The last year has led consumers to be much more sustainably focused, the public are becoming consistently more engaged and putting their money where their mouth is.
With travel on hold for the best part of the last year, sustainable options are becoming more favourable. Whether that be supporting independent businesses or choosing an environmental option.
Small group tour specialist, Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com), specialises in sustainable travel and has shared its top tips to consider when booking an eco-friendly holiday.
Consider your mode of transport
While it’s hard to resist the temptation of a self-drive holiday post-pandemic, this convenient way of getting around is not the most eco-friendly. Travelling using communal transport modes, such as by small mini-bus, is a much more fuel-efficient option to reduce your carbon emissions while travelling. Domestic coach tours are a great way to explore the country and visit destinations off-the-beaten track in a sustainable way by lowering the number of independent vehicles on the road.
Visit smaller communities
Steer clear of tourist hot-spots and opt to visit destinations that are typically out of reach. Areas outside of the standard sightseeing trail have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. Tourism spend is worth so much more to these smaller communities and sustainable travellers have an opportunity to really make a difference to the lives of locals. Consider taking a trip to areas such as the Isle of Wight, North Wales and the lesser-known lakes of the Lake District.
Leave no trace
Particularly important when choosing to visit natural beauty locations, travellers should aim to leave places as they found them (or in some circumstances, in a better shape than when they arrived). Travelling on a small group tour allows for groups to avoid making loud noise and let nature’s sound prevail.
A local, knowledgeable guide will help to ensure that travellers respect the communities being visited to ensure an enjoyable journey for those on the tour, as well as those who will visit next. With so many amazing natural beauty locations to visit across the UK such as the woodlands of the Peak District National Park and the beaches of Lewis and Harris, it’s vital to preserve these destinations for years to come.
Choose a responsible operator
Selecting to holiday with a sustainable and morally-sound operator will ensure you’re making the world a better place through travel. Tour companies with substantial green credentials and responsible travel initiatives are a great way to reduce the impact your travels have on the environment in which you are visiting.
Small-group touring company, Rabbie’s, have environmental protection as a core focus of the business. The company even taxes itself £10 for every tonne of CO2 they use, with staff then voting on which community or environmental project this money should go towards each year.
With social distancing measures in place, reduced group sizes and increased cleaning measures, Rabbie’s offers worry-free journeys so you can enjoy a sustainable staycation without concerns.
Activists like Greta Thunberg are joining this year’s 48 hours of global action. And as former primary school teacher ABBY MILNES of education resource experts PlanBee shows, even the youngest children can get into the spirit of the day with simple activities near to home:
A whopping 70 percent of teachers said say they don’t feel they have been properly trained to teach about climate change, with 40 percent saying it was rarely even mentioned in their school, according to a recent poll by TeacherTapp.
So, it’s all the more important that we can join the movement to educate ourselves, and our children, on the need to protect the global environment.
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day provides a way for us all to demonstrate support for environmental protection and to teach each other about environmental issues.
It was first held in 1970 in the US and has now grown to international dimensions, with events across the globe.
These aim to encourage people to come together and join the world leaders to discuss what we can do to prevent the potential disasters which could result result from climate change.
They include a global youth summit which consisting of panels, speeches and discussions featuring today’s youth climate activists, including Greta Thunberg.
This year’s theme is ‘Restore Our Earth’.
Small cute girl wearing protective mask and holding model planet Earth with message save me
April 21st will focus on the education of children in schools and the crucial role that educators play in ensuring that future generations have a good knowledge of what climate change is, and the steps that can be taken to combat its effects.
On the 22nd there will be a global climate summit with workshops, panels and performances on topics such as:
● Climate and environmental literacy
● Climate restoration technologies
● Reforestation efforts
● Regenerative agriculture
● Equity and environmental justice
● Citizen science
● Cleanups, and more.
Why join in?
Earth Day offers everyone, young and old, a chance to join together in a common cause: to make changes to combat the effects of and reduce further climate change. It is the perfect opportunity to help to educate the younger generations on steps we can all take to help our environment in the short term, as well as changes we can make to our lifestyles to make changes in the long run.
How can I join in?
Your Earth Day activities can be as large or as small as you want them to be:
Take a walk
This is something everyone can participate in, no matter their age. Take a walk around your local area and take note of all the different animals, insects and plants you can spot. How many different kinds can you spot?
Encourage younger children to identify where plants are growing, and where they are more likely to find insects – for example, under logs, stones or dark damp spots.
Older children may be encouraged to think about the food chains that they can see. What does a caterpillar eat? Does anything then eat the caterpillar?
This could lead into discussions about biodiversity and what may happen if you took away a food source such as leaves and grass. What would happen to the caterpillars, and their predators?
Clean-ups
One of the main focus of this year’s Earth Day activities is cleaning up our environment to make sure waste ends up in the right place.
Recycling is becoming easier and easier to do and commonplace in the UK, but there are still some areas that end up covered in litter.
Why not take a look around on your walk and do your bit to clear up litter?
Most councils will have litter-picking equipment available to book out to use in a litter pick. Why not organise some of your local community to help?
Or think even bigger and tackle a larger area such as a local park or beach. You can even register your cleanup on the Earth Day website!
Meat-free Mondays
Everyone has a ‘foodprint’. This is the environmental impacts that are associated with growing, transporting, storing of and producing our foods.
While vegetarian and vegan diets can help reduce your foodprint, you don’t have to give up your favourite foods for good. How about having a meat-free day?
Learn new ways to cook meals with meat replacements, or just tasty ways to cook vegetables in different ways!
Do a taste test with your children. Do they prefer roasted, steamed or boiled carrots? Try new fruits for dessert and have your children help you prepare them. Life skills and new experiences in the same move!
Gardening
Create a garden together. Whether it is a window box, a vegetable patch or just a single herb plant, teach your children how to care for a plant and keep it healthy. E
ven better if you get to use the fruits (and/or vegetables) of your labour in a new recipe!
Save energy and water
Ask your children think about the energy and water being used at school and at home. How can we make sure we don’t waste energy and water unnecessarily?
Challenge the children to create posters to put up around the area to remind users to turn off lights or the tap when they aren’t’t being used.
Our Waters Scarcity lessons may be a suitable resource for this!
PlanBee is passionate about creating age-appropriate resources to help primary school teachers, and parents feel confident when educating children about climate change.
The City of Edinburgh Council has unveiled its draft plan to become a net zero organisation by 2030.
On Tuesday (20 April), councillors will consider a draft report outlining some of the first steps the Council could take in its own operations, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change.
The draft plan commits the Council to:
Ensuring that all new council operational buildings are constructed to the highest energy criteria and using alternatives to gas boilers for heat as a standard.
A £0.6m investment in scoping and planning for the retrofit of existing Council buildings so they can meet the highest energy efficiency standards.
A plan for electrifying all Council car and van fleets.
An immediate improvement to school recycling facilities.
Investing in the organisations funding capacity and expertise.
Investing in a programme of staff training to develop climate knowledge and skills.
The draft Council Emissions Reduction Plan follows on from the Council signing the Edinburgh Climate Commission’s Climate Compact in December 2020 where it committed to make changes to its operations, transport and buildings to reduce its emissions footprint and support the city’s target of net zero by 2030.
Councillor Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh Council Leader said: The Council’s carbon emissions have fallen by 62% since 2005/06, well above the 42% target we were aiming to hit by 2021. We’ve made particular progress in recent years, with a 51% reduction since 2017/18.
“This ambitious plan aims to build on that success and sets out some of the first steps we’ll need to take across our major emissions sources, to become a net zero organisation by 2030.
“Although the Council’s own emissions only account for 3% of Edinburgh’s total emissions, we need to lead by example in our own work to show others what’s possible.
“The journey to net zero emissions will undoubtedly be difficult, but we have a track record of delivery and firm commitment to deliver on our responsivities to future generations.
“By taking action on climate change and committing to a 10-year strategic approach to deliver a net zero organisation, we’ll not only deliver environmental benefits but deliver wider health, economic and welling benefits for the whole city.
“Becoming a more energy efficient Council; encouraging sustainable travel choices and reducing the amount of waste we produce will positively impact on all of us and help to unlock opportunities to reduce inequalities as we build back better and greener.”
Depute Council Leader, Councillor Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh’s net zero ambition is embedded in a number of our strategies and programmes currently being developed. These will have an impact on both the city and the Council’s emissions footprint.
“Our commitment to only build to net zero or Passivhaus standard wherever possible is an important preventative measure. Investing in the knowledge, skills and capacity to decarbonise and retrofit our Council estate is an important priority to unlock future plans to deliver change.
“We all have a part to play in reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions. This report shows the Council’s leadership and a commitment to action as well as a culture shift in how the organisation thinks about and plans for climate change.”
According to the most recent emissions footprint calculations for the Council, buildings make up 63% of the organisation’s emissions. Other energy consumption is 16%, fleet 9%, waste 8%, business travel 3% and water 1%.
And, as well as suggesting actions that the Council could take to reduce its impact on the environment, the Emissions Reduction Plan report also highlights opportunities to invest in skills and maximise external funding coming to the Council and the city.
A project at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to test how effective smart devices are at detecting heart rhythm problems has received a grant of almost £150,000 from national charity Heart Research UK.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm problem and is thought to affect around 2 million people in the UK. It causes an irregular and fast heartbeat, which makes the heart pump poorly. As a result, blood clots may form inside the heart and, if they travel to the brain, can lead to an AF-related stroke. The risk of stroke in patients with AF is five-fold higher than in people with normal rhythm.
Anticoagulants play a major role in the management of AF. They work by making the blood less likely to clot which therefore reduces the risk of a stroke. However, anticoagulants make patients more prone to bleeding. A significant number of patients on anticoagulants have a major bleed and some, such as brain bleeds, can cause death or severe disability.
Some people are in AF all the time but many have intermittent, infrequent episodes. Currently everyone is advised to take their anticoagulation treatment all the time so many people end up taking it when the vast majority of the time they are in a normal rhythm.
As AF doesn’t always cause symptoms, we need an accurate and reliable way to detect it and alert the patient, so that anticoagulants are taken only when needed. New technologies, such as small heart monitors placed under the skin, watches and rings, can track the heart rhythm continuously and send alerts.
The Medtronic LINQ II implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) is a device the size of a paperclip that is injected under the skin and monitors the heart rhythm and can accurately detect AF. The latest Apple Watch has the ability to detect AF, as does the Sky Labs CART ring. All of these devices connect to a smartphone.
This study, which is being led by Professor Timothy Betts, will recruit 50 patients with AF and follow them for 6 months.
Everyone will receive an ICM. In the first 3 months, Professor Betts and his team will see how well the ICM alerts the patient when AF is detected and how promptly the patient acknowledges the alert.
After 3 months, each patient will then be given either a Sky Labs CART ring or Apple Watch which will send alerts during AF episodes.
The ICM will continue to monitor AF episodes and the team will see if the ring and watch are as good as the ICM at detecting AF, how well the ring and watch alert patients and if the alerts are acknowledged.
The ultimate goal is to use the data collected to guide anticoagulant treatment so that AF patients take anticoagulation only when they need it.
Professor Betts (top, left) said: “It is always fascinating to see advances in new technology and the wide range of applications that they can have.
“This project will allow us to understand if these new and innovative technologies can aid us in improving the treatment of the millions of people with AF in the UK.
“If successful, we will be able to tailor treatment to individual patients, increase the efficacy of treatment and reduce unnecessary medication.
“We are extremely grateful to Heart Research UK for funding this research.”
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the work of Professor Betts and his team, who are using cutting-edge technology to hopefully improve the lives of people living with the UK’s most common heart rhythm problem.
“Our grants are all about helping patients. They aim to bring the latest developments to those who need them as soon as possible. We are confident that Professor Betts’s project can bring about real and tangible improvements in how we treat patients, using technology that is both non-invasive and simple to use.
“The dedication we see from UK researchers is both encouraging and inspiring, and we at Heart Research UK are proud to be part of it.”
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, is marking National Tea Day (21 April 2021) with an exclusive tea-themed virtual event for Edinburgh residents, hosted by tea experts, Whittard of Chelsea.
With 165 million cups of tea consumed by Brits every day, National Tea Day is the ideal time to celebrate the nation’s favourite beverage. Dobbies’ Whittard of Chelsea virtual event will provide education and information about both the tea plant itself, and the drink that’s become such a huge part of British culture and our daily lives, as well as helping viewers to gain the expertise required to make a perfect ‘cuppa’ every time.
Hosted by Katy Woollard, product specialist at Whittard of Chelsea, the 45-minute expert event will start at 2.30pm on 21 April, and will cover the fascinating history of tea and how it came to be ubiquitous across the UK and around the world.
Katy will also present a demonstration of how to brew the perfect cup of tea, using both tea bags and loose-leaf tea, and will share expert insights on altering methods to suit the most popular brews, including English Breakfast and Earl Grey.
Alongside this, Katy will be on hand to answer those burning questions Edinburgh viewers may have, including advice on optimum temperatures, cups vs mugs, and even the age-old question: milk before or after?
Katy Woollard, Product Specialist at Whittard of Chelsea, said: “We are very excited to share our knowledge, passion and love for tea with Dobbies’ customers and we hope they will enjoy the journey into the Whittard world, as we celebrate National Tea Day.”
The Whittard of Chelsea expert event is part of a series of free virtual events that Dobbies is hosting this Spring.
Following a successful programme of Facebook Live sessions in 2020, they provide a virtual alternative to regular events usually hosted instore.
Further events have already been announced for the coming weeks, including a virtual event on lawns and garden wildlife hosted by Dobbies’ Horticulture Director, Marcus Eyles.
Advance booking is essential for the virtual events, which are hosted on Microsoft Teams, making it quick and simple for viewers to log on and join in the event from the comfort of their homes.
The sessions are free of charge and exclusively available to Dobbies Club members. For those who aren’t yet members of Dobbies Club, membership is free and signing up is quick and simple, giving access to a variety of benefits, special offers and exclusive events. To sign up visit dobbies.com
To sign up for the Dobbies virtual event with Whittard of Chelsea, visit:
A hygiene campaign launched by the Government and Unilever to tackle Covid-19 has now reached one billion people.
The world’s largest hygiene campaign aimed at tackling the spread of Covid-19 has reached one billion people.
The UK Government and Unilever partnered to provide soap, sanitiser and surface disinfectants to developing countries, where there is little or no sanitation.
This comes as the UK-backed COVAX scheme reaches deliveries of vaccines to 100 countries and territories.
One billion people in developing countries have now been reached with advice, hygiene products and access to handwashing facilities in a campaign launched between the UK government and British business Unilever to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
Working through the UN, charities and other partners, the campaign has:
Trained 140,000 staff, including community health workers and teachers, to deliver hygiene skills, including deep cleaning of public buildings and effective handwashing.
Installed over 500,000 handwashing stations around the world, including in Bangladesh, as well as health care facilities in Iraq.
Run information campaigns across TV, radio and social media in 37 countries to increase understanding of the benefits of handwashing with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces to prevent the spread of Covid-19. These campaigns have also reached refugees living in some of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, such as South Sudan and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.
Delivered 75 million Unilever hygiene products, more than three times the original target, to 60 countries, covering South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, South East Asia and the Middle East. These have been donated by Unilever’s leading hygiene brands, including Lifebuoy and Domestos.
The UK has been leading the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic, helping to develop and distribute vaccines support the global economy and bolster health systems around the world.
As one of the largest donors to the COVAX AMC, the UK is also helping stop the spread of the disease through global vaccinations. The scheme has reached 100 countries so far.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed the UK will share the majority of any future surplus coronavirus vaccines from our supply with the COVAX procurement pool to support developing countries.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister Wendy Morton said: “This global hand washing campaign has saved lives and protected some of the most vulnerable communities around the world against Covid-19 and other diseases.
“No one is safe until we are all safe. That is why the UK has also provided £548 million for COVAX to deliver more than one billion vaccines around the world, as well as lobbying international partners to increase their funding.”
As well as the UK Government and Unilever, the campaign, funded by UK aid and Unilever, is also supported by experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and 21 partners including UNICEF and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who are helping governments around the world on their own Covid-19 responses.
Charities and international organisations have developed new tools to communicate how Covid-19 is spread. Population Services International developed a WhatsApp chatbot to send new training to health workers while remaining socially-distanced and safe.
Rebecca Marmot, Chief Sustainability Officer at Unilever, said: “Our business has a century-long history of promoting hygiene through our brands, but this unprecedented crisis called for an unprecedented response.
“Public-private partnership has been critical, allowing us to leverage the influence, expertise and networks of both government and business, and our strong network of NGO and UN partners, at home and overseas. We’re pleased to work together with partners to implement initiatives to address the pandemic at scale.”
Robert Dreibelbis, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “Handwashing and hygiene are among the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of many diseases.
“The COVID-19 crisis has shown the important role that hygiene plays in health. Our hope is that this recognition of the vital role of hygiene continues at scale as a key part of COVID-19 recovery.”
A new study has revealed how a lack of financial education has left people across the United Kingdom confused by their own money with detrimental effects on their confidence, mental health and financial wellbeing.
Investment app Freetrade created the Great British Financial Literacy Test – 18 questions about savings, investment, ISAs and retirement that everybody will likely encounter at some point in their lives.
How did Britons perform in the financial literacy test?
Asking 2,000 British people to complete the test, Freetrade discovered that almost half of them (48%) could not answer basic questions about personal finance including what an ISA stands for, the difference between fixed rates and variable rates, and what your annuity provider does when you retire.
Retirement was the area of personal finance that people struggled to understand the most with 80% of Brits unable to correctly answer this part of the test. This figure was 81% among respondents aged 55+ approaching retirement age.
The pass rates for questions about investment were the second lowest at 44%. This was followed by savings at 34% and ISAs at 32%.
Do British people lack confidence in their finances?
Equally as alarming as the low pass rates across the UK were people’s lack of confidence around aspects of personal finance. Overall, 88% of Brits say they lack confidence with their money, and one third of Britons (32%) said this also led to a negative impact on their mental health.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (91%) told Freetrade they lack confidence in investment. 90% of Brits similarly lack confidence in managing their retirement money, according to the study. 88% of the UK also lack confidence when it comes to ISAs.
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, said: “The greatest advantage you can give your investments is time. So it’s concerning that the cohort with the most time on their hands feels so ill-equipped.
“Whether we realise it or not, investing early on in life could be the difference between reaching our eventual financial goals or missing them entirely. Getting to grips with the basic concepts later in life might just be too late.
“There should be alarm bells ringing about the fact that 90% of Brits lack confidence with their pensions. With advances in medical technology and increased life expectancies we’re likely to live longer in retirement than ever before.
“But a massive gap in our understanding of how to invest for our third age, or even how to access those investments suitably later on, means we really aren’t prepared for a sizable portion of our lives. Unless we’re thinking about investing for retirement long before we get there, we could end up in the awful position of regretting the simple financial decisions we made 30 years ago.
“It’s a real sign of the nation’s lack of financial education when a huge portion of the population doesn’t know the name of one of the most common savings products. The frustrating thing about the lack of confidence around ISAs is just how helpful, accessible and easy to use ISAs can be. Chances are, if we’re unsure about the headline facts around ISAs, we’re not using them to help us as much as we could.”
Which areas of the UK have the highest and lowest financial literacy rates?
Brighton was the city discovered to be the most financially literate, according to Freetrade’s study. Pass rates there were 55%, much higher than the national average. Sheffield, however, was discovered to be the city with the lowest financial literacy with only a 47.6% pass rate.
The five highest and lowest scoring cities in the UK are:
Top 5 Cities
Pass Rate
Bottom 5 Cities
Pass Rate
Brighton
55%
Sheffield
47.6%
Manchester
54.1%
Belfast
48.5%
Edinburgh
53.8%
Birmingham
51.8%
Southampton
53.5%
Nottingham
51.9%
Cardiff
53.5%
London
52.4%
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, continued: “There are regional differences on show but the overall takeaway is that we still need a greater focus on financial literacy all across the UK.
“Basic concepts like compound interest might be ticked off in the National Curriculum but setting us up to deal with that in the real world takes more than a textbook exercise.
“These results should be a wake-up call for the nation’s education system to equip young people well enough to put theory into practice.”
Where are we turning to for financial education?
Struggling to understand finance, Britons are turning to the internet for help. 23% of us make Google their first stop for learning about personal finance—the most popular answer among respondents. The second most common answer was social media with 16% of people saying they would get financial education from platforms like Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, concluded: “Young people are taking their future into their own hands and being proactive in addressing the gap in their financial knowledge.
“The results show that previous generations have clearly muddled through to retirement without ever getting a firm grip on their money management and the youngest Brits have said enough is enough.
“Social media can make the headlines for the strangest of reasons but dismissing these platforms means ignoring the truly valuable educational content young people are finding on them. These are free resources and guidance tools dealing with money matters in a way that engages and informs a generation who left school without a firm financial foundation.
“Those who diminish the efficacy of these resources have to ask themselves ‘what else is on offer to help?’”
The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has announced it will be offering pregnant women the COVID-19 vaccine, in line with the vaccine roll out plan for the UK.
This comes after the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) presented evidence to the JCVI on the impact of COVID-19 for pregnant women, leading the JCVI to recommend offering vaccination to all pregnant women in line with priority groups. This enables every pregnant woman to make an individual decision based on benefits and risks.
Up until this point, the COVID-19 vaccination has only been offered to pregnant women when their risk of exposure to the virus is high, such as health and social care workers, or if the woman has underlying conditions that place her at high risk of complications of COVID-19.
Clinical trials testing the vaccine in pregnant women are just starting, but robust real-world data from the US – where around 90,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated mainly with mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna – have not raised any safety concerns.
Therefore, the JCVI is advising that it is preferable for the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines to be offered to pregnant women in the UK, where available.
Professor Lucy Chappell, consultant obstetrician and COVID-19 vaccine lead for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “This announcement from the JCVI brings the UK into line with the US and other countries who have been offering the COVID-19 vaccine to pregnant women since December, and should provide reassurance to pregnant women, as well as those planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, that vaccination is an option for them.
“We are continuing to work with healthcare professionals so they are able to counsel pregnant women on the risks and benefits of having the COVID-19 vaccine based on their individual circumstances.
“We are also advocating for more data collection of pregnant women receiving the vaccine in the UK, and welcome the work that is going on to ensure that there is recording of pregnancy status in the national vaccination programme to enable linkage to outcomes.”
Dr Mary Ross-Davie, Director for Professional Midwifery and COVID-19 vaccine lead at the Royal College of Midwives, said:
“This is a sensible step by the Committee and one we welcome. It empowers pregnant women to make their own decisions about whether or not to receive the vaccine. Ultimately it will be a woman’s choice and midwives and obstetricians will be there to support them to make an informed decision that is right for them.
“It is now vital that the national vaccination programme, GPs and maternity services are supported to develop systems and procedures that support women who wish to have the vaccine to have it as easily as possible.
“We need to ensure that those providing counselling and information to women about the vaccine in pregnancy have up to date accurate information and have enough time to talk through questions and concerns with women.”
Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We are grateful to the JCVI for taking into consideration our evidence and updating the guidance around the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.
“Vaccination offers pregnant women the best protection from COVID-19, which can be serious in some women. We know pregnant women can get unwell with COVID-19; one in five pregnant women who become unwell and are admitted to hospital will have a premature birth.
“We believe it should be a woman’s choice whether to have the vaccine or not after considering the benefits and risks and would encourage pregnant women to discuss with a trusted source like their GP, obstetrician or midwife, or a healthcare professional in a vaccination centre.
“This move will empower all the pregnant women in the UK to make the decision that is right for them, at the same time that the non-pregnant population in their age group receive protection from COVID-19.”
FUNERAL of HRH THE PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Saturday, 17th April, 2021 at 3.00pm
During the service, a choir of four singers (three of whom are Lay Clerks of St George’s Chapel Choir) will be conducted by James Vivian and the organ will be played by Luke Bond.
Music before the service
– Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele BWV 654 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
– Adagio espressivo (Sonata in A minor) – Sir William Harris (1883-1973)
– Salix (The Plymouth Suite) – Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
– Berceuse (Op 31 No. 19) – Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
– Rhosymedre (Three Preludes founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes) – Ralph Vaughan Williams – (1872-1958)
The service is led by the Right Reverend David Conner, KCVO, Dean of Windsor.
The Blessing will be pronounced by the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family arrive at the Galilee Porch and are conducted to the Dean’s Cloister.ADVERTISING
Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family are conducted from the Dean’s Cloister to the Galilee Porch to view the Procession and await the arrival of Her Majesty The Queen.
The Queen is received at the Galilee Porch by the Dean of Windsor, who conducts Her Majesty, Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family, who have been viewing the Procession, to their seats in the Quire.
ORDER OF SERVICE
All stand. The Coffin is removed from the Land Rover and is carried to the West Steps where it rests at 3pm for the one minute National Silence.
The Coffin is then carried to the Catafalque in the Quire.
Members of the Royal Family who have walked in the Procession are conducted to their places in the Quire.
Meanwhile, the choir sings
THE SENTENCES
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
John 11. 25-26
I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.
Job 19. 25-27
WE brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
1 Timothy 6. 7, Job 1. 21
William Croft (1678-1727)
All remain standing. The Dean of Windsor shall say
THE BIDDING
We are here today in St George’s Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us. We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith.
Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humour and humanity. We therefore pray that God will give us grace to follow his example, and that, with our brother Philip, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.
All sit. The choir sings
Eternal Father, strong to save,Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deepIts own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to theeFor those in peril on the sea.O Saviour, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,And calm amid its rage didst sleep:O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O sacred Spirit, who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
Who bad’st its angry tumult cease,
And gavest light and life and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them whereso’er they go:
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
Melita by J. B. Dykes (1823-76) William Whiting (1825-78)
Arranged by James Vivian (b. 1974)5
All remain seated.
THE FIRST LESSON
Ecclesiasticus 43. 11-26
Read by the Dean of Windsor
Look at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High.
His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence.
To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small.
The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills.
At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane.
He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts.
The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced.
He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate.
He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat.
By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea-monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.
All remain seated as the choir sings
THE JUBILATE
O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands:serve the Lord with gladness,and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God:it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,and into his courts with praise:be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:and his truth endureth from generation to generation.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:world without end.
Amen.
Benjamin Britten (1913-76), in C
Written for St George’s Chapel, Windsor at the request of The Duke of Edinburgh
All remain seated.
THE SECOND LESSON
John 11. 21-27
Read by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”
All remain seated as the choir sings
PSALM 104
The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady.
Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness’s 75th Birthday.
My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe.
Give praise.
The waters rise above the highest mountain,
And flow down to the vales and leas;At springs, wild asses quench their thirst,
And birds make nest amid the trees.
The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour,
The fir tree is a home for storks;
Wild goats find refuge in the hills,
From foes the conies shelter in the rocks.
My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe.
Give praise.
O Lord, how manifold is your creation,
All things in wisdom you provide;You give your riches to the earth,
And to the sea so great and wide.You take your creatures breath and life is ended,
Your breath goes forth and life begins;
Your hand renews the face of earth,
Your praise my whole life I will sing.
My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe.
Give praise.
William Lovelady (b. 1945) abridged and arranged for choir and organ by James Vivian (b. 1974) with the composer’s permission
Words from Psalm 104, adapted by Sam Dyer (b. 1945)
The choir sings
THE LESSER LITANY
Let us pray.
All sit or kneel.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.
THE RESPONSES
Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord.
For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Grant unto him eternal rest.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.
We believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord.In the land of the living.
O Lord, hear our prayer.
And let our cry come unto thee.
William Smith (1603-45), adapted by Roger Judd, MVO (b. 1944)
The Lord’s Prayer, Music by Robert Stone (1516-1613) from John Day’s Certaine Notes 1565
THE COLLECT
The Dean of Windsor shall say
O merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us by his Holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him:
We meekly beseech thee, O Father that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying,
Come ye blessed children of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful Father through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer.
Amen.
THE PRAYERS
The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say
O eternal God, before whose face the generations rise and pass away, thyself unchanged, abiding, we bless thy holy name for all who have completed their earthly course in thy faith and following, and are now at rest; we remember before thee this day Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, rendering thanks unto thee-for his resolute faith and loyalty, for his high sense of duty and integrity, for his life of service to the Nation and Commonwealth, and for the courage and inspiration of his leadership.
To him, with all the faithful departed, grant thy peace; Let light perpetual shine upon them; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Dean of Windsor, Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, shall say
O Lord, who didst give to thy servant Saint George grace to lay aside the fear of man, and to be faithful even unto death: Grant that we, unmindful of worldly honour, may fight the wrong, uphold thy rule, and serve thee to our lives’ end; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
God save our gracious Sovereign and all the Companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of The Garter.
Amen.
O God of the spirits of all flesh, we praise thy holy name for thy servant Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has left us a fair pattern of valiant and true knighthood; grant unto him the assurance of thine ancient promise that thou wilt ever be with those who go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters.
And we beseech thee that, following his good example and strengthened by his fellowship, we may at the last, together with him, be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say
O Lord God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory; through him, who for the finishing of thy work laid down his life, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort: Deal graciously, we pray thee, with those who mourn; that casting every care on thee they may know the consolation of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.10
All sit as the choir sings
THE ANTHEM
Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints:where sorrow and pain are no more;neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man:
And we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return.
For so thou didst ordain, when thou createdest me, saying,
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.All we go down to the dust; and, weeping, o’er the grave,we make our song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Russian Kontakion of the Departed
Translated William John Birkbeck (1859-1916)
Kiev Melody, arranged by Sir Walter Parratt, KCVO (1841-1924)
All stand.
As the Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor shall say
THE COMMENDATION
Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul,In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee;
In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee;
In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengtheneth thee;
May thy portion this day be in peace,and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Amen.
All remain standing. Garter Principal King of Arms proclaims
THE STYLES AND TITLES OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustrious and most Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon whom had been conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, LordHigh Admiral of the United Kingdom, One of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Husband of Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, whom may God preserve and bless with long life, health and honour and all worldly happiness.
Thereafter, the Pipe Major of The Royal Regiment of Scotland plays
A LAMENT
The Buglers of the Royal Marines sound
THE LAST POST
After a period of silence the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry sound
REVEILLE
The Buglers of the Royal Marines sound
ACTION STATIONS
Then the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounces
THE BLESSING
All remain standing as the choir sings
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,God save The Queen!
All remain standing in their places as Her Majesty The Queen, Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family leave the Chapel via the Galilee Porch escorted by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Music after the service
Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel, will play
Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 546 Johann Sebastian Bach.
