Held In Our Hearts are excited to launch their first live event this year.
The Fire Walk will take place on 4th December from 6pm at Craiglockhart Leisure Centre and we are delighted to have Scott and the team back again from UK Firewalk.
Capital will offer a haven to Afghans escaping the turmoil in their homeland
The City of Edinburgh Council has been asked to offer shelter to a number of people fleeing Afghanistan.
The capital will offer a number of places for permanent resettlement, as well as responding to the Home Office’s urgent request to accommodate a cohort of people on a temporary basis, as the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorates.
Due to the speed with which plans are being developed, details – including exact numbers and location – are still to be confirmed. Work will continue with the Home Office and partners and particularly services such as education and health to coordinate arrival and support planning.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Nobody can fail to be shocked and appalled to witness the desperate situation unfolding in Afghanistan. As a city we stand ready to help in whatever way we can.
“We’re in contact with both the UK and Scottish Governments to develop plans for how best we and our partners can offer support and housing to as many Afghans in need as possible. Edinburgh stands ready to welcome people to ensure they are immediately safe as well as welcoming new citizens to live in our city.
“We hope to be a position to confirm the level of Edinburgh’s involvement very soon. Meanwhile we continue to work rapidly with partners in the city to ensure that support is in place for people fleeing for their lives.”
Council Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Scotland’s Capital has a long and proud history of welcoming people escaping desperate circumstances such as this.
“Our highly skilled team has an excellent track record over the last five years, successfully welcoming, supporting and settling more than 500 new residents displaced by the Syrian civil war into our city.
“I’m sure our communities will join us in doing everything they can to support those fleeing the horrendous situation we are all seeing in Afghanistan.”
Join us a Wardie Bay… Connecting with nature is good for us.
Eco-therapy practitioner Stephen McCabe Nature Therapy Online is passionate about the ways that Scotland’s traditional myths and stories can connect us with our beautiful landscapes.
Join us at Wardie Bay as Stephen shares a traditional story from the area related to the sea.
We will then, as a group, take a relaxing walk and share our own stories with each other related to the sea.
Personal memories are welcome, as well as our favourite stories with water themes!
Group activities and walking will last from 11-12, followed by lunch by the water. The lunches and snacks are on us!
If you would like any extra support to access this event please let Jenna know. Email Jenna at jennacorker@pchp.org.uk
Play parks across Scotland will be modernised and restored through £5 million of funding, following agreement between the Scottish Government and Cosla.
Each local authority will receive a share of the funding to improve the standard of existing play parks, enhancing play opportunities for children and young people.
The funding is the first round of the Scottish Government’s total planned investment of £60 million for play park renovation over this parliamentary term and delivers on another commitment for the first 100 days of this government.
Minister for Children Clare Haughey said: “We know that play is an absolutely crucial part of children’s health and well-being and as we continue to recover from the pandemic, playing outside will allow children to reconnect with each other and allow them to return to enjoying their childhood.
“Our overall investment of £60 million will ensure that all children across Scotland have access to quality play in their own community and helps to deliver on children’s right to play, enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“We will continue to listen to children and young people throughout this process to ensure our funding is spent on play spaces that work for all.”
Covid-19 has had a profound impact on Scotland’s economy, but the cost of the crisis has not been shared evenly. What can we do about it?
About this event
Join us on Tuesday the 24th of August to hear from leading economists and trade unionists about the parts of Scotland’s economy that have prospered during the Covid-19 pandemic, the potential long-term economic impacts, and how trade unions and policymakers can respond.
Speakers will include:
• Laurie Macfarlane, Economics Editor at openDemocracy and Head of Finance at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Prior to this Laurie was Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation.
• Christine Berry, economist, writer, and co-author of ‘People Get Ready! Preparing for a Corbyn Government’. Christine was recently appointed as Director of the thinktank IPPR North.
• Jennifer McCarey, Chair of Glasgow Trades Council.
• Richard Hardy, National Secretary of Prospect, a Commissioner on the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission, and sits on the STUC General Council.
“By far the best course of action for you and your baby is to get both doses of the vaccine”
Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer is urging pregnant women to get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to protect them and their baby.
Following a recent study showing evidence of increased hospitalisations, Dr Gregor Smith is encouraging all expectant mothers to discuss the vaccine with their healthcare professionals so they can make a fully informed choice.
The UK Obstetric Service (UKOSS) published research last month which showed the number of pregnant women being admitted to hospital with COVID-19 across the UK is increasing, with many experiencing acute symptoms.
The report also suggests the Delta variant is associated with an increased risk of severe illness among hospitalised pregnant women.
Dr Smith said: “Firstly I want to thank all our healthcare staff for everything they are doing across Scotland not just in relation to the wider vaccination programme but also for their efforts to ensure good outcomes for women, families and babies during the pandemic.
“We have written to heath boards and GPs to ensure they are aware of all the latest evidence-based advice and guidance to enable them to fully discuss the very clear positive benefits of the vaccine with their patients.
“Recent data shows the number of pregnant women being admitted to hospital with COVID-19 has risen, and that is concerning. Evidence suggests that the Delta variant may be associated with an increased risk of severe illness among hospitalised pregnant women.
“We want all pregnant women to have the information they need to make an informed choice, so if you have any concerns or questions, please speak to your midwife, GP, or go along to a drop-in clinic. By far the best course of action for you and your baby is to get both doses of the vaccine.”
Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has been confirmed as the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He was elected unopposed.
Mr Cole-Hamilton takes over from Willie Rennie, who stepped down after the Scottish Parliament elections in May which saw the Lib-Dem contingent reduced to just four MSPs at Holyrood.
Following the announcement Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “With everything we have been through Scotland needs new hope right now. As the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I want to offer that to the people of our country.
“We no longer have to choose between the Scottish nationalisms of the SNP and the Brexit nationalism of the Conservatives, the Scottish Liberal Democrats are the positive, unifying alternative.
“Our country is a beautiful and dynamic place to live, our people are proud, and our history is magnificent, but over time we have become subdued by the collapse of industry, failing health and disinterest from those in power.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we need to do things differently. Going back to the way things were cannot be the limit of our ambition. We need to bring our country together so we can focus on the issues and the challenges we are all facing.
“Here are some of my priorities:
Tackle the climate emergency, without the baggage of nationalism
Value and reward our carers
Make Scotland the best place in the world to receive an education, once again
Give people the freedom to live the lives they want, without government interference
Give local communities a bigger say
Make Scotland a powerhouse for research and innovation
Closer cooperation with our partners across the UK and in Europe
“We can achieve all of this and more, but only if we get beyond the divisions of the past.
“If you agree with me, you can be a part of the new hope I want to bring to Scotland. Join me and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.”
Lib-Dem leader Ed Davey said: “A huge congratulations to @agcolehamilton on his election as Leader of @ScotLibDems. Alex is a true liberal and tireless campaigner.
“I look forward to working closely with him to fight the climate crisis, value carers, and deliver world-class education and services for Scotland.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton’s appointment was announced by his colleague Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine on the same day as the SNP – Scottish Greens working agreement was confirmed.
Ms Jardine said: “Alex is not just someone who’s in this because of politics, he’s in this because of what he believes and it will be his vision, his views, his direction that will take the party forward into the next phase.
“We all have a job to do in supporting Alex, we all have a job to do in getting the message out there, and we all have a job to do in ensuring that this next phase of our history is a strong, positive one.
“Alex is the one who’s going to lead us forward in portraying that to the Scottish people, winning their support again, and making sure that we change Scottish politics.”
The Scottish Parliament has been in recess since 26 June but resumes on 29 August.
New plans to crack down on puppy smuggling and ban the import of dogs with cropped ears or docked tails have been set out by the UK Government today.
The new powers, which also include raising the minimum age for importing a puppy from 15 weeks to six months and banning the import of heavily pregnant dogs to help protect puppy and mother welfare, are aimed at safeguarding the welfare of the thousands of puppies and dogs that come into Great Britain from overseas each year.
More than 66,000 dogs were commercially imported into the UK last year according to Animal and Plant Health Agency figures. However, evidence shows a recent rise in low-welfare imports and smuggling activity, with border authorities seeing around a 260% increase in the number of young puppies being intercepted for not meeting the UK’s pet import rules – from 324 in 2019 to 843 in 2020.
The proposals are part of a raft of measures included in an eight-week GB-wide consultation which seeks views from the public and stakeholders on government proposals to tackle puppy smuggling and low-welfare imports by unscrupulous breeders and traders.
In addition, the consultation asks the public and stakeholders for views on new penalties for breaching these rules, changes to the detention and rehoming process and whether the proposals should be extended to cover cats and ferrets.
Launching the consultation, Animal Welfare Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith said: “Puppy smuggling is a grim trade, and we are determined to clamp down on it.
“Raising the minimum import age for puppies will help protect thousands of animals that are brought into the country each year and stop criminals looking to profit from the rise in demand for pets.
“We already have one of the toughest pet travel border checking regimes in the world and as an independent nation outside the EU we are going even further by preventing anyone from bringing in dogs which have undergone inhumane procedures such as ear cropping or tail docking.
“These new measures build on our plans to raise animal welfare standards across the board as part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare.”
RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “In recent years we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of dogs being commercially imported into the UK as well as the number of dogs being reported for having undergone mutilated procedures such as cropped ears.
“These are major dog welfare issues that need addressing as a matter of urgency in order to protect dogs from unnecessary suffering and to protect the public from falling victim to criminals who are trying to cash in on these dogs’ value.
“We’re really pleased that the Government – which pledged to tackle these issues among many others in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare – is launching this consultation and we hope that these new measures will be implemented efficiently so that we can crackdown on the illegal dog trade once and for all.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust said: “We are delighted that today’s consultation could bring us one step closer to ending the abhorrent puppy smuggling trade.
!Over the last six years, Dogs Trust has spearheaded the campaign to crack down on puppy smuggling, after our first undercover investigation in 2014 exposed widespread abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme by unscrupulous dealers, bringing in puppies for sale.
“Since setting up our Puppy Pilot in 2015 we have cared for more than 2000 puppies which were seized at UK borders, often in horrendous conditions. We have seen puppies as young as 4 weeks old being smuggled into the country and dogs with open wounds from ear cropping as well as heavily pregnant dogs close to giving birth.
“We are pleased that the consultation has set out proposals to tackle these issues and hope it results in tougher penalties for these crimes, as currently only a handful of cases have ever been prosecuted and the existing penalties are sadly no deterrent.
“We will continue to work closely with the Government to be the voice for dogs and put forward our recommendations to ensure the proposed legislation effects real change.”
Media vet, animal welfare campaigner, and founder of the Lucy’s Law and #BanPuppyImports campaigns, Dr Marc Abraham OBE says: “This important Government consultation is hugely welcome and will hopefully bring us another step closer to ending widespread cruelty to puppies and their parents.
“For decades, both the legal and illegal importation of young puppies has enabled and encouraged low-welfare breeding practices and dog exploitation across Europe, with puppies often separated from their mothers too early, then sent long distances often riddled with all kinds of disease, straight to their unsuspecting new owners in the UK.
“By introducing these positive dog welfare proposals we can make significant progress in the fight against these cruel practices. I would like to thank the UK Government for listening to the evidence presented by campaigners and hope we can secure these positive changes needed to protect the puppies, their parents, and the British dog-owning public.”
Puppies that are imported too young face a significantly higher risk of developing illnesses or even death.
Raising the minimum age for bringing puppies in to the UK will therefore ensure that they are not separated from their mothers too early and will allow them to develop further ahead of being taken on potentially long and stressful journeys which can have a lasting impact on their temperament and behaviour.
The RSPCA has also recently reported a 620% rise in reports of dogs found to have had their ears cropped, covering from 2015 to 2020.
Ear cropping is a painful process where a dog’s outer ears are surgically altered or removed altogether to make them look more aggressive. The surgical procedure, which has been illegal in this country since 2006, can hinder their ability to communicate with other dogs and their owners.
The majority of these dogs are suspected to have undergone the procedure overseas and under the new rules set out in the consultation launched today they would be banned from entering the country.
Last year the Dogs Trust warned the public about the risk of buying dogs online after rescuing dozens of puppies that were illegally imported into the country.
Victims of this cruel trade included a group of six underage puppies seized at Dover port after being found covered in sticky oil and suffering from diarrhoea (above). The puppies had been illegally imported from Romania and were travelling in the back of a van for more than 24 hours. They had to be shaved to remove the oil from their fur.
In September 2020, four beagle puppies were also found in the back of an abandoned vehicle in Greater London. At eight weeks old, they weighed just two kilograms each and were very hungry and dehydrated.
They are believed to have been illegally imported from the Republic of Ireland, to be sold onto prospective buyers in the UK. After spending three weeks in the care of the Dogs Trust, they went on to loving new homes.
