuring on the Edinburgh’s Christmas website, the promotion and marketing support will extend to the official Edinburgh’s Christmas channels. These include 126,000 followers on Facebook, 9,300 on Instagram and 13,300 on Twitter.
The platform will also highlight activity that is already happening in the city, with information and a location map highlighting each of the local farmers markets in the city.
Ashley Harley, Events Manager at Mimi’s Bakehouse said: “We have always loved being part of Edinburgh Christmas and as a local Edinburgh business we love helping to ensure there is local presence so this digital platform is such a fantastic idea.
“Giving Edinburgh businesses a chance to showcase the amazing gifts, produce, food and drink the city has to offer and utilise to Edinburgh Christmas platform will be sure to generate some sales at a time when the retail and food and drink has taken a real blow. We encourage everyone to shop local this year and support your independents whilst having a safe and happy Christmas.”
Ruth Fisher, Producer of Edinburgh’s Christmas for Underbelly, said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas is a hugely important event for the city and this year’s digital programme has been designed to put Edinburgh’s residents and businesses first.
“The new Christmas Neighbourhood Market is designed to shine a spotlight on the wealth of products and produce that we have here in Edinburgh and encourage residents to shop locally this Christmas.
“As a key worker, Santa is very much at the heart of our plans. We look forward to reading the story submissions and working with Santa and his elves to produce a great series of Advent Stories. In what has been an unprecedented year for Edinburgh, we hope that the Edinburgh’s Christmas programme brings some cheer and enjoyment to everyone this festive season.”
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Rosssaid: “The festive season is a very special time for our city and our communities and, as Edinburgh’s Christmas goes digital this year, our residents and local businesses will be at the heart of it all.
“What an honour to have Santa Claus himself reading bedtime stories every night leading up to the big day!
“The new online Neighbourhood Market promises to be an exciting and convenient outlet for Christmas shopping and a fantastic opportunity for local businesses of all kinds. This year, more than ever, it’s essential to support our local businesses and through the Neighbourhood Market we can do this while at the same time staying safe and having some festive fun.
“I’m glad that although we can’t be together at our usual popular events this year, this digital programme ensures that the Capital will still have plenty of Christmas spirit.”
Boogie, Presenter of Forth 1’s Boogie In The Morning showsaid: “Forth 1 has worked with Edinburgh’s Christmas & Hogmanay for many years so we are delighted to be involved in Santa’s Advent Stories.
“We all know that Christmas could be very different this year so anything at all that Arlene and I can do to help bring some festive cheer to the fantastic people of Edinburgh and beyond, then we are very keen to support it where we can. We love the Santa’s Advent Stories idea!”
World of Books Group have discovered a moving and poignant hand-written letter from a British World War 2 soldier serving in Italy.
The note, written to thank a schoolgirl who had spent time knitting mittens for troops in the trenches, was found tucked away inside a book.
During the War, those on the home front were encouraged to knit comforts for serving soldiers, with widespread initiatives run by organisations such as the British Red Cross.
World of Books and the British Red Cross are now looking to reunite this piece of World War 2 history with its owner and discover more about the soldier who penned it.
On a winter’s day in February 1944 from Italy, a Lance Corporal named ‘John’ took to pen and paper to thank a schoolgirl in High Wycombe for her small yet valuable contribution to the war effort – knitting mittens for anonymous troops in the trenches.
76 years later, this piece of World War 2 history was rediscovered by World of Books, the UKs largest seller of used books and media, tucked away inside a book being prepared for resale.
The letter’s recipient, ‘Miss Pat’ of Hatters Lane Senior School in High Wycombe Buckinghamshire, would have been one of many civilians on the home front who were encouraged to do their bit to support the British War effort, according to the British Red Cross who were approached by the company for help – and who themselves ran a number of initiatives to get Britain knitting.
The British Red Cross has been helping people in crisis for 150 years, providing support to those who need it most, no matter who or where they are. During the First and Second World Wars, the organisation gave relief to sick and wounded members of the armed forces, prisoners of war and civilians.
It also connected the kindness of those at home to the war effort by publishing knitting patterns of essential items in the Joint War Organisation’s The Prisoner of War magazine. The magazines were for the families of prisoners of war and these patterns could have been used as part of a school project to send to ‘John’.
Items made through these types of activities are on display on the British Red Cross online exhibition, 150 voices. The exhibition was launched to mark the 150th anniversary and features 150 objects that recognise those who have played an important part in the history of the British Red Cross.
Now, World of Books and British Red Cross are teaming up to try and reunite this precious letter with its owner and to celebrate the small acts of kindness from home that provided such comfort to soldiers serving overseas.
Graham Bell, CEO of World of Books Group says: “Over 75 million used books come through our business each year, and we occasionally come across forgotten personal items tucked away inside them.
“It’s incredibly common for people to place memories inside books for safe keeping, whether it be family photographs or letters from loved ones. But this find is particularly poignant, especially as we approach Armistice Day – and is a first for World of Books. The letter undoubtedly holds great sentimental value. We’d love to reunite it with its owner or their family.
“As a circular economy business, we’re focused on finding used items new homes. In this case, it would be wonderful to bring this letter back full circle to its original owner.”
Mezebhin Adam, Curator at the British Red Cross said: “The letter is a lovely find and is a perfect first-hand example of how kindness can keep people connected during a crisis, something the British Red Cross has been doing for 150 years.
“During the Second World War, the British Red Cross encouraged people to knit comforts for sick and wounded soldiers and prisoners of war. We provided knitting patterns to those on the home front and we even have examples of some of the knitted items in our museum collection. The stories of these activities are always lovely to hear, especially from such a personal heartwarming letter.”
If you have any information that could help World of Books and the British Red Cross reunite this letter with its owner or their families, contact press@worldofbooks.com
Which? is warning of the risk of fake reviews misleading shoppers this Black Friday as new research suggests Amazon is struggling to spot and prevent sellers from using unscrupulous tactics to manipulate their ratings.
Fake reviews are a big problem on many of the world’s biggest websites and Which? has also previously uncovered evidence of fake and suspicious review activity on eBay, Facebook and TripAdvisor.
In the UK, Amazon is a dominant force with Black Friday shoppers. Which? research found 34 per cent of consumers planned to buy something there this Black Friday, compared to 16 per cent at John Lewis and seven per cent at Currys PC World.
In its latest investigation Which? looked at the first page of Amazon listings for some of the most popular Black Friday product categories, including tablets, smartphones and wearables, as well as headphones and mobile phone accessories – where it has previously found evidence of concerning review activity.
Which? uncovered a range of obvious tactics sellers are using to manipulate review ratings. Amazon says it has clear policies that prohibit sellers from engaging in this type of activity, and has mechanisms in place to analyse reviews, but Which? is concerned that its approach is not effective enough. Which?’s experts found:
Blatant evidence of sellers incentivising shoppers to write positive reviews, using free gifts or vouchers. Despite exposing this practice in previous investigations and it being in breach of Amazon’s site policies, this appears to be a persistent issue. In a number of cases the products were also labelled with the Amazon’s Choice endorsement and had comments within reviews such as: “wouldn’t have placed this review but for the fact that I am hoping to claim the free gifts offered by doing so”.
Large numbers of positive product reviews uploaded in a suspiciously short space of time. In one example a pair of Pro-Elec headphones had 1,006 ratings and 4.8 stars despite the listing having only been added less than six months earlier. That’s more than five reviews each day, on average, for a brand that’s unknown outside of Amazon. Of those reviews, 92 per cent were five stars.
Products with a suspiciously high number of review images – Which? research has shown how unscrupulous sellers often ask for images when they request positive reviews on their products. One smartwatch by Willful, an Amazon’s Choice product, had 3,800 images posted alongside the 2,544 written reviews – easily outnumbering the reviews with images left for products by better-known brands – this is more than 60 times the number of reviews with images left on the Apple Watch Series 3.
Review merging – where sellers merge dormant or unavailable products with new or existing product listings as a way to transfer positive reviews from one to another. This included a supposed iPhone 11 adaptor which appeared to share reviews with the popular PS4 video game The Last of Us.
Products with colour ‘variations’ manipulated to create higher numbers of positive reviews – evidence of users leaving multiple reviews, on the same day, by selecting different colour variants, in an apparent effort to evade any systems Amazon uses to detect fake reviews.
An account that had been hacked and used to leave a five-star review – one review of a set of headphones had been updated with a claim that the reviewer’s account had been hacked and used to leave a five star review, a tactic that other people have previously reported to Which?.
With many high street stores forced to shut due to lockdown restrictions, it’s likely that more people than ever will turn to online shopping in the weeks ahead. Which? is concerned that some sellers are seeking to manipulate reviews to increase their prominence in Amazon search results.
Worryingly there also appears to have been a rise in the proportion of suspicious reviews on Amazon in the UK since March’s coronavirus lockdown, according to ReviewMeta data.
ReviewMeta’s data suggests that there was a more than 30 per cent rise in the proportion of unnatural reviews on Amazon between March and August following the first coronavirus lockdown. This means consumers are at risk of being misled given Which? research has found that people could be more than twice as likely to choose poor-quality products online if they have been boosted by fake reviews.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has previously estimated that £23 billion a year of consumer transactions are influenced by online reviews and many people will be looking to use them as a helpful guide to get a good deal in the sales.
However, Which? believes that firmer action is needed to address the recurring problems caused by fake reviews on online marketplaces and other platforms, so that consumers can shop online with confidence.
The CMA must seek to conclude its investigation into fake reviews with some urgency. If it finds that sites that host reviews are not doing enough to detect and prevent fake reviews and the bad actors that flood their platforms with them – then strong action must immediately be taken to prevent growing numbers of consumers from being misled.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:“Our investigation has uncovered popular Black Friday product categories that are littered with fake and suspicious reviews – suggesting that deals that look too good to be true often are. This leaves shoppers at risk of being misled into buying poor quality and potentially dangerous products online.
“With people more reliant on online shopping than ever before due to the coronavirus crisis, it’s vital that online platforms step up and do more to protect their users from fake reviews, otherwise the regulator must be prepared to swiftly step in with strong action.”
Which?’s advice on how to spot fake reviews this Black Friday:
If it looks too good to be true…
A healthy degree of scepticism is your best weapon against fake reviews. If a product has an unusually high number of reviews relative to others in that category, especially if these reviews are overwhelmingly positive, you’d be right to exercise caution.
Actually read the reviews
Don’t just trust the overall rating – read some reviews to look for suspicious repetition or signs of incentivisation, and sort by recent reviews to see what new buyers thought. Always check negative reviews as well, to see if there are recurring issues.
Take extra care with brands you don’t recognise
The majority of fake review activity we’ve seen has been on brands that are all but unknown outside marketplaces. If you don’t recognise the brand, check to see if it has a legitimate looking website, with clear contact details. You could even try calling or emailing the seller with a question, to see how quickly they respond.
Be wary of products with lots of pictures or videos
Sellers on Facebook review groups who incentivise positive reviews often encourage people to add photos and videos. Ask yourself, how likely is it that you’d take the time to snap multiple images, or a video, of a product that you’re reviewing honestly?
Report suspicious reviews to Amazon
Consumers concerned about the authenticity of reviews left on a product, when they are looking at websites, are encouraged to report this to the online platform so that it can investigate.
New research published today shows youth work makes a significant impact on young people’s skills, confidence, wellbeing and access to opportunities.
The Impact of Community-Based Universal Youth Work in Edinburgh study worked with youth groups from across Edinburgh to identify the key elements of youth work which helped young people achieve positive changes in their lives.
A research partnership between YouthLink Scotland, Edinburgh University, Northern Star and Lothian Association of Youth Clubs, collected ‘significant change stories’ from almost 100 young people from nine voluntary youth work organisations working with Edinburgh youngsters.
The research showed that young people who had engaged with youth work services learnt new skills and behaviours, became more confident, made new friends, developed positive and supportive relationships with their youth workers, and significantly improved their wellbeing.
Almost three-quarters of the young people taking part in the research said that youth work had given them skills for life, while 80% benefited from improved confidence. Just under a third of participants also reported feeling better equipped to vocalise thoughts and emotions they were experiencing, all of which feed into an improved sense of mental and physical wellbeing among young people.
The research analysed testimonies from both the 96 young people and the youth workers they engaged with, giving a context for how each participant had developed over a number of years.
One participant, aged 17, said: “When I started here, I was at CAMHS every day for my anxiety and depression. I didn’t really have any friends or anything that I enjoyed doing.
“I was very suicidal but coming here has made me decide to keep going when I’m at my lowest … I know I wouldn’t have the strength I do today if I had never started coming along.”
Dr Amy Calder, YouthLink Scotland’s Senior Policy and Research Officer and part of the research team, said: “Youth work has an important role in increasing young people’s skills and confidence, by providing opportunities and, building and maintaining positive, respectful relationships.
“Youth workers in Edinburgh provide a key and crucial service for local young people. It offers them a safe and welcoming space where they are encouraged to have fun and challenge themselves.”
Dr Ian Fyfe of the University of Edinburgh commented: “The experiences and behaviour of young people has been front and centre in media coverage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’ve witnessed outpourings of genuine public and political concern for the impact of the current situation on young people’s education, employment prospects and above all their wellbeing.
“A consistent picture has emerged from this data, and our other two Scottish studies, confirming the key role youth work plays in building young people’s confidence and supporting them to develop essential life skills.
“The consistent findings of the research also point to the importance of youth work as an informal educational practice setting that offers a safe place for young people to meet and reflect on issues important in their lives.”
Laurene Edgar, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs added: “This research not only reinforces to voluntary youth work organisations in Edinburgh the impact of services provided for young people, but it will be used with a variety of stakeholders to demonstrate why community-based youth work needs continued investment for prevention and early intervention.”
