Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Keeping yourself fit
Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 35%. Keeping fit is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, since exercising regularly can have various long-term health benefits on both physical and mental wellbeing.
See the tips below on how to increase your fitness:
Join challenges/schemes
One of the main obstacles to improving fitness can be getting started. By joining challenges, plans, or schemes, it can help create structure to your fitness journey. Why not check out the NHS 12-week-plan which combines running, strength and flexibility workouts to improve overall fitness.
Work across different intensities
It is recommended that each of us try to do at least 150 minute of ‘moderate’ intensity exercise per week, or 75 minutes of ‘vigorous’ intensity activity.
To improve fitness levels, it is important to work at both high and low intensities. A good indication of ‘moderate’ activity is being able to talk but not sing during your exercise session. Moderate activities may include brisk walking, dancing, lawn mowing or moderate cycling.
A good indication of working vigorously is the inability to speak more than a few words without pausing for a breath. Vigorous activities include swimming, skipping, running, and sports such as netball, hockey, and football.
Engage in different types of exercise
There are four main types of exercise: aerobic fitness, strength, balance, and flexibility. Doing some of each creates variation in your day-to-day activities to combat boredom, reduce your risk of injury, and improve your all-round fitness. Activities that improve muscular strength include using resistance bands, lifting, weights or even heavy gardening tasks such as digging.
You may also incorporate balance exercises through activities such as tai-chi, and racquet sports such as tennis and badminton. Flexibility exercises include yoga and Pilates, which can help to improve mobility. Try finding a local fitness class or club today!
Primary school children across the United Kingdom to receive a free book next year to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Primary school children across the United Kingdom will receive a book that celebrates the achievements of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth over the last 70 years.
The book will be commissioned by the UK Government and designed to celebrate the people and places of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It will teach primary school children about recent and historical events, inspirational people, landmark innovations and inventions, and a selection of our best art, design, and culture.
The book will explore the role of the Monarch and what the Platinum Jubilee represents, so primary school children across the country can understand and engage with the celebrations next year, while broadening their education.
The content will continue to be refined over the coming months but will cover landmark achievements such as the construction of the Channel Tunnel, election of the first female Prime Minister and the invention of the World Wide Web, so children across the country can learn more about their home and its history.
The book will also look at a diverse range of rich culture and notable names for children to explore, including famous artists, designers, fashion designers, and musicians, capturing the true spirit of the last 70 years and the Queen’s reign.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “For 70 years Her Majesty The Queen has played an instrumental role in the events, people and places that have helped shape the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.
“From the hundreds of charities and organisations of which she is patron, to the 14 Prime Ministers who have served during her reign – thousands of children will be able to read about our great nation, its history and future.”
It will be available as an audio book, with plans for it to be in English, Welsh, Gaelic, and Irish in advance of the Jubilee Holiday weekend. The print version will include a QR code so children can scan the code to be taken to further material online, so they can learn independently.
The book will also form part of the wider programme of events and activities planned for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year, including a concert, street parties, and an extra bank holiday for the Jubilee weekend itself from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June 2022.
The Department for Education will shortly issue an Invitation to tender for a contractor to see through the production of the book, including design, printing and distribution.
Letters offering a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination to all 12-15 year olds who haven’t yet received their jab are arriving from today (Monday).
Drop-in clinics have been available to this age group for the last week and now scheduled appointments – starting this week – are being issued to all those eligible. The letters will contain an information leaflet, which all parents and carers should read with their children so they can make an informed decision about getting the vaccine. This information is also available online at NHS Inform.
Parents and carers are encouraged to accompany their children to community-based appointments where possible so any questions they may have can be raised with staff on site.
In some rural areas, this age group will be offered the jabs through their school vaccination programme instead of a community setting and they will receive letters and leaflets home from school. In these situations, parents and carers who have questions they wish to discuss with a vaccinator before the school session can go to any drop-in clinic and ask for advice.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine to all children and young people aged 12-15 marks a significant milestone in the vaccination programme.
“It has been demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in this age group, and vaccination offers the best chance of protecting young people from COVID-19 and preventing further disruption to education. Many countries around the world have already been safely vaccinating children and young people in this age group.
“Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a decision to be made jointly between parents or carers and their children, but it’s really important to use reliable and trusted sources such as NHS Inform when making a decision and assessing the potential benefits, risks and side effects. Individual choice should be respected for the decisions young people and their parents or carers make in accepting, or not accepting the vaccine offer.
“Where possible, parents or carers are welcome to attend appointments with their children and both can ask questions about any queries they have before the vaccination is given.
“I would like to thank all of the vaccinators and vaccine site staff who have worked so hard to get us to this stage of the COVID-19 vaccine programme.”
Children aged 12-15 who have specific underlying conditions or disabilities are already covered by previous JCVI advice and will be offered two doses of the vaccine, eight weeks apart.
Blanket and scarf brand, The Tartan Blanket Co., has received a £1.8 million loan from HSBC UK to purchase new premises, as demand grows globally.
The Edinburgh-based natural wool brand, which makes natural and sustainable tartan blankets, has used the funding to purchase a new 32,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Newbridge after its revenue increased by 100% in 2020.
With blankets and scarves now being sold in over 70 countries worldwide, the new warehouse will allow the company to keep up with increasing demand over its peak winter sales period.
The Tartan Blanket Co. is also aiming to hire 40 new employees within the next year to work in the new premises, giving it further capacity to distribute internationally on a large-scale.
Emma Macdonald, Owner of The Tartan Blanket Co., said:“After setting up in 2014, it’s really exciting to realise how far we’ve come. Our blankets and gifts are now being shipped across the globe, from Scotland to Australia, Canada and the US.
“Our revenue doubled last year, and we’re anticipating the same growth again in 2021.The investment from HSBC UK will enable us to increase capacity and distribution across the world, ensuring we can provide the best-quality blankets and service for years to come.”
Natalie Marshall, Relationship Director at HSBC UK, said:“It’s brilliant to see the strong appetite for contemporary tartan blankets from The Tartan Blanket Co. in Scotland and further afield. With sales increasing so rapidly in the midst of a pandemic, the company has really shown how hard work and a clear vision can result in success.”
The Tartan Blanket Co. was founded by Emma and Fergus Macdonald out of an ambition to create beautiful natural products. One of the company’s most popular lines is its recycled wool blankets, which transform discarded clothes and materials into contemporary tartan blankets.
This year, The Tartan Blanket Co. has also committed to help protect the environment, with the aim of offsetting more carbon than it is producing.
Emma added:“As part of our sustainable practices, which we aim to continue into our new premises, we will be donating 1% of every purchase to environmental causes and 1% to charities and community projects around the world to help those in need.”
£10m to help people worst affected by pandemic to avoid eviction
Councils have been given £10 million to provide grants to tenants who have fallen behind on their rent as a result of the pandemic and are at risk of eviction.
The grants will help tenants who are struggling financially as a direct result of the pandemic, allowing them to reduce or pay off their rent arrears. They will be available to tenants in both the private and social rented sectors.
This is part of a package of measures available to local authorities to prevent homelessness, alongside Discretionary Housing Payments and advice on maximising income. The grants also come on top of the Scottish Government’s £10 million Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “We have been doing all we can to support tenants who are struggling as a result of the pandemic, and this latest funding takes our total housing support to almost £39 million.
“These grants will support tenants and landlords who are willing to work together to address rent arrears and agree a repayment plan to ensure the tenant is able to avoid eviction.
“Councils have substantial experience in supporting people who have fallen behind on their rent, and are therefore well placed to work with both tenants and landlords in making use of this grant fund. Anyone who has been financially impacted by the pandemic and needs help to avoid eviction should contact their local authority housing department to discuss their circumstances.”
Councillor Kelly Parry, COSLA Community Wellbeing spokesperson, said: “We are working closely with the Scottish Government to support tenants through the grant fund.
“The pandemic has resulted in some facing a significant loss of income which has resulted in a proportion of these developing rent arrears. The fund is limited and therefore will be targeted at those most at risk of eviction, but will allow local authorities, tenants and landlords to work together to stay in their homes and prevent homelessness.
“Councils have a lead role in supporting a fair and inclusive recovery. Enabling people to sustain their tenancies helps maintain their important community connections.”
Nearly £1.5million will be allocated to Edinburgh to help those in social and private tenancies at risk of becoming homeless.
The aim of the fund is to provide an additional tool for the Council to help save tenancies, create sustainable housing solutions for individuals and prevent homelessness, alongside its other initiatives in place.
This includes the Council’s Private Rented Service (PRS) Team, which looks to help private renters keep their existing tenancy or to move to either a new private or mid-market rent secure tenancy, and the ‘multi-disciplinary response’ team which helps Council tenants who are struggling to maintain their tenancy or falling into rent arrears.
In addition Edinburgh Help to Rent, which is a service the Council contracts Crisis to deliver, provides rent deposit guarantee bonds.
Under Scottish Government guidelines, local authorities have to allocate the Tenant Hardship Grant Fund by the end of this financial year (March 2022). The Council is currently assessing eligibility criteria in order to support those most at risk.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said:“This money from the Scottish Government comes at a critical time. Between the cut in Universal Credit, the national insurance increase, the end of furlough, rocketing household fuel bills due to the energy crisis, and now the fuel crisis – households are being hit hard.
“We will use this money to help people who have fallen into rent arrears during the pandemic, to help prevent evictions, homelessness and the burden of debt being placed on vulnerable households. This is a lifeline that will help people to stay in their own homes.
“Our Private Rented Sector Team has stopped 427 households from becoming homeless in the last 18 months, while our multi-disciplinary response team is successfully supporting our council tenants who’ve fallen into arrears. This funding from the Scottish Government means we can do even more to prevent families and households becoming homeless.”
Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said:“The work being done by the Council and in collaboration with partner organisations like Crisis has already made a big difference to preventing people from becoming homeless. But there is still more that needs to be done with around 6,000 people currently homeless in our Capital.
“As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, it could become even more difficult to find suitable accommodation for everybody who needs it. So the work of our prevention teams will be more important than ever.
“We will be working to identify those most at risk without delay because many people are already in financial difficulty and it’s likely to get worse as winter weather and rising energy prices put more strain on household budgets.”
Nina Ballantyne, Citizens Advice Scotland Social Justice spokesperson, said: “The Citizens Advice network saw a real spike in demand for housing-related advice during the pandemic. Our analysis suggests almost 300,000 people in Scotland missed a housing payment last year because they ran out of money before pay day.
“We called for more support for tenants and are delighted to see this fund launch – we’d now encourage people to seek advice on what support is right for them and make use of all the options available.”
Local advice is available from Granton Information Centre. Telephone 0131 552 0458, 0131 551 2459 or email info@gic.org.uk
Environmental focus next up for the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour
From Monday 27 September to Saturday 2 October, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will visit primary school pupils across the country as it continues its series of virtual events.
The tour will focus on the environment, with talks from conservationist, vet, TV presenter and author Jess French, author and rewilding pioneer Isabella Tree with d illustrator Allira Tee, and adventurer and bestselling author Abi Elphinstone.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.
During the pandemic, the tour has been delivered virtually, live streaming into classrooms and living rooms across Scotland and the rest of the UK, with educational watch on demand video content viewed over 100,000 times.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will host virtual events on the environment for schools across Scotland, with an audience of around 5,000 pupils.
Jess French will talk to young people about the world’s incredible forests and how they can get involved and learn how to protect them. She will share educational extracts from her book: ‘Let’s Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference.’
Isabella Tree and Allira Tree will discuss insights from her book: ‘When We Went Wild’, a joyful, sustainably printed picture book about two farmers who decide to let their farm run wild, inspired in part by Isabella’s own experience at the world-renowned Knepp rewidling project in West Sussex.
Isabella will also show pupils around the farm via a virtual video tour before reading the book and sharing how she and her husband turned a loss-making farm into a sustainable, wildlife enterprise. This will be followed by an interactive drawalong with the book’s illustrator Allira Tee, who joins the tour live from Melbourne, Australia.
Author Abi Elphinstone will virtually visit P4–7 pupils about her real-life adventures, living with the Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Mongolia to kayaking through the Norwegian fjords.
Abi will also discuss her Unmapped Chronicles series: ‘The Crackledawn Dragon’ – a voyage across a secret kingdom full of silver whales, fire krakens, and underwater palaces. She will share how her own experiences and adventures in the natural world inspire her magical realms and beasts, as well as showing pupils how easy it is to leap into stories of their own.
Authors Live will also return on Thursday 30 September with Abi Elphinstone. schools across Scotland can sign up for P4–7 classes and watch the event live from their classrooms. There will also be a chance to ask the author questions during the event through a Twitter Q&A.
Magical Beasts at Edinburgh Zoo
For budding young writers and animal lovers, Abi Elphinstone will also host Inventing Magical Beasts workshops at Edinburgh Zoo (Budongo Theatre) on Saturday 2 October, starting at 10am and 11.30am.
The event is included in the price of zoo admission, and families are invited to come along and meet the author. Abi will demonstrate how young people can invent their own magical beasts, using animals from Edinburgh Zoo as inspiration. There will also be signed copies of the author’s book available to purchase.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said:“We are delighted that the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is focusing on the environment, a topic that young people are incredibly engaged with.
“We’re pleased to have experts in both conservation and rewilding joining the tour. The pupils are sure to learn more about their planet and how to protect it for many years to come.
“We hope families can join our event at Edinburgh Zoo, where Abi Elphinstone will help inspire the next generation of budding writers.”
Beccy Angus, Head of Discovery and Learning at Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the wildlife conservation charity which leads Edinburgh Zoo, said:“It is wonderful to welcome Abi Elphinstone to the zoo.
“As a wildlife conservation charity, education is at the heart of what we do. We hope this event will help our visitors learn more about the spectacular species in our zoos and around the world, and inspire the next generation of conservationists.”
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects up to 13% of women and can lead to cancer and infertility, but two-thirds of women are unable to identify symptoms like weight gain and hair growth
September is PCOS Awareness Month and new research has revealed that more than half of UK women can’t identify the main symptoms, despite the condition potentially leading to cancer and infertility.
The survey, conducted by Livi, the digital healthcare provider, asked 1,000 women about the most common signs of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
The complex disorder causes elevated levels of sex hormones and affects 8-13% of women and people with uteruses globally. In the long term, it can lead to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and uterine cancer.
The most common symptoms of PCOS include:
Irregular periods, long gaps between periods, or no periods
Excessive hair growth on the face, chest and abdomen
Weight gain
Acne
However, the majority of women don’t recognise these as potential symptoms of PCOS.
When asked to identify the signs, almost half failed to select irregular periods (47%) and around two-thirds didn’t pick excessive hair growth (63%) and weight gain (67%).
Acne is the least well-known PCOS symptom, with four out of five (80%) UK women not acknowledging it as a possible red flag.
Millennials (25-34-year-olds) are the least likely age group to know what to look for, despite most PCOS diagnoses happening when women are in their 20s or 30s.
The PCOS symptoms that people are least aware of are:
1) Acne – 80% (didn’t identify as a symptom)
2) No periods – 77%
3) Long gaps between periods – 70%
4) Weight gain – 67%
5) Excessive hair growth – 63%
Two in five (40%) people selected at least one incorrect symptom. Nausea (16%), increased sweating (15%) and insomnia (14%) are the most likely signs to be mistakenly identified as PCOS.
Many women discover they have PCOS when they see a GP about possible fertility issues.
Dr Elisabeth Rosen, Lead GP at Livi and a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics, explains the link: “As PCOS is a condition that causes problems with the release of eggs from the ovaries, it can make getting pregnant more difficult.
“Polycystic ovaries contain fluid-filled cysts known as follicles, in which eggs develop but usually never mature enough to ovulate. This affects the menstrual cycle, leading to irregular bleeding and problems ovulating.”
If you’re concerned about symptoms, Dr Rosen advises speaking to a doctor and says you can help speed up a diagnosis by keeping track of symptoms and your menstrual cycle.
“Keep track of your symptoms and menstrual cycle to help you spot patterns. You can use a cycle tracker app or a physical diary. A doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and experiences and then refer you for a blood test to check your hormone levels. They will also request an ultrasound to check for signs that your ovaries are polycystic.”
Maths Week Scotland is back for its fifth year from 27 September to 3 October 2021. Local schools across Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders are joining in the fun with a wide range of activities and exciting programmes taking place during the week.
Maths Week Scotland is part of the Scottish Government’s drive to encourage positive attitudes to numeracy and maths and is developed and delivered by National Museums Scotland. The Small Grants Fund, a partnership between the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the Glasgow Mathematical Journal Trust and the Scottish Government, has supported 75 activities across the country. These activities are taking place in schools and local community groups.
The theme for 2021 is ‘Our World’, exploring the importance of maths in understanding and responding to the climate emergency, whilst also finding maths in the world around us. School pupils across Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders will learn about this crucial topic through activities such as outdoor learning, a Maths Enrichment club and a mini beast project.
Science centres and museums across Scotland have also received additional funding from Maths Week Scotland to support in a series of activities and challenges encouraging innovation and participation.
Edinburgh’s five star visitor attraction, Dynamic Earth, will be launching a digital workshop on the topic of ‘Navigating Our World’, to explore how successful navigation was achieved in the past, and how it is now done in the present day.
Edinburgh Central library is hosting a free, drop-in shape and number trail for under 10s, plus additional maths and STEM books will be available to take out on loan.
The National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange will also be host to a number of maths-themed activities for young visitors, including a mining version of snakes and ladders, quoits, bean bag toss, making patterns with coal, dressing up as a miner and handling mining objects.
Meanwhile, in East Lothian, Prestongrange Museum, John Muir’s Birthplace Museum, Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery and John Gray Centre will all be launching maths-related trails and activities linked to each specific site.
Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery will launch a time-related activity based on the clock and two sundials on the exterior of the building, while events at the John Gray Centre will focus on money and transactions, reflecting the commercial history or East Lothian and linking to trade tokens on display.
Katie Oldfield, Maths Week Scotland co-ordinator, said: “We’re proud to be bringing Maths Week Scotland back for its fifth consecutive year. It’s great to see that so many schools have come up with exciting activities that reflect our theme for this year.
“Maths is found everywhere in the world around us, but it is also a key part of the solution when it comes to tackling climate change. It was really inspiring to see many of our schools presenting this sometimes complex subject in a fun and engaging way.”
The schools programme is core to Maths Week Scotland. Schools and community projects receiving grants in Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders are:
· Balerno High School: Maths Enrichment Club – setting up a Maths Enrichment club at lunchtimes to support enjoyment and develop problem solving and team work skills in Maths.
· Oxgangs Maths Club: Families can do maths together
· Edinburgh Central Library: Maths Week at the Library – Central Library and the Children’s Library are hosting a variety of fun Maths-themed events for adults and children, from pattern-making to Möbius strips!
West Lothian
· Greenrigg Primary School: Mini-beast Maths
Midlothian
· Stobhill Primary school: Let’s get Creative at Stobhill!- interactive maths kits
Borders
· Berwickshire High School: Mathematics and citizenship of the world
This year, Maths Week Scotland is also supported by winner of The Great British Bake Off 2020, Peter Sawkins, in collaboration with National Numeracy.
Peter is hosting a virtual assembly on 29 September, which will be streamed from the National Museum of Scotland to participating schools to learn about the maths involved in baking.
Maths Week Scotland has a supporting year-round programme for schools, families, adults and community groups. This is part of an ongoing drive to transform Scotland into a maths-positive nation through raising the profile of maths and encouraging enthusiasm for maths across the country.
National Museums Scotland is working with a wide range of organisations and collaborators to support and deliver Maths Week Scotland activity across Scotland.
For a full list of contributors and to view the whole programme, visit:
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following the attempted robbery of a woman in the Broughton Road area. The incident took place around 8.45pm on Thursday 23 September on the Warriston Path walkway, near the opening at Boat Green.
The victim, a 33-year-old woman, was approached and threatened by a man, before she ran to the nearby Tesco. It is believed the man left in the opposite direction.
The suspect is described as being a white man, in his mid-50s, around 5ft 9, medium build and bald. He was wearing a tight-fitting long-sleeved dark green jumper, blue jeans and a black fabric face mask. He spoke with a Scottish accent and was said to have a bow-legged gait.
Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe, from Edinburgh CID, said: “It is thankful that the victim was not injured as a result of this incident, however she was left badly shaken.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in the Warriston Road, Boat Green or Broughton Road areas last night and believes they may have seen the man in question to please come forward.
We are also keen to speak with any motorists with potential dash cam footage from the area at that time.
“Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident 3505 of 23 September. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
