Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Control Watch Manager, Linda Coughlan, has won a prestigious Spirit of Fire award at a virtual ceremony held by The Fire Fighters Charity and introduced by His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge.
Winning the Supporter of The Year: Control Room Staff award at the Charity’s virtual awards ceremony, Linda was recognised for her years of selfless support of the Charity. Organising events, volunteering, raising awareness and doing everything she can to raise funds for the Charity, Linda’s award was announced on the night by Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, Britain’s most decorated female Olympian .
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge introduced The Fire Fighters Charity’s virtual Spirit of Fire Awards via a recorded video message.
Opening the ceremony The Duke spoke of the challenges faced by fire service personnel in the wake of Covid-19, reiterating why it’s so important that they know where to turn when they need support themselves.
The Duke also announced the winner of the evening’s first award– the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in The Field of Mental Health – which was awarded to Shilla Patel, Inclusion Manager at London Fire Brigade.
A further 13 awards were announced by a host of famous faces over the course of the evening, including: Brian May CBE, Michael Sheen OBE, Dame Julie Walters DBE, Clare Balding OBE, Simon Day, Reverend Kate Botley, Jason Watkins, Adam Hills, Les Ferdinand MBE, Susanna Reid, Maddie Moat and Greg Foot.
The Spirit of Fire Awards recognise the fundraising and awareness-raising achievements of members of the UK’s fire services community in their support of The Fire Fighters Charity, as well as the courage of the Charity’s beneficiaries in the face of personal adversity.
Usually held in London, with a reception at No.10 Downing Street, the coronavirus pandemic meant that the Charity took the awards ceremony online in 2020 for the first time.
The Fire Fighters Charity Chief Executive, Dr Jill Tolfrey, said of Linda’s Supporter of The Year: Control Room Staff award: “I am delighted that Linda has been recognised for her remarkable, lifelong support of The Fire Fighters Charity.
“She is a true ambassador for the Charity in Scotland and works tirelessly to both raise funds and ensure that her colleagues across the Service know that the Charity is here to help them if they need it. Congratulations Linda.”
Sainsbury’s is to cut 3,500 jobs, mainly from it’s Argos chain, it was announced this morning.
The retailer plans to close more than 400 standalone Argos stores by March 2024, although it says it will open 150 more Argos outlets in Sainsbury’s stores. Jobs will also go in the supermarkets, however, with the closure of delicatessen and fresh fish and meat counters.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of J Sainsbury plc said:“As we go into lockdown in England for the second time this year and restrictions are in place across the UK, we know our customers and colleagues are feeling anxious and we will do all we can to support them.
“Our colleagues have done an exceptional job going above and beyond for our customers every day which is why we are giving our frontline colleagues a second 10 per cent thank you payment.
“Above all else today, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to every one of my colleagues in our stores, in our depots, and across our store support centres for all your hard work and for your outstanding team effort.
“We also want to support our communities and those in need and are creating a £5 million community fund for local charities and good causes, in addition to the £7 million we donated to Fareshare and Comic Relief earlier this year. We want to do our bit to ensure that no one goes hungry at Christmas and to support those most in need.
“COVID-19 has accelerated a number of shifts in our industry. Investments over recent years in digital and technology have laid the foundations for us to flex and adapt quickly as customers needed to shop differently. Around 19 per cent of our sales were digital this time last year and nearly 40 per cent of our sales are digital today.
“While we are working hard to help feed the nation through the pandemic, we have also spent time thinking about how we deliver for our customers and our shareholders over the longer term.
“We will put food back at the heart of Sainsbury’s. We are already working to make this happen – we have lowered prices on over 1,500 every day grocery products over the past few months and we will do more of this, focusing on the staple products that our customers buy every day.
“We know that customers are feeling the pinch and we want them to feel confident they will get always get great value, quality and service from Sainsbury’s. We will focus on accelerating product innovation and will bring new and exclusive products to our customers much more often.
“To support our ambition in food, we are accelerating our ambition to structurally reduce our cost base right across the business so we can invest faster back into our core food offer.
“Our other brands – Argos, Habitat, Tu, Nectar and Sainsbury’s Bank – must deliver for their customers and for our shareholders in their own right.
“Argos sales have been strong over the past six months and we have gained almost two million new customers as people have re-connected with Argos. Over the next three years we will make Argos a simpler, more efficient and more profitable business while still offering customers great convenience and value and improving availability.
“We will also make Habitat more widely available in Sainsbury’s and Argos, giving customers access to stylish home and furniture products at more affordable prices.
“We are talking to colleagues today about where the changes we are announcing in Argos standalone stores and food counters impact their roles. We will work really hard to find alternative roles for as many of these colleagues as possible and expect to be able to offer alternative roles for the majority of impacted colleagues.
“Given the unprecedented circumstances of this year and the challenges facing our colleagues, including the changes we are announcing today, I have informed the Board that if a bonus is payable, I will waive any bonus entitlement for this financial year.
“We are raising our ambitions. By delivering improvements in value and quality and simplifying this business, we will do a better job for our customers and deliver an improved financial performance and stronger shareholder returns.
“Right here and now I and all the team are focused on supporting and delivering for our customers in the days and weeks ahead.”
Unite the union has called on Sainsbury’s to redeploy its 500 members whose jobs on deli, fish and meat counters are under threat, following today’s announcement by the supermarket giant that it is cutting 3,500 jobs.
Unite said that it was ‘deeply disappointed’ by the news affecting its members working on these counters which have been closed since the first lockdown in March and called for urgent talks to explore redeployment opportunities within Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
It is understood that the redundancy notices for the counter staff will be issued in March next year and come into effect in May 2021.
Unite national officer for the food industry Bev Clarkson said: “This is very disappointing news for our 500 members working on the deli, fish and meat counters.
“We are seeking urgent talks with the management to explore deployment opportunities within Sainsbury’s, given the supermarket’s sales have risen since the first lockdown in March.
“Hopefully, the supermarket can reopen some of these counters, closed since March, once the Covid-19 restrictions are eased and a vaccine comes on stream.
“Sainsbury’s needs to engage more constructively with Unite going forward as this news came ‘out of the blue’ without the detailed consultations we would expect from such an established and well-known company.
“This is very grim news for our members and their families in the run-up to Christmas, and we will be giving them maximum support during this worrying and uncertain time.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, on Wednesday 4th November:
Thanks for joining us today again. Let me give you the daily updates on the COVID statistics.
The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1433.
That represents 7.9% of the total number of tests, and the total number of confirmed cases is therefore now to 68,444.
602 of today’s new cases were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 318 in Lanarkshire, 163 in Lothian and 88 in Ayrshire and Arran.
The remaining 262 cases were spread across 8 other health board areas.
I can also confirm that 1257 people are currently in hospital – that is an increase of 3 from yesterday. And 94 people are in intensive care, which is 2 more than yesterday.
And finally, I deeply regret to say that 50 deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.
That means that the total number of deaths, under our daily measurement, is now 2,927.
National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update, that of course includes cases where COVID is a suspected or contributory cause of death.
Today’s update shows that by Sunday just past, the total number of registered deaths linked to COVID, either confirmed or presumed was 4,649.
167 of those deaths were registered last week, which is 61 more than in the week previous.
Of last week’s deaths 127 occurred in hospital, 31 were in care homes, and 9 were at home or in another non-institutional setting.
Now I report all of that as statistics but particularly when we have numbers such as those that I reported today, it’s always really important to remind ourselves that these deaths are not, and should never simply be, seen as statistics.
Every single one of them represents an individual who was cherished and loved and whose loss has been mourned by family and friends across the country.
So again, I want to send my deepest condolences to all those who have been bereaved as a result of this virus.
I am joined today by Jason Leitch, the National Clinical Director. I am also joined by Martin Blunden, Scotland’s Chief Fire Officer, who will say a few words about fire safety – as we look ahead to what of course will be a very different 5th of November from the ones we have been used to.
The Scottish Parliament yesterday discussed longer term measures to prevent the misuse of fireworks. But there is also an immediate need to ensure that this year’s bonfire night passes safely, and the Chief Fire Officer will talk more about that shortly.
Before then, I want to cover two points and I will do so reasonably briefly.
Firstly, a quick return to the situation in relation to furlough payments. As you know, the Scottish Government welcomes the fact that the current furlough scheme has been extended until the 2nd December.
That will help employees and businesses across Scotland and the UK who need to use it over that period.
However we continue to make the case – as do our counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland – that the same level of furlough support must also be available after November. The same level of help for the self-employed should also be made available.
We cannot have a situation where businesses are fully supported, rightly fully supported, when England enters a lockdown, but comparable support isn’t made available, if all or part of Scotland, or Wales or Northern Ireland face similar restrictions.
So I very much welcome the apparent commitment of the Prime Minister to equal treatment, that he gave in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.
As a result of that commitment, we hope and expect that the furlough scheme will be available at its current levels, those levels that will apply through November if we need to impose stronger restrictions in any part of the country in the future.
But we still have not seen any detailed written commitments on this from the Treasury. And we need to do that, as a matter of urgency. The current confusion and lack of clarity is, and I think this is an obvious point, is not helpful for our decision-making, but it is not helpful for businesses and employees who of course are anxious about jobs and wages at this time.
So I hope, although I’m mindful that I said the same thing at this point yesterday, that we will get that clarity over the course of today. (NOTE: UK Chancellor is finally expected to confirm this in a statement today – Ed.)
The second point I want to highlight also relates to support for businesses.
Back in July, we announced a £38 million package of support for new companies, in emerging sectors of the economy as well as supporting existing businesses through this crisis, we want to support the sustainable recovery of the economy in ways that help us meet our challenges of the future, not least climate change.
That support included a £25 million fund for recent start-ups, that’s being shared today between 90 businesses. They will receive a combination of grant and investment funding worth up to £300k.
These companies operate are operating in areas which are likely to grow in importance in the years to come – such as software development, space engineering and sustainable packaging.
And so we hope that this support will help them to innovate and grow, despite the crisis currently being caused by COVID.
Today’s funding also shows the mix of measures we are looking at as we try to support economic growth, both throughout and in the future, as we emerge from this crisis.
It is vital for businesses across the country that we work with the UK Government, and agree the details of furlough support.
The Scottish Government is also responsible for deciding funding for some major economic interventions – whether that is business rates relief, and the support grants available for companies which are hit by COVID restrictions.
But alongside that help, we are also responsible for more targeted measures. So today’s support is an example of that and we hope it will help a relatively small number of companies, but companies that have significance for the future, innovate, build and grow.
These are the two main points I wanted to cover today. However before I hand over to the Chief Fire Officer, I just want to emphasise again the current rules and guidance.
If we all put our own twist on the rules they won’t work. Stopping the spread starts with all of us.
And I want to repeat that although we continue to see some positive signs in our data just now, and that’s all down to the sacrifices that people across the country are making. We are still dealing with a very fragile and volatile situation and therefore it is the case that we have a lot of work to do.
As I set out yesterday, given the nature of what we are dealing with right now, it’s not enough and we cannot take sufficient comfort from a situation where we stop the spread of the virus deteriorating. We also need to be seeing a significant and sustained improvement.
Otherwise the risk we would bear is going deeper into winter with a high baseline of infection – that would mean any increase in the R number could quickly see the virus overwhelm us and overwhelm our hospitals.
So we will be monitoring the situation closely ahead of the first review of our new levels system next Tuesday.
In the meantime though, I ask everyone to remember that we all have a part to play in this. The more all of us abide by the rules, the more chance we have of making the progress we need to see.
And it’s another opportunity to remind everybody that though this virus makes us all feel a little bit powerless and at times bewildered, no of us are powerless in the face of this if we all stick to the rules, we make an individual and a collective impact on the spread of it.
So let me just briefly in conclusion remind you of what these rules are.
If you are living in one of the areas categorised as level three at the moment – most parts of the central belt, and now also Dundee – do not travel outside your own local authority area unless it is essential. You can find more detail of what we mean by ‘essential’ on the Scottish Government website. But it includes, for example, work that you cannot do at home, or caring responsibilities.
And people in other parts of Scotland should not travel into level three areas except for the same essential purposes.
We are also asking you now not to travel outside of Scotland – to other parts of the UK, or overseas – again unless there is an essential reason for you to do so.
This is, I know, very restrictive but it is essential to avoid us taking the virus from areas of high prevalence to areas of low prevalence and that point is important to stress.
In addition to the travel restrictions across the country right now, none of us should be visiting each other’s homes – again except for specific purposes, such as childcare, or looking after a frail or vulnerable person.
When we do meet people from other households, outdoors or indoor public places, please stick to the limits. No more than six people from no more than two households.
Avoid car-sharing if you can.
Work from home if you can.
Download the Protect Scotland app.
And remember the five rules that everybody needs to abide by to minimise the risk of transmission:
· wear face coverings when you’re out and about · avoid places with crowds of people · clean your hands regularly and clean surfaces regularly · keep two metres distance from people from other households · and self-isolate, and get tested, if you have any of the symptoms of COVID.
I set this out in some detail yesterday, and you hear me say in regularly over the course of the days to come, we have taken early action in Scotland.
Your sacrifices are adding to that, to put us in, not a strong position because no country in the face of a global pandemic can claim its position is strong, but put us in a position that is less severe than many other countries across the world.
But it is a fragile position and we must continue to see progress, that obviously will guide decisions government takes but right now, that need to continue to suppress the virus if we are to avoid tougher restrictions that last for longer, is something all of us need to remember in complying with all of this advice and with all of the rules.
So my thanks again to everybody for joining us today and for all the sacrifices that you continue to make.
Morrisons has brought back a set of fiery bonfire night bangers made with three of the hottest chillies known to mankind.
Back by popular demand, The Morrisons ‘Hellfire’ sausages contain an explosive combination of Naga Ghost, Trinidad Scorpion and Carolina Reaper chilli – some of the spiciest chillies you can get according to the Guinness World Records.
They have been expertly blended with Morrisons 100% British ‘The Best’ sausage meat to create the ultimate hair-raising banger.
With coronavirus restrictions putting a dampener on many Halloween and Bonfire plans this year, these scorching six chilli rating sizzlers are sure to heat up even the smallest at home celebrations. But be quick, as the sausages are available for a limited time only.
Morrisons Sausage Buyer, Campbell Breakwell said: “These sausages cooked up a storm amongst our customers last year, so rightfully we had to bring them back!
“For those feeling dare devilish enough to try them for the first time, we’d suggest having a glass of milk at the ready!”
Available in Morrisons stores for £2.65 for a pack of six – or two packs for £4 if you’re feeling brave.
Available in the majority of Morrisons stores – whilst stocks last
Scots have been encouraged to build extenuating circumstances into their plans, look at the smaller goals and reward themselves to help them stick to their routines during this difficult time.
The team from Blackwolf Workout have offered those struggling four tips to help keep their days more structured.
A lack of motivation and productivity is normal for anyone during a global pandemic, whether this is in terms of keeping to a gym routine or adapting to working from home.
Everyone is feeling different day to day so it’s important to not let your entire week or routine be overshadowed by one slip-up.
A spokesperson for Blackwolf Workout said: “This has been a very uncertain year for everyone where normal routines, such as commuting to and from work, have been disrupted.
“It can be difficult to stick to the routines of the ‘new normal’ when everything is so uncertain with further potential lockdowns still possible.
“By planning ahead and building any uncertainty into your routine you’re more likely to stick to it.”
Everything seems more achievable with smaller goals. If you have one finish point in mind, try and break down the journey between where you are now and the endpoint. Within the journey, you should highlight several markers or smaller goals to help show you’re on track.
2.Reward
Everyone likes a reward and they can sometimes be just the motivation you need. If you’re struggling to motivate yourself to go to the gym, why don’t you treat yourself to your favourite meal on a Saturday night if you go three times a week? Be careful not to burn yourself out otherwise you’ll never want to get back to a routine.
3.Remind
Write down exactly what you want to achieve by our routine. Do you want to lower your body mass, look more toned or reach a lifting goal? By writing your goal down and displaying it somewhere within your house, maybe on your desk or the door of your fridge, it’ll remind you of why you’re doing what you are and help motivate you.
4.Location
With further potential lockdowns looking likely it can be hard to create a routine which you know will look the same in the next few months. Try and incorporate things that you can do at home, such as home workouts, into the routine.
If you do want to go to the gym, consider how you could do this at home if they shut. By planning as much as you can and considering these options before they happen it means you’re less likely to be thrown out of routine if they do.
Conifox accepts no imitations as it supplies homegrown Christmas tree for The Mound
Family run, for family fun, Conifox Adventure Park has marked the launch of its yearly Christmas tree market by supplying a Scottish grown Christmas tree for The Mound.
Standing at a majestic 60ft tall, the Edinburgh Mound spruce will be supplied directly from Scotland, promoting the festive feeling of ‘shop local’ this Christmastime, with Conifox Christmas Trees hoping to encourage other Edinburgh residents to source their tree locally, reducing their carbon footprint.
With installation scheduled for 8am on Saturday (7th November), Conifox Adventure Park director, James Gammell, will be there to witness the yearly event.
James said: “From its origins in 1949 when the traditional gifted tree came from Scandinavia, through to 2008 and beyond when it’s been sourced directly from Scotland, the tree on The Mound has always been the starting beacon for Christmas in the capital.
“Seeing the community come together to marvel at the thousands of twinkling lights on a spruce that has united Scotland and Norway for over 70 years, is incredibly heart-warming. Although this year we will all be celebrating Christmas a little differently, we will still feel at home when we look up and see this symbol that is the spirit of Christmas.”
Edinburgh based company Bernard Hunter Cranes and Field and Lawn Christmas lights and city dressing, are both involved in erecting and decorating the Sitka Spruce, which was sourced from a forest in Kintyre.
Although grown in Scotland and supplied by Conifox Christmas Trees, the tree continues to be a gift from the citizens of Hordaland to mark the help given by the Scots to Norway during WWII.
James Gammell added: “As always we will be offering a little magic at Conifox Adventure Park, with our annual Christmas tree market, where we will have hundreds of beautiful firs ready to take home and enjoy.
“Remember to stop by and pick yours after your trip through our Christmas Drive-Thru Experience.”
Available from late November 4, 14ft Nordmann Firs, Norway Spruces and Fraser Firs will be stocked and displayed at Conifox Adventure Park ready to be netted and taken away, or delivered in Edinburgh, South Queensferry, West Lothian and more.
Potted Christmas trees and wreaths are also available, with commercial venues able to take advantage of this local supplier, bagging themselves a Christmas tree up to a 60ft. Email us christmastrees@conifox.co.uk or Tel. 0131 333 2288
Those with tickets to the park’s Christmas Drive-thru will be enticed to shop their at-home range of real trees before or after their visit, to further experience the magic.
Tickets available now for the Christmas Drive-thru and are subject to additional government guidelines. A full refund guarantee is in place in case of event cancellation due to local lockdowns or restrictions.
The 4th Asian Restaurant Awards in association with Just Eat will return to Scotland on 7 December 2020.
The awards recognise outstanding culinary excellence, sumptuous creativity, and achievement by those who have worked hard to help their local community during the recent pandemic that has rocked the hospitality industry.
Nominations are now open and the public have until the 20 November to vote for their favourite restaurant online:
This year, because of Covid-19 restrictions the judges won’t visit individual restaurants, so their winning decisions will rely entirely on customer nominations and any information supplied by the nominee.
The winners will be announced at a virtual award ceremony broadcast live from the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh on NTV Europe (Sky 780) on Monday 7 December from 6 – 8pm.
Andrew Kenny, Managing Director of Just Eat, said “Just Eat has worked closely with the Asian Catering Federation for a number of years. During an exceptionally challenging year, I’m delighted to celebrate our partnership by helping to recognise those who have worked tirelessly through the last 10 months and continue to do so.”
Organised by the Asian Catering Federation, the awards have become a pinnacle for uniting the Asian restaurant industry in achieving recognition for innovative vision and exceptional food.
Categories will cover a range of national cuisines, including Chinese, Bangladeshi, Indian, Thai and Middle Eastern, and also include the highly anticipated Chef of The Year, Best Newcomer and Local Hero awards.
Industry legend and Curry Club founder, Pat Chapman, a judge at this year’s awards, said: “Things have always been tough for the curry restaurant sector with immigration regulations and competition, and the virus has enforced closures (some permanent) and loss of income, so this year, more than ever, it is a pleasure to be involved in these uplifting ceremonies.”
The 2019 awards in Edinburgh were hosted by BBC TV news anchor Samantha Simmonds and over 70 Asian restaurants from across Scotland were shortlisted for an award. Winners in 2019 included Mother India’s Café in Edinburgh, Masala Ram’s in Falkirk and Panache in Elgin.
As Chairman of the Asian Restaurant Awards, Yawar Khan (above) is keen to uphold the traditions of honouring great food and maintain a strong stance on how recent measures are affecting the hospitality industry.
He said “During these difficult times, we need more support from the government, and the Asian Restaurant Awards 2020 are a wonderful way to give recognition to hardworking people in the Asian food industry.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has said that City of Edinburgh Council have not followed the correct procedures for the Spaces for Peoples initiative.
The initiative has caused significant controversy since being put in place, including floating bus stops, reduced parking and increased congestion.
Local shops in the South of Edinburgh have spoken out this week about the adverse effect the initiative is having on their businesses, with a number being forced to close.
A Freedom of Information request by Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, revealed that no road safety audits or Economic Impact Assessment had been made before road closures were put in place.
A Written Answer from the Scottish Govt. responded that 56 letters or emails had been received concerning Spaces for People projects in Edinburgh which cover a range of issues.
In answer to being asked what consultation with local residents and businesses has been carried out, a City of Edinburgh Council representative responded:
“It is important that we put temporary measures in quickly as our priority is to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents and support businesses. This means we are not able to follow a full engagement process but we have encouraged communities to submit their views”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“The initial measures put in place when lockdown started, to give people more spaces on pavements, were understandable.
“Edinburgh has started moving again, shops have reopened and schools are back, so traffic has come up again to pre lockdown levels.
“City of Edinburgh Council has clearly stated that they want to move towards more walking and cycling as lockdown restrictions are eased, but full public consultation must be carried out before any permanent changes are made.
“The lack of any safety audits or an Economic Impact Assessment have led to all of the issues that we have seen with the Spaces for People initiative since it was put in place.”
This year nine dispersal zones have been authorised in Edinburgh to combat antisocial behaviour and disorder over the bonfire period. The zones will be in operation between 2pm and midnight from today (Wednesday 4th) to Saturday 7th November.
Under the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004, police have a Power of Dispersal within the designated zones authorised by Superintendent David Robertson.
This means that we can instruct any people in groups of two or more who are congregating and behaving in an antisocial manner to disperse, and if they do not live there to leave the zones, and then not to return for up to 24 hours. If they do return, they can be arrested.
The nine zones are Muirhouse, West Pilton, Portobello, Loganlea, Saughton, Gorgie, Gilmerton, Moredun and Southhouse.
They will be in place from 2pm today (Wednesday 4 November) until midnight on Saturday 7 November.
Maps have been published on local police social media.
The development of picture books for children with complex additional needs, a project to sustain community singing and an exhibition about life after lockdown are among the Edinburgh-based projects and research and development initiatives sharing in over £1.6million of National Lottery funding through Creative Scotland in the latest round of Open Fund awards.
These funds are supporting creative individuals, projects and organisations across the country to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances brought about by COVID-19, and helping to sustain people’s creative development at this challenging time.
A project to develop picture books specifically designed for children with complex additional needs has received development funding.
Led by Edinburgh-based author Ailie Finlay and illustrator Kate Leiper, the project will explore how elements of movement, multi-sensory stimuli and musical interludes can help make picture books more engaging, ergonomic and cost-effective. The results will be shared with publishers, authors, illustrators and booksellers to help encourage accessibility in children’s literature.
Ailie Finlaysaid: “We are absolutely delighted to have received funding and we’re very much looking forward to developing innovative books that are fun and inspirational for children with complex needs and their families and friends.”
Love Music Productions have received development funding for Connected Choirs to help local community singing groups find ways to successfully come together for distanced community singing.
As part of this project, songwriters across different genres will be paired with a choir and commissioned to develop a creative response to the challenges of sustaining community singing in times of restricted social contact. The resulting choral materials will assist with distanced teaching and learning, and will be available for free to singing groups across Scotland.
Talbot Rice Gallery have received research and development funds for a new exhibition exploring what ‘normal’ might look like following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Normal will look at how culture can shape the future, and examine ways in which individuals and communities can help ensure that whatever becomes ‘normal’ after the pandemic is founded upon equality, respect and ecological harmony.
Tessa Giblin, Director, Talbot Rice Gallery said:“We want to look at what this pandemic year has meant to us from a variety of angles – from viruses and their relationship with evolution, to the asymmetry of this pandemic due to social and racial inequality, to its proof that we can step off the train of progress.”
Iain Munro, Chief Executive, Creative Scotlandsaid: “The Open Fund is supporting the creative sector to explore new, safe ways of working, developing practices and reaching wide audiences.
“From poetry festivals to theatre programmes, these projects reflect the resilience, innovation and determination of Scotland’s creative community in the face of COVID-19.”
“Through these challenging and unpredictable times, creativity, art and culture are bringing us together and supporting our emotional wellbeing. Made possible by the generosity of National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes across the UK every week, these awards are helping to sustain the value that creativity adds to our lives.”
