Local singers from SongTribe, a vibrant performance choir led by Alison Burns, have not let the pandemic stop them from hosting their annual MidWinter Turning concert on 20th December in support of small charity The Junction Edinburgh.
The free concert, which will be broadcast live on Youtube at 4pm on Sunday, will feature a series of engaging videos with original music and arrangements by Alison Burns sung by the choir from across Edinburgh.
There will also be readings from poet Tom Pow, actress Liz Kettle and storyteller David Francis and the first look at a new Crankie designed by talented artist Ruth Cameron. Viewers will be encouraged to donate to The Junction after enjoying the concert.
The 65 singers involved in the MidWinter Turning have rehearsed online for months to make this spectacle happen, getting to grips with new technology whilst missing singing in person together fiercely.
The MidWinter Turning 2020 is a culmination of their hard work, and a fitting reflection for what has been a difficult year for so many.
Anyone who would like to watch the concert can visit:
It’s time for the Scottish Government to consult, says shop workers union
Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on the Scottish Government to reverse its opposition to consulting on closing large stores on 1 January, after the First Minister has twice expressed sympathy for shopworkers having a break on New Year’s Day.
The Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee will be debating the Usdaw call tomorrow (Wednesday 16 December).
In January the First Minister committed to “looking very closely at the Usdaw campaign” and conceded that shopworkers deserve a festive break. Last week Nicola Sturgeon responded in First Minister’s Questions claiming to have “not yet had the opportunity to look at the specific request”, but supermarket workers “deserve rest and recuperation”.
Yet, only a few weeks ago the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills responded to the petitions committee by restating the Government’s opposition to holding a consultation, as required under the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007.
Stewart Forrest, Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer, said: “The Scottish Government is guilty of mixed messages on this issue. I hope it isn’t the case that Nicola Sturgeon says one thing to get her through First Minister’s Questions, while her ministers are saying the opposite behind the scenes.
“The very least that key workers in retail can expect is that the Scottish Government shows their appreciation for the essential work they’ve done through this appalling pandemic by being straight with them.
“Given what the First Minister has said to the Parliament, I am stunned that the Government continues their thirteen year opposition to even holding a consultation. If ever there is a year that their position should be reversed it’s this year.
“Surely it is not too much to ask to hold a consultation on closing large stores on New Year’s Day, so that shopworkers can get a proper break over the festive period.
“Hogmanay and New Year is a special holiday, but this is not reflected in the experience of many retail workers, with three-quarters saying they spend too little time with friends and family. On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers, we are urging the Scottish Government to open that consultation and for MSPs to listen to shopworkers’ concerns about their work and life balance.
“After everything Scottish shop workers have been through this year, as key workers on the frontline of delivering essential services, they deserve a decent break over New Year.”
What shopworkers say:
“You’re tired from working and don’t really relax or enjoy the limited time you get with the kids. Then you start all over again working New Year’s Day too!!!”
“As a store manager I have had to work Christmas and New Year. A lot of hard work goes into the weeks leading up. By Christmas Day you are exhausted and then back to work on Boxing Day. This year I also have to work New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and on the second.”
“I am not happy working till 1930 on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. By 4pm our store was fairly empty.”
“Finishing times on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay are creeping up later, which has a severe impact on family life for retail workers.”
Keep Scotland Beautiful: make Scotland ‘litter-ate’
Environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, has published a new report on Scotland’s local environmental quality highlighting an avalanche of evidence from its audits from the past two decades which points to a looming litter emergency – hidden in plain sight.
The charity is calling for eight urgent actions to make Scotland ‘litter-ate’ and is urging key stakeholders and communities to join efforts to change the way we behave to tackle unacceptable levels of litter, dog fouling, graffiti, weeds and detritus.
The report ‘Time for a new approach to tackling litter‘ highlights an accelerating decline in standards from 2013 to 2020 – with only 16% of audited sites being recorded as litter free last year compared to 31% in 2013, and dog fouling now found on 3% more streets that in 2013. In addition, results also showed a more marked decline in Scotland’s poorest neighbourhoods.
Local environmental quality standards in Scotland were already in decline before the pandemic, now nine months on, as we rely on good quality neighbourhoods for our health and wellbeing, our polling has highlighted that 30% of people believe the overall condition of their local neighbourhood deteriorated during lockdown.
Yet, despite the impact of this ‘lockdown effect’, where people have noticed an increase in the severity and prevalence of poor environmental quality, improved connections have been made with the environment and local neighbourhoods.
And, positively, Keep Scotland Beautiful has come together with others to tackle the rise in flytipping, dog fouling and littering during a challenging year. Building on this as we enter a new year is key to tackling the behaviours behind the looming litter emergency.
This is why the charity has outlined an eight-point cross sector agenda for change to tackle the complex interlinking problems leading to the decline. This includes calls for an: education and behaviour change programme to create a Scotland that is truly litter-ate; a review of the failing model of enforcement; and further collaboration to bring together a reinvigorated Scottish network working together to jointly reverse the decline.
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautifulsaid, “The increasingly visible new litter type – the single use face mask – has become a symbol of our disregard for Scotland and our fellow citizens.
“The simple truth is that we need to all start questioning our own habits – what we consume, what we throw away, and how we look after our local neighbourhoods – and we need to address the looming litter emergency head on by changing our own behaviours and working together with key partners, to build on the successes of this year.
“We must respect and look after the places that we love if we are to have any hope of solving the global climate and nature crises. Tackling the first can help the latter. We need you to join us to make our communities, businesses and individuals truly litter-ate.”
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Our relentless consumption of materials is Scotland’s biggest contributor to the climate crisis. The extraction, manufacture and transport of materials is a huge source of carbon emissions and something we could affect by reducing our demand for single-use items.
“It is particularly upsetting that people continue to pollute our streets, parks, streams and rivers, where they continue to cause damage for months and years to come. This needs to stop and we will continue to work with Keep Scotland Beautiful and other partners to find solutions to these issues.”
Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to continuing efforts to support communities, local authorities, businesses, and national agencies to reverse the decline in environmental quality across Scotland – from rural to urban settings – but your support is needed.
The time to act is now. Scotland is beautiful, and we must all commit to do more to protect and enhance the places we care for.
All eligible children will benefit from at least 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) from August 2021, the Children’s Minister has announced.
The expansion of funded ELC, originally intended for August 2020, was paused in April to give local authorities the flexibility to focus on responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A new date has now been agreed with local authority umbrella group COSLA.
Children’s Minister Maree Todd said: “I’m very pleased that we now have a new date for the full implementation of expanded ELC, and that children will benefit from more high quality funded childcare.
“We took the difficult decision in August to pause the statutory roll-out to allow local authorities to focus on responding to the pandemic and providing critical childcare, which was crucial to supporting key workers.
“The pandemic has had an obvious impact on construction and recruitment plans across the country, however local authorities have worked exceptionally hard and continued to make good progress in very challenging circumstances, and the majority of children receiving funded ELC are already receiving 1,140 hours.
“We were always clear that the suspension of the statutory duty on local authorities to provide 1,140 hours was a pause, not a stop. We will continue to work with partners over the coming months to deliver this transformational policy that will benefit families across the country.”
COSLA’s Children and Young People’s Spokesperson Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “Local government remains committed to increasing the number of funded early learning and childcare hours, recognising the transformational effect for Scotland’s families, ensuring that children have access to the highest quality learning and care, and providing significant savings to parents and carers.
“Despite the massive challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on infrastructure projects and our recruitment programmes, all councils are delivering more that the current 600 hours entitlement to some or all families.
“We are pleased that we have jointly agreed a new date of August 2021 for the reinstatement of the statutory duty for 1140 hours. We look forward to working with all our partners, including the Scottish Government, to ensure Scotland’s children and families can benefit from almost doubling funded hours of ELC and to support the recovery from the impact of coronavirus on our communities.”
Latest data from the Improvement Service, compiled in August, shows that more than 56,000 children (61% of those receiving funded ELC) are already receiving 1,140 hours, despite the statutory expansion being paused in April to give local authorities the flexibility to focus on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Games have been on the rise this year, since families are spending more time at home. So what better gift to give this Christmas than games that can be enjoyed by everyone, of all ages.
Here are some brand new games that have launched just in time for Christmas …
PASS THE PUGS
The infamous game ‘Pass the Pigs’ launches PUGS! Who will be first to 100 points?
The infamous game Pass the Pigs has launched their first ever variation (that isn’t a pig), PUGS!
Be the first to get to 100 points by throwing the pugs in the air and seeing how they land. Will your pugs ‘play dead’, ‘faceplant’ or will it be ‘puppy love’?
Pass the Pigs has been an iconic brand for over 50 years
Includes pencil and score pad, that all pack into a plastic carry case, great for on-the-go!
The Super-Fast Word Game from Waddingtons No.1 of London
Race against other players to get rid of your word tiles by swapping letters and even stealing your opponents’ tiles. Disney Classic version has 5 magic tiles that help you win the game.
MICKEY TILE – can be used as any letter in a word. GENIE TILE – your wish is granted! Take a total of 3 tiles from any other player. WRECK IT RALPH TILE – it’s time to wreck it! Shuffle another player’s words. OLAF TILE – Whoops! Olaf walked over your tiles and now they’re frozen in place for 10 secs! ARIEL TILE – Here’s one to add to your collection! You can take any tile another player if it completes a word for you.
Waddingtons No1 has been an iconic British Heritage Brand over 130 years
Game for all ages, but helps children with spelling and vocabulary
All tiles pack into a neat canvas pouch, great for storing and on-the-go.
This beloved family tradition has captured the hearts of children everywhere, and now for the first time, you can embrace the magic of Scout Elves in this brand new collaboration with TOP TRUMPS!
The classic, competitive card game gets a festive touch in this officially-licensed pack, which includes thirty magic moments featuring your favourite Elves. Discover just how creative, cheeky, silly and festive these little Elves can be as you compete to take all of your opponents’ cards. Get into the Yuletide spirit with The Elf on the Shelf, and remember – he’s always listening!
Top Trumps is the UK’s #1 card game (iGen research)
Top Trumps is the game packed full of stats and facts on all your favourite topics including films, TV shows, animals and more! With hundreds of topics to chose from, there is a Top Trumps pack for everyone, no matter your age.
Take a chance with 500 questions on all things James Bond, starting with the classic Dr. No and ending with the brand new 2020 release No Time To Die!
Think you can remember who sung the title song for Casino Royale, or which Dr. No character had webbed hands? Know who wrote the screenplay for You Only Live Twice, or the the name of the deadly warfare agent from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service?
500 questions on 100 cards
Top Trumps Quiz with a twist! 500 questions on loads of different topics, films and TV shows.
Plastic case opens on both sides, ready for battle and also great for storing and on-the-go
Take another trip aboard the helicarrier and test your knowledge of the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the dozens more characters that make up the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe in this special edition of Top Trumps Quiz – Marvel!
With 500 fiendish questions exploring memorable quotes and moments from one of the most successful film franchises in history, you won’t need a Time Stone to recap the events of Civil War, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Age of Ultron and the record-breaking Endgame in this comprehensive set.
500 questions on 100 cards
Top Trumps Quiz with a twist! 500 questions on loads of different topics, films and TV shows.
Plastic case opens on both sides, ready for battle and also great for storing and on-the-go
The UK will consume 19.2 billion single non-recyclable face masks in 2021. Most of these will be sent to landfill, the weight equivalent of 5 Eiffel Towers. Some will end up in watercourses causing an environmental nightmare. A new campaign has been launched in an attempt to reduce this number.
“It’s really important to consider the wider impact of single-use face masks as they can’t easily be recycled and end up in landfill, in rivers and the sea – that’s why we are supporting a new petition on the Government to ban their sale to the general public”, explains Charlotte Green from commercial recycling company TradeWaste.co.uk
It should be noted that the petition is specific in that it is not asking the Government to completely ban their sale, they have an important role in medical situations, and where use is controlled, they can be recycled – although this is not always easy.
What 19.2 billion single use face masks in numbers looks like:
52,602,739 a day
1,578,082,191 a month
“We are promoting the petition to raise awareness of the environmental problems created by single use face masks, and also to offer an alternative to those worried about the harm cause to wildlife and the impact on the environment in the UK”, explains Green.
The Petition will be discussed in Parliament when it reaches 100,000 signatures. The aim of the campaign is to hit this number before the end of 2020 in an attempt to slow down the consumption of disposable masks, and encourage washable alternatives.
“We know the consequences of their use, and funnily enough the alternative is actually cheaper – we just need to get the word out that single use face masks just get buried in the ground and that isn’t acceptable!”, concludes Charlotte Green from commercial recycling company TradeWaste.co.uk
Ditch your Disposable Face Mask and save £190 in 2021
A single use disposable face mask costs 18p
Over a year using 3 per day this is £197.10
A washable face mask costs £1.40 (Pack of 5 is £6.99)
If you can use 5 masks by washing them, then over a year this is a saving of £190.11
– Morrisons launches multi-coloured poinsettias for Christmas –
– The unique style isn’t available in any other supermarkets –
– Poinsettias are the birth flower for December and one of the most popular festive flower offerings due to their star-like leaves –
Morrisons has added a festive multi-coloured poinsettia into its flower range this month. The striking and exciting new varieties are a mixture of Pink, White and Red and aren’t available on any other supermarket shelves.
Poinsettias are symbolic with Christmas, featuring star-like leaves and a traditionally bright red colour that is symbolic of the festive season. In December 2019, Morrisons sold over 500,000 units of the traditional red variety and expects this to increase this year.
They are known for being incredibly photogenic due to their striking red foliage. In fact, the hashtag #poinsettias has over 335,000 posts on Instagram.
The Best Multi-Coloured Poinsettia is available in 350 Morrisons stores now and costs £8. Morrisons is also selling traditional Red Poinsettias for just £3.
Rebecca Ruck, Horticultural Buyer at Morrisons says: “People are increasingly on the lookout for ways to make sure their festive displays and decorations stand out.
“The new The Best Poinsettias will ensure that customers can have brightly coloured and expressive displays, without breaking the bank.”
Which? is calling for Buy Now, Pay Later firms like Klarna and Clearpay to be fully regulated to provide greater protection for consumers, as new research from the consumer champion finds concerning industry practices encourage people to spend more than they planned to.
The consumer champion’s findings show that these slickly designed, easy-to-access credit products are encouraging impulse buying, with nearly a quarter of BNPL users (24%) saying they spent more than they planned to because BNPL was available.
With one in ten (11%) BNPL users reporting that they have incurred late charges when paying this way, Which? is concerned about the dangers involved with this growing form of unsecured credit, particularly when the risks are not always made clear, and is calling for the financial regulator to be given new powers to fully regulate the BNPL industry to prevent consumers from being harmed.
The research suggests pushy marketing strategies, combined with sales features that make payment easier – such as ‘express checkout’ services on some retailers’ websites – could be driving people to overspend and leading to people falling into debt, a concern also shared by debt charities such as StepChange.
Which? also found that a quarter of BNPL users (26%) said they had not planned to use this type of payment option until it popped up at checkout, while two in ten (18%) said they used BNPL because they were offered a discount to do so.
One in ten (13%) also said they used it by accident because it was selected as the default payment option at checkout. One survey respondent said: “I was tricked into [using] it because the box was already ticked”.
BNPL firms also advertise heavily on their partners’ websites. Which? looked at 80 of these sites and found the largest BNPL ads take up as much as 80 per cent of the screen, with fashion retailers most likely to carry these prominent ads.
These factors are evidence of the firms’ application of consumer psychology to drive sales, a strategy one BNPL provider has promoted to its retail partners.
In 2017, Klarna, one of the leading BNPL firms in the UK, commissioned a study with the University of Reading into online shopping behaviour. The report, intended for partner retailers, explains how to design ‘customer journeys’ that will persuade people to make ‘emotional’ purchases instead of ‘logical’ ones.
However, as Which? research shows, these frictionless customer journeys can lead to shoppers spending more than they can afford, without necessarily being aware of the risks.
41 per cent of people in the Which? survey who were aware of BNPL either did not believe or did not know that missing a payment could lead to the BNPL firm passing your debt on to a debt collection agency.
As a result of its findings, Which? is now calling for providers of this type of BNPL service to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
In its submission to the regulator, the consumer champion said that, while supportive of innovation, it believes that the BNPL market must have consumer protections in place in line with other regulated unsecured credit products.
Giving the FCA the powers to regulate the BNPL market would allow it to more effectively monitor how BNPL firms treat consumers, and if necessary, take action to prevent consumers from being harmed.
Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said: “While Buy Now, Pay Later services offer speed and convenience at the checkout, our research shows their design makes it far too simple for shoppers to spend more than they were intending.
“This could lead to people building up debts that they may struggle to pay back, which is particularly concerning if they don’t understand the risks of using this type of product.
“Given that many people’s finances are stretched now more than ever, we believe that the FCA needs to regulate this market to ensure consumers are not harmed and that action can be taken if these firms are treating customers unfairly.”
A spokesperson for Klarna responded: “While we cannot speak for the sector as a whole, it is wholly incorrect to claim that Klarna uses ‘pushy marketing strategies’. All Klarna customers are provided with our terms and conditions, which clearly outline the potential consequences of non-payment.
“If a customer misses a payment, we will proactively contact them to remind them via text, email, in-app notifications and letters. Klarna will only refer unpaid debts to a debt collection agency as a last resort after a period of several months.
“Klarna is fully engaged with the FCA review of the unsecured credit market.”
Shoppers keen to back their local high streets as they face the most turbulent winter in decades
64 per cent of Scots agree[1] they are making more effort to support small businesses due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
70 per cent of Scots fear their local shops won’t survive the pandemic
71 per cent of Scots are increasingly worried about the impact on their community if they lose local shops
50 per cent of Scots agree the pandemic has made them reluctant to visit shops, stressing the need for small businesses to have an online presence
More than three in five people surveyed in Scotland are keen to support small businesses this Christmas – as they worry their local shops could go bust, according to new research conducted by BT in the run up to the festive period.
The poll of over 2,000 UK consumers found that 64 per cent of Scots agree they are making a conscious effort to help small businesses more because of the severe impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on trading over the past year.
The plight of local shops appears to be weighing heavily on the public conscience, as nearly two thirds of those polled in Scotland fear their local high street won’t survive the pandemic.
The poll found that 71 per cent of Scots are increasingly worried about the impact on their community if they lose local shops, with 64 per cent agreeing that their community depends on local businesses. Coupled with the recent collapse of major retail chains, it’s clear the public are concerned about the future of their local high-street.
The affection the public holds for small businesses is strongly reflected in the survey results, with 62 per cent of respondents in Scotland saying that small businesses play a key role in supporting local people; 51 per cent recognising the importance of small businesses in sustaining the economy; and 52 per cent pledging that small businesses provide vital employment.
Fears of contracting Covid-19 appear to remain post the most recent lockdowns across the UK, with 50 per cent of people in Scotland stating the pandemic has made them reluctant to visit shops. This reinforces the need for small businesses to have a strong online presence to help them survive the disruption of the pandemic.
Alan Lees, Director of BT’s Enterprise business in Scotland, said:“Small businesses have undoubtedly been amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, with national and local lockdowns severely impacting their ability to trade.
“It’s really heartening to see that communities across the Scotland are coming out in force to support their local high street this Christmas, as these firms rely heavily on the festive period to generate the lion’s share of their profits.
“The fact that consumers want to engage with small businesses, particularly online, but sometimes face barriers in doing so, means that it is absolutely vital for them to adapt by moving online or risk being left behind. That’s why we launched our Small Business Support Scheme – to boost the connectivity, cashflow and confidence of small businesses through faster broadband, digital payments and digital skills, amongst other forms of assistance.”
In addition, the survey has also revealed that small businesses are facing increasing competition from bigger online retailers who are able to offer lower prices and faster delivery.
According to the survey, top reasons holding people back from supporting small businesses include; the price compared with other retailers – with 41 per cent of Scots citing it as a barrier; a limited product selection, with nearly a third of Scots saying it was a concern; while no website presence was cited as a key concern by 17 per cent of respondents in Scotland.
Other concerns include slow delivery, a lack of social media presence and data security issues.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1337006754421501952
BT’s Small Business Support Scheme consists of a series of measures to help boost the connectivity, cashflow and confidence of small businesses and help them get poised for growth.
Helping small businesses to boost their digital skills is a central part of the scheme, with BT pledging to help one million small businesses to boost their digital skills over the next five years through BT’s Skills for Tomorrow programme.
Alongside this, a dedicated mentoring programme for small businesses via Digital Boost will launch early next year, giving small businesses free access to BT’s expertise in strategy, marketing, and sales. Next year will also see the launch of a new digital marketing hub from BT to help small businesses to better promote their business online.
Following an extensive and successful public consultation process which ran for 4 months following its launch in March 2020, Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) has submitted the full Planning Application for the proposed New Filmhouse in Festival Square to the city council’s planning department.
