Day: April 2, 2021

Over £97m contributed to the economy by Barratt East Scotland

– Housebuilder supports 1,530 jobs, creates 18 new careers and 10.1ha of green space across the region –

Despite the challenges of the past year, Barratt Developments Scotland has made a substantial contribution of £245m to the UK economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £97m in GVA itself.

In the year ending 30 June 2020, Barratt East Scotland has also completed 551 new homes and supported 1,530 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region.

As the largest UK housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, Barratt continues to safeguard the Scottish environment by creating nearly 23ha of green space. Barratt East Scotland has created 10.1ha of public green spaces and private gardens.

Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24% per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 2.29t. across the East Scotland business. 99% of construction waste was also saved from landfill and 12% of new homes were built on previously developed land.

Interior architectural show home photography of David Wilson Homes Mallets Rise development in Newton Mearns

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Homes East Scotland, said: “We’re committed to creating strong communities, prosperous job opportunities and meaningful economic impact across the region.

“To have contributed over £97m to the economy and supported over 1,500 jobs is a fantastic achievement – especially given the challenges of the last year – and we’re determined to do even better this year.”

As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £3m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 202 new school places. More than £14m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.

Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2020 socio-economic report include:

·       Increased support for public services with £36m in generated tax revenues

·       Over £105,000 donated to local charitable and community causes

·       300 supplier and 310 sub-contractor companies supported

·       Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country

·       More than £9.5m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 100 retail and service-related jobs

The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 56 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2020, an increase from 50 in the previous year.

The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.

Dalry cemetery incident: can you identify tattooed man?

Police are appealing for witnesses after a male was seen acting suspiciously in the Dalry area.

Between 4.30pm and 6pm on Sunday, 21 March, a 22-year-old woman was walking her dog close to Dalry Cemetery when she became aware of a man following her.

Due to her concerns, she spoke to another woman within the cemetery and the man walked off in the direction of Dundee Street.

He is described as a white male, 5ft 8, of slim build, a tattoo of letters under left eye and wearing all black clothing with hood up.

Officers are carrying out enquiries to establish whether there was any criminality and are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 3479 of 21 March.

Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Edinburgh Trust properties get ready to reopen

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland has confirmed that most of its built heritage as well as estates and gardens across Edinburgh and the Lothians will be open for visitors from the end of April, in line with the easing of lockdown rules.

Many outdoor locations have been accessible for exercise all through the winter, including the grounds at Newhailes and Inveresk Lodge Garden.

The charity has shared plans for opening built heritage at Georgian House in Edinburgh, Preston Mill in East Lothian and Newhailes House in Musselburgh from 30 April onwards, providing Scotland continues to progress out of lockdown as planned.

Chief Executive Philip Long OBE said: “Everyone at the Trust is looking forward to welcoming our visitors back to the beautiful places we protect. Across Edinburgh and the Lothians, our teams are hard at work preparing for reopening and giving everyone a warm, and of course, safe welcome.

“Our charity is very grateful to the Scottish Government, our members and donors whose support and generosity means we can re-open more properties than we’d thought would have been possible this year. So many people love these places and after such a difficult year, all of us at the Trust are pleased to be able to share this positive news, and so many of our special places once again.”   

The Trust is urging anyone planning to visit to check the latest opening information on www.nts.org.uk before travelling, as some properties have different opening patterns this summer.

The website also contains information for visitors on the safety measure that will be in place for visits – 

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/what-to-expect-when-visiting-our-places ,

as well as sharing its top tips for visiting responsibly

– https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/top-10-tips-for-visiting-our-countryside-places.

Caring for countryside costs the charity millions each year. Supporters are being asked to donate to help the Trust help nature, now and in the future.

Find out more at: www.nts.org.uk/help-nature.

Easter at Belleville Lodge: Bonnets, Bunnies and Buns!

RESIDENTS at an Edinburgh care home are welcoming the Easter holidays with a splash of creativity with personalised Easter bonnets ahead of an eventful weekend. 

Featuring an Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Service and a visit from the Easter Bunny, the staff at Mansfield Care’s Belleville Lodge has gone above and beyond to give residents an exciting Easter.

Leading up to the festivities, residents have spent the last week decorating bonnets by making paper flowers and bunnies to decorate their hats.

Following the arts and crafts, residents will be able to attend an Easter service along with festive hymns, followed by fresh hot cross buns in the lounge.

On Sunday, if weather permits, the residents will hopefully be able to take part in an Easter egg hunt, organized by the staff in the Belleville Lodge garden with a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Margaret Russell, Manager at Belleville Lodge said: “With the current restrictions we are unable to have a church service so we thought we would have one ourselves on Good Friday, and have a few Easter hymns.

“The residents love afternoon tea; so we’ve also planned one after the Easter service with Hot cross buns.

“Easter is a really special time of year for some of our residents and so we always make an effort to do something special. The residents love decorating Easter bonnets, it’s a very relaxing and creative activity for them.”

Mardie Esterkin, 87, a resident at Belleville Lodge said: “It’s a nice ceremony and celebration to have.

“The place is decorated with bunnies and a Happy Easter sign hanging above the window. It’s just nice to celebrate this happy occasion. Easter is a lovely time of year.”

Bet Gordon, another resident at Belleville Lodge who took part in the decorating said: “It is a special time of the year as spring is coming. The home is decorated with lots of daffodils which is lovely.

“I love the afternoon teas with Matron, she always makes them so special.

“I am looking forward to the Easter Egg hunt in the garden and the visit from the Easter Bunny.”

Belleville lodge is one of 11 care homes operated by Mansfield Care who specialise in running small and friendly residential care homes across Edinburgh, the Borders and the west of Scotland.

The dedicated staff at Mansfield Care put the needs of its residents at the forefront of everything they do, keeping an active social planner around the interests and requests of the residents.

Led by an ethos of providing the care we would wish for ourselves in later life, Mansfield Care offers bespoke care that supports resident’s health and wellbeing.

For more information on Mansfield Care, visit: https://www.mansfieldcare.co.uk/

Portobello man wins UK lockdown photography competition

  • The winners of a UK-wide amateur photography competition have been announced.  
  • The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by walking charity Living Streets to encourage people to keep walking locally during the recent lockdown.
  • Kim Kjaerside (Edinburgh) and Becki Cox (Glasgow) won for their photos for purple and pink week respectively.  

The winners of a national amateur photography competition have been announced. The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.

Entrants to the competition were asked to share photos of their daily walks during lockdown on social media. The competition ran for seven weeks during February and March, and each week had a different colour for inspiration.

Kim Kjaerside from Edinburgh won for his image taken on a family walk for purple week, whilst Becki Cox from Glasgow won for her street art picture taken in Glasgow. The rest of the winners hailed from Liverpool, London and Portsmouth.

Living Streets helped people stay active during lockdown by providing free walking resources and activities for all ages, along with advice on how to walk whilst following COVID-19 restrictions.

The charity launched the competition to help people keep their local walks interesting by taking the time to stop, look and connect with their surroundings.

Kim Kjaerside, Edinburgh (Purple week winner) said: “Myself, my wife and our two young kids live by Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside. Here we are fortunate enough to have a local burn, fields and the beach to visit.

“During the last year we have got to know our local area so much better and been on many small adventures with the kids, exploring and learning about the local wildlife.

“My photograph of the crocuses was taken during one of many walks in our local National Trust for Scotland’s garden and forest. It’s one of our daughter’s favourite wildflowers and the setting seemed appropriate to showcase their beautiful purple colours.”

Becki Cox, Glasgow (Pink week winner said): “The graffiti in the picture I submitted says ‘cultivate radical softness’.

“As people walking, we are required to both look down at our feet but also up and out at the world around us. Walking connects us and enables those little moments of everyday humanity!”

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Staying local has meant we have discovered new places, met new people and explored our local area as never before. These winning photographs are a celebration of the rich visual landscape which is right on our doorstep.

“As lockdown eases and we travel further afield, we hope these photographs act as a reminder of the quiet, everyday joy that a short walk can bring.”


May is Living Streets’ National Walking Month and the charity wants people to keep up their new walking habit and make a pledge to ‘Walk this May’.

Living Streets has launched an online pledge, asking people to swap a number of short car journeys to walking during May.

After completing the pledge, people will be shown the cash savings they have made from reduced fuel costs, the carbon dioxide reduction of fewer car journeys and the health benefits they’ve made from walking.

Find out more at livingstreets.org.uk/WalkThisMay

Animal Farm voted the nation’s favourite school book

  • Orwell’s classic novella narrowly beat A Christmas Carol and Of Mice and Men 
  • JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls among the most popular for young Brits 
  • Bronte books rated highly by women, but low down the rankings for men 

George Orwell’s political fable Animal Farm has been voted the nation’s favourite ever school book, in new research commissioned ahead of International Children’s Book Day 2021 today (2nd April). 

The study, conducted by Oxford Home Schooling, asked 2,000 UK adults which books they most enjoyed reading when at school and Animal Farm was selected by a quarter (25%) of respondents. 

The novella was followed in the rankings by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (21%) and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men (19%). Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is the most popular school book written by a female author (18%), placing sixth on the overall list. 

Orwell and Dickens both appear twice in the top 10, as does William Shakespeare, showing his timeless appeal to all ages. Romeo and Juliet is the UK’s favourite play by The Bard (19%), ahead of Macbeth (15%). 

The UK’s top 10 favourite school books are: 

  1. Animal Farm (George Orwell) 
  2. A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) 
  3. Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) 
  4. 1984 (George Orwell) 
  5. Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare) 
  6. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) 
  7. Great Expectations (Charles Dickens) 
  8. Macbeth (William Shakespeare) 
  9. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë)
  10. Lord of the Flies (William Golding) 

The majority of the most popular books are from the 1900s, but three 21st century works made the top 40.

John Boyne’s haunting Holocaust novel, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, published in 2006, was the highest rated work from this millennium (30th), with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Mark Haddon – 2003) and Noughts and Crosses (Malorie Blackman – 2001) also featuring highly. 

Men and women have significantly different tastes when it comes to books it seems, with their respective top 10 lists contrasting wildly. While Animal Farm is the favourite amongst men, A Christmas Carol tops the list for women, followed by Charlotte Brontë’s gothic romance novel Jane Eyre.  

The Brontë sisters are generally far more popular with female readers, with both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, younger sibling Emily’s sole work, rated far higher by women. Despite both featuring in the top six for women, neither appear in the top 15 for men (Wuthering Heights – 18th, Jane Eyre – 23rd).  

It appears that younger readers are also turning away from Jane Eyre, as it features in the top 10 for all age groups except 18–24-year-olds. It is replaced by JB Priestley’s crime thriller An Inspector Calls, with the classic 20th century play ranking seventh for this latest generation. Of Mice and Men is the favourite among young Brits. 

Greg Smith, Head of Operations at Oxford Home Schooling, said: “The books we read at school can affect our general interest in reading in later life, so it’s really important that people enjoy the novels given to them.  

“Animal Farm is an incredibly powerful story and it’s not surprising to see that people remember it fondly. It also topped our rankings when we ran this study five years ago, showing that its popularity is enduring. 

“However, it’s also interesting to see other works creep up towards the top of the lists. We’ll have to see whether Orwell can complete a hat-trick in years to come, or whether a new favourite will emerge!” 

For more information about the research and expert advice on how to get your child to read more, both in and out of school, visit: 

https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/blog/how-to-encourage-your-child-to-read-more/  

Amy competes to be Scottish Chefs Young Chef of the Year

Edinburgh College Professional Cookery student Amy French is among eight competitors vying to be named Scottish Chefs Young Chef of the Year – with a cook-off taking place later this month.

Amy, who currently studies SVQ Level 6 Professional Cookery, was named as a finalist after impressing judges with a menu she created which incorporates skills and dishes learned during her College studies.

Amy, who is 19-years-old, will compete in a two-and-half hour event where she will deliver four servings of her three-course menu, in competition with seven other junior chefs from across Scotland.

The competition is scheduled to take place at West Lothian College on Tuesday 27 April – with government health and safety guidelines in place.

The winner will receive £250, a set of knives, work experience at a prestigious UK Michelin restaurant, two days butchery training and the Young Scottish Chef of the Year trophy, certificate and medal. Runners up will also receive cash prizes and a signed book from Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kitchin.

Amy’s menu comprises a salmon ceviche starter; a main course of a rack of lamb French trimmed by Amy and served with a pea custard, pea puree, pommes anna and a red wine jus; and a compressed choux pastry dessert with chocolate orange ganache.

Amy said: “I’m really excited to have been chosen to compete for Young Chef of the Year. I didn’t expect to be selected but now I am, I’m looking forward to the event.

“I’ve seen fellow students excel at competitions in the past and that spurred me on to take part myself to put my skills to the test but also to help me grow as a chef.

“There are some elements of my menu which I hadn’t done before, but I had been inspired by MasterChef and wanted to try new things and add them to my menu – the ceviche in particular was something I wanted to incorporate.

“I’m a little bit nervous but I have been practicing at home and working on things all the time – to make it the best it can be ahead of the big day.”

Edinburgh College Professional Cookery lecturer Keri Dewar said: “We’re delighted Amy has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Young Chef of the Year competition – we know Amy will do Edinburgh College proud.

“Amy is a very talented young chef who works hard and is eager to learn and develop all the time – that will stand her in good stead for the competition and also her career in Cookery and Hospitality. We all wish Amy the best of luck in the competition and can’t wait to see her in action.”

Public urged to Give Seals Space

The Seal Alliance has launched a new UK government-backed campaign to ‘Give Seals Space’ and reduce the shocking impact that human disturbance can have on these vulnerable marine mammals.

As the public go out for walks over the Easter weekend, the Seal Alliance warns that getting too close to seals can lead to their injury and death, even up to several months later.

The UK is home to 38% of the entire world’s population of grey seals and 30% of the European subspecies of common seals, yet these precious mammals face an extensive list of threats including climate change, toxic pollution, entanglement, collisions with vessels, plastics and other marine debris. Of these threats, disturbance from human interaction is a significant and growing problem.

Seals are vulnerable to any kind of human interactions, either deliberate or unintentional. The ‘Give Seals Space’ signs and leaflets will raise awareness of the simple steps the public can take to protect these precious creatures.

It features four easy-to-remember steps:

  • Keep well away from seals (use a camera zoom or binoculars) so that they can’t smell, hear or see you
  • Keep dogs on a lead when in an area where seals might be present
  • Never feed seals
  • Take all litter home

Young seals are most affected by disturbance and only 25% are likely to survive to the age of 18 months in a bad year. If people are being noisy or startle the vulnerable animals by getting too close, this wastes their energy, meaning young pups struggle to haul out of the water to rest and digest their food.

Female seals are heavily pregnant or pupping during the summer and getting too close or disturbing them can lead to seals stampeding on rocks, which prove fatal to both mother and pup. The impact on seals can also be invisible but results in mothers not being able to build sufficient fat reserves so they cannot feed new-born pups adequately.

The campaign is a timely reminder as the public go out for walks, take part in water activities or fly drones over the Easter weekend, and as lockdown measures gradually ease across the UK. The Seal Alliance is urging the public to exhibit special caution as seals have ventured further inshore on beaches and coastlines that have become quieter during lockdown.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “Seals are one of our most iconic marine mammals. They can be found along our coastline around the UK, and we must do all that we can to protect them.

“Disturbance by members of the public can be detrimental to seals, but this is entirely preventable. I would urge everyone to follow the guidance, give seals the space that they need and respect this vulnerable marine species.

“This campaign will raise vital awareness ahead of the bank holiday weekend and help protect some of our most treasured marine wildlife.”

Andy Ottaway, of the Seal Protection Action Group, said: “Our precious coastal wildlife is coming under increasing human pressure. We need to be aware of the harm we can cause by getting too close to our seals and the often tragic consequences when we do.“

Sue Sayer, of the Seal Research Trust, said: I have witnessed bleeding, grazed flippers, ripped-out claws and gashed bellies that leave blood trails across the rocks after a stampede. Seals need our help so please keep yourself downwind and your dog on a lead.

“If a seal is looking at you, it has been disturbed, so please move further away. Use your camera and binoculars, stay quiet and out of sight. If we follow these simple rules we can enjoy watching seals for longer and without harm – a win–win for both people and seals.”

The Seal Alliance has used funding to produce leaflets and signage, for the public and wildlife tour operators, with guidance on how to ‘Watch Seals Well’ so not to disturb them.

The funding has also allowed the Alliance to employ a ‘digital ranger’ to help promote messages across social media platforms.

Usdaw urges shoppers to follow the rules as more shops reopen

Customers urged by Usdaw to respect shopworkers as shops start to reopen

Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on customers to follow the rules and respect shopworkers, as stores in Scotland start to gradually reopen with ‘click and collect’ services next Monday 5 April.

Stewart Forrest – Usdaw Divisional Officer for Scotland says: “The gradual reopening of stores on Monday, with ‘click and collect’ services, offers a lifeline for many retailers. That is good news in terms of helping to safeguard jobs, but the virus is still out there.

“We expect employers to ensure that robust safety measures are in place and that customers are fully aware of the restrictions. Shoppers need to play their part in helping to limit the spread of the virus and avoid further lockdowns by following the rules and respecting staff.

“Regrettably, throughout this appalling pandemic, incidents of abuse towards shopworkers doubled. It should never be just a part of the job and shopworkers must be respected. Retail staff are working with the public every day and are not only facing increased abuse, but also a higher chance of catching Covid-19.”

Council Leaders’ Easter message: Stay safe, stay local and keep Edinburgh beautiful

Council Leaders are calling on Edinburgh citizens to enjoy the springtime festivities safely, considerately and locally while Covid restrictions are still in place.

Weather forecasters are predicting long spells of sunshine and mild temperatures this weekend, meaning thousands of people are expected to flock to enjoy the bank holiday weekend in the many parks and beauty spots around the Capital.

From today [Friday 2 April], Scotland’s ‘Stay at Home’ advice changes to ‘Stay Local’, as part of the national roadmap out of lockdown.

This means people can leave their homes for purposes other than work, exercise or to buy food, but there is still a restriction on travelling outwith your local authority area, unless it’s essential.

Recent media reports and social media coverage have highlighted significant amounts of litter left behind in parks such as the Meadows, where there have also been incidents involving illegal gatherings and antisocial behaviour such as public urination and toileting. 

Council waste and cleansing workers will be targeting resources in the Meadows and other popular destinations over the Easter break, with extra collections of large litter bins in targeted areas. 

The Council continues to work very closely with Police Scotland to address antisocial behaviour. Following recent incidents of antisocial behaviour and breaches of Covid restrictions in the Meadows, including on the evening of Tuesday 30 March when a large gathering was dispersed by Police Scotland, visible police patrols will continue in the area throughout the Easter period. 

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “I want to pay tribute to everyone in the city who’s worked so hard and sacrificed so much to keep themselves, their loved ones and our whole community safe through this dreadful pandemic.

“As things start to ease up, it’ll be wonderful to begin enjoying some of the things we’ve all missed so much, but we have to take things slow and steady, or we risk setting ourselves back again. 

“This Easter weekend is a great opportunity to meet up safely with friends and family, in line with the guidance. I know the vast majority of citizens will enjoy our fabulous open spaces responsibly, leaving the areas as they’d expect to find them. 

“Sadly, some people don’t always behave quite so considerately, so our sincere plea to everyone is to respect and care for our parks, beaches and greenspaces while you’re visiting them. If there’s no bin or the bin’s full awaiting one of our regular patrols to empty it, please take your litter home with you. The Council teams are working hard to keep our green spaces clean but please remember your rubbish is your responsibility.

“Remember the need to Stay Local, too – we can’t run the risk right now of the virus travelling between local authority areas. It will be safe again to travel within Scotland before too long if we all stick together and help keep the case rates down. If we stick at it and do our bit now, it won’t be long before we all reap the benefits.”

Council Depute Leader Cammy Day said: Edinburgh is an amazingly beautiful city and we’re so lucky to have so much access to nature and green spaces. So it’s really disheartening to see images of parks and beaches disfigured by litter and dog fouling – there’s absolutely no excuse for it.

“We’re urging everyone who’s planning a visit to a beauty spot this Easter weekend – or anytime, for that matter – to remember that these fantastic spaces are for every single one of us to enjoy.

“Please clean up after yourselves (and your dogs!) for the next person or family who comes along. We want to see the same community-mindedness and respect for each other’s wellbeing that shone out in Edinburgh’s response to the pandemic replicated in the way people treat our shared spaces.” 

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: “The coronavirus regulations have had a significant impact on our lives and I would like to thank the vast majority of people who are sticking to the rules and doing the right thing to avoid the spread of the virus as we move through the easing of restrictions.

“People should not travel outwith their local authority area except for essential purposes. While Easter weekend is traditionally a time for visiting friends and family, I would urge people to stay local and follow the regulations on gatherings.

“If you are visiting beauty spots within your local area, do so safely and respectfully – leaving no trace of your visit. Please also park responsibly to allow emergency access.

“Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, but we will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers as a last resort.”

As well as the Stay Local change from 2 April, other adjustments to the national Covid restrictions will see garden centres, hairdressers, car dealerships, click and collect retail services and homeware stores, among others, able to reopen from 5 April. 

The Council’s own much-loved Inch Plant Nursery will reopen for plant sales from Wednesday 7 April (appointments should be booked by email). 

Information on any changes to Council services is updated regularly on our dedicated web pages at edinburgh.gov.uk/coronavirus. 

Social media messaging on litter, dog fouling and public urination will be ramped up on the Council’s social media channels throughout the Easter period, along with reminders on the changes to national guidance so people understand which measures have been relaxed or amended.