One in eight adult children who live with their parents could spend half their life living with mum and dad
One in eight (13%) adults that have always lived with their parents are aged 35-55+. That means people are spending almost half of their expected lifespans (81 years) if not longer living with their parents
Of those aged 35+ that live with their parents, 40% have never moved out
Over a third (37%) of adult children living at home don’t expect to move out in the near future
This could be costing parents a fortune – over half (55%) of parents with adult children living at home said they cover additional costs because of this. On average parents are spending £117 per child each month
It’s well documented that more grown-up children are now choosing to live at home with their parents for longer4. Now, new research from SpareRoom reveals just how much longer that could be: almost half of their lives – if not more.
One in eight (13%) of those who have always lived with their parents are aged 35 to 55+. Currently the average life expectancy in the UK is 81 years. That means people in their mid-to-late thirties have lived with their parents for nearly half of their expected lifespans – while those over 55 have spent more than two thirds (68%) of their lives under their parents rooves.
Furthermore, of all of those surveyed aged 35 – 55+, 40% have never moved out of the family home5.
Astonishingly, one in two (50%) adult children who currently live at home have never moved out. What’s more, 37% don’t expect to move out within the next six months, with the likelihood of moving out decreasing after the age of 25.
Whilst living at home and spending time with family is seen (by most) as a positive bonding experience, it has an impact on important milestones outside of the family home for children, not to mention the cost implications for parents.
The majority (55%) of parents with adult children living at home cover extra expenses because of this, with the average parent being out of pocket by £117 per child each month.
The bank of mum and dad, now also known as the hotel of mum and dad, helps pay for their adult children’s food (64%), clothes (36%), fuel (25%) and even ‘pocket money’ for them to socialise with their friends (25%) while they’re living at home.
Many parents also paid for their subscriptions (20%) and holidays (23%). Covering mental health and therapy (12%) costs were also on the list of expenditures for parents.
Miriam Tierney, SpareRoom spokesperson comments: “We’ve known for some time that the number of adults living at home with their parents has been rising. The main factor driving that is how expensive housing is, regardless of whether you’re renting or buying. What hasn’t been clear, until now, is just how much of their lives people could be spending in the family home.
“There are, of course, plenty of positives to multi-generational living and in many countries and cultures it’s the norm. However, in the UK the trend is clearly being driven by the housing crisis rather than choice and it’s restricting career and social opportunities for a whole generation.”
Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes won two of the most prestigious awards at the coveted Scottish Home Awards in Glasgow on Thursday.
The housebuilders collected the top award of the night, Housebuilder of the Year (more than 100 units), for presenting their robust business results which had customer service and employee care at its core.
The UK’s largest housebuilder was plauded for its substantial contribution of £245m to the economy and supporting hundreds of other organisations in the supply chain.
They also collected the Community Contribution Award for their work during the pandemic, which includes donating £1,000 to a deserving cause in each of its three Scottish divisions every month. CHAS, a full family support service for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions is one such charity.
Over 350 people gathered to celebrate winners in The Scottish Home Awards in a hybrid event that also welcomed guests from home watching live via digital broadcast.
Douglas McLeod, regional managing director for Barratt Scotland, said: “I am bursting with pride and admiration for our hard working team at Barratt and David Wilson. It has been a challenging couple of years for the housebuilding market as we’ve adapted to lockdown ways of working, making this win all the more special.
“We have worked tirelessly in these difficult times to create long-term employment opportunities whilst also repaying all furlough money to the government, as well as continuing to onboard new apprentices.
“The commitment from the entire team is unrivalled, which is why we continue to set the standard within our industry. I’m particularly proud of the community contribution award as we strive to give back to people living in the communities we help build. These small donations go a long way to making a real positive change to those most in need.”
The Scottish Home Awards, sponsored by Ross & Liddell named developments, homes and organisations which picked up the trophies after more than 130 developments in 18 categories were assessed.
Among the other notable winners on the night: The City of Edinburgh Council picked up the Housing Regeneration Project of the Year Award for Craigmillar Town Centre and Queensberry Properties was awarded the Apartment Development of the Year award for Bonnington Mill
Thousands of vulnerable NHS patients in hospital due to COVID-19 are set to benefit from a ground-breaking new antibody treatment, the UK government has announced.
Ronapreve, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, will be targeted initially at those in hospital who have not mounted an antibody response against COVID-19.
This includes people who are immunocompromised, for example those with certain cancers or autoimmune diseases, and therefore have difficulty building up an antibody response to the virus, either through being exposed to COVID-19 or from vaccination.
The government has taken action to secure supply of the new therapeutic for NHS patients across the four nations, buying enough to treat eligible patients in hospital from next week. Guidance will shortly be going out to clinicians so they can begin prescribing the treatment as soon as possible.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We have secured a brand new treatment for our most vulnerable patients in hospitals across the UK and I am thrilled it will be saving lives from as early as next week.
“The UK is leading the world in identifying and rolling out life-saving medicines, particularly for COVID-19, and we will continue our vital work to find the best treatments available to save lives and protect the NHS.”
Ronapreve is the first neutralising antibody medicine specifically designed to treat COVID-19 to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK.
It will be used to treat patients without antibodies to SARS CoV-2 who are either aged 50 and over, or are aged 12 to 49 and are considered to be immunocompromised.
Antibody testing will first be used to determine whether patients are seronegative, meaning those who do not have an adequate existing antibody response, and will therefore receive the treatment. The treatment antibodies – casirivimab and imdevimab – will then be administered to patients through a drip and work by binding to the virus’ spike protein, stopping it from being able to infect the body’s cells.
The UK’s world-renowned vaccination programme also continues to provide protection to tens of millions of people across the country, and has so far saved 112,300 lives, prevented 230,800 hospitalisations and stopped over 24 million infections in England alone.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the UK has proven itself to be a world-leader in identifying and rolling out effective treatments for COVID-19 – including the world’s first treatment dexamethasone, which has since saved at least 22,000 lives in the UK so far and an estimated million worldwide.
The NHS has also rolled out monoclonal immunomodulatory antibody treatments tocilizumab and sarilumab, following clinical trial results from the government-funded REMAP-CAP trial. The treatments were found to reduce the relative risk of death by 24%, when administered to patients within 24 hours of entering intensive care.
Earlier this year, the government also brought together a new Antivirals Taskforce to supercharge the search for new treatments for patients who are exposed to COVID-19 to stop the infection spreading and speed up recovery time.
The UK’s leading research infrastructure and life sciences sector makes it the ideal base for the brightest of global innovators to research and progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through the clinical trials process here in the UK.
Paul McManus, COVID-19 Lead at Roche Products Ltd, said: “Over the last 18 months, our goal has been to do everything we can to minimise the impact of the pandemic on those affected and the brilliant people who work tirelessly to treat and care for them.
“Ronapreve is the first dedicated medicine developed for COVID-19 to receive marketing authorisation from the MHRA, representing a significant milestone in how the NHS is able to fight this disease.
“This is just another step in our journey to overcome COVID-19, and we will continue to collaborate with partners to identify and investigate multiple options that may help different groups of patients.
“Together with Regeneron, we’re grateful for the collaboration of the vaccine taskforce and NHS England in helping to bring this important antibody cocktail to treat and prevent acute COVID-19 across the UK.”
There have been reports of people being forced back to workplaces without proper consultation, even as Covid-19 cases remain high, or forced to stay at home due to money-saving office closures (writes TUC’s ALICE ARKWRIGHT). Employers should consult with unions to manage this period positively – rather than issuing directives.
So, what can you do if you feel like you’re being forced to stay at home or go back into the office?
Talk to your colleagues
If your boss is asking you to return to the workplace or stay at home and you don’t feel comfortable, you should speak to other members and your union rep immediately – they may feel the same about the situation.
If you raise the issue collectively with your employer, they’re much more likely to listen. Employers shouldn’t be imposing changes on anyone. You and your colleagues should clearly lay out what you want and why it’s beneficial for both you and your employer.
There’s still limited access to childcare at the moment, so parents and carers may need specific arrangements. Your boss should be working with you and your workmates to understand this.
And suggesting pay cuts for home workers, as we’ve heard in the media, is the last thing employers should be doing. People have shown huge flexibility during the pandemic and worked hard to keep the country going – now is not the time to be making threats.
Brush up on health and safety
There are lots of factors that your employer needs to think about at this time. Primarily, health and safety – is your workplace safe to be in and has your employer considered the mental health impact of returning to the workplace?
This could include feelings of isolation with continued homeworking or anxiety about returning to the workplace. Our latest webinar provides all you need to know on health and safety at work since government restrictions were lifted.
Know your rights
You have certain rights when deciding where to work:
Employment contract
Check your employment contract. You might have a “place of work” included and, it could be a breach of contact if your employer unilaterally imposes a change of location, without consent. This is important if your employer is saying you must work from home permanently.
Safety
The virus hasn’t gone away, and workers will want to know what their employer is doing to keep them safe. It’s a legal requirement for bosses to carry out a workplace risk assessment. Employers must also carry out the actions that come from their risk assessment – this could include continuing with home working where possible.
If you think there is a serious or imminent danger to you or your colleagues, you may have the right to leave work depending on the specific circumstances. The relevant law is Section 44 of the Employment Act 1996 and it covers all employees. More information on your health and safety rights on returning to work can be found here.
And remember, your employer still has a duty to keep you safe when you’re working from home – see our guidance on risk assessments for homeworkers.
Flexible working requests
Under current law, all employees have the right to request flexible working arrangements, this can include a request to change your location either permanently or for part of your working time. Any employee can make a request, you don’t have to be a parent or carer, but you must have been in the job for 26 weeks and you can only make one request per year.
Employers have to review these requests fairly and respond within 3 months. They can turn down requests for ‘business reasons’ – but we’re campaigning for better flexible working rights for everyone.
Reasonable adjustments
Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to proactively make reasonable adjustments to remove, reduce or prevent any disadvantages that disabled workers face. The law recognises that to secure equality for disabled people, work may need to be structured differently, support given, and barriers removed. This can include working from home.
If you’re a disabled worker and have been working from home successfully during the pandemic, continuing to work from home could be a reasonable adjustment that your employer can provide, should you want it – but bosses must also provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
Right to time off in emergencies to look after children
There are huge gaps in childcare provision leaving parents without the support they need to juggle work and care. If your employer has given you short notice to return to the workplace, by law anyone classed as an employee has the right to take time off work to help someone who is dependent on them in an unexpected event.
A dependent includes children but also a partner, someone you live with or a person who relies on you to make care arrangements. If you’re looking at any of these options, talk to your union and they can support you.
Finally, if you’re not in a union, join one.
Unionised workplaces have negotiated for additional access to flexible work and support to manage care that goes way above what you get under the law.
MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee are to examine all areas of the Scottish Government’s criminal justice budget in the coming weeks, and consider whether the current funding patterns are sustainable, effective and achieving good outcomes.
Ahead of making recommendations to the Scottish Government on how it spends money on justice services, the Committee is looking to hear opinions on funding for bodies such as prisons, courts, police, fire and rescue, victim support and community justice initiatives.
It will also consider whether funding is in place to support the sector to recover from Covid, and whether any of the changes brought in to help cope with the pandemic may lead to longer term savings, if those were desirable and made permanent.
Speaking as the call for views was launched, Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said:“Criminal Justice services play a crucial role in keeping Scotland safe, supporting complainers and victims of crime, working to rehabilitate offenders, and diverting people who are at risk of doing wrong.
“Our Committee wants to take a wide look at the funding for these services – public and voluntary – and examine whether what we have in place supports the justice system to do what we ask of it.
“It goes without saying that we will need to consider the impact of Covid-19 on the justice sector’s budgets.
“We asked a great deal of those working on the frontline and administering justice throughout the pandemic.
“And while there may be savings from some of the new ways of working, overall, the sector will need a lot of help to recover from the pandemic – for instance, to deal with the huge backlog of trials.”
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the criminal justice sector to recover from COVID-19?
• What the cost will be of making permanent some of the temporary changes brought in because of the pandemic (if these are to become permanent)?
• Whether organisations in the criminal justice sector have enough budget and staff to be able to cope with a return to pre-pandemic levels of working (e.g. expected growth in the number of court trials)?
• Whether there have been any savings and efficiencies because of the different way of working during the pandemic, what these savings have been used for elsewhere, and could they be kept once the pandemic is over?
• Where are the opportunities for future reform and savings?
The budget provided for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the work expected of the COPFS?
• What is the expected impact of the budget of the COPFS from the recent cases of malicious prosecution?
Prisons, prison reform and secure care
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the work expected of the Scottish Prison Service?
• Whether enough money has been allocated for the future modernisation of the prison estate beyond the work currently underway at HMP Glasgow and HMP Cornton Vale?
• Whether the current funding model for secure care in Scotland needs reformed?
Police and fire and rescue
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service?
• In particular, is there enough budget to modernise the services, their buildings, vehicles and equipment etc?
The support for victims of crime
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to enable organisations to support victims of crime?
Legal aid
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to enable people to access justice through the support provided by legal aid in criminal cases?
• Whether further budget and reforms are necessary to tackle the problem of accessing legal aid in remote and rural areas of Scotland?
• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to attract people to work for organisations providing services funded by legal aid (e.g. defence solicitors)?
The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government
• What money will be required to finance the different criminal justice policies set out in the new Programme for Government and whether any new and extra finance has been allocated for the various initiatives?
new clearer travel system: red list and rest of world
simpler, cheaper rules for fully vaccinated travellers coming from non-red list countries – fully vaccinated passengers will be able to replace day 2 PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow tests – from the end of October – and no longer need to take pre-departure tests (PDTs)
8 destinations removed from red list including Turkey and Pakistan
government recognises full vaccinations from a further 17 countries and territories including Japan and Singapore
The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has announced a simplified system for international travel in light of the success of the UK’s domestic vaccine rollout, providing greater stability for industry and passengers.
The current traffic light system will be replaced by a single red list of countries and territories which will continue to be crucial in order to protect public health, and simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world from Monday 4 October at 4am.
Testing requirements will also be reduced for eligible fully vaccinated travellers, who will no longer need to take a PDT when travelling to England from Monday 4 October 4am.
From the end of October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers and those with an approved vaccine from a select group of non-red countries will be able to replace their day 2 test with a cheaper lateral flow test, reducing the cost of tests on arrival into England. The government wants to introduce this by the end of October, aiming to have it in place for when people return from half-term breaks.
Anyone testing positive will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost to the traveller, which would be genomically sequenced to help identify new variants.
Testing for unvaccinated passengers from non-red countries will include pre-departure tests, day 2 and day 8 PCR tests. Test to release remains an option to reduce self-isolation period.
From 4 October, England will welcome fully vaccinated travellers from a host of new countries – who will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers – including 17 countries and territories such as Japan and Singapore, following the success of an existing pilot with the US and Europe.
Grant Shapps Transport Secretary said: “Today’s changes mean a simpler, more straightforward system. One with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry.
“Public health has always been at the heart of our international travel policy and with more than 8 in 10 adults vaccinated in the UK, we are now able to introduce a proportionate updated structure that reflects the new landscape.”
Part of the third Global Travel Taskforce checkpoint review, today’s update reiterates the government’s focus on protecting its borders from the most dangerous variants and ensures continuity for industry and passengers the remainder of the year. We will look to set out a further review for the UK’s international travel policy early in the new year to provide further certainty for the spring and summer 2022 seasons.
Conducting the final regular traffic light review before the switch to the new two-tiered system, several additional countries and territories will move off the red list – Turkey, Pakistan, the Maldives, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Oman, Bangladesh and Kenya. Changes will come into effect at 4am Wednesday 22 September.
Passengers who aren’t recognised as being fully vaccinated with authorised vaccines and certificates under England’s international travel rules, will still have to take a pre-departure test, a day 2 and day 8 PCR test and self-isolate for 10 days upon their return from a non-red list country under the new two-tiered travel programme.
Test to Release will remain an option for unvaccinated passengers who wish to shorten their isolation period.
Sajid Javid, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: Today we have simplified the travel rules to make them easier to understand and follow, opening up tourism and reducing the costs to go abroad.
“As global vaccination efforts continue to accelerate and more people gain protection from this dreadful disease, it is right that our rules and regulations keep pace.”
From late October, we will also be making changes to allow passengers who change flights or international trains during their journey to follow the measures associated to their country of departure, rather than any countries they have transited through as part of their journey.
Passengers should continue to check GOV.UK travel guidance including FCDO travel advice before, during and after travel to keep up to date in entry requirements and ensure compliance with the latest COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 regulations for the country being visited.
These new arrangements apply to England only. The UK Government decision to implement proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test in England and to use lateral flow tests on day two have not been adopted at this stage in Scotland due to significant concerns at the impact on public health.
The testing of international travellers, both before and after travel, is an important part of Scotland’s border health surveillance to minimise the risk of importing variants of concern.
The Scottish Government aims to maintain a four nations approach to international travel restrictions, but will need to carefully consider the risks associated with aligning with the UK Government.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said the simplification of the system recognises the success of global vaccination programmes.
He said: “This is a major step but one with sensible safeguards built in recognising the success of the Scottish Government’s vaccination programme.
“The expansion of the eligible vaccinated traveller policy combined with the changes to the traffic light system will provide a welcome boost to Scotland’s tourism industry.
“However, we have concerns that the UK Government’s proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test for some travellers will weaken our ability to protect the public health of Scotland’s communities. While we want to maintain a four nations approach to these matters, we need to consider urgently their implications.”
People are now able to use private sector tests where they are now required when returning to Scotland. The step allows people to choose from a list of approved providers which can be found on the gov.uk website.
Countries removed from the red list from 4 am on 22 September are:
Bangladesh
Egypt
Kenya
Maldives
Oman
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Countries added to the eligible vaccinated traveller policy from 4 October are:
Canada
Australia
Israel
New Zealand
Singapore
Antigua & Barbuda
Barbados
Brunei
Taiwan
Dominica
Japan
South Korea
Qatar
Kuwait
Malaysia
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
Following a review, the existing travel regulations have been consolidated, with minor amendments, into a single instrument. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 come into force on Monday 20 September, replacing the existing regulations. Policy and requirements on travellers remain the same through this change.
A new study has revealed the biggest modern communication barriers for Scots
The survey, conducted by modern hearing specialist Hidden Hearing, revealed that conversing digitally can be a huge barrier, with just under a fifth of Edinburgh adults having fallen out with someone after misreading a text message
But communication barriers can occur in-person too, with the biggest barriers revealed to be several people talking at once, background noise, struggling with face masks, people talking too quietly or fast – all of which are linked to your ability to hear
36 per cent of those from Edinburgh are currently worried about a family member’s hearing, and worry their relationship would suffer if left untreated
One in ten local adults put off making a call to family members as they are worried about their own, or the other person’s hearing
GP and medical broadcaster Dr Hilary Jones said, “People want to communicate better, but they aren’t recognising that some of the biggest barriers are linked to hearing loss. When you struggle to hear, communication can become challenging, and feelings of frustration may arise, which is why getting regular hearing tests is so important.”
New research by high street hearing specialist Hidden Hearing has revealed the biggest modern communication barriers – from digital disasters to face masks.
The research revealed that a fifth (18 per cent) of those from Edinburgh have fallen out with someone after misreading text messages, with just one in five also admitting they can spend ‘hours’ puzzling over someone’s wording or tone in a text trying to work out if they are actually annoyed or joking.
Nationally, undetected sarcasm (42 per cent) was revealed as the most common miscommunication, followed by jokes being taken the wrong way (41 per cent) and misunderstanding the tone of the message (36 per cent), leading to one fifth wrongly assuming someone was in a mood with them.
Adults are most likely to over analyse texts and emails from work colleagues (35 per cent), followed by a partner (20 per cent) or a love interest (13 per cent).
Hear this: The biggest communication barriers revealed
But communication barriers don’t just happen digitally, they can occur in-person too, with the biggest barriers being several people talking at once (39 per cent), background noise (39 per cent), face masks (38 per cent), people talking too quietly (37 per cent) or fast (32 per cent) – all of which are linked to hearing loss.
“People want to communicate better, but they aren’t recognising that some of the biggest barriers are linked to hearing loss,” said GP and medical broadcaster Dr Hilary Jones.
“When you struggle to hear, communication can become challenging, and feelings of frustration may arise, which is why being proactive and getting regular hearing tests is so important.”
Additionally, mumbling was revealed to be the most frustrating communication habit (41 per cent) – however thinking someone is mumbling is common sign of hearing loss – so the issue is likely to be with the listener rather than the ‘mumbler’.
The survey revealed that men struggle to hear more than women, with the average male struggling to hear nearly once a day, in comparison to women who have difficulty hearing 273 times a year.
One in three people believe hearing is critical for a conversation to flow, however over 50 per cent of those who experience hearing loss choose not to have their ears tested, highlighting that the issue is being ignored.
Hearing loss: It’s a family matter
More than 2 in 5 (41 per cent) adults put off calling people as they are worried about their own, or the other person’s hearing, with 17 per cent revealing that they have experienced a communication breakdown with a friend or family member because of a hearing loss. Shockingly, 45 per cent of adults’ struggle to hear someone speaking at least four times in a week.
Over one third (35 per cent) of people feel untreated hearing loss is frustrating for everyone involved in the conversation.
When it comes to the best place for conversation to flow – sitting around the family dinner table came up tops, as chosen by a third.
Dr Hilary Jones said, “If you, or a family member, are finding it hard to keep up with conversations when socialising, it may be a sign of hearing loss.
“Taking a hearing test and wearing hearing aids can help you listen better, feel connected and tune into conversations. Hidden Hearing’s 5-minute online hearing test can provide an immediate insight into how well you, or a family member, can hear.”
Time to embrace face-to-face
Nearly one third (31 per cent) of Brits reported feeling frustrated as a result of digital miscommunication, as well as anxious (27 per cent) and stressed (25 per cent). Feelings of anxiety were especially apparent in the younger generation, with 41 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds stressing over a text or email, in comparison to 1 in 10 over 55s.
Nearly one quarter (23 per cent) have waited to say something to someone in person to avoid it being misunderstood over text – even if it meant waiting weeks to have the conversation.
The OnePoll nationwide study of 2,000 adults found that a huge 79 per cent believe face-to-face is the best way to talk to someone, rather than through a gadget, with 41 per cent of adults believing that ‘people these days have lost the art of communication and rely too much on technology.’
The top phrases Brits would most like to hear in person rather than over a phone were ‘I love you’ and ‘Will you marry me?’ – both selected by 44 per cent of respondents. Nearly one third would also much rather be broken up with face-to-face, rather than over the phone.
The main benefits adults find in having conversations in person include being able to look someone in the eyes (51 per cent), paying attention to body language (47 per cent) and finding it easier to note tone (46 per cent).
Dr Hilary Jones explained: “Spending time with your loved ones or friends, especially in-person as opposed to digitally, has a profound positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing, wellbeing”.
“In person communication enables us to understand tone, pay attention to body language, and feel better connected, reducing feelings of frustration, depression and anxiety, shown to be the most common feelings from miscommunication. These feelings can be heightened even more for those who struggle to hear.”
Visit www.hiddenhearing.co.uk to find your nearest clinic or take Hidden Hearing’s free online hearing test.
The biggest communication barriers
Several people talking at once Background noise Face masks People talking too quietly People talking too fast Language barriers Zoning out of the conversation Difference of opinions Misunderstanding or misinterpreting a written message (e.g. email or text) Not understanding jargon or vocabulary Not understanding the tone of voice or intention behind a written message Multi-tasking Hearing problems Fear of how the other person would react Social distancing
The best places to communicate
At home Around a family dinner table On holiday Outside in nature In a restaurant or café On the sofa On a walk or bike ride Over a shared hobby In bed While drunk Via phone calls While driving At work Via text message In a meeting room
Wondrous Woods presents Woodyfest: October 21 – November 14, 2021
Scotland’s spectacular sell-out lighting trail Wondrous Woods is set to take flight again with a festival-themed extravaganza led by the event’s magical mascot Woody the Owl.
The trail will once again light up Hopetoun House, the country’s finest stately home, illuminating a mystical woodland journey through the magnificent grounds of a 300-year-old ancestral home outside Edinburgh.
Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s fun, colourful, celebratory festival-themed trail, Woodyfest will be a journey like no other, like no other, showcasing a host of new and exciting festival themed features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane, Welly World and UV Madness.
Setting off from the glorious architectural gem of the House, the enchanting 2km woodland walk meanders through secret paths, amongst ancient woodlands and clearings and past the atmospheric old summerhouse, before returning via the Lime Avenue to the dazzling sight of Hopetoun House beautifully illuminated. En route, along with creative lighting, there will also be several sound and special effects installations.
Last year’s inaugural event attracted over 35,000 visitors and this year’s festival is expected to out-sell that with social distancing measures now permitting visitors to travel from across Scotland.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “It was amazing to be able to deliver Scotland first large scale COVID safe experience for the public last year and give them something special to look forward to in what were some very difficult times.
“We have put a lot of thought into this year’s trail because we wanted to produce something that is fun and exciting, but also pays tribute to the many events and festivals that have cancelled this year and last year, which is what led us to the theme of Woodyfest. There is going to be some fun surprises this year. Woodyfest will have something for everyone!”
21CC Group has worked extensively with the Hopetoun team for many years, collaborating with them to produce the highly successful Hopetoun Fireworks & Bonfire event, as well as delivering multiple large-scale corporate events both within the House and the grounds.
The Earl of Hopetouncomments: “Last year’s lighting trail was innovative and magical for all of us at Hopetoun and we’re delighted to welcome back the Wondrous Woods event.
“It not only shines a light on our home and the beautiful grounds but is a real boost for the team after a particularly challenging period. It’s been fascinating to see just what such an ambitious project can achieve and I look forward to being able to show such a unique visitor attraction.”
21CC Group is a Scottish based events group based outside Edinburgh, established in 1999. They produce events around the country for corporate groups, festivals, local authorities, and private clients.
Earier this week it was announced that Maggies Centres will be Wondrous Woods’ charity partners.
A strategy to deliver world class cancer care for children and young people has been published by the Scottish Government.
Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care, the Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021-2026, was launched by Health Secretary Humza Yousaf during an online event yesterday.
The strategy highlights 10 priorities for the next five years, supported by almost £6 million investment, which include:
working towards funding genetic testing to provide personally targeted treatment
expanding Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell therapy (CAR-T) to teenagers and young adults
setting up a national molecular radiotherapy service for children
funding a dedicated health workforce to care for teenagers and young adults
raising the profile of supported care services and holistic care
developing a single centre of excellence to provide radiotherapy treatment to improve survival among children with cancer
Mr Yousaf said: “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is never easy, but receiving one at such a young age is especially difficult.
“We know that diagnosis has come a long way, with survival rates remaining stable for children and young people. However there is still more we can do to support this age group to live long, healthy and happy lives.
“This strategy, backed by almost £6 million, marks an exciting time for children and young people’s cancer services as the first strategy for this age group. It outlines our 10 ambitions to build on previous successes so that, by 2026, we will see improved and enhanced outcomes for patients and ensure equal access to care across Scotland.”
Medical Director of NHS Forth Valley Andrew Murray said: “I am delighted to see the launch of Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care, after such a challenging period in the NHS Scotland’s history, and I look forward to working with our clinicians and families to deliver its ambitious objectives over the next five years, improving experiences and outcomes.”
The launch was somewhat overshadowed by news that the Scottish Government is calling in the army to help tackle a crisis in the ambulance service – and a Twitter post of a film of Health Minister Humza Yousaf’s unfortunate accident on a scooter.
A Livingston charity set up by the mother of a young man that lost his battle with cancer at the age of 15 has been gifted £1,000.
Persimmon Homes East Scotland made the donation to the Team Jak Foundation through its Building Futures initiative designed to support under 18s across the region.
Allison Barr’s son Jak Trueman fought a rare form of cancer but lost his battle with the illness in February 2015. Jak was determined to leave a legacy that would help and support other families who receive the same devastating news that he and his family dealt with.
Allison Barr said: “I am overwhelmed and delighted to accept a whopping £1,000 from Persimmon Homes to help young people, their families and friends dealing with cancer.
“I applied to Persimmon Homes for the funds to help cover the cost of sessions that invite children to relax and enjoy a healthy meal or snack in a clean environment – something that many take for granted but make a huge difference to the young people we help.”
The Building Futures scheme aims to support community groups working with under-18s across three categories – education & arts, health and sport.
Laura Still, sales and marketing director at Persimmon Homes East Scotland, said: “Young people are at the heart of all our futures, and we are fortunate to be able to provide support and help create positive outcomes through our Building Futures campaign.
“We will make donations from £1,000 to £100,000 to grassroots sports groups, charities dealing with physical and mental health issues, as well as community arts and education projects.
“Persimmon already donates £768,000 each year to good causes through its Community Champions funding programme and through Building Futures, we are dedicating help exclusively to the younger members of our society.”
Building Futures is delivered through the Persimmon Charitable Foundation in partnership with Team GB, the British Olympic Association, and the company enlisted the help of Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Dani Rowe to launch the scheme.
Laura added: “This initiative is a superb way of supporting young people across our communities and I would encourage anyone who is eligible to apply for funding. These sums of money can be life-changing and could make a real difference to the recipients.”
A total of 128 grants of £1,000 will be awarded across Persimmon’s 32 regional businesses to improve local facilities and the delivery of vital community projects.
Three initiatives will go on to win £100,000 each through a national online public vote. The winners will be named at a grand final in November.
In each sector – education & arts, health and sport – as well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize, while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.
