Community councillors are already making the most of the online courses developed by the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland.
There have been over 700 hits on the portal where you can sign up for free courses on digital skills, business skills, finance and fundraising, and community and society.
Community Councillors from all over Scotland have already benefited from the free online courses developed by the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland
Drop-in clinics will begin to offer Pfizer vaccines to 16 and 17 year olds this weekend, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf confirmed yesterday.
The Scottish Government has written to health boards to say that this age group can now be vaccinated in drop-ins, provided staff training and information resources are in place. Availability will be advertised locally before the full national roll-out on Tuesday.
Anyone in this age group who lives in mainland Scotland can also book an appointment via the online portal at NHS Inform. Eligible young people in Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles will be contacted by their health board and invited to attend clinics.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “In line with the latest advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), those who are 16 and 17 will be offered a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
“We know that drop-in clinics make it easier for young people to fit getting vaccinated into their busy lives. I am therefore pleased to announce that some clinics will be able to start to offer 16-17 year olds the Pfizer vaccine this weekend. Arrangements differ across the country, and you should check your local health board’s social media channels to see what is available in your local area.
“Then, from Tuesday 10 August, all drop-in clinics in Scotland that offer the Pfizer vaccine will be open to 16-17-year-olds.
“I would urge all eligible young people to take up the offer of vaccination. You can find out where your nearest drop-in clinics are by visiting NHS Inform which will direct you to the latest information from your local health board – or through your local board’s social media channels.
“Our route out of this pandemic is getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, that is why I am urging young people to take up the offer of the vaccine by dropping into a clinic or by booking an appointment.”
More people than ever in Scotland will be offered the free flu vaccine to help protect as many lives as possible this winter.
Those people eligible for the free flu vaccine now include:
those aged 50 and over
those aged 6 months to 49 years who have certain underlying health conditions which increase risk
pregnant women
children aged 2-5 (not yet at school)
health and social care staff
unpaid and young carers
all primary and secondary school age children, (in school setting)
independent NHS contractors, (GP, dental and optometry practices, community pharmacists), laboratory staff (working on COVID-19 testing) including support staff
teachers, nursery teachers and support staff in close contact with pupils
prison staff and support staff in close contact with the prison population (delivering direct detention services)
those in the prison population
The flu vaccination programme will run from this September until March 2022. All those who are eligible are being urged to take up the offer as soon as possible when invited to protect themselves and others and help the NHS and social care services avoid additional pressure over the winter period.
Almost every year in Scotland thousands of people are hospitalised with flu. This winter our immunity may be even lower than usual due to lower levels of the flu virus circulating last year as a result of the crucial public health measures in place to protect the population from COVID-19. Therefore this year, more than ever, it is important to get the flu vaccine to ensure everyone is protected.
Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer has written to the healthcare professionals who will be delivering the flu vaccine to ensure they are prepared to deliver our largest ever flu programme from September.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Flu can be extremely serious and is very infectious. With COVID-19 still circulating in the community we can best protect the people of Scotland by encouraging everyone eligible to get vaccinated against flu too.
“That’s why this flu season, we are extending the vaccination programme and offering the flu vaccine to around four million people in Scotland. This will help to protect those most at risk as well as ease pressure on our National Health Service and social care services. The vaccines are safe and the best way to help protect you, and others, from flu this winter.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nicola Steedman said: “The public health measures put in place to help fight against COVID-19 meant that the circulation of flu viruses was very low last season.
“As restrictions continue to lift and we get back to living our lives more normally it is important this year, more than ever, that you receive your flu vaccine if you are eligible, and before flu starts to spread widely. It only takes a few minutes to be vaccinated, and it helps to provide protection from flu for the period of time that flu is likely to be circulating in Scotland.
“The JCVI has also published interim advice on providing a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to those eligible in the autumn. Any such extension to the vaccine programme would run alongside the vital flu programme, to protect those at risk from flu this winter.
“We will take this into account while we await the final JCVI recommendations. But we urge people not to forget about flu, and to come forward for their flu vaccination this year.”
Casino staff at Grosvenor Casino Edinburgh Maybury will finally be able to celebrate hitting the jackpot at the stroke of midnight tonight when all curfew restrictions are lifted by the Scottish Government.
Grosvenor Casinos which operate five venues across Scotland in Aberdeen, Dundee Edinburgh and Glasgow, will return to normal trading hours and capacity for the first time since March 2020. More than 700 people are employed by the casino industry in Scotland which contributed £30m in tax to the UK economy last year.
The confirmation from First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, that Scotland will move beyond level 0 from midnight on Monday 9th August, with all physical distancing and limits on gatherings removed, means the team at Grosvenor Casinos can continue to welcome back guests old and new to enjoy their favourite games, such as blackjack, poker and roulette, whilst raising a glass to the easing of restrictions.
Tony Reilly, General Manager at Grosvenor Casino Edinburgh, said: “It’s been a really difficult 18 months for the hospitality industry. Despite reopening most of our venues in May, the lifting of the final restrictions by Scottish Government is a huge relief for all our team members.
“It means we can start trading normally again and at full capacity which will enable us to create the thrilling atmosphere for guests to have fun, play their favourite casino games and enjoy quality time together again.
“Whilst we must remain vigilant and will continue to have robust health and safety measures in place in line with government guidance, we can’t wait to welcome customers old and new through our doors to enjoy the great gaming and entertainment experience they know and love with Grosvenor.”
Grosvenor Casino venues which opened from May 17th in line with Scottish Government guidance include:
· Grosvenor Casino Aberdeen
· Grosvenor Casino Dundee
· Grosvenor Casino Edinburgh Maybury
· Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City
· Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Riverboat
As well as gaming, guests can savour the delicious food and drink options with a range of dishes available that will cater to every taste. Fans of sport will also be pleased to hear that live sporting events will be available to watch when they visit the casino – just in time for the start of the new football season.
Casino businesses have invested millions of pounds to ensure venues are safe for its team and customers to play. Arriving at the casino, all customers will be registered at reception before using the hand sanitiser which will be readily available, whilst regular cleaning will take place each day, including tables, chips and machines.
Every casino will continue to make screens available for customers to use on gaming tables and electronic machines, should they wish.
Grosvenor Casinos will continue to accept cash and will encourage customers to use contactless payment, where possible. There will be safety shields at all tills to protect both team members and customers, and face masks will be worn throughout.
Guests will be able to enjoy food and drink with dining seating appropriately spaced. Pre-orders can be made at their table or from their machine, either using the online app, or by placing an order with the valet service.
Physical distancing will remain in place at health care settings across Scotland from Monday (August 9) when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted elsewhere in the country.
Hospitals, GP surgeries and dentists will be among the locations which will continue to observe the current two metre distancing requirement to help control the spread of the virus.
The measure will be reviewed as the NHS remobilises safely from the pandemic.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The safety of patients and healthcare staff is paramount.
“As we move beyond level 0, we must remember that the virus has not gone away and safeguards like distancing may be needed in some settings as we learn to live with COVID-19.
“Physical distancing in our health system will remain for now as we move safely out of lockdown.
“We will keep the situation under review and will publish a plan for the safe recovery of our NHS in the coming weeks.”
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Anne Armstrong said: “Hospitals and other health care settings have developed new ways of working to meet the challenges of the pandemic, but there is still a risk of hospitalised cases and winter threats.
“Physical distancing will help protect staff and patients as part of the ongoing management of confirmed or suspected COVID cases.”
Three men, aged 23, 22 and 21-years-old, have been arrested and charged in connection with two alleged assaults and homophobic crime following an incident involving two men on Leith Street, which happened on Friday 30 July 2021.
The men have been released on an undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
.Detective Inspector Mark McGraw said: “Any form of hate crime has a huge impact on those targeted.
“An attack on people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race or beliefs, is abhorrent and will not be tolerated.”
A study has shown that Mojitos are the most popular summer cocktails in the UK based on search data.
Piña Coladas and Espresso Martinis ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Home kitchenware sales rose by 41% in the last year, indicating the UK is eager to recreate various food and drink, including cocktails, at home this summer.
A new study has revealed that the Mojito is the UK’s favourite summer cocktail.
The research by professional kitchen suppliers Maxima Kitchen Equipment analysed Google search data to find out the nation’s favourite cocktail to make at home during summer.
It revealed that the Mojito is the most popular with a 91,600 Google searches each month. The Cuban drink that combines zesty lime and mint has few ingredients making it an easy cocktail to create at home.
The Piña Colada came in second with 89,150 searches. The cocktail that contains three ingredients – coconut cream, white rum and pineapple juice – makes it an incredibly affordable cocktail in comparison to many.
The third most popular cocktail to make at home, Espresso Martini, was searched on average 82,700 times. The refreshing and energising cocktail is perfect for a long summer evening. In Britain, people drink around 95 million cups of coffee per day, so it is hardly a surprise that the alcoholic alternative to coffee is also hugely popular.
The fourth most popular cocktail was Sex on the Beach. The cocktail that combines cranberry, orange and peach flavours was searched 82,200 times a month in the UK.
The Pornstar Martini, which ranked as the fifth most searched for cocktail to make at home, was reportedly the most ordered cocktail in bars before the UK lockdown. The passion-fruit infused cocktail was searched 77,550 times a month, reflecting its popularity in bars.
During the pandemic, the industry growth of pubs and bars in the UK has decreased by 69.5% meaning the interest in homemade cocktails has risen dramatically.
However, over the lockdown period, sales in home kitchenware rose by 41% as the UK public looked to recreate their favourite food and drink at home whilst pubs and restaurants were closed.
A spokesperson from Maxima Kitchen Equipment commented: ‘The cocktail industry has grown more and more profitable over recent years however, these search numbers are bigger than anticipated, suggesting that cocktails are now a staple of British culture regardless of if they are consumed at home or at bars.’
The nation’s most searched summer cocktails
Cocktail
Number of searches
Mojito
91,600
Pina Colada
89,150
Espresso Martini
82,700
Sex on the Beach
82,200
Pornstar Martini
77,550
Margarita
65,600
Negroni
63,700
Old Fashioned
60,890
Long Island Iced Tea
58,400
Sangria
53,970
The analysis was conducted by Maxima Kitchen Equipment which has more than 40 years of experience in the supply and maintenance of professional kitchen equipment.
Superdry has announced the opening of its first concept store in Scotland. The new 8219 sq ft store will open in St James Quarter on Monday, 9th August.
Superdry is built on style. Characterised by quality fabrics, authentic vintage washes, unique detailing, world leading hand-drawn graphics and tailored fits with diverse styling. The new concept store will host Superdry’s five style choice collections: Original & Vintage, Studios, CODE, Sport Performance and Superdry X – the only store in Scotland to house five all collections under one roof.
Superdry will join level two of the £1bn shopping district and will create over 20 new job opportunities in the capital. Superdry is the latest addition to the enviable list of world-renowned brands who have recently joined the St James Quarter family, including Aesop, Hamleys, The Kooples and Maki & Ramen.
To celebrate the opening, the first 100 customers who spend £50 or over will receive a free organic cotton gift and Superdry tote bag.
“The Superdry opening next week continues to underscore Edinburgh’s global appeal and further bolsters the St James Quarter retail offer. We’re excited to welcome guests to the new store next week.”
SEPA is working closely with businesses and individuals abstracting water to find alternative water sources in areas affected by significant water scarcity, including in Galloway where local farmers say the drought is the “most severe witnessed in a generation”.
Significant and Moderate Scarcity remains in place in many areas of northern and south-western Scotland.
The Helmsdale and Naver catchments have improved from Significant to Moderate Scarcity.
The Firth of Forth, Almond and Tyne (Lothian) catchments have been raised to Alert.
Many areas in the south and east of Scotland remain at Alert.
The latest water situation report shows that action is needed now to protect water resources. Areas affected by water scarcity due to recent warm, dry weather are often not the same areas as those hit by flooding last week.
Over the coming week, some surface water recovery is likely in areas where there is rainfall. However, a significant and sustained period of rainfall is needed to alleviate the very dry ground conditions and low river flows that persist across much of the country.
Alert Levels
Significant and Moderate Scarcities remain in place in many areas of northern and south-western Scotland with areas around the Firth of Forth, Almond and Tyne (Lothian) catchments raised to Alert.
• Significant Scarcity – Wigtownshire area of Galloway, and the Wick area of Caithness
• Moderate Scarcity – Helmsdale and Naver, Western Isles, Orkney, Doon, Ayr, Clyde and Irvine
• Alert – most catchments in the south of Scotland, many catchments down the east coast as well as a few west coast catchments
• Early Warning – the rest of the country with the exception of Spey, Loch Linnhe and Lochy which remain in normal conditions.
The latest weekly Water Scarcity Situation Report from SEPA shows that, despite heavy rainfall and thundery showers across much of mainland Scotland last week and rainfall forecast this weekend, the majority of the country is still seeing the impacts of water scarcity.
A short period of heavy rainfall is not sufficient to make up the shortfall of rainfall and much of it may quickly run off dry soils without soaking in. This is why it is possible to have heavy rain and even the possibility of some surface water flooding at the same time as water scarcity.
SEPA is engaging directly with operators that hold abstraction licenses to advise of the ongoing situation, ensure best practice is being followed and help find solutions. SEPA is implementing a fast track of CAR licences to support businesses in areas of Significant Water Scarcity and will implement a temporary suspension of abstraction to protect the environment in areas of Significant Water Scarcity where required.
SEPA has been working closely this week with Girvan Early Growers, a co-operative of local farmers in Ayrshire, on alternative sources of water to irrigate their crops. Continuous dry weather meant that it was looking likely that a temporary suspension of their SEPA abstraction licence would be required due to the severity of the water scarcity issue. Rainfall on Friday in the area meant SEPA did not have to suspend the licence.
The collective, which has a range of measures to save water, is facing an extremely challenging growing season.
Andrew Young, Chairman of Girvan Early Growerssaid: “Over the last 30 years we have invested as heavily in irrigation equipment as we could to try and make best use of the water available for our high value crops.
“Through good dialogue with our local SEPA representative, we have managed to sort out water availability and kept our customers supplied with the quality required. However, this year, despite the investment and support to avoid this situation, we are struggling as the drought is the most severe we have witnessed in a generation.”
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency,said: “Everyone agrees that water is a vital resource and everyone has a part to play in reducing their water usage where possible. Even in Scotland – a country everyone associates with rain, water is a finite resource.
“Water scarcity is resulting in pressures on the environment and water users and businesses abstracting water must take action now to conserve water. We will continue to work closely with businesses who abstract water to advise on the best possible use of their resources and share best practice.
“Agricultural abstraction on average reduces at this time of year, however we are working to assist with solutions for significant areas of impact such as Galloway where potato crops are being adversely impacted.
“SEPA is monitoring the situation closely and rivers in the north are particularly low so plants and animals in those waters will be more at risk as a result. We are also receiving increased reports of Cyanobacteria blue green algae blooms which can occur naturally in warm dry weather.
“We are very much living through more extreme weather patterns – and one does not balance out the other. This is just one of the many consequences of climate change Scotland is facing, and it is becoming more common.”
Abstractors must act now
Water abstractors licenced by SEPA should have a plan to deal with the range of conditions they may experience. They should monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakage.
By taking the right steps now, abstractors can help make the water supplies on which they and others depend last as long as possible through this period.
Work together to secure the water available – speak with other water users in your catchment to discuss allocating different times for abstracting to minimise any potential impacts.
Check irrigation equipment is not leaking.
Consider trickle irrigation.
Irrigate at night to avoid evaporation if you can.
Do not over-spray.
Start planning now to find an available source of water in case you need to – if you need a new borehole to do this, if your business is having difficulty obtaining water supply or is concerned about meeting licence conditions you should contact SEPA as soon as possible at WaterScarcity@sepa.org.uk.
SEPA can provide advice on a series of straightforward steps that can be taken to reduce pressure on Scotland’s water environment and staff are available to provide advice and guidance. However, if businesses deliberately fail to follow the abstraction guidelines set out by SEPA this may result in enforcement action.
Abstractors in catchments at Alert level or above, have been contacted to advise them of the conditions and relevant actions they should take as outlined in our National Water Scarcity Plan and requested to carry out checks to their equipment, consider upcoming water needs and follow best practice (such as irrigating at night).
We are also checking all abstractions in Significant Scarcity areas to determine what actions can be taken and work is ongoing with Scottish Water to protect supplies.
Rainfall and records
The River Strathy is currently at its lowest since records began in 1985.
On Lewis and Harris, over the last four months rainfall has been only 60% of the long-term average. Rainfall in Wigtownshire has been below average for June and July so far.
Across the Wigtown catchment, June rainfall has been less than 50%, and July less than 30%, of the long-term monthly rainfall averages.
Scotland as a whole had less than half the normal rainfall for June (45%)
SEPA warned in the Spring that water scarcity conditions could deteriorate quickly if a period of prolonged dry weather returned later in the year.
Scotland experienced an extremely dry April, with less than a third of the usual rainfall across a large part of the southern country. This caused water levels to fall rapidly and ground conditions became increasingly dry.
Ground conditions continued to dry rapidly over the last two weeks of July despite heavy thunderstorms in some parts of the country.
Recent rainfall has not been sufficient to markedly improve conditions, and so Significant and Moderate Scarcity levels remain in place for many areas in the north and southwest of Scotland, as well as Orkney and the Western Isles. Much of the east and northeast of the country is now at Alert.
Over the coming week, some surface water recovery is likely in areas where rainfall is forecast. However, a significant and sustained period of rainfall is needed to alleviate the very dry ground conditions and low river flows that persist across much of the country. The short-term forecast will see changeable conditions continuing to dominate, with a mixture of sunny and dry periods, showery periods and the chance of longer spells of rain. The second half of August will see more settled conditions where drier conditions may become more prevalent, although there is still the risk of showers or thunderstorms at times.
Public and private water supplies
Scottish Water is reminding people across Scotland to use water efficiently after confirming that demand is so high during the warm weather that it’s had to produce more than 200 million litres of extra water per day nationwide in the latter half of July to maintain normal supplies. More information on saving water is available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/savewater.
Those concerned about private water supply levels should contact their local authority.
Concerns about watercourses
SEPA continually assesses the impacts of prolonged periods of drier than average weather on our environment. The public can report dry private water supplies and rivers and burns in your area. This will help us have the best possible understanding of the impacts of dry weather.
The prolonged period of dry weather that has led to water scarcity across the country can put a lot of pressure on rivers, which are running exceptionally low and experiencing high water temperatures. We may see impacts on wildlife across the country as a result, including dead fish. Heavy rain showers, such as those we have seen this week, following the prolonged period of dry weather, will wash pollutants that have been accumulating on roads and pavements and in drains into watercourses. This first flush of pollutants, particularly into rivers that are still low, can lead to fish kills.
Many more of us who have been working from home will be set to return to offices either part-time or full-time over the coming weeks and months (writes Dr HELEN FLAHERTY).
There has never been a better time to start integrating exercise into your commute, as we begin to establish new routines both at work and home. With this in mind, here are some tips for doing just that:
Park further from work
Not everyone lives within cycling distance of their workplace, and you may rely on a car to get from A to B.
If this is the case, try parking further from work and cycling the last part of your commute.
Track your distance
It can be really motivating to see how far you have cycled over a week or month and you may be surprised about just how far you can go with an extra few miles each day!
Apps like Strava are great for tracking how far you have cycled over a long period of time.
Adapt your routine
If getting on your bike is simply a matter of starting out a little earlier, consider what might have to change within your routine to accommodate for this.
This may be getting to bed earlier, preparing your meals the night before, or having a lighter breakfast before you set off.
Invest in a new bike
Buying some new equipment can be a great first step towards committing to a new habit.
If you find your rusty old bike is putting you off commuting, you may look to see if your employer is signed up to the Cycle-to-Work scheme where you can get a brand new bike at a lower, monthly cost than you may otherwise pay.
You may also be able to donate your old bike to a local bike renovation scheme.
