Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Get on your bike
During lockdown many of us ventured into the shed and dusted down our old bikes to escape from the house and get our daily exercise.
Cycling is a fun way to improve your overall health and wellbeing as well as enabling you to get out and explore your local area. As cycling is a low impact activity it is safer on your joints, whilst still strengthening your muscles and improving your cardiovascular system.
We have some tips to get you started with cycling this summer …
If you don’t currently own a bike …
Check whether your employer offers a Cycle to Work scheme as this can make buying a bike more affordable.
If cost is the issue have a look at some stationary pedals. These are pedals that can be used indoors without having to buy a full home-exercise bike or road bike.
Additionally, this way you can watch your favourite TV show whilst cycling and don’t have to be worried about getting caught in the rain!
Social cycle
Cycling can be a great way to meet up with friends or make new friends and be active together. Evidence shows that we are more likely to complete exercise when doing so with a partner or in a group. Additionally, we work physically harder when surrounded by others than when exercising alone.
Look up your local cycle groups, or have a look at Ride Social –
Get outside with your bike. Perhaps take the bike to a local cycling trail, woodland or park. Being outdoors will enable you to be more aware of your surroundings, thoughts, feelings and body.
This is a way to actively practice mindfulness without even realising you’re doing it. It doesn’t have to be a super-fast cycle, you’re still doing physical exercise, so go slow and take in the beauty of the world around you.
The grey days of winter have faded away and we’ve stepped into the glorious and much-needed sunshine of spring.
Many of us will be taking a proper look at our gardens for the first time in months, and perhaps realising there’s a bit of work needed on a few areas. If you’re wondering how to get started with turning a blank canvas into a thriving space for entertaining, spending time with family, planting and more, the experts at Hayter and Toro are here to help.
Be careful of trimming your hedges too late in spring. Many garden birds nest in hedges and trimming at nesting time can cause disruption. Listen out for cheeping and keep an eye out to see if there are birds coming and going before you whip out the trimmers.
Wildflower power
If you’re not the most green-fingered person, you might feel a bit daunted by the idea of planting. Don’t be discouraged! A great way to get started is with wildflowers – and spring is the best time of year to plant them.
If you’ve got an empty flower bed, a spare pot or even a rather patchy bit of lawn, you can sow wildflower seeds from pre-mix packets or buy ‘seed bombs’ with ease. It’s a great activity to do with kids as it requires no special skills and you can scatter them far and wide for maximum effect. Plus, you’ll be helping out bees and butterflies – what’s not to like?
Grow your greens
Spring is the perfect time of year to get stuck into growing your own food. Planting now guarantees delicious home-grown food in just a few months. Impress friends and family by serving up potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions grown in your own back garden. It’s easy to dig a small vegetable patch and get started – why not grab some volunteers to help with the digging and reward them later down the line with fresh greens from the garden?
Breaking out the barbecue
Ah, the great British barbecue. We’re not put off by a stiff breeze or the chance of showers! Whether you go all-out with a bells and whistles model or have a more modest set up, as we’re all spending more time outdoors to stay safe, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at barbecuing. You might want to bring a blanket or umbrella though – just in case.
Come outside
If you’ve got kids, you’re probably desperate to get them out of the house and into the fresh air. Between home schooling and screen time, the better weather in spring is a perfect chance to encourage them outdoors and from under your feet.
But don’t just leave them standing on the lawn. Set up a basketball hoop, a badminton net, a football goal. If they’re less sporty, why not get them mini beast hunting, den building or set up a paddling pool?
However you choose to style your garden, make sure you’re using the best tools from Hayter and Toro to make it happen. Whether you end up with a space worthy of the Chelsea Flower Show or a family-friendly garden that’s rough around the edges, the most important thing is making the most of the space – and enjoying it.
Councillors have given the green light to the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) to take forward the restoration of the much-loved Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile.
Thursday’s decision by the Finance and Resources Committee has secured the long-term future management and maintenance of this historic building and gives it a new and meaningful lease of life for residents and visitors to enjoy for generations to come.
Working in partnership with the Council, SHBT will develop a feasibility study to set out a future vision for the Tron Kirk and, when fully funded, the charity will sign a 125-year lease for the building. In the short term the charity will fulfil a management role for the Tron Kirk liaising with all existing and new tenants to make sure that the building is open for business as soon as possible.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resources Convener, said: “It’s great news that Committee was unanimous today in agreeing such a positive future for this historic landmark building in the heart of our Old Town.
“We’re very much looking forward to taking this project forward now with SHBT, which has an impressive track record as a Building Preservation Trust and Charity.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Finance and Resources Vice Convener, said: “The SHBT have proven to be extremely effective in recent years working in partnership with the Council to provide a secure, viable and sustainable future for other historic buildings at risk, such as Riddle’s Court and Custom House.
“The Tron Kirk’s future is in good hands.”
Chair of Scottish Historic Building Trust Maggie Wright said:“We welcome the committee’s decision to partner with Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to secure the future of Tron Kirk which has had a significant role for the people of Edinburgh since the mid-17th Century.
“It is a huge vote of trust in the expertise of our director and staff. We share the City of Edinburgh Council’s vision to breathe new life into this very special building and use our experience to create a legacy for generations to come.”
– Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage 2010 crowned the best English sparkling wine –
– At just £18, the wine is a fraction of the price of others on the market –
Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage 2010 has been named the winner of the Good Housekeeping Institute and Cosmopolitan taste tests. At just £18 a bottle it is notably cheaper than renowned English sparkling brands; making it an affordable choice for a special occasion.
In a week where Morrisons was the most-awarded retailer at the International Wine Challenge, the supermarket has scooped yet another endorsement for its great quality wines. The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage 2010 was described by the GHI experts as having ‘Super smooth bubbles and a touch of honeymaking this a rich and exceptionally easy-drinking drop.’
As we start reuniting with friends and family, the winning fizz will be the perfect choice to toast to the Great British summer. Each bottle has been stored in cool cellars for eight years to develop its fine bubbles and intense biscuity flavours which sit alongside a citrussy palate. The ultimate pairing for fish and chips this summer.
Morrisons wins didn’t stop at just wine, with its The Best Gin being ‘Good Housekeeping Institute Taste Approved’ from the Best Supermarket Gin Taste Test.
Mark Jarman, Senior Wine Sourcing Manager at Morrisons said: “Our English Sparkling Brut Vintage has always been popular with customers and wine experts alike, so it’s great to receive this recognition from the Good Housekeeping Institute.
“To be crowned the best in the category when our bottle is one of the cheapest really aligns with our aim to provide great quality at affordable prices.”
Smith and Brant Theatricals and Ambassador Theatre Group Productionsare today delighted to announce a new production of Fatal Attraction, based on the classic Paramount Pictures Corporation film.
The thrilling new play will embark on a major UK Tour in 2022, opening at the Brighton Theatre Royal on Tuesday 14th January 2022, before touring to Theatre Royal, Newcastle; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh; Theatre Royal, Bath; Theatre Royal, Nottingham; Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham; New Theatre, Cardiff; Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham; Richmond Theatre, Richmond; Royal and Derngate, Northampton; Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury; Theatre Royal, Glasgow and York, Grand Opera House.
Fatal Attraction is the latest grip-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller from the producers of the acclaimed tours of Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight and Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train.
Fatal Attraction is written by James Dearden, who based the stage play on his Oscar-nominated screenplay, which in turn was adapted from his 1980 short film, Diversion.Loveday Ingram will direct the production with a full casting announcement to follow.
One of the most iconic films of the era, Fatal Attraction was one of 1987’s highest grossing US Box Office release, securing six major Oscar nominations at the following year’s Academy Awards, including: Best Actress for Glenn Close’s mesmerising depiction of urbane sophisticate Alex Forrest, Best Supporting Actress (Anne Archer), Best Writing Adapted Screenplay (James Dearden), Best Director (Adrian Lyne), Best Editing, and Best Picture.
Michael Douglas – at the peak of his Hollywood powers – was omitted from the list only as he was nominated elsewhere in the Best Actor category for his role as Gordon ‘greed is good’ Gecko in Wall Street, which he went on to win.
Fatal Attraction’s success was such that the film inspired a generation of psychosexual thrillers in the years that followed.
When happily married New York attorney Dan Gallagher, meets charming editor Alex Forrest on a night out in the city, they both commit to a night of passion they can’t take back. Dan returns home to his family and tries to forget the mistake he has made, but Alex has different ideas. Dan’s about to discover that love is a dangerous game, and Alex has only one rule; you play fair with her, and she’ll play fair with you.
Loveday Ingram trained with John Barton at the RSC and was previously Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre. Loveday’s credits include: The Rover, The Merchant of Venice (Royal Shakespeare Company); Henry V, Julius Caesar (Storyhouse); Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (Liverpool Playhouse/National Centre for the Performing Arts, China); My One and Only (Piccadilly Theatre/Chichester). Nominated for 4 Olivier Awards and Evening Standard Award); The Blue Room (also Chichester), When Harry Met Sally (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Bedroom Farce (Aldwych Theatre); Three Sisters, Pal Joey (nominated for TMA and Barclay Best Musical Awards), Dead Funny, Insignificance (Chichester Festival Theatre); Macbeth (Theatre Severn); Richard III (Nottingham Playhouse/York Theatre Royal); These Shining Lives (Park Theatre); Rockabye (Beckett Centenary Festival/Gate Theatre Dublin/Barbican); Boston Marriage, Hysteria (Irish Times Award) (Project Theatre Dublin); Outlying Islands, Lettice and Lovage (Bath Theatre Royal); The Messiah (National Theatre of Brent/Bush Theatre). Opera credits include All About Love (Linbury Studio); Brittain’s Rape of Lucrece (BAC) and Barber’s Vanessa (Lyric Hammersmith). Music Video includes This Time It’s Forever (Women’s Aid).
Tipped to be provocative and gripping in equal measures, Fatal Attraction is a tale of seduction and suspense that asks the question; what happens when desire becomes deadly?
A commercial airline pilot who found himself unemployed as a result of the pandemic is now helping to fight Covid by working at one of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Mobile Testing Units (MTUs).
Marcus Spinks, who has twenty-five years’ experience as a pilot and over 10,000 flying hours, is a Senior Operative at the Mobile Testing Unit at Altens in Aberdeen, one of 42 units run by the Service to ensure communities across Scotland have access to testing.
Marcus says: “I was introduced to the idea of the MTUs by a former colleague who knew I was looking for employment. After looking into the role, I thought by joining the MTUs I would be able to use my transferable skills in a positive way. This would give me the opportunity to do my part in the fight against the pandemic.”
After completing his pilot training in 1995, Marcus flew as a commercial pilot on Highland and Islands and UK domestic routes, and then across Europe – following in the footsteps of father, who was also a pilot. Marcus qualified as a Captain in 2008, and in 2013 he switched to fly within the Oil and Gas industry for Eastern Airways from Aberdeen.
In 2019, Marcus relocated to Dublin to work as a commercial pilot again, where he flew across UK and Europe for Cityjet. But in March 2020, when travel was halted around the globe following the pandemic, Marcus found himself grounded.
“Unfortunately, due to the dramatic downturn in aviation travel, the company I was employed with made the entire base redundant. This was a great shame as I was really enjoying the new opportunity I had been given by moving to Dublin.”
While he was forced to give up his dream job, Marcus has found that working at the MTU provides different challenges and job satisfaction.
“It’s great to see when you have made a different to someone’s day. Some people do arrive feeling apprehensive, nervous and distressed to a certain level. It’s great to be able to help them with their test by making them feel at ease and reassured they have nothing to worry about and they leave the MTU feeling much happier.
“The good comradeship with my fellow team members as it has brought people from many different environments together.”
While Marcus enjoys the challenges of working for the MTUs, he still hopes that he will be able to fly again, once the travel industry is on track for recovery.
He says: “Aviation has given me some fantastic experiences, I’ve worked within great teams and made good friends in many countries. I’ve been very lucky to see some spectacular views from my office window.”
TEN new plays are deep in the throes of being rehearsed, each play crafted by a debutant dramatist who signed up for a ten-week ‘Write that play!’, course set up by u3a.
All but one of this Online Across Scotland (OAS) u3a group had never written a play before. But on Wednesday (26 May), they, plus their families and friends, will be able to watch professional actors perform live extracts from these novel works, on Zoom!
The budding talents of each new dramatist have been fostered by Richard Peoples, assisted by Laure Paterson, of Citadel Arts.
As the author of 30 staged plays, alongside his acting and directing skills, Richard has relished leading this new venture.
Richard said: “The pandemic presented u3a with a huge logistical challenge. Our members could not travel or meet face to face for months. So, Online Across Scotland u3a was initiated as an additional learning and social tool.
“Members of my group are from various parts of Scotland. Going online let us interact, despite lockdowns. We could arrange performances of the plays, which are at an early stage of development, thanks to a joint venture between OAS u3a and Citadel Arts.
“This Edinburgh-based theatre group has provided funding for pre-publicity and to pay the actors. It’s been an interesting and successful experiment in running a playwriting course aimed mainly at novice playwrights. We plan to run it again from September.”
The ‘Write that play!’ group members live in Edinburgh, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire, Fife, Argyll, Perthshire and the Borders.
The themes of the ten new plays range from family relationships and social care to crime and pornography.
A new ‘Football Rebooted’ campaign has been launched today by the UK’s leading smart energy supplier, Utilita, and former England and Premier League goalkeeper, David James MBE.
The campaign has been created to help the nation recycle at least one million pairs of ‘pre-played’ football boots and astro boots, saving families a small fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year, or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week.
The ‘donate and claim’ campaign, enables anyone with spare football boots or astro boots to request a freepost ‘boot bag’ to donate their boots, after which their boots will appear at one of many claim stations that will pop up in parks, training grounds, and at some of the UK’s largest football clubs.
Premium pairs of the ‘most wanted’ retro boots and former and current players’ boots and other items will also be in the mix, giving anyone a chance to come along and grab a pair to be proud of.
The campaign is strategically designed to put an aspirational spin on a mechanic that will get good boots through to families struggling to afford new ones, after Utilita’s State of Play report revealed that out of the 74 percent of families who had been impacted financially by the pandemic, 18 percent won’t be able to send their kids back to grassroots football as they can’t afford boots and other items such as goalie gloves and shin pads.
Campaign ambassador and keen environmentalist, David James, and the Utilita team held focus groups with families, which revealed the barriers to boots finding new homes – the biggest being pride.
The donate and claim mechanic avoids families needing to accept charity from people they know, and makes claiming a new pair an aspirational activity, whereby people are impacting the environment, too.
Campaign ambassador, David James MBE, comments on why the campaign is so important: “Right now, there are millions of pairs of football boots that people have grown out of or replaced, and we need to make sure they don’t end up in landfill.
“Getting these boots replayed through Utilita’s Football Rebooted campaign will not only save players a few quid but will also act as an important reminder about the power of upcycling and reusing items that still have a lot of life left in them.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1396005495866118144
Bill Bullen, founder of Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use and waste less energy – explained why Utilita has created the Football Rebooted campaign: “Most consumers are becoming more thoughtful about how their choices impact the environment, but sometimes life gets in the way of making the right choice. That’s why we have created Football Rebooted, which makes recycling football boots with plenty of life left in them, really easy.
“The campaign has been shaped by grassroots football players, coaches and parents, so uses carbon-saving examples that really resonate with this audience – home energy usage and taking cars off the road. It’s been incredibly encouraging to see football players as young as six years old talk passionately about the importance of protecting the environment.”
Premier League and EFL clubs across the UK, including Portsmouth, Southampton, Derby County and Leeds United, have already signed up to donate the football boots worn by their academy players, while first-team players have also donated their own boots in the interests of the environment.
As part of the new campaign, schools can request boots be sent to them for children who they identify as needing football boots to enable them to play in or outside of school.
English Schools’ FA (ESFA) Chairman, Phil Harding, said:“The last 12 months have been very difficult for families, teams, players and schools alike and, as the National Governing Body for Schools’ Football, the ESFA welcome any campaign to help ensure children have every opportunity to take part in a sport that they are passionate about, but that is also so beneficial for both their physical and mental health.
“The Football Rebooted campaign not only has a great environmental message but is also working towards helping children to be active, participate and enjoy school sport.”
New study shows that 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India
Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant is similar after 2 doses compared to the B.1.1.7 (Kent) variant dominant in the UK, and Public Health England expect to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospitalisation and death.
The study found that, for the period from 5 April to 16 May:
the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant 2 weeks after the second dose, compared to 93% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant
2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were 60% effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant compared to 66% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant
both vaccines were 33% effective against symptomatic disease from B.1.617.2, 3 weeks after the first dose compared to around 50% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant
The analysis included data for all age groups from 5 April to cover the period since the B.1.617.2 variant emerged. It included 1,054 people confirmed as having the B.1.617.2 variant through genomic sequencing, including participants of several ethnicities. Data published on Thursday 20 May for vaccine effectiveness covered the period since December for those aged over 65.
The difference in effectiveness between the vaccines after 2 doses may be explained by the fact that rollout of second doses of AstraZeneca was later than for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and other data on antibody profiles show it takes longer to reach maximum effectiveness with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
As with other variants, even higher levels of effectiveness are expected against hospitalisation and death. There are currently insufficient cases and follow-up periods to estimate vaccine effectiveness against severe outcomes from the B.1.617.2 variant. PHE will continue to evaluate this over the coming weeks.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: This new evidence is groundbreaking – and proves just how valuable our COVID-19 vaccination programme is in protecting the people we love.
“We can now be confident that over 20 million people – more than 1 in 3 – have significant protection against this new variant, and that number is growing by the hundreds of thousands every single day as more and more people get that vital second dose. I want to thank the scientists and clinicians who have been working around the clock to produce this research.
“It’s clear how important the second dose is to secure the strongest possible protection against COVID-19 and its variants – and I urge everyone to book in their jab when offered.”
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said: “This study provides reassurance that 2 doses of either vaccine offer high levels of protection against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant.
“We expect the vaccines to be even more effective at preventing hospitalisation and death, so it is vital to get both doses to gain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants.”
Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said: Almost every day we get more and more encouraging evidence about the difference our COVID-19 vaccines are making to people’s lives – with 13,000 lives saved and 39,100 hospitalisations prevented overall.
“Today’s data is astounding and a true reflection of just how important it is to get both your jabs when offered.
“I encourage all those offered an appointment to get their jab booked in as soon as possible and take full advantage of the high levels of protection the vaccines bring.”
Scotland is sending life-saving oxygen and ventilation equipment to India as part of a UK-wide effort to support it in its fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).
Following an initial offer of various types of equipment, the Indian High Commission has accepted 100 oxygen concentrators and 40 continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators.
The Indian Government urgently requires these units as its healthcare system is under extreme pressure. The devices can be used in hospitals, ICU wards or other locations and are ideally suited to treat COVID-19 patients when there are constraints on medical gas infrastructure supply.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The coronavirus situation in India is a human tragedy. We are working with the other UK nations to help tackle the crisis by providing equipment that can be used immediately to save lives.
“Solidarity with other countries remains of key importance throughout this global pandemic and we will continue to make contributions within the international community, while tackling COVID-19 here in Scotland.
“There are a number of ways to donate to the response effort, including the British Asian Trust’s ‘Oxygen for India’ Emergency Appeal, and the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has extended its Coronavirus Appeal to include India.”
