Day: July 10, 2021

The Avenue in Balerno welcomes first buyers

SOON-TO-BE newlyweds have snapped up their “dream home” in one of Edinburgh’s most desirable new postcodes.

As the first-footers in “The Avenue”, part of the final phase of homes at Ravelrig Heights by CALA Homes (East), Craig and Alise are the first to enjoy life in one of the eight impressive five-bedroom homes on the crescent shaped The Avenue.

As well as some showcase interiors, each home at The Avenue features a large driveway with electric gate entrance, a double garage with self-contained accommodation above and gardens up to a third of an acre in size.

The Avenue features two house types, the Waverley, the house type purchased by Craig and Alise which spans 3726 square feet, and the Roxburgh which spans 3252 square feet. 

Craig, a portfolio manager, said: “We weren’t planning to move so soon but because of everything that happened during the pandemic, we spent a lot of time at home and wanted a bit more space.

“After looking at a few developments, we still weren’t set on buying a new home, but when we looked at The Avenue it just made sense. It’s amazing coming somewhere where our money can go a lot further.

“We wanted some place quieter, but still reasonably close to Edinburgh city centre and close to my parents. Alise used to live in Balerno so we always talked about starting a family here as the schools and community are really great. After seeing The Avenue, we were like ‘yeah this is it’.”

Welcomed by a statement double staircase, upper galleried landing with an upper balcony and large rear garden, the development stood out to Chris and Alise for its family-friendly charm.

Alise, an events coordinator said: “When we walked in and saw that staircase that was it for me, I was like I need to live here. Every part of the house just had that wow factor.

“We knew there was a garden but when we stepped out we were in shock. I had never seen a home with a garden this big. From the kitchen you can slide the doors open and step right out which is perfect especially for the summer.

Designed with light and spacious living in mind, The Avenue’s homes benefit from designs equipped with an open planned kitchen, built-in appliances, bi-folding doors and under floor heating.

Alise added: “We knew CALA had a great reputation and were going to look after us but they truly do go above and beyond.

“The journey doesn’t end when you move in. We have the development manager checking in regularly to make sure everything is alright and that we’ve settled in well. We can’t speak highly enough about CALA.”

Craig added: “We are both very active people so the space above the garage has been amazing as we’ve been able to convert it into a home gym.”

With a separate home office, The Avenue offers buyers an ideal place to work from home with a range of outdoor networks into the countryside and excellent transport links into the capital.

Homes at Ravelrig Heights start from £795,000 with homes on The Avenue ranging from £1,095,000 – £1,215,000.

For more information on The Avenue, Ravelrig Heights, Balerno, please visit: https://www.cala.co.uk/theavenue or call 0131 516 6832.

UK Government launches Rediscover Summer campaign

  • The campaign highlights a range of activities and opportunities for families, children and young people such as exploring a local museum or discovering a National Cycling Network Trail
  • Families encouraged to get back out and Rediscover Summer after a year of missed opportunities

The government’s Rediscover Summer campaign has launched to help inspire families to get out and about safely and make the most out of summer.

Whether it’s visiting the places that inspired your favourite books, trying out a new sport or even learning how to code, the campaign will show families that there are plenty of new activities to try wherever they live. Throughout the duration of the campaign, each week of the summer holidays will promote a separate theme from sport and creativity to nature and heritage.

A Save The Children survey has shown how the pandemic has negatively impacted the social lives of our children and young people, with a third of children playing alone more, and a quarter having played less sport since the pandemic, raising concerns about the impact on their well-being.

To help combat this, the government is encouraging families to Rediscover Summer and enjoy the range of leisure activities on offer after a year of missed opportunities.

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “Our young people deserve a summer filled with exciting and enriching activities after everything they’ve missed out on as we’ve fought to control the virus.

“We want families to get out there and enjoy what’s on offer, and our Rediscover Summer campaign will help them do that. The summer has been given the best possible start with a terrific England run in the Euros.”

Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford said: “Rediscover Summer will provide families with some fantastic opportunities to get back to the activities they may have missed out on over the last year.

“Our Summer Home Activities list will offer up more free ideas and options for children to stay active and have fun, and our expanded Holiday Activities and Food programme will also help families access opportunities both indoors and outdoors.

“Parents have worked so hard to keep their children entertained so I hope they can take advantage of these to use the holidays creatively, helping to boost children’s wellbeing after what has been a really difficult time.

Launching today, a gov.uk page features a taste of the activities available over the summer to inspire parents and families and help young people get involved in their local communities. The activities suggested range from the Summer Reading Challenge to Chance to Shine cricket sessions and from trips to the Imperial War Museum to Mercury Theatre’s Family sing-a-long.

No matter where you live, the campaign will show there is something for everyone.

Visit the Rediscover Summer guide

Working closely with our partners, including Arts Council England, Sport England and National Museums Greenwich to help promote the breadth of summer activities on offer, this campaign will help get young people out and about this summer and make a difference in their communities.

This campaign will also be supported by the Summer Home Activities List due to be published online in the coming weeks which will inspire activities for families to do in and around their home this summer.

Surgeon’s Quarter hospitality team commit to massive training programme during pandemic

FURLOUGHED staff for a hospitality business in the heart of the Scottish capital have amassed more than 2600 hours of recorded training in the past year, securing a combined 169 industry-recognised qualifications.

Surgeons Quarter, which operates the city’s largest independent hotel alongside a host of venues and outlets owned by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), reinforced its culture of learning prior to the pandemic, with the appointment of a Business and Talent Manager.

It meant that as Covid-19 hit, it was able to work with employees, furloughed and working, to devise a training plan to boost their prospects and career ambitions – in keeping with government recommendations to encourage and facilitate professional development.

Sarah Williamson, who took on the newly created role and managed just a few short weeks with her team before working from home, has helped more than 60 workers achieve new accreditations.

Sarah, from Linlithgow in West Lothian, said: “Multiskilling is going to be the biggest aspiration in the hospitality industry after Covid-19 as many venues will have a smaller team, so staff will be required to do a bit of everything.

“There was a lot of amazing training happening within the industry whilst many were furloughed and we encouraged all 60 members of staff to take part and get full advantage of the opportunities.

“We have supplied laptops and tablets for individuals to complete training to ensure the opportunities were available and accessible to all staff.”

Staff have been encouraged to take part in courses available with industry bodies including, HIT Scotland and Hospitality Action, on top of the £3,400 investment which was made to FLOW – the company’s online training facility.

FLOW includes lots of Covid-19 health and safety modules as well as the statutory training requirements.

Nine employees were also successful with an application to the HIT Scotland scholarship, a 10-week virtual learning leadership course.

Further training has been made available through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund in partnership with the Scottish Government which is worth £5000 and will include online training courses with Edinburgh College.

Certificated courses on offer through Edinburgh College include Social Media and Content Creation, Sales Skills and IOSH Managing Safely.

Sarah added: “Some may think with our team returning to work from furlough the training opportunities will stop, however it’s actually the complete opposite – we have more to come and a calendar of training planned up until November.

“I feel very lucky to be part of a company who care about their staff and individual development, with the opportunity to get involved in areas of the business that are of interest.”

Prior to joining Surgeons Quarter, Sarah was Human Resource Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Westerwood Spa & Golf Resort and before that worked with Holiday Inn Edinburgh.

Surgeons Quarter’s profits go towards the College’s charitable objectives of improving surgical standards and patient outcomes worldwide.

Ten Hill Place accommodated frontline NHS workers for 2137 nights, at a cost of £100,000 and provided thousands of free meals to workers.

Bookings for Ten Hill Place can be made at www.tenhillplace.com, by calling 0131 662 2080 or by emailing reservations@tenhillplace.com.

Heart Research UK Healthy tip – Healthy BBQs

This week is the 25th anniversary of BBQ week and many of us will be heading outdoors to fire up the BBQ. Foods traditionally cooked on BBQs, such as burgers and sausages, can be high in calories, fat and salt.

We have some tips for enjoying a heart-healthy BBQ without compromising on taste:

Choose a healthy source of protein

Foods that are high in saturated fat, such as red meat, sausages, burgers, butter and hard cheese, can increase your risk of heart disease.

You can cut down on saturated fat by swapping red meat, sausages and burgers by threading cubes of chicken, firm fish or tofu onto skewers with slices of bell pepper, courgettes, mushrooms, red onion and cherry tomatoes before grilling.

Swap white bread rolls for high-fibre alternatives

Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet can reduce your risk of heart disease. Why not switch from white bread rolls to wholegrain rolls or wholegrain pitta, brown rice or jacket potatoes.

Add some colour

Include plenty of salad and vegetables to make your BBQ colourful and nutritious. Avoid using too much salad dressing as it can be high in calories. Try rubbing a spicy marinade on pieces of courgette, bell pepper, onion, corn-on-the-cob and mushrooms and grill them on the BBQ.

Healthy grilled desserts

Ditch the high-fat puddings and switch to grilled slices of pineapple, bananas, peaches, nectarines or plums. The natural sugars will caramelise on the BBQ, giving them a lovely sweet flavour.

Serve with a spoonful of thick, creamy yoghurt and sprinkle with a handful of chopped toasted nuts, such as hazelnuts or almonds.

Scottish businesses report first shoots of economic recovery

For the first time in over a year, businesses in Scotland can see the first shoots of recovery as COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, according to a leading quarterly survey led by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC).

The SCC’s Quarterly Economic Indicator (QEI) for the second quarter of 2021 indicates more positive growth across all sectors surveyed, albeit, caution is still the watchword for many businesses.

Key Findings:

• Pent up demand unleashed: All sectors have reported substantial rises in confidence and domestic sales, owing to the easing of general and domestic travel lockdown restrictions. Most results are positive for the first time in over a year, albeit from historically low bases.
• Caution looking ahead: All sectors have projected positive expectations for Q3, on balance, likely boosted by the expected further easing of lockdown restrictions. While firms are optimistic about sales revenue, they are more cautious around investment and staff levels with most firms envisaging no change to these in Q2.
• Faltering export sales: Covid-19 disruption and Brexit fallout has resulted in trading difficulties for businesses in services, manufacturing and retail as evidenced by falls in export sales and orders across these sectors.
• Inflation pressures: All sectors have recorded increases in concern over inflation, which may escalate as more consumers spend savings accumulated over the last 16 months and create uncertainty for business in terms of their costs and prices.
• Flat labour market: Most sectors saw a slight increase in employment, apart from retail, which saw no change over the quarter. Most firms, across all sectors, expect little change in Q3 which could result in sluggish jobs growth, with further challenges expected as the furlough scheme is withdrawn.

Tim Allan, President of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said: “The success of the vaccine rollout has enabled the easing of restrictions and the gradual reopening of the economy, unleashing pent-up demand in the economy. This has allowed some sectors to rebound more quickly than others, however, the route to economic recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint.

“It’s clear that concerns remain around the ongoing impact of Covid-19 as businesses grapple with huge uncertainties over what the economy will look like post-pandemic. Towns and city centres face new challenges as more people work from home and more flexibly, impacting on footfall and changes to consumer behaviour.

“The needs of employers and employees alike need to be finely balanced as we shape the recovery of our city centres which will impact on a wide range of sectors and supply chains.

“Equally, sectors such as tourism and international travel, which continue to operate with severe restrictions, are having to adjust to increased domestic demand, a simultaneous fall in international travel and a tightening supply of skilled labour. The sector needs continued financial support and greater clarity on when confusing and burdensome travel regulations will end, allowing greater numbers of international visitors to return.

“As we approach the end of restrictions businesses are increasingly turning their attention towards how to achieve long term growth and renew Scotland’s economy.

“We have recorded the first shoots of growth returning to our economy, and it is essential now that both the Scottish and UK Government’s do all that they can to stimulate demand and boost confidence in the coming months.

“Priority must be given to continuing the provision of targeted financial support where it is needed most and looking ahead, both Governments must create the right environment for businesses to get back on their feet, create jobs and trade successfully again.”

Commenting on the results, Mairi Spowage, Director at the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute, said: “In April, we saw growth in the Scottish economy of 2.0%.

“This takes us above the previous post-pandemic peak in October. However, the economy still remains 3.7% below the pre-pandemic peak.

“Despite the optimism in the economy, there are risks to recovery which could provide headwinds to growth. The dislocation in global trade was significant due to the pandemic.

“However, we also know that the end of the EU Transition Period has caused significant issues for manufacturers and others trying to rebuild these supply chains since the start of this year. This chimes with today’s survey results, which show significant negative impacts on exports.

“Recent announcements of the delay to the restrictions roadmap will lead to calls from some sectors that there should much more extensive business support to get them through to a position where they can properly operate. As well-meaning as initiatives like a new Council for Economic Transformation may be, practical policy measures to help these businesses survive through the winter are likely to be needed.”

Kate Spade New York opens store in St James Quarter

Luxury accessories brand Kate Spade New York has opened its doors in the capital at St James Quarter.

Kate Spade New York has opened its 1190 sq. ft store on level 3 of the Galleria, combining crisp colour, graphic prints and playful sophistication that have become the hallmarks of the luxury brand.

The American fashion house was founded in 1993 and sells designer handbags, accessories, jewellery and clothing – bringing a touch of personal style with a dash of incandescent charm to the city.

The handbag label joins brands such as Zara, Mango, Bershka, Stradivarius, Kurt Geiger, Lego and IOLLA within St James Quarter.

Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “This is another milestone moment for St James Quarter, and the Edinburgh retail sector.

“Kate Spade New York is renowned across the globe, so we’re delighted to welcome the brand and to join London, Tokyo, Paris and New York on its list of international locations.”

Hashani pursued MBA against backdrop of bombs, bloodshed and Covid-19

‘It’s been a physical and mental struggle, and I am proud to have got over the line’

A NEW Edinburgh Napier graduate has told how her path to an MBA was almost wrecked by Sri Lanka’s horrific Easter bombings.

Health management student Hashani Gunasekera was finalising her research proposal for her online course when suicide bombers claimed the lives of 269 people on April 21 2019.

The atrocity sparked widespread tension on the South Asian island and a security crackdown which included a ban on public use of the internet.

Then, just as the situation was stabilising, along came the Covid pandemic which forced Hashani to defer her research into patients undergoing elective surgery so she could go and work on the hospital frontline.

In a year in which no graduate had it easy, the 28-year-old has more reasons than most to be proud of the Masters in Business Administration (Health Management) she was finally awarded this week by Edinburgh Napier.

Hashani said: “Completing my MBA has been a physical and mental struggle so I am very proud to have got over the line, with particular thanks to my supervisor Libby Campbell, who showed the utmost support throughout all these crises.

“It really is a dream come true. Now I hope to use my knowledge and experience to work in the health administrative sector to improve health systems in Sri Lanka and create a safe environment for both patients and doctors.”

Hashani’s course was delivered by the University in partnership with the Sri Lanka-based Business Management School, and Edinburgh Napier teaching staff travelled to South Asia for the orientation programme and some lectures.

Hashani began her studies in January 2018, but 15 months later the peace of the island was shattered when nine suicide bombers detonated devices in six locations. The victims ranged from worshippers celebrating Easter in church to tourists eating in hotel restaurants.

The student said: “It happened just weeks before I was due to submit my research proposal, and the country was plunged into distress with curfews and multiple bomb scares which brought back memories of the civil war.  Security was increased everywhere and there was a ban on the internet as well for the public.”

Tensions gradually eased but by the time Hashani got clearance to carry out her research she was working round-the-clock as an intern doctor at a busy district hospital in the northern province of Kilinochchi. Her on-call duties covered obstetrics, gynaecology and internal medicine.

She said: “I was away from my family and loved ones and internet access was poor, hampering my attempts to complete my dissertation. Then Covid struck and I had to defer for a year and go and work frontline. My research focused on patients undergoing elective surgery, and this type of surgery was cancelled during the pandemic.

“It was not until this year, after overcoming multiple delays, bombings, a pandemic and a physically and mentally exhausting internship, that I finally managed to complete my MBA – before a third wave of Covid struck.”

Hashani is now working as a medical officer in a government hospital in Sri Lanka, a role which combines medical and administrative work. She said: “I am keen to promote patient-centred decision making.  I am also planning to start my own medical clinic in the future, and hope to use my expertise as a doctor and an administrator to provide the best of care for my patients.” 

Libby Campbell, lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health & Social Care, said: “Hashani should be proud of herself, achieving an MBA from Edinburgh Napier and doing so entirely online, when it was available, while working in frontline healthcare, during a major incident and its fallout, and during the pandemic.

“I’m glad I was able to help support her and I wish her well for the future.”  

Lothian women conquer Great Glencoe Challenge for deaf children’s charity

A team of friends from the Lothians conquered the Great Glencoe Challenge to raise funds for the National Deaf Children’s Society on 3 July. 

The four friends were Sarah Johnson from Dunbar, Rachel McWilliams from Bonnyrigg, and Louise Strutt and Susan Thomson, both from Musselburgh.

The quartet conquered the 26.2-mile challenge, from the heart of Glencoe, over the infamous Devils Staircase on the West Highland Way and finishing at the foot of Ben Nevis, in a time of 10 hours, 54 minutes. 

The women, who became firm friends through attending the same gym class, were inspired to take on the challenge for the National Deaf Children’s Society by Louise’s son Harry, 11, who has been deaf from an early age and wears hearing aids.

The family received support from the National Deaf Children’s Society during Harry’s early years. 

The team has raised over £3,000 for the National Deaf Children’s Society, which supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families. 

Louise said:  “We decided that we’d do this for the National Deaf Children’s Society a couple of years ago. It’s called ‘Scotland’s toughest trekathon.’ It was hard work but great fun. 

“Thankfully the weather held out for us, we took our time and had plenty of pit stops and celebrated with a glass or two of prosecco afterwards. We’ve been waiting well over a year to do this after all.   

“We all met at our local gym and have been friends ever since. I suggested we should fundraise for the National Deaf Children’s Society because of the incredible support they gave me and Harry when he was younger. Not to mention the guidance they gave his school to support his education.  

“The challenge was a tough one but nothing like the challenge deaf children face up and down the country every day.  

“The girls were all immediately on board with the idea. We all hope the money we raised makes a difference to more families like mine.” 

Elle Billinge, of the National Deaf Children’s Society’s fundraising team, added: “I want to say a huge thank you and congratulations to Sarah, Rachel, Louise and Susan for their incredible determination in taking on the Great Glencoe Challenge. It was a truly awesome challenge and you’re all heroes!  

“The National Deaf Children’s Society is dedicated to supporting the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families. The efforts of selfless fundraisers like these four women will help us to keep on doing our vital work, now and into the future.”

Edinburgh Park mass vaccination centre welcomes final patients

Edinburgh Park’s mass vaccination centre will welcome its final patients this weekend as the site prepares for closure on Sunday.

The mass vaccination centre, based within the Royal Bank of Scotland’s former Younger Building, will close this weekend, having seen thousands of patients come through its doors.

Over the last four months, since the site opened on Monday 1 March, the vaccination team has administered 82,595 doses of the lifesaving vaccine.

NHS Lothian is now in the process of moving to a more flexible delivery model and will utilise more mobile and surge vaccination clinics.  This will allow the board to target people who are still to receive their jab by making it as easy as possible to be vaccinated.

The decommissioning of the site will begin on Monday (12 July). Those in the west Edinburgh area wishing to visit a drop-in clinic at a mass vaccination centre can do so at the Royal Highland Showground.

Airport buses have been temporarily diverted to allow passengers to be dropped off directly outside Lowland Hall.

The Edinburgh Park site will still welcome both appointments and drop-ins until closure.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “The site at RBS has played a key role in the vaccination programme so far and we are really thankful to our team who made it work so well. I would also say thank you to Royal Bank of Scotland for cooperation throughout the site’s operation.

“Anyone wishing to be vaccinated from Monday can do so visiting one of our four mass vaccination drop-in clinics across the region, which are continuing to operate.

“This weekend (10 and 11 July), we will be running our mobile vaccination clinics with the Scottish Ambulance Service at The Centre, Livingston (Sat), and Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre (Sun).

“These are open to everyone over the age of 18 for first vaccination, and for those who are due their second vaccination having waited eight weeks.”