01/09/2021 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

House of Hearing: Over 60% of people can’t remember ever having had their hearing checked

Research commissioned by audiology experts at House of Hearing has revealed that even though the majority of Scots believe hearing is important to having a happy and healthy life, over 60% don’t remember ever having it checked.

The research, which surveyed 209 people in Scotland between 26 and 27 July, including 28% from Edinburgh and the Lothians, asked the public how important hearing was for a happy and healthy life on a scale of 1-10.

Over 70% gave it a score of 8 or higher, and just over a third (37%) responded with the highest value (10). Despite this, the survey found that 67% of people don’t remember having their hearing checked, while only 15% reported having it checked in the last 2-5 years.

Additionally, when asked if they have noticed more problems with their hearing during the pandemic, 77% responded that they had noticed no further changes.

Senior Audiologist Stuart Lyness, House of Hearing, said: “These results demonstrate that while people know how important hearing is to have a happy and fulfilled life, there seems to be hesitation when it comes to proactive care.

“It’s great to see that so many people haven’t noticed a difference during the pandemic, but without regularly getting your hearing checked, you will never be 100% sure. Given this, we always recommend getting your hearing tested every 2 years, increasing this to every year after 70 years of age to ensure you aren’t missing out on any aspect of your life.”

House of Hearing has been providing specialist hearing care for over 50 years, with free comprehensive hearing tests available at its new clinic on Melville Crescent.

The new clinic is fully equipped to provide patients with access to the highest quality audiological facilities. The most comprehensive hearing tests and aural care is available in dedicated soundproof consulting rooms with fully qualified Audiologists using the latest equipment.

House of Hearing also recently launched a new private ENT service, the first of its kind in Scotland, at its new clinic in Glasgow. This clinic will also be the first private clinic in Scotland solely dedicated to providing specialist ENT, Audiology and Aural Care Services, in partnership with local ENT consultants, Clyde Consulting Rooms.

Melanie Jackson, Clinical Lead and Head of Nursing at House of Hearing said: “Ultimately, we want to drive home the message that many people will experience some form of hearing loss throughout their lives, but for most people, this doesn’t have to affect their quality of life.

“We also know the pandemic has likely led to an increase in self-management of issues such as excess ear wax. These should always be managed by a professional as otherwise you run the risk pushing the wax further into the ear or damaging the eardrum.

“At House of Hearing, our specialists are all registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA) to ensure the best care for every patient. We would encourage everyone to consider visiting for either a consultation to assess their wax removal requirements or a free hearing health assessment.”

House of Hearing is the only ENT nurse-led wax removal team in Scotland and their clinic in Edinburgh is the only wax removal service in the country registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

The Glasgow clinic is also expected to be registered in the coming weeks.

For more information, visit https://www.houseofhearing.co.uk/

Thorntons Solicitors launch charity will campaign this month

Cash for Kids is expected to receive a five figure sum again this year from Thorntons Solicitors as the beneficiary of the firm’s Charity Wills Campaign.

Taking place across its offices in Fife, Dundee, Perth, Angus, Edinburgh and (for the first time in the campaign’s history) Glasgow, Thorntons won’t charge a fee for Wills written throughout September. Instead, the firm asks clients to make a fee equivalent donation to Cash for Kids.

Murray Etherington, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts and Succession at Thorntons, said: “If you take part in our Charity Wills Campaign this September, you’ll not only be looking after your own future, but helping the most disadvantaged children in your area receive access to essential and life-changing funds.

“People may assume that they don’t need a Will. But if you own property, have savings, are responsible for children or other dependents, then you should put one in place. It’s also important keep any existing Wills up to date, and we have created an easy, eight step guide to lead customers throughout the process. During the campaign clients can make their Will from the comfort and safety of their homes with consultations taking place virtually.”

Now in its 25^th year, Thorntons’ Charity Wills Month has raised more than half a million pounds for Cash for Kids since it launched, supporting local children and organisations within the communities Thorntons operates. In 2020, Thorntons’ first virtual campaign raised £60,000 for the charity.

The suggested donation is £200 for a single Will and £250 for a couple making Wills together. Donations will go to the Cash for Kids fund closest to where the client lives, meaning children in their local area will directly benefit from any money raised.

Victoria Hendry, Cash For Kids Radio Forth Charity Manager, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Thorntons again on their Charity Wills initiative. To say this campaign has been a success over the years would be an understatement.

“Through Thorntons’ innovation, commitment and hard work – along with the generosity of their clients- this campaign goes from strength to strength and supports more local children every year.

“When the pandemic hit, we wondered if Thorntons would be able to run this campaign. However, moving Charity Wills to virtual appointments worked brilliantly and we are so glad to be involved in this way again in 2021. We really are so delighted to be the beneficiary of this wonderful campaign and we cannot thank the team at Thorntons and their clients enough for their support.

“We have managed to help thousands of local children live a happier and fuller life thanks to Charity Wills month. We can’t wait to see it grow even more this year.”

Gearing up for Hidden Door Festival

Got your tickets for the Hidden Door Opening Party?? We’ve got some very special things lined up …

Our festival kicks off with a reprise of The Call: an inspiring project born in lockdown with composer Esther Swift conducting 20 of the best Scottish musicians and from across the gasworks site with huge flags.

The stages will burst to life with performances by Edinburgh-based pop-luminaries MALKA and Hamish Hawk, plus magical singer-songwriter Tiberius b, all paving the way for one of Scotland’s most significant talents, Pictish Trail.

We fully expect the opening night to be the celebration we have all been waiting for.

Also look out for spoken word from Jen McGregor and check out Something Smashing – a live performance that brings together musicians and dancers, a platform for improvisers and the audience to explore the unexpected!

And be sure to explore the whole site to discover visual works from over 30 artists!

New research finds pet dogs can predict owner’s epileptic seizures

New research led by Queen’s University Belfast has shown that dogs can predict epileptic seizures, offering a warning sign to owners that has the potential to save lives.

Epileptic seizures are associated with a specific smell which is detectable by pet dogs. The study analysed the reaction of dogs to odours and found that the dogs could predict when a seizure was imminent.

A reliable early warning system to make people with epilepsy aware of an impending seizure has the potential to save lives, reduce injury, provide an opportunity for medical intervention and return a sense of independence to those living with unpredictable seizures.

Epilepsy is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening neurological condition which affects approximately 65 million people worldwide, of whom 30% (20 million), are unable to control their seizures by medication. There is currently no reliable and simple early warning seizure-onset device available, which means many people with unstable epilepsy live in fear of injury or sudden death and the negative impact of social stigmatization.

There have been anecdotal accounts of pet dogs predicting their owner’s epileptic seizures by becoming attentive and by demonstrating attention-seeking behaviours, but to date no scientific study has investigated the veracity of these claims.

Lead researcher Dr Neil Powell (above), from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “We hypothesized that, given the extraordinary sense of smell of dogs, a volatile organic compound exhaled by the dog’s epileptic owner may provide an early warning trigger mechanism to which make dogs react before the seizure. The results have shown pet dogs to be a reliable source to detect an on-set seizure.”

The study has been published in the journal MDPI Animals.

The researchers explored how a cohort of pet dogs reacted to the emergence of seizure-associated odours. Using two specially designed pieces of apparatus called the Remote Odour Delivery Mechanism (RODM), the researchers separately delivered epileptic seizure-associated odours and nonseizure associated odours and recorded the reactions of the dogs to each.

Using 19 pet dogs with no experience of epilepsy, the researchers exposed them to odours that were deemed to be characteristic of three seizure phases, by using sweat harvested from people with epilepsy.

By altering the alternating odours emerging from sweat samples, captured before seizure, during a seizure and after a seizure, and two nonseizure controls, the researchers recorded the response of the 19 pet dogs.

They found that all 19 dogs demonstrated more affiliative behavioural changes when confronted by seizure-associated odours, compared with their response to control odours.

Dr Powell added: “Our findings clearly showed that all dogs reacted to the seizure-associated odour whether this was through making eye contact with their owner, touching them, crying or barking. There is a unique volatile smell linked to epiletic seizures, detectable by dogs who can in-turn warn their owner a seizure is likely to occur.

“Our research was based on pet dogs with no prior training. If we can train dogs, this has the potential to make a big difference to owners who experience unpredictable seizures and should go a long way in improving not only their safety, but also their quality of life.”

The research was funded by and conducted in partnership with Epilepsy Ireland and Disability Assistance Dogs.

Peter Murphy, CEO of Epilepsy Ireland, said: “A reliable method of seizure prediction and detection is the holy grail for many people living with epilepsy as well as the parents of children with the condition.

“This is especially the case where seizures involve the loss of consciousness, with a high risk of injury. While recent efforts have focused on technological solutions, it is exciting and very welcome news that anecdotal reports of dogs’ ability to predict seizures have now been backed up by scientific evidence.

“We have been immensely proud to support Dr. Powell’s work and we hope that the findings will lead to new approaches alongside ‘man’s best friend’ that promote safety and offer reassurance for people living with epilepsy.”

Time running out for Scottish churches to share ‘Good News’

Churches in Scotland are being encouraged to submit their entries to Ecclesiastical Insurance’s ‘Good News’ competition before the deadline in September.

The specialist insurer is looking for churches to share their good news stories from the past 18 months, showcasing how they’ve supported their local communities during a challenging time. The winning church will scoop a total prize of £7,500.

St Luke the Evangelist Church in Glenrothes is one of the churches who have entered this year’s competition.

The Fife church shared their story of how they wanted to strengthen their links with the local community, so worked with the local school to provide 50 tablets for pupils to help them learn from home during the pandemic.

At the same time the church underwent a £450,000 refurbishment to provide local groups with a space to deliver their own activities, including Men’s Shed, YMCA and Scottish Association for Mental Healt (SAMH).

Entries should be submitted through Ecclesiastical’s website and written in the style of a news article with an attention-grabbing headline and no more than 250 words in length and with photographs or videos to go along with the article to help show the impact of their initiative.

Each entry is automatically entered into the regional competition where a panel of judges will select five regional winners who will each receive a £1,500 prize for their church.

The grand final of the competition will see one of the regional winners be crowned the national winner and receive an additional £6,000 – bringing their total winnings to £7,500.

Michael Angell from Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, churches have remained a beacon of hope to the communities they are based in.

“They have shown resilience and a willingness to adapt, diversifying to offer local residents more than ever before – from food banks, to home deliveries and vaccination centres.

“That’s why this year’s theme for our church competition is ‘Good News’! We want to help shine a light on those unsung heroes in our communities and the new initiatives that churches have come up with to help those most in need – spreading the ‘Good News’ far and wide.”

Entries can be submitted through the online form at Ecclesiastical’s website:

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchcomp.

The closing date for entries is at 5pm on Friday 17 September.

Dog owners experiencing homelessness given vital lifeline by charity partnership

A year-long partnership between the UK’s largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust and leading homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland, has successfully increased accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness in Scotland.

Through engagement with homelessness service providers in Scotland, a total of 30 have signed up since the launch of the project to develop dog-friendly policies and begin accepting referrals from dog-owners.

This includes three charities that have developed a charity wide pet-policy, and the project continues to support their services across the country to welcome pet owners. Launched in September 2020, the jointly funded role between the two charities was developed to ensure that fewer dog owners in Scotland have to make the heart-breaking choice between a safe place to sleep or staying with their dog.

The findings from Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland’s partnership highlighted that a lack of pet-friendly policies in homelessness accommodation services is a significant problem for those facing homelessness.

The charities’ joint dedicated, 1-year Pets and Housing Project has been working with homelessness organisations across Scotland to provide tailored support so they can remove barriers and open their doors to dog owners through the ‘Welcoming Dogs’ scheme operated by Dogs Trust.

One person who has benefitted from the work of the project is Damon, who became homeless when the only hostel space he was offered wouldn’t accept dogs. He feared he would need to give his dog up. Damon describes how Odan saved his life.

Damon said: “I needed a reason to get out of bed in the morning, I was losing grip on life and I didn’t want to live anymore. Odan has been an absolute godsend to me, and he has completely changed my outlook on life. Odan gives me the energy I needed to push forward with my life, he has given me something to fight for.

“It means everything to be with Odan. I wish I had the words to express how it feels. Dogs pick up from us how we are feeling, and they know if we’re not happy. The reason that Odan settled, is because I am settled here. It has made a big difference to us to be made to feel so welcomed. “

With support from Simon Community Scotland and Dogs Trust, Damon was able stay with Odan thanks to the local authority arranging pet-friendly emergency accommodation for them. Damon and Odan have since moved into their own tenancy together.

Cat Birt, Pets and Housing Engagement and Development Officer, who leads on the Pets and Housing Project, said: “I’m really proud of everything that has been achieved over the last year, despite the challenges we have faced as a result of the pandemic, and it has been great to see first-hand how our work has impacted people’s lives.

“For people facing homelessness, they are more likely to be isolated and detached from society and their pet can be the most loving and consistent relationship they have. We are a nation of dog lovers, and know how pets enrich our lives, so it is vitally important homelessness services recognise the importance of the human animal bond and make changes to their policies, so they provide a service inclusive of pet owners.

“Thanks to the commitments we have already had by organisations in Scotland to become more pet-friendly, we know our approach is working, but there is more to be done. Thankfully, there is an opportunity for us to roll this project out more widely across the UK and help even more dog owners in need.”

Hugh Hill, Director of Services and Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: ‘’At the heart of the project was recognising the incredibly positive bond between a dog and their human and the positive difference it made for people at their lowest ebb.

“The impact of Covid-19 has been challenging but what it did do was really highlight the importance of positive, meaningful and loving relationships in all our lives and for the people we support they often only experienced that connection with their dog. Every one of our services is dog-friendly and we will continue to share our approach and resources to any organisation looking to welcome our furry friends.’’

A comprehensive report covering the Pets and Housing Project between Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland, has been compiled which highlights the progress made over the last year along with findings and recommendations to help ensure that people and their pets can continue to stay together. The full report is available by clicking here.

Dogs Trust will be building on the amazing progress of this project with two new regional roles dedicated to increasing accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness and is calling on more homelessness services across Great Britain to adopt a pet-friendly approach. Dogs Trust can support services through their Welcoming Dogs scheme, providing tailored advice and resources on accepting and managing dogs in a safe and responsible way, as well as through the Hope Project veterinary scheme which provides free veterinary treatment.

For more information about the Hope Project, or to enquire about accessing their support, you can reach the team on 020 7833 7611 or by email hopeproject@dogstrust.org.uk.

Food Festival comes to Dalkeith Country Park for the first time

The Great British Food Festival is back this year and is visiting Dalkeith Country Park near Edinburgh for the first time on the 11th and 12th September. The event runs all weekend from 10am-5pm.

After missing 2020 because of the pandemic, the organisers say they can’t wait to be back doing events and are looking forward to bringing their food festival to the area for the first time.

Dan Maycock, one of the organising team said: “Tickets have been selling really well and we are really looking forward to a fantastic foodie weekend”.

Dan added that there is a lot for all the family: “we have lots of great food and drink, chef demos and talks but also forager walks, kids entertainment and great live music, and free parking with your festival ticket.”

The fantastic live music has a play list packed full of local bands and artists, so you can do some shopping, grab some food and then have a well-earned relax with a local beer listening to some great live entertainment all within the beautiful grounds at Dalkeith Country Park.

The events is the perfect recipe for a fun, foodie day out where the whole family ‘bubble’ can get together, visit www.greatbritishfoodfestival.com for more details and tickets (some time slots are now sold out, so book quick!).

CCTV appeal following assault in Portobello High Street

Detectives in Edinburgh have released CCTV images of a man they believe may have information that could assist with their ongoing investigations into an assault on a woman. The incident occurred on Portobello High Street towards the junction of Sir Harry Lauder Road, Edinburgh, at around 00.45am on Sunday, 25 July, 2021.

The man officers believe may be able to assist them is described as being around 35 to 40 years old, 5ft 11ins, of average build and short hair. He spoke with a local accent and was wearing jeans and a navy top.

Detective Constable Neil Donaldson, said: “Fortunately this woman was not injured, but she was left extremely upset by what has happened and we are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the assault.

“In particular we would like to speak to the man pictured who was in the area at the time and may have further information to assist our enquiry. We would also ask anyone who was driving in the area and might have seen something that could help with our enquiries, or have dash-cam footage, to get in touch.

“If you can help please contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0241 of Sunday, 25 July, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Morrisons: It’s Good to Grow!

Morrisons are launching a new initiative for our local primary schools to register to receive free gardening equipment

From Monday 6th September to Sunday 24th October for every £10 spent in store, customers with a My Morrison’s card/account will receive 1 Grow Token.

These tokens can then be donated to a registered school.

From 1st November schools will be able to redeem their Grow Tokens against a wide variety of gardening equipment.

Terms and conditions apply.

IMPORTANT: Schools need to register at www.itsgoodtogrow.co.uk. Registration is open now.

Start collecting from Monday 6th September

Edinburgh dad completes 365-day toy car photography challenge

An Edinburgh dad has completed a 365-day photography challenge with a difference – a photo of a toy car placed somewhere in and around the city every day.

Ross Burns, 41, has taken a photo of one of his son’s many Hot Wheels cars every day for the past year in what began as an activity to beat the boredom of homeworking during lockdown.

Ross, who works at Edinburgh Napier University, has since featured more than 250 cars in a huge number of settings in and around Edinburgh.

From iconic backdrops such as Calton Hill, Edinburgh Castle and the Forth Bridge, to Saughton Skatepark, Leith Docks and Murrayfield Ice Rink, Ross is always on the lookout for the perfect picture.

“I have a five-year-old son called Daniel and he loves Hot Wheels. I used to love Matchbox cars when I was his age and I soon began to become obsessed with his growing collection. To make sure I took a walk every day, I started taking a car out and just taking some pictures on my phone.

“After a few weeks, I set myself the challenge of doing it for a full year and I’m delighted to have now completed it. It’s been great for my mental health during the various lockdowns, particularly the one early this year – getting out and taking a picture of a car gave me a purpose and a creative outlet each day.”

Posting a photo a day on Instagram under the handle Scot.Wheels, the images chart the four seasons and a city in and out of lockdown. Ross’ most popular image is of a Land Rover Defender 90 reflected on the Water of Leith.

“I’ve done a couple of pictures where the car is reflected in the water and people love them. The Land Rover in particular is popular as it is one of the most realistic looking cars.”

Due to the restrictions of lockdown, the vast majority of photos are of Edinburgh but Ross and his family did escape to Fife last month for a holiday in Lower Largo.

“We had beautiful weather and the beach made such a great background for the cars. A rugged blue Ford Bronco looked fantastic on the rocks by the sea.”

Now that he has achieved his target of a photograph every day for a year, and run up more than 20,000 “likes” in the process, Ross intends to carry on but take his foot off the accelerator.

“I’ll continue taking car pictures but not pressurise myself to do it every day. I’ll aim for quality over quantity and hopefully as we become able to travel more, I’ll explore some fantastic new settings with some wonderful new cars.”

You can see Ross’s year of car pictures at www.instagram.com/scot.wheels.