Month: March 2021

“And so shines a good deed in a weary world”

Author celebrates ‘Covid hard work and kindness’ in a commemorative charity book


Inspired by Shakespeare’s “and so shines a good deed in a weary world”, an author has donated her time to produce a commemorative book celebrating the hard work and kindness seen across the UK during the Covid pandemic.

Anna James spent more than 6 months interviewing key workers, everyday heroes and familiar faces as well as charities and organisations and collating the stories and photos of their ‘good deeds’.

She has self-published the 350+ page coffee-table style book to celebrate their efforts and to raise money for the NHS and other good causes.

Amongst many others, the book includes contributions from NHS workers, dustbin men, cleaners and farmers; home-schooling families, isolating couples and Covid survivors; Her Majesty the Queen, Captain Tom, Ian Broudie, Banksy and Charlie Mackesy; Fareshare, Samaritans, NSPCC and Age UK; M&S, The Royal Mint, Chester Zoo and even a loo roll manufacturer!

The book also features hundreds of photos of some of the things we’ve all been seeing and experiencing over the past 12 months.

Anna said: “I desperately wanted to do something to help but didn’t know how to be useful – I’m a bit squeamish with anything medical and always get lost, even with satnav, so I’d have been no good at volunteering to help people or deliver things.

“After a few sleepless nights, I decided to stick with what I’m good at and to create a special compilation of this most unusual moment in our history. I would make one of my commemorative books as my small gift to the national effort.

“2020 was an unprecedented year with monumental challenges and heart-breaking sadnesses but amongst that, there was also exceptional hard work, adaptability and kindness. Our humanity and community spirit shone in the darkness and I thought it was important to celebrate that, so we’ve got something to look back on and be proud of.

“I also thought it was important to record some of the things we were all seeing and experiencing – in years to come, when this is hopefully far behind us, will we remember the rainbows? That people joined forces in their thousands to make masks and scrubs for the NHS?

“Will we remember that we clapped outside, every Thursday night? That whole towns and cities were deserted and that shops ran out of toilet roll? I wanted to document some of that to help us remember; as a social history record for us to show our grandchildren, and for them to show theirs.

“I am humbled to have become the caretaker of this most amazing collection of stories from all these everyday heroes who share what they did to help the country and each other, which are heart-warming and heart-wrenching in equal measures.

“It’s probably the book none of us would ever have wanted but perhaps the one we all need, to remind ourselves what a kind and generous bunch we can be.”

As we approach a year since the UK went into its first lockdown, Covid Kindness: UK 2020 is available to order at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Covid-Kindness-UK…/dp/1527275825 to help you remember and reflect on the past 12 months.

All profits go to NHS Charities Together and other good causes.

Heart Research UK: Healthy tips

Eating healthy lunches at home


Many of us are spending more time at home due to COVID-19 and this can mean reaching for the comfort foods when we feel bored, stressed or need cheering up.

On busy days, it is easy to pop to the kitchen and grab a quick lunch without thinking too much about whether it is good for you.

We have some tips for planning and preparing healthier lunches at home:

Include plenty of fruit and veg

Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Find healthy salad or vegetable soup recipes online or in recipe books to include in your lunch plan. Finish off your lunches with a portion of fruit and a low-calorie yoghurt.

Increase your fibre intake

A diet that is high in fibre can reduce your risk of heart disease. Good sources of fibre include fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses and wholegrain foods. Try to regularly include a portion of wholegrain food in your lunches, such as brown bread, wholemeal pita, wholemeal pasta or brown rice.

Include lean sources of protein in your lunches

Foods that are high in protein can help you to feel full for longer and this can prevent you from snacking on less healthy foods during the day. Lean sources of protein include grilled skinless chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu and low-fat dairy products.

 Plan your lunches in advance

Planning your lunches in advance will allow you to put a little more thought into what you are eating as well as saving you time and money. Try creating a weekly lunch plan before the start of the week and shop for ingredients in advance.

Prepare your lunches the night before to save time during busy days or try cooking large quantities of home-made soups and store single portions in the freezer.

You can find more healthy tips, recipes and advice at heartresearch.org.uk.

Firth of Forth death: can you help?

Detectives are continuing their enquiries and appealing for any assistance to establish the identity of a young man who was recovered from the Firth of Forth at Burntisland on Friday (19 March).

Around 10.20am on Friday morning, officers were called to the shore near to Aberdour Road, Burntisland where the body of a man had been found in the water. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a full report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal.

The man is described as white, aged in his late teens to early twenties. He is between 5ft 7ins to 5ft 9ins in height of very slim build with short blond to light brown hair. He was wearing grey Lonsdale jogging trousers, a grey hooded ‘Saltrock’ jumper and blue Adidas high-top trainers.

Detective Sergeant Conrad Musgrave from Dunfermline Police Station said: “We are carrying out extensive enquiries to find out who this young man is and trace his family.

“We are also working to establish if he is the same person who we previously appealed for information on, after being seen acting in a concerning manner on the Forth Road Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday, 9 March.

“I would urge anyone who may recognise this description, or who has any information that may assist us to please contact Dunfermline Police Station through 101 quoting reference 0898 of 19 March.”

Minister announces plans for improvement in drug services

Women, families and children are among those who will benefit from separate funds worth a total of £18 million to improve drugs services.

Four schemes are planned for May with the funds coming from the additional £250 million announced by the First Minister to tackle the drug deaths emergency over the next five years.

The four projects will aim to develop consistent treatment standards around the country and ensure more people can get access to services that can reduce harm, provide treatment and ultimately save their lives.

The four funds are:

  • a £5 million Communities Fund to provide resources to community and third sector organisations to increase capacity  
  • a £5 million Improvement Fund to support improvements to services for outreach, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare, with dedicated support for women
  • a £3 million Families and Children Fund to support the families of those affected by drug misuse during treatment
  • a £5 million Recovery Fund for additional residential rehabilitation capacity 

Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “We have said a national mission is needed to tackle the drug deaths emergency and this coming year will see funding for alcohol and drugs support increasing to £140.7 million.

“This latest round of funding sees us build on the £1 million Communities Fund and £1 million Improvement Fund we launched in February. We want to make additional resources available to more community and third sector organisations so that we can support more people into treatment and offer support to their families.

“I am pleased we are also able to direct more funding to develop services specifically for women and children. We want to make it easier for women to access treatment by removing any barriers such as a lack of childcare.

“I have already committed to taking action on the recommendations from the Residential Rehabilitation Working Group and this will be backed by £100 million over the next five years.

“We recognise residential rehabilitation may not be for everyone which is why we are determined, as part of our national mission, to make sure that people can access whatever treatment is right for them in the right place at the right time.”

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs CEO Justina Murray said: “There is an urgent need to improve support for children, young people and adult family members – all of whom are harmed by others’ alcohol and drug use, and all of whom have faced even bigger harms during the COVID pandemic.

“We know most family members remain hidden due to the stigma, shame and secrecy of substance use in the family, along with the lack of visible, high quality family support across Scotland.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and with families to transform this situation, so that every family member in Scotland can reach the support they need, regardless of their situation or location.”

Leith Walk pigeons will be flying home this summer

A sneak peek of the restoration of Edinburgh’s much-loved Elm Row pigeons has been revealed ahead of their reinstatement in the street later this year.

The public artworks, created by sculptor Shona Kinloch, were first removed during the original tram project in 2006. Now, as part of Trams to Newhaven, the seven bronze birds are being refurbished or completely recast before their grand return.

Specialists from Powderhall Bronze have been renovating, sandblasting and applying ‘patina’, which creates the familiar green colouring, to the existing statues, as well as casting three brand new pigeons. This has involved making wax replicas using the original moulds for the sculptures, before pouring in molten metal to produce a finished product.

It is intended to restore the pigeons on Elm Row during the summer, alongside the London Road Pillar Clock. This is being refurbished by clockmaker Smiths of Derby, involving the removal of any rust, preparing the surface for priming and repainting.

They’ve also constructed a new aluminium deer and repaired the Coat of Arms of Edinburgh, which both sit at the top of the clock.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: These pigeons are a little piece of Leith Walk history, so I’m delighted that they’ll soon be back in their rightful home as part of the Trams to Newhaven project.

Construction work is continuing apace on the tram line, with tracks being laid along the route. Now, as we begin to welcome some of Leith Walk’s public art back into place, we’re starting to build a picture of what the area will look like once this major project is complete.

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: Our seven bronze birds are looking beautiful in time for their return to Leith Walk, and it’s been fascinating to see the work that’s gone into their refurbishment.

“I know many people will join me in welcoming them back later this year.”

Kerry Hammond from Powderhall Bronze added: “We were delighted to work on Shona’s cast bronze Elm Row pigeons again after all this time. They have always been very popular and it will be great to see them sited back for the public to enjoy.

Construction on the Trams to Newhaven project continues to progress to schedule, with ongoing track-laying on sections of Leith Walk, Constitution Street and at Ocean Terminal.

Other work underway, or soon to commence, includes the rebuilding of the South Leith Parish Church wall, following a major excavation of the area, and surfacing and public realm works along parts of the route.

A protected cycle lane between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal, which will complement the Trams to Newhaven project, is also being developed as well as pedestrianising Sandport Place Bridge and creating a bus-only section at the Shore. 

A public consultation on concept designs recently closed.

You can watch videos of Council Archaeologist John Lawson discussing the pigeons’ restoration with Kerry Hammond of Powderhall Bronze and artist Shona Kinloch and of the full recasting of one of the pigeons on the Trams to Newhaven YouTube channel.

Find out more on the Trams to Newhaven website.

One Year of Furlough

Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the furlough scheme being introduced. TUC’s ALEX COLLISON takes stock

The scheme, a big win for the union movement, guarantees that employees working for businesses that have been closed due to social restrictions, who may have otherwise lost their jobs, receive at least 80 per cent of their wages while they’re unable to work.

Numbers using the scheme

The furlough scheme has undoubtedly protected millions of jobs throughout the pandemic, making it one of the few big successes in the government’s response to the pandemic.

Between the scheme’s introduction and the middle of February 2021, 11.2 million jobs have been furloughed at some point, with 1.3 million employers making use of it.

Use of the furlough scheme peaked in early May 2020, when 8.9 million jobs were furloughed. 4.7 million jobs were still furloughed at the end of January 2021, the latest available day that HMRC figures cover. A business survey from the ONS provides more up-to-date information, showing that 19% of the private sector workforce was furloughed in early March. This has been the same since January, and suggests the number of people furloughed has likely stayed around the same since January.

The number of people furloughed in January 2021 is the highest it’s been since July.

As you’d expect given the sectors most impacted by social restrictions, use of the scheme has been much higher in some industries than others. At the end of January, 44% of all furloughed jobs are within two industries: accommodation and food services (24%) and wholesale and retail (20%).

This equates to 1.1 million jobs in accommodation and food, and 940,000 jobs in wholesale and retail.

Chart 1

While the arts and entertainment sector has less jobs furloughed (315,000), this constitutes a large percentage of its workforce. 55% of the workforce was furloughed at the end of January 2021. This is a similar rate to accommodation and food (56%).

Across all industries, the number of jobs furloughed at the end of January was 47% lower than it was when furlough was at its peak. But, again, this varies by industry.

Construction and manufacturing, for example, both had large numbers of jobs furloughed in May 2020. While there’s still a significant number of jobs furloughed in these industries, the number has fallen by around two-thirds. In contrast, the number of employments furloughed in accommodation and food and arts and entertainment has fallen by 30%.

And it’s worth noting where these jobs may have gone. HMRC data on the number of payrolled employees shows that accommodation and food and arts and entertainment saw the most job losses between April 2020 and January 2021.

It therefore seems likely that some workers in these industries are losing their jobs rather than returning from furlough.

Chart 2

The scheme hasn’t been perfect

While the furlough scheme has undoubtedly saved millions of jobs, it hasn’t been perfect. A key flaw of the scheme is that there’s no protection to ensure no one is paid below the minimum wage while furloughed. While employers can choose to top up the wages of furloughed workers, not all do.

Low-paid workers are more likely to not to have their pay topped up. Because of this, in April 2020, around the peak of the scheme, just over two million employees were not being paid the legal minimum.

This means that the household finances of many low-paid workers, already being paid an insufficient minimum wage, have been hit hard.

Young workers, part-time workers and workers in the hospitality sector have also been more likely to be affected. Shockingly, a third of all accommodation and food workers were not earning the legal minimum wage in April 2020.

As well as this, the government’s attempts to wind down the scheme have often proved premature. The number of jobs furloughed hit its lowest point on October 31st, when it dropped to 2.4 million. The scheme was due to end on this day, but was extended at the last minute.

The number of employments furloughed went up to 3.7 million on November 1st, and then increased further a few days later due to stricter lockdown measures being introduced. This uncertainty around the future of the furlough scheme seems to have led to unnecessary job losses.

And the government has struggled to reach those in non-conventional work, whether self-employed forced to operate through companies, zero-hours workers, and those mixing employment and self-employment.

The government introduced the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) alongside the furlough scheme, but the two didn’t seamlessly interact to cover all workers, and the requirements of the scheme have meant that millions of workers have fallen between the cracks, unable to get support.

What next?

The government has committed to keeping the furlough scheme running until the end of September. The amount the government contributes to the wages of furloughed workers will begin to reduce before then, dropping to 70% in July and 60% in August and September.

The current roadmap out of lockdown provisionally plans for all areas of the economy to be up and running months before the end of furlough. However, the September end date creates a cliff edge, especially as it comes alongside the end of the Universal Credit uplift. The government must ensure it adapts the scheme to any changes of the roadmap. If business closures last longer than expected, so too should the scheme.

It’s also urgent that the government overhauls our broken social safety net so that it properly supports for those who need it. This includes raising both Universal Credit and legacy benefits to at least 80% of the national living wage (£260 per week), ending the five-week wait by converting advance payment loans to grants, and scrapping the two-child limit, benefits cap and no-recourse-to-public-funds rules.

Finally, it’s important that the government begins to look beyond the scheme. Investing now in good, well-paid jobs will help to replace any jobs lost when the scheme ends.

Fast tracking spending on projects such as broadband, green technology, transport and housing, for example, could deliver a 1.24 million jobs boost by 2022, and the TUC has set out plans to fill and create 600,000 jobs in the public sector.

Heart of Newhaven: Last chance to become a member before the AGM

We are abandoning our usual monthly newsletter schedule to send you this advice that there is little time remaining if you wish to become a member of HoNC before our first AGM.

The AGM has now been set for Thursday 29th April and because of the admin work required, you must apply for membership before the 1st April.

New member applications will then be verified and confirmed by the board at their next meeting on 7th April and official notice of the AGM and all that entails will be sent out by the 13th.

Do consider becoming a member. It costs nothing and if you live in our area of benefit it ensures you have a say in who runs the charity and what they do. There is a simple form to fill in on the website under JOIN US.

The AGM may well be rather strange this year because of Covid. Only a small number of people constituting the required quorum will be allowed to be present in person. Everyone else will be invited to an online meeting. It also means that those voting members not present in person will have to send in a proxy voting form, but all that will be explained in the notice of meeting which will be sent by email to members only.

If you have any questions regarding the Board or the AGM please contact admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

In other news, we are so pleased to report that there was a tremendous response to our initial Crowdfunding appeal which has helped us pay for professional fees. The many supportive comments have also provided welcome proof that we are not working in vain. 

Here are some of the things supporters said:

This is a brilliant project that will deliver huge community benefits. It’s well thought-out and is being impressively well-organised.

Amazing project to support the community and get everyone of all ages together!

Great to see this project making progress – all strength to your elbows for what will be a tremendous asset for the community.

Fantastic work, well done to all involved.

Meanwhile our volunteers are working away in the background on greening projects, lending a neighbourly hand in the community and spreading the word, while we deal with preparing for our very first AGM, a momentous stage in our progress.

The trustees are looking forward to seeing you there.

Don’t forget to keep checking the website.
There’s always something new. April will see the addition of the first of a two-part blog by Bill Hall about fishing in the Forth.

There will be no April newsletter and the next communication will be with members only, by the 13th April.  The next newsletter will be in May, after the AGM.

Join Us!

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Half of all adults in UK receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Almost 95% of people aged 60 and over have been vaccinated

  • Health Secretary hails strength of the Union as UK passes major vaccine milestone
  • Matt Hancock calls on everyone to accept the jab when it’s offered

Half of all adults in the UK have received their first dose of the (coronavirus) COVID-19 vaccine, the latest figures show.

The UK health services vaccinated a total of 26.8 million people between 8 December and 19 March with first doses, while 2.1 million people have had their second dose so far.

The rollout is continuing at pace and the UK is on track to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of offering the vaccine to all over-50s by 15 April, as well as all adults by the end of July.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Vaccinating over half of all adults is a phenomenal achievement and is testament to the mammoth efforts of the NHS, GPs, volunteers, local authorities and civil servants in every corner of the UK.

“It shows the strength of the Union and what can be achieved when we work together as one United Kingdom to protect those most at risk. But the job is not done yet.

“During April, we will continue to vaccinate those most at risk and around 12 million people will receive their second doses as well. It is absolutely crucial people come forward as soon as they are eligible. When you get the call, get the jab, because the more people who are vaccinated the safer we will all be.”

The pace of the rollout means even more people will soon develop strong protection from serious illness from COVID-19 infection, saving lives and significantly reducing pressure on the NHS, which supports the Prime Minister’s roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions.

Around 4% of the adult population have had their second doses so far and there will be a strong drive over the coming weeks to vaccinate people with the second jabs within 12 weeks, as well as continuing to vaccinate those in the priority groups with first doses.

The UK government’s Vaccine Taskforce secured early access to 457 million doses of the most promising vaccines on behalf of the whole of the UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. This allowed a co-ordinated and rapid deployment of vaccines to those most at risk.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi (above) said: “I would like to thank everybody involved in this incredible vaccination programme across the whole of the UK for their tireless dedication to protecting the most vulnerable and saving lives.

“This is a momentous occasion and while the vaccines are the best way out of this terrible pandemic, the battle is not yet over.

“We continue to do everything we can to expand the vaccination programme even further and encourage people of all backgrounds and religions to get their jabs when eligible.”

All vaccines being used in the UK have undergone robust clinical trials and have met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.

The Moderna vaccine has also been approved by the MHRA and will be deployed from the spring. Rolling reviews are also underway by the MHRA to assess the Janssen and Novavax vaccines.

Data from Public Health England’s real-world study shows that both the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective in reducing COVID-19 among older people aged 70 years and over. We are already seeing a significant impact of the vaccination programme on reducing hospitalisations and deaths, and it is vital people come forward for their vaccine when invited.

The vaccines are available for free from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies. Around 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre in England, which includes mosques, Westminster Abbey and football stadiums.

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England’s primary care director and a GP, said: “Thanks to careful planning and the huge efforts of NHS vaccinators, volunteers and everyone working behind the scenes, the roll-out of the NHS vaccination programme – the biggest in health service history – continues to be a huge success.

“Their efforts meant the NHS had vaccinated half of all adults in England by Thursday, and as a GP and a vaccinator, it is source of great pride that we have now reached that major milestone across the whole of the UK.

“I would encourage anyone who is invited to come forward and book their vaccine. It is safe, quick and effective, and by having your vaccine you will join nearly 23 million people across England who’ve now been protected.”

Royal Pharmaceutical Society President Sandra Gidley said: “Vaccinating half of the UK population in such a short period of time is a huge achievement and I’m immensely proud of the role pharmacy teams have played.

“Pharmacists have been at the forefront of COVID-19 vaccinations, developing new treatments, ensuring a safe supply chain, and supporting vaccination clinics across the health service.

“I want to thank pharmacists working up and down the country in every setting, from large hospitals to those providing vaccinations in village halls, for their amazing efforts and for rising to the challenge during a time of national crisis.

“As we look to build on this success, pharmacists will continue to play a vital role in encouraging uptake of vaccines, particularly in communities where there are significant health challenges.

Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “The hard work of GPs and our teams, along with colleagues across the NHS, to deliver the COVID-19 vaccination programme has been outstanding and ensured that vulnerable patients across the UK are protected from this terrible virus.

“It is excellent news that half the UK adult population – 26.8m people – have now received the first dose of the vaccine, with around 75% of these vaccinations taking place in primary care.

“This is an incredible milestone and the efforts of GPs and our teams have been pivotal to achieving it in such a short space of time, and despite the complexities and challenges of delivering a new vaccination programme on such a large scale.

“However, the hard work is far from over, and as long as there is supply, GPs and our teams will continue to vaccinate. Getting vaccinated is the best protection we have against this virus, and our best hope of getting back to a more normal life.

“We encourage patients to come forward for a vaccination when invited to do so.”

Background information

  1. There are a total of 52.7 million adults in the UK based on ONS data.
  2. PHE’s real-world data shows the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
  3. Through the government’s Vaccines Taskforce, the UK has secured early access to 457 million doses of 8 of the most promising vaccine candidates, including:
    • BioNTech/Pfizer for 40 million doses
    • Oxford/AstraZeneca for 100 million doses
    • Moderna for 17 million doses
    • GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60 million doses
    • Novavax for 60 million doses
    • Janssen for 30 million doses
    • Valneva for 100 million doses
    • CureVac for 50 million doses
  4. To date, the government has invested over £300 million into manufacturing a successful vaccine to enable a rapid roll out.

The UK government is committed to supporting equitable access to vaccines worldwide. The UK is the largest donor to the COVAX facility, the global mechanism to help developing countries access a coronavirus vaccine, and has committed £548 million in UK aid to help distribute 1.3 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to 92 developing countries this year.

Stolen Covid vial: Man Charged

UPDATE: TUESDAY 23rd MARCH

Officers investigating the theft of a vial of Covid-19 vaccine in Edinburgh have charged a 41-year-old man.A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

Police want to thank you for your assistance with our appeal for information on this investigation.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Police are investigating the theft of a vial of Covid-19 vaccine from the EICC Vaccination Centre in Edinburgh.

Chief Inspector Neil Wilson of Edinburgh City Division said: “We were made aware of an isolated incident of theft of a COVID-19 vaccine from the vaccination centre at Morrison Street in Edinburgh around 11.50am on Saturday, 20 March.

“The theft involved a single multi-dose vial of vaccine.

“A police investigation is ongoing, and officers are working closely with NHS Lothian and following a positive line of enquiry.

“Members of the public are reminded to remain vigilant to fraudulent offers of vaccine, which pose a risk to public health.

Vaccines should only be administered by healthcare professionals as part of the national NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme.

“If you are offered a vaccine outwith this setting you should decline and inform police immediately via 101”