Morrisons is slashing the price of selected premium scotch whiskies in its Scotland stores to help customers celebrate Hogmanay at home.
From Boxing Day, selected bottles of Glenmorangie, Highland Park, Glenlivet and Laphroaig will be just £20 each in Morrisons, saving customers up to £16 a bottle.
Charles de Villers champagne is also half price and Sorso prosecco has a third off.
The deals are available in Morrisons 60 stores across Scotland until New Year’s Eve.
Soul Sanity – the UK’s online mental health gym – has launched, supporting members to focus on improving their mental health from the comfort of their own homes.
The membership-based service offers a range of activities that are scientifically proven to relieve stress and anxiety, improve mindfulness and encourage the release of the “feel good” hormone dopamine.
Holly Novick, Founder, said: “There are so many gyms out there for your physical health but nothing that focuses specifically on your mental health.
“Soul Sanity is truly unique in that way. It was something I personally felt I needed during a time of grief. I needed an outlet to feel better but all I got was fist-pumping music lifting weights, one to one therapy sessions which I found difficult to open up in and suggestions for tablets which I thought could be a slippery road.
“I also didn’t want to mask how I was feeling, I knew my body was acting this way as a signal because something was wrong. I needed a fix not a quick fix so Soul Sanity’s really been an idea in the making for a while and coincidently the pandemic has hit at the same time perhaps making it the perfect storm”.
Unlike other platforms, all sessions are broadcast live, with a large variety available to participate in including:
Anyone can join soulsanity.co.uk with a one-month free trial on offer at soulsanity.co.uk/memberships. Gift cards are also available to share with loved ones during the festive season and throughout the year.
After an unprecedented year, in which Covid-19 has impacted every part of society in Scotland, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay kicks off the celebrations with a heartfelt thank you from Scotland’s capital city to NHS staff and key workers throughout the country.
Opening this year’s series of virtual celebrations, the stunning multi-coloured flare display was ignited on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle. Historically the launchpad for thousands of fireworks lighting up the sky at midnight on Hogmanay, this year pyrotechnics came to life in a flaming tribute to NHS staff and key workers for their continued efforts throughout 2020 in keeping everyone safe and well.
Each letter depicts a different rainbow colour, taking inspiration from the rainbows Scotland the rest of the UK placed in windows and homes across the country during the past year to show support for NHS and key workers.
Over 193 custom-made flares were used to create the moment, which was facilitated by Titanium Fireworks, who have historically delivered Edinburgh’s Hogmanay firework midnight moment.
Forming part of a week-long programme of remarkable online celebrations, the Torchlight Moment will be followed by a three-part film, titled Fare Well, to be released in the three days leading up to Hogmanay.
Fare Well brings together the words of Scots Makar Jackie Kay, the music of NiteWorks from the Isle of Skye, the voices of acclaimed Scottish talent including David Tennant and the pioneering drone technology and filming of Celestial to create the UK’s largest swarm drone display.
Taking inspiration from Scotland’s land and air, the new work takes viewers on a breath-taking visual journey with the help of 150 individual drones from the Scottish Highlands to the capital city, Edinburgh – a journey that closes the year on 2020 and looks forward to a more hopeful year of 2021.
We swing aroon and turn tae the day.
We give thanks fir solidarity;
Drap parcels tae food banks.
Clap oor haunds frae balconies
fir the gift o’ nurses.
Jackie Kay, Fare Well, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2020
Charlie Wood & Ed Bartlam, Directors of Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, commented: “At the end of a year no one could have imagined, it was important that we started our week of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations with a heartfelt thank you to those across the UK who have worked so tirelessly to keep us safe during 2020.
“The NHS and our key workers have provided an immeasurable level of help and support and this Torchlight Moment sings Scotland’s gratitude with flaming torches in front one of our greatest national monuments, Edinburgh Castle.”
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Councillor Adam McVey, said: “Edinburgh is the home of Hogmanay and this year’s digital celebrations will continue, albeit very differently.
“This is a fantastic and innovative way to pay tribute to all of our front-line workers – both in Scotland and across the globe – that have done so much to support us and keep us safe throughout this year.
“To our NHS staff and key workers – for those in the labs working on vaccines, those in food preparation and delivery, for our refuse collectors, postal workers, supermarket workers, police and so many more – we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and hope that 2021 brings with it positive change as we battle to suppress and eradicate this virus.
Depute Leader, Councillor Cammy Day said: “We all clapped for carers and put up rainbows in our windows over the summer and now we light rainbow torches to show our enormous gratitude at the end of this year of tremendous strain on all of our communities.
“It’s wonderful to see this excellent online programme coming to life so that the undisputed Home of Hogmanay can still reach so many people around the world. It will serve as a virtual invitation for everyone to look forward to visiting us again when we’re all able to travel and live more freely in the future.”
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Scotland is the world-renowned home of Hogmanay and every year thousands of people, right across the globe, look forward to the spectacular of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay to welcome in the New Year.
“Although we’re not able to come together physically to bring in the bells this year, we can enjoy a fully digital programme that continues the tradition of celebrating Hogmanay with poetry, music and performance. I encourage everyone to take part in this year’s series of virtual events and celebrate Hogmanay safely at home.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Torchlight Moment is the perfect way to kick off Edinburgh’s week-long programme of online Hogmanay celebrations while also recognising the incredibly work of our NHS and frontline workers in keeping us safe and well this year.
“By taking this year’s celebrations online, audiences around the world will still be able to enjoy the magic of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay while staying safe at home.”
Fare Well will be show on www.edinburghshogmanay.com at 7pm each night from 29-31 December 2020.
The Scottish Government has paid £600,000 to eligible young carers in the first year of the new benefit. Over 2000 young carers received a payment between October 2019 and October 2020.
The Young Carer Grant is a payment of £305.10 for young people, aged 16, 17 and 18, who spend an average of 16 hours a week caring for someone who receives a disability benefit.
This is an annual payment and young carers who still meet the eligibility should apply again once a year has passed since the date of their previous successful application. The money can be spent on anything that they like, for example a subscription to a video or music streaming service, new clothes or anything that helps them take a break from their caring responsibilities.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Young Carer Grant is the first benefit of its kind in the UK and I am delighted that we have been able to help so many young carers over the course of the past year.
“We have continued to work with key stakeholders throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure eligible young carers are still getting access to the support they are entitled to.
“These young people play a vital role in our society and I am proud we can help give them the recognition they deserve.
“Young people often don’t realise that what they are doing is caring – it is just part of their day to day life. If you help someone who gets a disability benefit with anything from going to the shops or even giving emotional support, this could be for you. I encourage any young people in this circumstance to look into this, check if they are eligible and to apply. And if it’s been a year since you last submitted your application – make sure you apply again to get your money and treat yourself.”
Cameron, a young carer, now aged 19 from Perthshire said: “I care for my mum, she has mental health issues and she is not able to stand or walk for a certain distance without support.
“I make my mum breakfast, I make sure she’s taken her medication in the morning, I help get her clothes, make her lunch and dinner and take her cups of tea throughout the day. I keep my mum company when I can and have my siblings who care for her too. I support my mum if she needs to go out and about, I’ll go with her.
“One challenge I face being a Young Carer is not getting enough spare time to go out and spend time with my friends. Also not getting enough spare time to study for college assessments and exams.
“I feel like the Covid-19 pandemic has made things more tough because I need to be there more often to support my mum, more than before the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was quite easy to apply for Young Carer Grant, I had the documents ready to print off so didn’t have any issues. I spent my grant on driving lessons.
“This year, I won’t be reapplying as I have now turned 19, but my younger sibling turned 16 recently so I am going to encourage him to apply because he also cares for my mum.”
Emma, a young carer, aged 17 from Perthshire said: “My mum has a long term health condition which renders her physically disabled. I mainly help with practical tasks like cleaning the house and cooking for my family. I also help with small errands like picking up medication and doing the food shopping. I help my mum through her mental health difficulties as well.
“One of the main challenges I face being a young carer is just less time to do everything! Less time to complete things.
“The Covid-19 pandemic increased my workload at home because we were at home more. Also with my mum being high risk it has been pretty nerve wracking.
“I spent my payment last year mostly on personal things for myself like clothes. I also used it to pay for a lot of lunches for school.
“I will reapply for the grant this year and will probably put it towards university.
“Anyone that is responsible for another member of their household should apply for the grant because caring can really take it out of you so it’s nice to have something of your own for you. If you have all of your paperwork ready then it’s easy but if you don’t it can be quite tricky to find the right documents.”
Paul Traynor, Policy and External Affairs Manager at Carers Trust Scotland said: “Carers Trust Scotland commend the Scottish Government for introducing the innovative Young Carer Grant last year, the first of its kind in the UK.
“Many young carers have difficulty accessing and participating in opportunities that are the norm for many other young people. This grant helps to recognise the immense contribution of young carers in Scotland.
“The Young Carer Grant has benefited many young carers to take part in more activities, pursue more of their aspirations and has helped to reduce social isolation.
“Many young carers have benefited from this support over the last year and we would encourage all young carers who are eligible to apply for a Young Carer Grant.”
Reform Scotland says electric vehicles dictate new system of paying for roads
Reform Scotland, the independent, non-partisan think-tank, has called for a revolution in how Scotland pays for its roads, to match the upcoming revolution in the cars that are driven on them.
The think tank has called for all political parties, ahead of the Holyrood election in May, to commit to a feasibility study for a pay-as-you-drive system, whereby people pay according to which roads they use and when. This would replace Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty. Reform Scotland is also asking the parties to commit to the devolution from Westminster of those two taxes, in order that they can be abolished.
With the UK Government having recently committed to phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and with the advancement of production and battery technology rapidly leading to more affordable EVs, Reform Scotland sees Fuel Duty as a tax living on borrowed time, as well as a tax which fails to take account of which roads are being used, and when.
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), meanwhile, while addressing carbon emissions through its grading structure, punishes those who drive infrequently by charging them the same as motorists who drive on a regular basis.
Reform Scotland’s pay-as-you-drive system would require drivers to pay based on which roads they use and when they use them. This builds on an earlier report, Pay-as-you-drive: The road to a better future.
Reform Scotland’s Research Director Alison Payne said: “The way we currently charge drivers is bad for the environment, promotes congestion and is unfair on low-mileage motorists and those in more remote areas.
“It’s also the case that the taxes which underpin the charging system are becoming increasingly irrelevant as electric vehicles become more prominent.
“We believe that pay-as-you-drive, with central and local government pricing roads and being accountable to their electorate for their level, would be fairer and more relevant to the future of motoring.
“It would also be highly likely to reduce congestion, as people changed their driving behaviour to make better use of road space at times when it is cheaper to do so.”
Reform Scotland’s 2013 report, Pay-as-you-drive: the road to a better future can be read here.
Lothian MSP and Co-chair of the Cancer Cross Party Group at the Scottish Parliament, Miles Briggs, has warned about the drop in urgent cancer referrals over the last six months in NHS Lothian.
Public Health Scotland figures released this week showed that over the last two quarters (ending June 20 and September 20) 484 and 463, 947 total, were urgently referred for and received a cancer treatment.
This compares to the same six months last year (ending June 19 and September 19) when 591 and 616, 1207 total, patients were urgently referred for and received a cancer treatment.
This is equivalent to 21.5%, or just over a fifth, fewer patients being urgently referred and receiving treatment for cancer in NHS Lothian.
Co-chair of the Cancer Cross Party Group at the Scottish Parliament, Miles Briggs, said:
“This is extremely concerning that there has been such a drop in patients being urgently referred to cancer patients in the last six months.
“Early detection and treatment of cancer is the best way to improve survival rates for cancer and these figures show fewer people are having cancer detected and treated.
“The focus of our National Health Service has been on Covid-19, but people are still going to get ill and it is vital that access to cancer services is available for everyone.”
ENDs…
Table with eligible referrals attached, tab 4e.
NHS Lothian – Eligible referrals
| 62 day standard from receipt of an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer to first treatment | ||||||||
| Dec-18 | Mar-19 | Jun-19 | Sep-19 | Dec-19 | Mar-20 | Jun-20 | Sep-20 | |
| All Cancer Types* | 579 | 529 | 591 | 616 | 601 | 605 | 484 | 463 |
| All Cancer Types* (screened excluded) | 447 | 414 | 443 | 489 | 447 | 455 | 416 | 449 |
| All Cancer Types* (screened only) | 132 | 115 | 148 | 127 | 154 | 150 | 68 | 14 |
| Breast | 201 | 169 | 195 | 173 | 202 | 197 | 132 | 110 |
| Breast (screened excluded) | 92 | 78 | 71 | 67 | 83 | 79 | 76 | 103 |
| Breast (screened only) | 109 | 91 | 124 | 106 | 119 | 118 | 56 | 7 |
| Cervical | 7 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Cervical (screened excluded) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Cervical (screened only) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| Colorectal | 72 | 71 | 79 | 85 | 91 | 103 | 83 | 68 |
| Colorectal (screened excluded) | 52 | 50 | 57 | 65 | 57 | 71 | 72 | 62 |
| Colorectal (screened only) | 20 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 34 | 32 | 11 | 6 |
| Head & Neck | 29 | 30 | 23 | 34 | 24 | 27 | 24 | 32 |
| Lung | 65 | 41 | 57 | 62 | 58 | 54 | 41 | 49 |
| Lymphoma | 17 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 17 |
| Melanoma | 17 | 22 | 43 | 65 | 40 | 22 | 13 | 22 |
| Ovarian | 4 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| Upper GI | 60 | 54 | 64 | 62 | 62 | 80 | 63 | 64 |
| Urological | 107 | 113 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 108 | 100 | 86 |
Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, has called on all Scottish MPs to support the UK’s historic Free Trade Agreement with the EU when Parliament votes on it this week.
He said: “We have secured a historic Free Trade deal with the EU that delivers for Scotland and the whole of the UK. This is a deep and wide-ranging deal, covering trade, security, travel, transport, energy, health and social security.
“As Parliament prepares to vote on the deal this week, I urge all Scottish MPs to give it their wholehearted support.
“Outside the EU, the UK can sign our own trade deals around the world, bringing new opportunities for exporters and some of Scotland’s most iconic products.
“For our farmers, the deal avoids tariffs on their world-beating Scotch lamb and beef.
“For our fishermen and coastal communities, the deal delivers what we promised.
“We are regaining control of our waters, we are restoring our status as an independent coastal state and, even during the five year adjustment period, there will be a big overall increase in our share of the catch in our waters.
“As we leave the Common Fisheries Policy, our fishermen will also enjoy near-exclusive access to inshore waters up to the historic 12 mile limit.
“The deal is good news for Scotland and I believe it is now time to move on from the Brexit debate and join forces in embracing our exciting future. Whether Leaver or Remainer in 2016 we need to come to together to make the most of our new opportunities.
“The people of Scotland will expect their MPs to do the right thing on Wednesday and vote for the deal. They will not easily forgive those who reject this Free Trade Agreement or throw their weight behind a no deal Brexit.”
As the Scottish Secretary is well aware, SNP MPs will vote against the deal this week. The Tories have a big majority at Westminster, however: the deal will go through – Ed.
Action to ensure businesses across Scotland impacted by level 4 restrictions get additional and faster access to financial support have been announced by the Finance Secretary Kate Forbes.
This is in addition to the £570 million package of support, including the Strategic Framework Business Fund which has been open since November.
Businesses that are required to close or modify their operations by law can apply for a Temporary Closure Grant or a Business Restrictions Grant through their local authority website. Grants of up to £3,000 are available for every four weeks of restrictions, payable in arrears while restrictions last.
An additional £41 million will top up support for non-essential retail and gyms, which are required to close in level 4. This is in addition to top up grants for hospitality that were announced earlier this month.
Non-essential retail and gyms will be given up to an additional £3,000 and can claim this funding through their local authority website if they have not already submitted an application.
The cap on the maximum support available through the Strategic Framework Business Fund will also be lifted from 1 January for businesses that operate from multiple premises.
To accelerate the distribution of financial support, a further £7 million will help all local authorities recruit additional staff or backfill positions to meet increased demand for coronavirus (COVID-19) grants and speed up the payment process.
Ms Forbes said: “With mainland Scotland now entering level 4, the Strategic Framework Business Fund is already open to businesses required to close or modify their operations by law.
“In recognition of the substantial increase in the number of businesses eligible for support, I have provided additional financial resources of £7 million to local authorities to upscale operations and streamline grants. Work is already underway to ensure businesses get support as quickly as possible.
“I recently announced a top up grant to hospitality businesses, and today I can confirm that a further top up grant will be provided to non-essential retail businesses and gyms.
“Since March the Scottish Government has allocated more than £2.3 billion to business support and more than £1.2 billion to economic recovery.
“On top of the additional £570 million package of support announced at the start of this month, these changes will manage that increased demand, accelerating the grant application process and in turn getting these essential payments to businesses as quickly as possible.
“We welcome the news of further consequentials and will set out shortly how these will be utilised to meet the needs of business. It is likely that a significant amount will be used to meet the substantial increase in businesses applying to the Strategic Framework Business Fund at Level 4.”
