Month: March 2021

Dobbies teams up with the RSPB for latest podcast episode

Edinburgh residents encouraged to protect local garden wildlife

Dobbies Garden Centres has teamed up with the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, the RSPB, to release its latest podcast episode. The podcast is available to listen to now (Wednesday 24 March) and takes a look at how we can all protect and care for our local garden wildlife.

In the latest episode, podcast host and gardening writer Louise Midgley is joined by RSPB Conservation Officer, Ally Lemon, with the pair discussing how we can all make small changes to protect our garden wildlife. As well as practical advice on caring for our birds, insects and pollinators, the episode also has some handy tips on how to make a welcoming habitat for local species.

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies, said: “With spring just around the corner a lot of us will be preparing our gardens for the warmer months, and we can all do our bit to make our outdoor spaces more wildlife friendly.

“Helping nature starts at home, and no matter how big or small your garden, we can all create a suitable home for garden wildlife. We hope people across Edinburgh will welcome local wildlife into their gardens.”

The RSPB is inspiring everyone to give nature a home, and with just a little planning we can all provide safe havens for local wildlife to feed, breed and hibernate in our gardens. Following the charity’s Big Garden Birdwatch initiative in January, this year the RSPB are looking to inspire more and more people to garden for nature on their doorstep and engage in more wildlife-friendly practices in their garden, balconies and local communities

Ally Lemon, Conservation Officer at the RSPB, said: “No matter the size or type of outdoor space you have, whether it is a rural garden or a city balcony, everyone can help wildlife in their local area.

“There are loads of things people can do to invite wildlife into their outdoor spaces, from planting some wildflowers in flowerpots, putting up some bird boxes or creating a pond. Small steps can give nature a helping hand.”

So far, Dobbies’ podcast series has covered a host of topics, with everything from seasonal spring gardening tips and practical advice for beginners, to growing your own produce and caring for houseplants.

Dobbies products to make your garden wildlife friendly:

Henry Bell Heritage Fat Ball Feeder, £14.99; Henry Bell Decorative Stake Feeder, £19.99; Henry Bell Elegance Nesting Box, £14.99.

For more ideas: https://www.dobbies.com/gardening/wildlife

Dobbies’ podcast is available to listen to and download now via iTunes and Spotify https://www.dobbies.com/content/podcast.html

To learn more about the RSPB and its work, visit rspb.org.uk

For more information visit dobbies.com

Man arrested following series of incidents in North West Edinburgh

Police are appealing for information following a series of incidents which occurred in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 23 March).

Around 4.30pm police received a report of a road crash on Telford Road and a man causing a disturbance before making off from the scene in a stolen grey Volkswagen Golf.

A short time later the Volkswagen Golf crashed on the A90 northbound, near the Dalmeny slip road.

The driver is then understood to have approached a number of cyclists in the Dalmeny area before being apprehended by police.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with these incidents and enquiries are continuing.

Detective Sergeant Todd Rutherford from Corstorphine CID said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding these incidents and I am appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

“In particular, I would like to speak to a family of cyclists who are believed to have been approached by the man shortly after the second crash in Dalmeny. I would urge the family to please get in touch and assist with our investigation.

“I would also ask any motorists with dash-cams who were in the area on Tuesday afternoon to check their footage in case they have captured anything which could be of importance.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 2116 of Tuesday, 23 March, 2021. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

One year on: Scottish businesses and researchers in the battle against COVID-19

Over the past year, up and down the UK, thousands of research and innovation projects have been publicly funded to tackle the pandemic.

Researchers and businesses in Scotland are playing a key role in how the UK is combatting COVID-19.  Their work forms part of a £550 million COVID-19 rapid investment programme by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – the largest public funder of research and development in the UK.

The diversity of UKRI-funded projects is vast – from the world’s first COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, to projects that help us understand and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on our economy, environment, education, arts sector and mental health. This funding builds on decades of public investment and research expertise which have provided the backbone to our national COVID-19 response. 

Scotland’s biggest universities have received significant UKRI funding for a number of projects.

The Universities of Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Aberdeen have come together to track COVID-19’s progression across Scotland in real-time by using patient data, which allows them to rapidly assess the impact of new treatments and vaccines. 

The University of Edinburgh is also working on a separate project that looks to answer key questions about the characteristics of new diseases such as COVID-19.

The University is collecting data and samples to create a bank available to researchers and industry and an open-access platform to evaluate treatments and diagnostics. The project has already led to the recent identification of a key protein found in the blood of patients with severe COVID-19.

The University of Glasgow has also been awarded UKRI funding to develop a new interactive tool to evaluate the risk of infection by COVID-19 indoors. Adapting their unique expertise and using state-of-the-art AI, they are modelling what happens to droplets and aerosols when people breathe, talk, cough and sneeze in indoor spaces, as well as how face masks, ventilation or room size affect infection risk. 

Dr Andrea Cammarano from the University of Glasgow said: “Our funding from UKRI was integral to the development of our project.

“Thanks to our engineers a new intelligent tool using state-of-the-art AI will enable government, industry and business to find ways to safely manage people in indoor spaces during the pandemic and post-lockdown.”

Another project at the University of Stirling aims to gain a greater understanding of attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines by surveying 5,000 people. Findings will be shared with key people involved in vaccine policy in the UK to help shape campaigns and interventions that are trusted and support high uptake.

Professor Charlotte Deane, COVID-19-Response Director at UKRI said: “Looking back over the past year, it’s clear that the pandemic has had a devastating impact on so many aspects of our lives, but I take more than a glimmer of hope from the extraordinary work being undertaken by researchers and businesses across the UK. 

“These projects are just the tip of the iceberg. They show the tenacity and creativty of our research and innovation communities in Scotland and beyond, who have stepped up in the most challenging of times to come together and fight back against this devastating disease.”

These projects are among 3,600 new COVID-19 projects, totalling over £554 million, being funded by UKRI across the country in response to Covid-19. 

Generation Equal: Scottish Government to be accountable for delivery of equality action plan

The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) has laid out its vision for the future in Scotland’s progress towards  gender equality, as it comes to the end of its initial three-year term. 

In a next steps report to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the NACWG has laid out the rationale for developing a model which sees it move into an accountability and scrutiny role for a further three years to push forward the implementation of the systemic changes required to tackle gender inequality in Scotland.

Since 2017, the NACWG has worked with communities, activists, academics, leaders of public services, and members of the public in Scotland to explore gender inequality and produce a package of recommendations to be taken forward collectively to deliver tangible systemic change.

All recommendations from the first two NACWG reports have been accepted by the First Minister, with feedback yet to be presented on the latest report, published in January 2021. 

The NACWG has been clear from inception that it didn’t anticipate continuing with its current model indefinitely and, given the scope of the NACWG’s recommendations to date, it has now advised that the repeated annual submission of further recommendations at this level would be unhelpful, without taking time to take stock and allow them to be implemented and the consequences analysed.

The system needs time to adapt – especially if wholly inclusive intersectional gender mainstreaming is to remain the end goal for Scotland.

In its next phase, the NACWG suggests building on and upscaling existing accountability practices to assess the progress of the implementation of the recommendations and ensure these are taken forward as intended. 

Co-chair Louise Macdonald OBE said: “The First Minister asked the NACWG to be bold and to challenge the government and public services, private sector and public where required – and that’s exactly what we’ve done with the ambitious recommendations set out in our annual reports.

“The first iteration of the NACWG has delivered a strong package of recommendations but now, to ensure we continue our work to make Scotland a gender equal society, we believe the subsequent phase should focus on the scrutiny of the development of these recommendations.

“Systemic change requires time for any recommendations to bed in and we are not advocating for the next iteration of the NACWG to become “part of the system”. Instead, our aim would be to have a degree of independent oversight of implementation and assess impact so that at the end of this period there is a clear understanding of the successes, any unintended consequences, and whether further work is required.”

Louise added: “We didn’t recommend quick fixes or tweaks, but systemic change and we thoroughly understand that care needs to be taken and careful attention paid to implementation. 

“Every member of the First Minister’s Advisory Council on Women and Girls has considered it a privilege and an honour to be part of this work. We are proud of what we have achieved – but that pride is matched with a certainty there is much more to do to realise the transformational impact our recommendations could deliver, and a belief that through collective will, effective collaboration and shared ambition gender inequality CAN become a historical curiosity in Scotland.”

The decision around the next steps and remit for this work going forward sits with the First Minister.

Report link: 

https://onescotland.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/590637_SCT0321216300-001_p1.pdf

1,200 community rail volunteers poised to play a key role in Scotland’s recovery

Members of a grassroots rail movement have continued to strive for Scotland’s communities and work towards a greener transport future, despite the pandemic.

Figures from Community Rail Network’s Community Rail in Scotland report – sponsored by Rail Delivery Group – highlight that over 1,200 volunteers give over 55,000 hours annually to help improve social inclusion, sustainable and healthy travel, wellbeing, economic development, and tourism in their local area, valued at £4.7 million.

Making up Scotland’s nine Community Rail Partnerships and 260 station groups, they carry out projects to bring improvements to rail services and stations, with improved accessibility and inclusion, and help communities to have a voice in rail and transport development, working with train operators, local authorities and other partners.

Across Scotland, groups are involved in community gardening, food growing and biodiversity projects on station land; the creation of heritage boards or community artwork to help people learn about and take pride in their area;  volunteering at stations to create a safe and attractive environment for passengers; work with rail industry partners towards improvements, such as better shelters, signage or pedestrian and cyclist access; and running events, workshops and activities to promote sustainable travel, bring people together, and celebrate the local community.

Community rail partnerships and groups have continued to support communities and local resilience efforts during the pandemic (see below). They are now looking forward to playing a pivotal role in building back better from Covid, helping our railways to be a vital component of a greener, more inclusive way forward as part of a ‘green recovery’.

Community rail across Scotland:

In Edinburgh, the 6VT Youth Community Rail Partnership (6VT CRP) is Britain’s only youth-led community rail partnership.

It was established via the 6VT Youth Café, which provides a space for young people to come together to access support to improve their lives and realise their potential. Working mainly with 14–21-year-olds, the café has helped more than 160,000 young people since the late 1990s, providing access to a range of services and personal development opportunities.

The group devises projects on issues that are important to its young members, such as supporting the launch of the Crimestoppers ‘Fearless’ anti-hate crime campaign at Edinburgh Waverley Station, hosting suicide prevention training, and an award-winning pram safety project focused on making rail travel easier for parents travelling with buggies.

More widely across Scotland – from Edinburgh, across to Glasgow and into the Highlands – the Highland Mainline Community Rail Partnership has continued its support for local communities by launching a new ‘Travelling Classroom’ initiative.

The project will involve local primary schools along the route between Dunkeld & Birnam and Carrbridge, and aims to help children learn about rail safety, rail travel, and promote better engagement between the railway and local people.

When travel restrictions are lifted, this will see trains becoming classrooms for the pupils as they take a trip to enhance their learning.

Commenting on the importance of the community rail movement in Scotland, Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network said: “Community rail works to make our railways as inclusive as possible, bringing people together and bolstering local pride and wellbeing.

“In Scotland, community rail groups have adapted and responded, supporting communities through the pandemic, maintaining positivity, and continuing to help people get the most from their railways and stations.

“As our communities rebuild from Covid-19, within community rail, and across our railways, we will need to redouble efforts, with our partners, to create confidence and togetherness, and play our part in re-orientating ways of thinking and living to be more socially and environmentally responsible.

“Community rail is all about that: communities and connectedness, and people working together to make things better for each other and our shared future.”

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “The railway is at the heart of local communities and the fantastic initiatives by community rail volunteers in Scotland play to its strengths, connecting people up and down the country.

“As we recover from the pandemic, getting more people back on trains will be vital to boost local economies and the environment, so the support of community rail will be more important than ever.”

Ros Houldsworth, ScotRail’s community liaison executive, adds: “From promoting tourism to improving station connectivity, from increasing opportunities for young people to encouraging environmental ambitions, the impact of community rail continues to grow.

“I believe that community rail will have a vital role to play in supporting ScotRail and the wider rail industry in Scotland, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

For more information on community rail and to find your groups near you, visit communityrail.org.uk.

Lockdown one year on: Prime Minister Boris Johnson reflects

PM statement at coronavirus press conference: 23 March

Good afternoon everybody, thank you for joining us.

When I asked you to go into lockdown exactly a year ago it seemed incredible that in the 21st Century this was the only way to fight a new respiratory disease: to stay at home, to avoid human contact, to shun so many of the patterns of behaviour that are most natural and obvious to all of us.

But we did it together, to protect the NHS, to save lives.

And for the entire British people it has been an epic of endurance and privation, of children’s birthday parties cancelled, of weddings postponed, of family gatherings of all kinds simply deleted from the diary.

And worst of all in that time we’ve suffered so many losses and for so many people our grief has been made more acute because we have not been able to see our loved ones in their final days, to hold their hands or even to mourn them together.

And at the right moment, we will come together as a country to build a fitting and a permanent memorial to the loved ones we have lost and to commemorate this whole period.

For month after month our collective fight against Coronavirus was like fighting in the dark against a callous and invisible enemy, until science helped us to turn the lights on and to gain the upper hand.

And I want to renew my thanks to everyone responsible for the astounding vaccine roll-out which has enabled us to protect more than 28 million people across the whole of the United Kingdom with a first jab and administer more than 30 million doses in total.

And I want to thank everybody for their courage, your courage, discipline and patience.

When people come to describe this epidemic to future generations, we’ll tell the story of the heroes of the NHS and social care of pharmacists, teachers, armed service personnel, shop workers, transport workers, the police and so many others.

But in the end this was unlike any other struggle in my lifetime, in that our entire population has been engaged, and it’s thanks to all of you therefore that we can continue on our roadmap to freedom.

We will meet our targets, offering a first dose to everyone over 50 by the middle of next month, as well as those under 50 who are clinically vulnerable, and offering a first dose of the vaccine to every adult by the end of July.

And cautiously but irreversibly, step by step, jab by jab, this country is on the path to reclaiming our freedoms.

Salmond Inquiry: Lessons will be learned, says Swinney

Scottish Government comments on Committee report

The Scottish Government says lessons will be learned from the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints, following the publication yesterday of the parliamentary inquiry’s report.

Responding to the findings of the Committee on the Scottish Government’s Handling of Harassment Complaints (SGHHC), Deputy First Minister John Swinney said it was clear that the women who had raised complaints had been let down.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “I welcome the report of the Committee, which, alongside the independent report produced by James Hamilton and externally led review by Laura Dunlop QC, will assist the Scottish Government’s in learning lessons for the future.

“I also welcome the Committee’s acknowledgement that the Scottish Government was motivated by doing the right thing – creating a culture and procedure for investigating any claims of harassment.

“I agree with the Committee’s finding that James Hamilton’s report is the most appropriate place to address the question of whether or not the First Minister breached the Ministerial Code. He found there was no breach.

“The Scottish Government has acknowledged that it made mistakes and that these led to the Judicial Review being conceded, and I know that this had a real, and damaging, impact for the women who raised the complaints. We have apologised for this and we do so unreservedly again today.

“I remain absolutely determined that the Scottish Government should ensure this does not happen again and that together we create a culture where these behaviours do not arise.

“Given the timing of the report it is not possible to respond fully and in detail, not least because the three reports have overlapping areas of interest, and some recommendations are in conflict with those in other reports.

“Together, all three reports highlight a range of important issues and provide the basis for improvement work which now be taken forward in consultation with others including the Parliament, Trades Unions, and those with lived experience.

“The Scottish Government will carefully consider the recommendations from the Committee, alongside the other two review reports, in order to put improvements and an implementation plan in place.”

Mr Swinney chose not to address the committee’s contention that the First Minister mislead parliament, referring instead to Mr Hamilton’s findings.

But the Hamilton report clearly states: “It is for the Scottish Parliament to decide whether they were in fact misled”.

The committee DID decide … and found the First Minister guilty.

Mr Hamilton also expressed ‘deep frustration’ at redactions made to his report.

In a note accompanying the published report he stated: “A redacted report that effectively erases the role of any such individual in the matters investigated in the report cannot be understood by those reading it, and presents an incomplete and even at times misleading version of what happened.

“It is therefore impossible to give an accurate description of some of the relevant events dealth with in the report while at the same time complying with the court orders.

“I am deeply frustrated that applicable court orders will have the effect of preventing the full publication of a report which fulfils my remit and which I believe it would be in the public interest to publish.”

The Conservatives, the biggest opposition party at Holyrood, initiated a vote of No Confidence in the First Minister, but with the Greens supporting the government – and both Labour and the Lib Dems abstaining – the Tory motion was doomed to failure.

Nicola Sturgeon will face her final First Minister’s Questions session of this parliament later today; I wonder what the questions will be about!

Then, the next test comes in six weeks time when Scotland goes to the polls in the Holyrood elections.

Report of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints | Scottish Parliament

Poverty Alliance launch ‘Everyone Aboard’ campaign

Ahead of the Scottish Parliament election, a new campaign has today been launched, calling on Scotland’s political parties to commit to extending free bus travel to everyone receiving Universal Credit (and other low-income benefits) and under 25s. 

The Everyone Aboard campaign – coordinated by the Poverty Alliance and supported by a range of children’s charities, anti-poverty groups, trade unions and environmental organisations – is launched at a time of growing hardship across Scotland. 

Young people have been particularly hard-hit by job disruption as a result of the pandemic. Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that under 25s, especially women, have been hit harder economically than any other age group. They have a higher chance of furlough, precarious employment, unemployment, and are the most likely to work in low-paid sectors such as hospitality and retail. 

But too many people in Scotland, the campaign says, were locked out of accessing vital opportunities because they could not afford the cost of public transport. Between 2014 and 2019 bus fares rose by 18%; while the value of social security payments fell, and wages stagnated. 

The campaign is also highlighting how greater use of public transport will be vital if Scotland is to meet its climate change goals. The Scottish Youth Parliament found that young people would be more likely to use the bus if fares were less expensive. Extending free bus travel to all young people under 25 would accelerate the normalisation of bus use in place of cars. 

In a letter sent yesterday to Scotland’s party leaders, Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: 

“As a society, we believe we should look out for each other. But those whose finances have suffered most during the pandemic, people on low incomes and young people under 25, risk being left behind in our economic recovery. 

Greater access to free bus transport is not only good for the environment, but will help tackle poverty, reduce geographical inequalities and help increase access to essential services. 

The next Scottish Parliament has the chance to build a Scotland for all of us, one where no one is left behind. On the road to recovery, we can make sure everyone has a seat, by providing free bus travel to everyone receiving Universal Credit and other low-income benefits, and to all young people under 25.” 

Hallelujah! Places of worship can reopen from Friday

People living in all parts of Scotland will be able to attend places of worship in gatherings of up to 50, where there is space for physical distancing, from Friday 26 March.

Updated guidance publishing on Friday will also allow people to travel between Level 4 areas to attend their usual place of worship following sustained progress suppressing Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Na h-Eileanan Siar moved to Level 3 last night, but all other council areas will remain at their current levels, with restrictions on non-essential travel across local authority boundaries.

The latest easing was announced yesterday, the anniversary of Scotland first entering lockdown. The First Minister reflected on the loss of life over the past 12 months and thanked health and care workers, public service workers, teachers, local authorities, businesses, community groups and volunteers for their efforts to support the nation through the pandemic.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “On this National Day of Reflection, I know that many of us will be thinking about people we have lost during the last year, whatever the cause of their death.

“It is a natural human response when someone dies to gather with others, to mourn our loss and to celebrate their life. The fact that this shared ritual has not been possible has been an additional source of grief for many during this most difficult of years.

“The return of collective worship in greater numbers is an important change that I hope will be especially welcomed as we head towards important religious festivals over the next few weeks. That we are in a position for Na h-Eileanan Siar to move to Level 3 reflects their success in reducing transmission in recent weeks.

“I am grateful to everyone who has shown solidarity, compassion and love to one another by sticking to incredibly tough rules and restrictions. By following the rules, all of us have saved lives – we’ve helped keep the virus under control, and helped to create the situation we are now in, where we can now start to plan our route out of lockdown. We know too that the vaccination programme is now reducing deaths, and recent research also gives us confidence that vaccination will reduce transmission rates.

“To lift restrictions in the future, we still need to suppress the virus just now, so please stay within the rules in the coming weeks – stay at home for now, unless for an allowed reason; do not meet people from other households indoors; and follow the FACTS advice when you are out and about.”

UK Government announces more staff for Edinburgh trade hub

New trade hubs will channel the economic benefits of international trade directly into Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the North of England.

Four major new trade and investment hubs will be established in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the North-East of England to boost trade and investment and level-up the country, the International Trade Secretary will announce today (23 March 2021).

The trade hubs in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast and a new second major DIT site in Darlington, will be established as part of a new strategy to boost exports and bring the benefits of the government’s global trade policy to the whole of the UK, including benefits from future free trade agreements with the US, Australia, New Zealand and CPTPP.

They will mean exporters have a direct feed into UK trade policy, and can better take advantage of opportunities in fast-growing markets like the Indo-Pacific region.

The trade hubs will also create a critical link between the regions and the resources of the Office For Investment – a joint initiative with the Prime Minister’s Office – to channel investment money into every UK nation and region.

The trade hubs will be home to teams of export and investment specialists, who can provide businesses with expert support and advice to help them:

  • maximise their export potential and boost their trade in new markets overseas
  • better access major trade markets like India, the US and Japan
  • feed directly into DIT’s free trade agreements programme

The launch of the trade hubs marks the start of a major export drive, which will see DIT focussed on promoting British exports from all parts of the UK, to help level up the country, build back better, and support a resilient economy as outlined in the government’s Integrated Review.

Earlier this month government-led research showed exports support 6.5m jobs across the UK, 74% of which are outside London. The research estimates jobs directly and indirectly supported by exports pay around 7% higher than the national median, with Office for National Statistics estimating that goods exporting businesses are also 21% more productive.

The new trade hubs will also support the launch of high-profile export campaigns due to launch later this year, that will seek to maximise export potential and boost UK enterprise in global markets, following the recent launch of the food and drink export campaign.

Last year, goods exports from the North of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland were £98.4bn.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “I’m determined to use UK trade policy to benefit every part of the UK. These Trade and Investment Hubs will help this country to an export and jobs-led recovery.

“They will mean we can channel investment into all corners of the country, and that exporters – whether they’re selling Scotch beef, Welsh Lamb or cars made in the North of England – have access to the expertise they need to sell into the fastest growing markets.”

550 staff are expected to be present in the hubs by 2025, with an ambition to increase this to 750 staff by 2030.

The existing DIT Hub in Edinburgh, announced in September last year, will see a ‘significant increase in headcount’ (i.e. mair staff! – Ed.) – following its relaunch today.