Popular eyewear brand IOLLA are bringing local centre stage in the new St James Quarter, launching a new experiential showroom and standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest names in retail.
IOLLA launched in 2015, introducing a better way to buy eyewear with their offering of complete prescription glasses and sunglasses for £75. Their mission is to help people look and feel great, empowering glasses wearers to build an eyewear wardrobe thanks to their diverse range of unique frame designs and affordable price point.
The Scotland-born local business is the latest retailer to confirm its opening in Edinburgh’s new £1.7bn city centre development St James Quarter set to open at the end of June.
IOLLA will be opening its fourth location across Edinburgh and Glasgow which will feature a new style of plug-and-play shelving stations, digital screens and modular podiums, brought to life with the help of local Edinburgh design studio Splintr.
Their new showroom design will feature a 360º interactive window display and movable podiums, designed to bring the experience to the customer, replacing traditional ‘checkout’ desks.
By putting technology, adaptability, and the customer at the centre of the new design, IOLLA hope to create a customer journey within their St James Quarter showroom that is unique, fun and memorable.
Stefan Hunter, IOLLA Founder, said: “Our new St James Quarter showroom will be the most enriched customer experience we’ve ever created. Visitors can discover and journey through our brand by using our new creative touchpoints like material and manufacturing displays and an interactive try on garden.
“The St James Quarter showroom is also our biggest yet, and will give us the opportunity to truly showcase our passion for great customer service, great products and a fair price.”
Martin Perry, Director of Development for St James Quarter added: “With the first phase opening of St James Quarter just weeks away, the addition of IOLLA will help further bolster the already formidable array of local and international brands St James Quarter has to offer as we look to build a diverse offering, including some national and city ‘firsts’, that will help create a one of a kind destination.”
Since opening its doors in 2015, IOLLA have been one to watch, paving the way for local retailers and shaking up the traditional optical industry with a direct to consumer approach and designing and manufacturing in their Glasgow headquarters. Despite a challenging year for retail, the brand continued to focus on its growth by; investing in its digital strategy, expanding its design and technology teams and this year will push to increase its overall workforce by 100%.
The opening of the new showroom is a landmark moment for IOLLA, allowing the brand to branch into new territory when it comes to retail expansion and in high footfall locations.
This is the first step in an ambitious growth plan over the next 5 years for the innovative eyewear retailer, and it’s set to bring more eyes than ever to the IOLLA brand. Visit IOLLA in the St James Quarter from June 24th.
Apply now to be part of the IOLLA team at St James Quarter at jobs.iolla.com.
Vaccine drop-in centres for the over 40s will be launched across NHS Lothian as part of the battle against COVID-19.
Clinics will be rolled-out in mass vaccination sites, from today (Wednesday 9 June), for people aged 40 and over, who require a first or second dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Anyone over the age of 40, who have not yet had their first dose – for whatever reason – can attend the clinic without an appointment, while those who are waiting for their second dose can turn up as long as they received their first injection of the Astra Zenaca vaccine at least eight weeks before.
The clinics will run at Lowland Hall (Ingliston) and West Lothian’s Pyramids Vaccination centres from tomorrow (Wednesday) through to Sunday 13 June. Starting from June 14, they will run at every centre except Lowland Hall.
People will be seen on a first come first served basis, and the centres will run for 10 hours every day.
NHS Lothian has joined up with the British Armed Forces as part of this key stage to accelerate the programme and provide increased protection for more people as quickly as possible.
A total of 36 Army personnel have been deployed into Lothian to help deliver vaccines across all of the centres.
That extra capacity – which equates to more than 3,500, appointments each day – will allow the vaccination team to target people who have not yet had the vaccine and may also speed up the process for those waiting for a second injection.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said the clinics, which will run for two weeks, were an important step. He said: “This is a really exciting step for us because it means we can reach a lot of people really quickly to help give them some protection, which is obviously vital to help beat new variants and keep people well.
“We are delighted to team up with the British Armed Forces again. Our teams have previously worked with them in two of our vaccination centres and we invited them to return to provide extra capacity across our centres as part of this race. They will join our teams at the routine appointment clinics and in the drop-in clinics.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This is an excellent idea and people in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, who are aged 40 and over waiting on their first or second dose, will welcome this move.
“NHS Lothian have used their initiative to launch vaccine drop in centres and they will be an important part of the strategy to speed up the vaccination process.”
The coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on the nation’s activity levels, with 1.2 million more adults now classed as ‘inactive’ (up 2.6% to 27.1%) and less than half (44.9%) of children and young people meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of 60 minutes a day.
The pandemic has also impacted the nation’s mental well-being, with new data from UK Coaching showing that nearly 9 in 10 coaches (87%) are concerned about the poor mental and physical health of participants. Additionally, nearly half of all coaches (47%) said one of the biggest challenges currently facing them is motivating people to return to sport and physical activity.
Coaches will be central to the nation’s restart, with research conducted by YouGov on behalf of UK Coaching revealing that 7 in 10 adults (70%) believe grassroots coaches and instructors are important in helping Britain become a fitter and more active society.
And the vital work that coaches deliver is being understood and appreciated more than ever, with over two thirds (69%) of the nation believing it is important for society to value the role that coaches and instructors play in keeping local communities active.
Yet concerns amongst coaches remain and UK Coaching, the lead charity for coaches in Britain, fear that coaches aren’t receiving the support they need in order to continue playing this vital role in communities.
With the Covid-19 pandemic causing many people to consider the need to be fitter and more active, nearly 6 in 10 (57%) of coaches surveyed are concerned about the increased cost of facilities and almost half (48%) said they needed to offer lower priced activities to enable wider access.
Access to funding and facilities also remains a barrier, with 40% of those surveyed raising concerns about the need for updated facilities in encouraging their local community to return, as well as increased access to funding for equipment (34%) and to reopen local facilities (31%).
Mark Gannon, Chief Executive at UK Coaching, said: “It is clear that the British public see coaches as fundamental to driving a more active society and value the important role they play in creating healthier and happier communities.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed many of the vulnerabilities in the health of the nation and it is now more important than ever to support people to achieve healthier lives.
“Coaches will be vital as we transition through the pandemic but in order to continue delivering great coaching, we must ensure they have all the support and tools they need. From our research we know that three areas of concern remain – the cost of entry, access to and out-of-date facilities and cost of equipment.”
The research has been released during UK Coaching Week – a national awareness week to celebrate great coaching and help the nation’s coaches to share their voice, be heard and generate the investment they need to reinvent, recover and return.
Emma Hayes, Chelsea Women’s Head Coach, is supportive of the campaign. She said: “Coaches play a fundamental role in driving people to be more active and to reap all of the positive physical and mental health benefits that this brings.
“Elite coaches get a lot of attention, but really, it’s the army of grassroots coaches in communities who are making the biggest difference. That’s why I am happy to show my support for UK Coaching Week and recognise coaching’s importance in helping Britain become a more active nation.”
Tracey Neville, Performance Operations Director at Manchester Thunder Netball and former Head Coach of England Netball, said: “It’s fantastic to read that the majority of people back grassroots coaches to get the nation back to activity, fitness and good well-being as restrictions ease.
“I know first-hand the influence that great coaches can have on your life. My own coaches instilled principles in me that have driven me to be where I am now. They are at the centre of communities and bring people together in a welcoming environment to support them to enjoy sport and physical activity. That’s why I’m supporting UK Coaching Week.”
To find out more about UK Coaching and the activity taking place this UK Coaching Week, visit www.ukcoaching.org.
Researchers based in Scotland and Europe can apply to a new £3 million scheme aimed at repairing research links with the EU following the damaging impact of Brexit.
Hundreds of European research and innovation projects are expected to benefit from the Scottish Government’s Saltire Research Awards.
The fund, delivered via the Scottish Funding Council and Royal Society of Edinburgh, will be open to all research disciplines including arts, humanities and social sciences and multidisciplinary projects.
Higher and Further Education Minister Jamie Hepburn (above) said: “Scotland’s excellence in research and innovation is one of our greatest assets and our international connections are vital to maintaining and extending this.
“Many of our most effective collaborations are with partners in Europe and our new £3 million fund will help Scotland reinvigorate and repair vital research partnerships with Europe following the uncertainty caused by Brexit in recent years. This is crucial especially for our successful participation in Horizon Europe.
“Research collaboration has been crucial during the pandemic and will continue to be critical in addressing the net zero transition and other global challenges. Scotland’s future continues to firmly include European research collaboration and now is the time to help our researchers grow these important partnerships.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “Collaboration with European institutions has been vital for Scotland’s world-leading status in university research and their success in winning European research grants and contracts.
“The funding announced today will help keep those research partnerships going and enable us to attract top international research talent.
“We very much welcome this funding and look forward to the impact it will have across the sector.”
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, interim President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh said: “Programmes such as the Saltire Research Awards play an important role in supporting research excellence and maintaining Scotland’s reputation as a world leader in research.
“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council to making the awards a success”.
Family run, for family fun Conifox Adventure Park is waiting to welcome back all of our favourite dads, daddies and ‘you’re like a dad to me’ dudes, with an unmissable offer this Father’s Day – by gifting a FREE ticket for every ‘Dad’ entering the park with a purchased child ticket, families can save money, whilst making precious memories.
As the weather starts to warm up for Summer and days seem much brighter again, what better way to spend priceless family time, than at Conifox Adventure Park? With its abundance of green outdoor space, awe-inducing attractions and delicious al fresco food, the park offers the whole family the opportunity to rediscover some of life’s simple pleasures.
James Gammell, Managing Director at Conifox Adventure Park, said: “We are delighted to welcome families back to Conifox Adventure Park this Father’s Day, where groups can once again enjoy spending time together, laughing, playing and forgetting the difficulties of the past year.
“Whether swinging on the rope bridge or letting dad show off his skills on the footgolf course, there is fun for everyone. With dads going free, there might even be a little extra to buy an ice cream!”
Conifox Adventure Park is fully open for business, so kids, young and old will be able to enjoy the numerous attractions safely throughout Conifox Adventure Park including a: Nine-Hole Footgolf Course, Pedal Go-Karts, Off-Road Pedal Tractors, Giant Sand Pit, Kid’s Pedal Tractor Farm, Springers, Giant Jump Pillow, Trampolines, Swings, Balance Beams, Rope Bridge and so much more!
Father’s Day tickets can be purchased in advance at www.conifox.co.uk . Getting booked up, tickets are selling fast!
To find out more visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.
For every pair of booties received, the charity will donate one pair to families it works with in Glasgow and the other it will use to raise awareness with MSPs about the importance of investing in early childhood.
Through its Fight for a Fair Start campaign, NSPCC Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to provide support for all families who need it, so that every child is given the chance to thrive.
The charity says substantial investment is needed in specialist services that support the parent-infant relationship, which in turn help a child’s healthy development and prevent future problems in its life.
Evelyn Hart, a volunteer counsellor at the Aberdeen Childline base, has already been busy with her knitting needles and has completed her first pair of booties.
She said: “I want to help the NSPCC in this campaign because I know that it is so important that families receive all the support they need, so children can grow up feeling safe and nurtured.
“If we can prevent some of the trauma and hardship that some children face by giving them a better start in life, then I want to do what I can to help – and knitting a couple of pairs of booties is a small task!”
NSPCC Scotland research shows that despite overwhelming evidence that people’s experiences in early childhood lay the foundations for their future health and wellbeing, there is still very little support available in the country for families with young children.
In studies carried out before the pandemic hit, the charity found that very few services across Scotland specifically addressed the emotional and developmental needs of children under the age of two. Last year, around half of the children on the child protection register and over a third coming into the care system in Scotland were younger than five years old.
Joanne Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “A baby’s experiences can have a profound impact on the rest of their life. Yet, this is a stage of life that is too often overlooked and under-supported.
“We recognise that advances in early years policy have been made in the last decade in Scotland but this needs to be matched with funding. Providing early support to families can help build positive relationships that prevent harm and, in turn, change life trajectories. This is fundamental to transforming childhood and creating equality in Scotland.
“People don’t need to be seasoned knitters to support our campaign, in fact they could even sew or crochet the booties. And we will appreciate all the support we can get to help us fight for a fair start for every child.”
To support the Fight for a Fair Start campaign by creating two or more pairs of baby booties sign up here. People will then receive an email, which includes patterns and a postal address to send the booties to by August 31.
People can also support our Fight for a Fair Start campaign by signing our petition here.
What was meant to be just a day of volunteering for an Edinburgh worker at an animal adoption centre, soon turned into a promising future for a stray kitten.
42-year-old Kenneth Lennon, who works as a customer experience agent at Edinburgh-based People’s Postcode Lottery, fell in love with kitten, Layla from Cats Protection’s adoption centre in Glasgow, after spending a day volunteering there.
The charity is one of many supported by the lottery’s players, with team members getting to spend two days of their annual working hours volunteering at nearby good causes.
The black-and-white kitten born to a stray mum has been the perfect addition to the family for animal lover Kenneth, and a much-needed companion for Kenneth’s other cat, Bill.
Kenneth said: “After volunteering for a day at the centre through my role at People’s Postcode Lottery, I knew that I wanted to rehome a cat from there. The team is so knowledgeable and clearly dedicated to what they do.
“I got my Bill and his sister Bonnie as kittens 12 years ago. Sadly, we recently lost Bonnie, and while I know many cats are perfectly happy being on their own, Bill does seem to enjoy the company of other cats. Since we moved to a house with a bigger garden, I often see him following the neighbouring cats around, so I had a feeling he would take well to having a new cat in the house.”
“We met Layla virtually and decided straight away that we wanted to adopt her,” added Kenneth. “We had been thinking of naming her Luna but as I’m a big fan of Eric Clapton, and his song of the same name, we decided to keep her name as it was.”
While Bill did not immediately take to the new arrival, following advice from the centre team about how to manage gradual introductions, the two are now happily playing together and sleeping close to one another.
“I think having Layla around has given Bill a new lease of life as he’s not played this much in ages. They’re like two peas in a pod!” Kenneth said.
Award-winning home swapping platform Love Home Swap is launching home swaps for hermit crabs to encourage their members to help keep beaches clean this summer.
Anyone that’s watched David Attenborough will know that hermit crabs are home swappers! Regularly exchanging their seashell homes with other crabs as they outgrow them, they appreciate the value of trying out a new home.
But sadly, due to human-created plastic waste on beaches, hundreds of thousands of hermit crabs are mistakenly – and fatally – swapping their shell condos for discarded plastic containers*.
To celebrate World Oceans Day today (8 June) global home swapping platform Love Home Swap has partnered with the ocean conservation charity Sea-Changers to create home swaps for hermit crabs!
With a focus on raising awareness and encouraging holidaymakers to keep beaches clean, they are listing crustacean cribs on their platform, and asking their members to support this vital cause.
So, while perusing the 18,000 human homes that are available for exchange, members of Love Home Swap may also encounter several hermit crab ‘houses’. Not only does each hermit crab’s profile highlight the importance of reducing pollution and the danger that littering has on the environment, but there is also the option to donate to Sea-Changers via a JustGiving donation page.
In addition, Love Home Swap is donating $2,000 to Sea-Changers to aid their vision of creating a world in which the seas and shores are healthy, and marine species are protected.
Célia Pronto, Managing Director of Love Home Swap says:“We are so excited at the prospect of being able to travel again, both domestically and in some cases internationally. However, when we finally get to the beach, it’s so important to remember to keep these environments clean and safe for the local wildlife including the home swapping hermit crab!
“We are so pleased to be able to support Sea-Changers with their ongoing cause to inspire people to contribute positively to sustaining the oceans, and we hope that our newest hermit crab members put a smile on people’s faces when they are searching for their next home-swapping adventure.”
Rachel Lopata, Co-Founder of Sea-Changers adds: “When Love Home Swap came to us with the idea of home swaps for hermit crabs to highlight the issue of ocean pollution, we just loved it!
“It’s a great way to raise awareness while raising money for the UK projects we’re supporting relating to tackling pollution and other marine conservation challenges.
“Love Home Swap’s generous donation is fantastic, and we hope lots of home swappers will join them in supporting our work.”
UK Government sets out marine commitments to mark World Ocean Day
Under UK leadership, 80 countries have now signed up to an international target to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean by 2030.
Today on World Ocean Day (8th June 2021), countries from all four corners of the world – from India to Guyana, South Korea to Austria have pledged to support the ‘30by30’ commitment which is being championed by the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, co-chaired by the UK, Costa Rica and France.
This next milestone follows a successful meeting of the G7 Climate and Environment ministers, during which all members agreed to champion the global ‘30×30’ target to conserve or protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean by 2030, as well as committing to ‘30×30’ domestically.
Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said: “The UK is a global leader in marine protection, and we are leading the way internationally to deliver healthy and sustainable seas.
“We must strike a balance in supporting sustainable industries while increasing protections for our seas to ensure a healthy, resilient and diverse marine ecosystem and we will work with others as we develop future protections.”
The UK has also launched plans to increase protections for England’s waters through a pilot scheme to designate marine sites in England as “Highly Protected Marine Areas”. The selected sites would see a ban on all activities that could have a damaging effect on wildlife or marine habitats.
This follows the independent Benyon Review, which recommended that Highly Protected Marine Areas would have an important role in helping the marine ecosystem recover.
The review was commissioned in 2019 to look at how these areas could be introduced and the Government has today published its response to the review. As well as helping drive marine recovery, the review also highlighted other potential benefits of the sites, including increased tourism.
The sites to be piloted could be in or outside of existing Marine Protected Areas where they would benefit from a substantially higher level of protection. They will be identified by Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee with input from stakeholders with a formal consultation set to launch next year.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said: “I am delighted that the Government has committed to implement Highly Protected Marine Areas with a number of pilot sites. Natural England’s evidence based advice has been instrumental in determining the need for special protection for our most vulnerable marine wildlife.
“We look forward to working closely with Defra to identify pilot sites and use this great opportunity to explore how highly protected areas can mitigate the impact of human activities on the ocean, support its recovery to a more natural state, and enhance vital marine ecosystems.”
This comes as Defra and the Ocean Conservation Trust publish the results of the largest ever survey in England and Wales on public attitudes to our oceans. The survey finds that 85% of people consider marine protection personally important to them. Of those who had visited our coastlines last year, 80% said it was good for their physical health and 84% said it was good for their mental health.
The findings also show that when asked about the greatest threats to the marine environment, participants were most concerned about pollution, with overfishing, climate change and loss of marine habitats also ranking highly.
Professor Michel Kaiser, HPMA Review Panel member and Chief Scientist and Professor of Fisheries Conservation at the Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University said: “The implementation of a trial of HPMAs provides a landmark opportunity to understand how marine habitats and life will respond in the absence of damaging activities, setting our ambition for healthy oceans of the future.”
Joan Edwards, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “This new type of marine protection will be the gold standard for rewilding parts of the sea. It’s a fantastic step-forward, one which The Wildlife Trusts and over 10,000 of our supporters have been waiting for – we’re absolutely delighted!
“The removal of all harmful activities – from fishing and trawling to construction – has never been attempted in UK waters before. This is an historic moment and we’re certain that HPMAs will help our seas become healthier and that degraded underwater habitats will be better able to recover.
“This special form of protection is vitally needed. Decades of overexploitation and pollution have left our precious seas damaged and the wealth of wildlife that once lived there is much diminished.
“Existing Marine Protected areas are limited in their ability to restore nature as they only go as far as conserving its current, sometimes damaged state. HPMAs will allow us to see what truly recovering seas look like. They will set a new bar against which other protected areas could be measured.”
The Alliance brings together the financial sector, governments, non-profit organisations to pioneer innovative ways of driving investment into critical ecosystems like reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, wetlands and beaches that provide the nature-based-solutions to build resilience against climate change.
The UK has also become a co-leader of The International Partnership on Marine Protected Areas, Biodiversity and Climate Change which will work with other countries to ensure they have the information and tools they need to understand the important role that Marine Protected Areas play in helping to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans, and the biodiversity they protect.
The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) has also today published its annual ‘Blue Belt’ assessment which reveals this year the UK Government’s Blue Belt Programme exceeded its target of protecting and enhancing over 4 million square kilometers of marine environment around five UK Overseas Territories.
The commitments made today represent another step forward for the UK’s efforts to step up action on climate change in the run up to the G7 Summit taking place in Cornwall this week and international climate conference COP26, to be hosted in Glasgow later this year.
Usdaw welcomes Scottish legislation and urges UK Government to follow suit
Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government, confirming that a new law to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse will come into force on 24 August 2021.
The ground-breaking legislation was supported by MSPs after Usdaw’s long-running campaign led to the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill, which was successfully steered through the Scottish Parliament by Daniel Johnson MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Southern).
Tracy Gilbert, Usdaw’s Scottish Regional Secretary, said:“We welcome today’s confirmation that ground-breaking legislation to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse will come in to force on 24 August. We again thank Daniel Johnson MSP and all MSPs for listening to the pleas of our members and giving them the legislative support they so desperately need.
“Retail staff have been on the frontline throughout the coronavirus crisis, helping to keep our communities fed, despite the risks of contracting the virus. Our 2020 survey showed that 9 in 10 shopworkers had been abused last year. This new law firmly backs up Usdaw’s clear message that abuse is not part of the job.
“We are now looking to work with the Scottish Government, police and retailers to promote the new law. We want criminals to understand that assaulting and abusing shopworkers is unacceptable and will land them with a stiffer sentence. Our hope is that this new legislation will result in retail staff getting the respect they deserve.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “The Scottish Parliament is leading the way on protection of shopworkers. Today our petition for similar legislation in the UK Parliament is being debated in the House of Commons (see below).
“We urge MPs to support the aims of our petition and persuade the Government to back legislation to protect shopworkers. They have the perfect opportunity by accepting an amendment from Sarah Jones MP to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which we hope will be supported in the bill committee.
“Retail employers, leading retail bodies and the shopworkers’ trade union are jointly calling for legislation, so it is time for the Government and MPs to listen.
“We are now looking for MPs to support key workers across the retail sector and help turn around the UK Government’s opposition and follow Scotland’s lead.”
A survey of over 12,000 retail workers has found that only 1 in 5 shopworkers who reported incidents of abuse or violence were satisfied with the official response from the police or their employer.
Westminster’s Home Affairs Committee has published the findings of its survey, which asked retail and other shopworkers to share their experiences of incidents of violence and abuse. Two thirds of those who reported incidents suggested no help was given to them after receiving an initial response from their employer or the police.
The Committee asked retail workers about the frequency of incidents, how these were reported, what action was taken by the police or employers and what should be done to prevent abuse in future. The majority of respondents had both witnessed and experienced verbal or physical abuse at work.
The survey found that 87% of respondents had reported incidents to their employer but, in 45% of these cases, no further action was taken. Half of respondents reported incidents to the police, of which only 12% led to an arrest.
A third of respondents did not report incidents to their employer because they believed nothing would be done or it was ‘just part of the job’. Over a quarter did not report incidents because they believed the police would not do anything about it.
Respondents felt that better security at retail premises and more severe punishments for offenders would help prevent incidents in the future.
The public survey was held as part of the committee’s inquiry into ‘Violence and abuse towards retail workers’. The findings are published ahead of today’s Westminster Hall debate on an e-petition calling for more protection for retail workers.
The Committee’s Chair, Yvette Cooper MP, said: “During the Covid crisis, we’ve seen an appalling and unacceptable increase in reported attacks and abuse against shop workers.
“No one should feel unsafe at their place of work and there are no circumstances where such behaviour should be tolerated. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences with the Committee.
“The sheer number of responses we have received shows just how widespread this problem is. In far too many cases retail workers don’t report incidents as they feel nothing will be done or that they’re expected to deal with such appalling incidents as part of their job. That’s simply not the case and it’s clear that action is needed to change this.
“The Committee is currently assessing the wider evidence we’ve received – I hope the Government responds constructively to the serious issues we have identified.”
MND Scotland will be proudly worn on the front of Hearts’ home shirt for season 2021/22 as part of an innovative two-year sponsorship deal with Dell Technologies.
Following its groundbreaking partnership with Save the Children that saw the charity’s name being sported on the first team shirts over 6 seasons, the Club will now be promoting and supporting the work of MND Scotland in Season 21-22.
The Club and its supporters have undertaken several fundraising activities on behalf of the charity over the past year as a tribute to Club legend and former captain, Marius Zaliukas, who tragically lost his fight to the disease in 2020.
This landmark sponsorship deal will help to raise awareness of the work undertaken by MND charities throughout the UK and support those living with MND in Scotland. Funds raised will also enable pioneering research into MND, such as the projects taking place at the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research at University of Edinburgh.
Once again, the Club has sought out an innovative way of securing sponsorship funding whilst providing a platform for a cause that is dear to supporters’ hearts.
In a pioneering approach, Dell Technologies will work with Hearts over the next 2 years on a programme that will transform the Club’s digital estate in the long term. As part of this new partnership, Dell Technologies funded the front of the home shirt on behalf of MND Scotland. Hearts will, in turn, make a contribution to MND Scotland and MND Association for every home shirt sold in the season ahead.
Dell Technologies was a founding partner of the Heart of Midlothian Innovation Centre in 2019, providing equipment that has enabled over 700 young people to benefit from free Digital Education. The company’s commitment to diversity and equal opportunity was also echoed in the decision to become principal partner and shirt sleeve sponsor of Hearts Women in 2020.
Dell Technologies will also appear on the back of the men’s home shirt when the new season starts.
Commenting on the new partnership, CEO of Hearts, Andrew McKinlay said: “We are delighted to announce this amazing partnership with Dell Technologies and MND Scotland.
“Dell Technologies has been pivotal in supporting pioneering community initiatives run by the Club and our charity, Big Hearts. As a principal partner of Hearts Women, they also helped to fund the initiative to sport the name of Scotland Women in Technology on the women’s shirts. This announcement represents a significant deepening of the relationship between the company and Hearts.
“We have spent the last 4 years enhancing the physical infrastructure of the Club providing some of the most modern facilities in Scottish football. Our sponsorship deal with Dell Technologies will underpin a long-term transformation of the logical infrastructure, modernising our systems and enhancing the experience we provide for supporters.
“Ann Park, Hearts’ Director of Partnerships and Community, has been working over the past few months to develop what is one of the most innovative sponsorship deals in football. Ann was the driving force behind our six-year relationship with Save the Children and has once again delivered a partnership of which we can all be very proud.
“We dedicate this initiative to our former captain Marius Zaliukas and to Robert Wilson, whose work behind the scenes and on the board of the Club helped rescue Hearts from administration.”
Iain McWhirter, MND Scotland’s Interim Chief Executive, said:“We are very excited to be partnering with Heart of Midlothian FC this season. This fantastic opportunity will honour the memory of former captain Marius Žaliūkas who passed away last year after a brave struggle against motor neurone disease.
“Dell Technologies has supported our sister charity, MND Association of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for 2 years, and we are thrilled to now be working with them to raise funds and awareness here in Scotland.
“We hope this boost will enable us to speak to even more people about our cause, and that the funds donated through sales will help us reach our ultimate goal of finding a cure. Until that day we will continue supporting families affected by MND in Scotland, so they do not have to go through the devastation alone.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing the new strips out on the pitch very soon and hope fans will join our movement to end MND.”
