Day: October 5, 2021

SESH: The local hair salon that welcomes everyone – even your dog!

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In 2021 we hear lots about ‘inclusivity’. We know that it’s important that we are kind to one another and we understand that we must accept people for who they are and we celebrate individuality. But what are businesses and hair salons, actually doing to show their support and be actively inclusive? 

Leith salon owner Simon Hill feels strongly about this and has shared the approach that his salon, SESH Hairdressing, have adopted. The salon have gone above and beyond to show that really, everyone is welcome: 

At SESH Hairdressing, everyone is welcome. From the moment you enter the salon, you will be greeted warmly and welcomed by a member of the team. They will have already looked at your notes on the system and know your name as well as your preferred pronoun and any areas of sensitivity for you. This instantly puts the client at ease and reassures them that they have entered a completely friendly space. 

For guests that may be experiencing issues with hair loss, perhaps they are in the midst of a gender transition or have come into the salon wearing a head scarf for religious reasons, SESH will always offer their secluded area, away from the main salon floor. This gesture shows that the salon is conscious and supportive of your choices. 

For busy mums who are unable to arrange child care or possibly doggy care, SESH empathise completely with this. That’s why the salon is completely dog and child friendly. Making your life easier to pop in during a busy day. We all have them!

Passionate about welcoming everyone, and helping those they can, SESH Hairdressing work closely with MND Scotland, who support those suffering Motor Neurone Disease.

The salon is renowned for their annual fundraising efforts. Furthermore, the team at SESH are all trained to service those sadly suffering MND or similar illnesses in the salon. The chairs and positions are spaciously separated (before Covid required this) and the back wash area in the salon is completely comfortable with neck rests and adequate room for guests to relax. 

At SESH their goal is to welcome each guest that walks through their doors and ensure everyone feels welcome. The salon have gone to great lengths to ensure all communities are heard and included at SESH Hairdressing. 

Visit www.seshhairdressing.co.uk for more information.

Plastic free, environmentally friendly Nuud chewing gum goes on sale at Morrisons

Morrisons customers will be able to get their hands on plastic-free chewing gum this week as Nuud Chewing Gum hits the shelves.  

Nuud Founder, Keir Carnie, pitched his plant-based product to Morrisons as part of its Growing British Brands programme and is now the first brand to launch as part of it.  The programme aims to support entrepreneurs in developing their businesses offering them mentorship, business advice and ultimately, a space on shelves nationwide. 

The spearmint Nuud Chewing Gum is plant-based, biodegradable and free from plastic and sugar.  The packaging is made from cardboard and fully-recyclable at home and is available in all Morrisons stores for £1.50 per pack. 

Morrisons continues to reduce the use of plastic and identifying sustainable brands is one of the aims of The Growing British Brands programme.  Unlike regular chewing gums, Nuud is 100% plastic free and biodegradable, breaking down just like a banana skin. It can also be composted.

Keir had previously appeared on BBC Two show Dragon’s Den but failed to secure investment as the Dragons felt the big-brand competitors had too tight a grip on the market. 

Morrisons disagreed and were won over by Nuud’s sustainability credentials and Keir’s desire to solve the problem of hidden plastics in regular chewing gum as well as the litter problems and environmental issues it can cause.

Darren Smith, Senior Sourcing & Local Ranging Manager at Morrisons, commented: “We think Keir has a fantastic product that is just what our customers are looking for. Reducing plastics is consistently highlighted as one of the top issues our customers care about and as a business we want to identify and work with sustainable brands of the future. 

“Keir was the perfect candidate for our Growing British Brands programme and we’re excited that Nuud is the first brand to launch as part of it. We look forward to helping Keir scale up his business.”

Keir Carnie, Nuud Founder, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Nuud is the first brand launching on the Growing British Brands programme.

“Our innovative plastic free, plant based chewing gum is perfect for those seeking a natural and planet friendly freshener. The Morrisons team has been so supportive in planning for this partnership, and we’re really pleased to join them on the mission to offer healthy and sustainable alternatives to Morrisons customers.”

Morrisons is continuing to look for more exciting brands to join its Growing British Brands programme. Entrepreneurs and businesses can apply at: 

https://www.morrisons-corporate.com/suppliers/supplying-morrisons/

Wondrous Woods partners with Scottish Autism to produce bespoke events

Lighting trail adapted for autistic visitors or visitors with sensory issues

Scotland’s most anticipated lighting trail Wondrous Woods is staging a specially tailored event to open up the extravaganza to autistic visitors or visitors with sensory processing challenges.

The company behind the spectacular illuminations, 21CC, has worked with Scottish Autism to devise a Relaxed Evening – supported by The Walter Scott Giving Group – of more subdued effects, reduced noise and more static lighting. The aim is to make the trail, in the grounds of Hopetoun House near Edinburgh, as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Last year the event, which was Scotland’s first large-scale COVID-safe experience for the public, attracted over 35,000 visitors and this year is expected to be even more popular. But the sights, sounds and sensations of the show, which lights up the stately home and a magical woodland journey through its grounds, can prove challenging for autistic people or people with sensory processing sensitivities.

Determined to set the standard of inclusion for major events, 21CC engaged Scottish Autism as consultants to advise on best practice for the event on Monday, November 8.  The modified event is the result and will also include staggered arrival time slots, reduced capacity to minimise crowds and lower sound levels.

The team at 21CC have also worked closely with Scottish Autism to produce pre-event information which is available to potential ticket buyers through the Wondrous Woods website, and which will allow customers to ascertain what event would be best suited for their needs – the Relaxed Performance, or the standard performance, ultimately giving them the ability to make the right choice for them in advance.

Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “When we came up with the concept for Wondrous Woods we wanted to ensure that as many adults and children as possible could enjoy the experience.

“Within the team we have some first-hand experience with autism so we understand that the multi-sensory nature of the lighting trail may cause sensory overload in autistic people or those with other sensory processing disorders and result in them feeling excluded.

“Working with Scottish Autism to produce something specially crafted for this unique group of visitors has been so satisfying.”

Charlene Tait, Deputy CEO, Scottish Autism said: “As an organisation committed to enabling autistic people to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, we are delighted to work alongside the Wonderous Woods organisers to ensure the attraction is as inclusive as possible for everyone.

“For many autistic people, the sensory aspect of an event like this can prove to be overwhelming, however with some minor adjustments and preparation in place, autistic people can enjoy this attraction with their families.”

Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s trail runs from October 21 to November 14 and showcases a host of new and exciting festival themed-features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane, Pixel Campsite and Flaming Brilliant.

It sets off from Hopetoun House and follows a 2km woodland walk meandering through secret paths, amongst ancient woodlands and clearings and past the atmospheric old summerhouse before returning via the Lime Avenue to the glorious sight of the House beautifully lit up.

En route, along with creative lighting, there will also be several sound and special effects installations, which will have their volumes adjusted and lights lowered and their movements reduced.  

Dennis Wyles, Client Investment Manager at Walter Scott Giving Group, says: “We are really pleased to be supporting this Relaxed Evening after last year’s successful event. This evening increases the access for more families to enjoy this trail.”

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.

For further information and to purchase tickets, visit:

www.wondrouswoods.com/relaxed-evening 

and www.wondrouswoods.com

Edinburgh College to host the first Lego League

Edinburgh College is delighted to be hosting #FIRSTLEGOLEAGUE at Sighthill Campus in December.

This is a wonderful occasion for teams of young people to represent their schools and take part in a highly interactive challenge, designed to develop their coding and programming skills.

Engage your team about designing creative solutions to tackle real-world problems by programming a robot in this year’s #FIRSTLEGOLEAGUE #CARGOCONNECT season.

For more information, visit:

https://buff.ly/3a5pTtM@FLLUK@edinburghcoll

#FLL

#Coding

#Robotics

#STEM

Vehicles sales plummet during pandemic … but green vehicles buck the trend

The move towards greener motoring shows no sign of slowing down according to new Department for Transport research.

The latest government figures show new registrations of three main green fuel types – Hybrid Electric, Plug-in Hybrid Electric and Battery Electric – more than tripled in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.

By comparison, there were falls of 27% and 60% for petrol and diesel vehicles respectively over the same period.

Petrol vehicles are still the most popular type of vehicle registrations – 269,000 vehicles – and they account for 56% of all new Q2 registrations in Great Britain.

Diesel car registrations have been especially badly hit in recent years. From a 2016 peak of 311,000, registrations fell by 80% to just 62,000 new diesel registrations in Q2 2021. 

Ultra-low emission vehicles ULEVs increased by over 300% during Q2 2021 compared to the same period two years before . They make up just under 12% of all new registrations in Great Britain – 76,000 vehicles. Hybrid electric followed with an increase of more than 200% in Q2 2021 compared to Q2 2019.

During the height of lockdown in April 2020, vehicle registrations fell by 94% compared to April 2019, before rallying with a 1,486% rise in April this year.

A total of 637,000 vehicles were registered for the first time in Great Britain during the second quarter of 2021, 12% lower than during 2019 Q2. At the end of June 2021, there were 39.2 million vehicles on the road in Great Britain.

The Prime Minister announced in November that wholly powered petrol and diesel cars will no longer be sold in the UK from 2030 as part of the ‘green industrial revolution’ to tackle climate change. He says the government plans to “invest more than £2.8 billion in electric vehicles, lacing the land with charging points”.

Efforts have been made to expediate this plan by encouraging all Londoners to get rid of diesel cars as soon as possible now the world’s first 24 hour Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London has been implemented.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, which offers a comparison service for electric car insurance, comments: “Despite lockdown, the move to greener motoring continues to gather pace as drivers race towards the 2030 carbon neutral deadline with electric and other hybrid vehicle sales beginning to soar.

“The rising investment in public and home charging points and the recent panic at the petrol pumps suggest this surge in demand is here to stay.

“As a growing number of insurance providers enter the electric car insurance market, we expect the average cost of insuring electric cars to fall steadily.  The use of a comparison website such as ours can help drivers compare quotes and find the most competitive premiums.”

Quotezone.co.uk offers bespoke items such as electric car insurance and van insurance.

It helps around 3 million users every year find better deals on their insurance, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different products and is recommended by 97% of reviewers on Reviews.co.uk. 

 

Invite to Stepping Stones North Edinburgh’s AGM next week

We are pleased to invite you to Stepping Stones North Edinburgh’s AGM on Monday 11 October 2021 at 12.30pm. 

This will take place via Zoom due to the ongoing Covid situation – for the link and further details please email: info@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk

​We very much hope you can attend and would appreciate your RSVP no later than Wednesday 6th October.

Zoe Jordan

Business Administrator

Stepping Stones North Edinburgh

Scottish Government publishes education recovery strategy

‘Missed opportunity’, says EIS

Plans to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic have been published by the Scottish Government – but Scotland’s biggest teaching union the EIS has dismissed the plans as a ‘missed opportunity’ and say Scotland must show more ambition.

Created with input from across the sector, including young people, the Education Recovery strategy outlines how almost £500 million has been used to support learners and staff across the country.

The publication also sets out how the Scottish Government will continue to provide ongoing support to the sector.

This includes:

  • further support for learners who are sitting exams in 2022
  • access to in-school mental health and wellbeing support that young people need, including counselling services
  • recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this parliamentary term
  • expanding funded early learning and childcare for children aged 1 and 2, starting with low-income households
  • committing £1 billion to tackle the poverty related attainment gap and support education recovery

Speaking after visiting the site of the new £47.2 million Wallyford Secondary Learning Facility, Ms Somerville said: “Our collaborative and ambitious programme of support to aid recovery right across our education sector has been underway for many months.

“Schools are still dealing with the pandemic and we will continue to support them through these challenging time. However, as a Government we must also be focused on recovery. Supporting children and young people remains our top priority, and almost £500 million of additional funding has already been committed during 2020/21 and 2021/22 as part of education recovery. Of this, £240m is to recruit extra staff to ensure resilience and to provide additional support for learners and teachers.

“Other initiatives will play a crucial role, such as the provision of free school breakfasts and lunches all year round for all children in P1-7, digital devices for every child, abolition of fees for instrumental music tuition, removal of core curriculum charges, and our extended early learning and childcare offer.

“Pupils sitting exams in spring 2022 will be offered a package of support, which will include online revision classes and targeted help for those who need it most. At the heart of all of this is our children and young people, who we will ensure have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential in school and beyond.”

Read Education Recovery: Key Actions and Next Steps.

Commenting following the publication of the plan, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Clearly, there are significant elements within the plan to be welcomed – not least the commitment to increasing teacher numbers, the creation of more permanent posts to tackle the scandal of 10% of current teaching posts being temporary, and the reduction in class contact time to 21 hours.

“Overall, however, the plan largely restates existing workstreams and fails to promote a single big initiative such as a reduction in class sizes, which would catalyse an education recovery programme and bring immediate benefits to Scotland’s children and young people.

“Smaller class sizes, even on a limited basis as a starting point, such as P2 and P3 or S1 and S2, would mean more teacher time per pupil and assist with targeted interventions where the pandemic has impacted disproportionately on children’s lives. As a country, we need to be bolder in our ambitions for our youth.”

Responding to the Education Recovery Plan, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “While we welcome the commitment to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through this plan, greater action is needed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people.

“Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. At the end June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), double that of the previous year.

“Increased funding to deliver new and enhanced community-based services, including counselling services, as outlined in the plan is welcomed. This however comes on the back of funding restrictions to these services. We must look to greatly increased investment in an expanded range of mental health services as part of a national crusade to address the impacts of the pandemic.

“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is more important than ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for COVID-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”

Keep Calm and Curry on!

PIZZA AND CURRY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL CURRY WEEK

– Morrisons limited edition Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza will be made fresh in store on Market Street –      

– Morrisons famous Volcanic Vindaloo also returns to shelves alongside new Burnin’ Bhajis –    

Morrisons has launched three new dishes to help celebrate National Curry Week this year, from the 4th – 10th October. 

Available for a limited time only, the Morrisons Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is ideal for curry lovers looking for an indulgent night in. At just £2.89, it’s a fraction of the cost of other limited edition pizzas available from high-street chains. 

Made fresh by Morrisons foodmakers on Market Street, the 10-inch stonebaked pizza is topped with onion bhajis, spicy chicken breast, mixed peppers and dollops of Patak’s tikka masala sauce – before being finished with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Made to share, it’s perfect for a night in with family or friends.

And to offer customers an even spicier way to celebrate National Curry Week, Morrisons is bringing back its famous Volcanic Vindaloo.  Available in-store now for just £2, the super hot curry is made with chargrilled marinated chicken breast pieces in an extra hot sauce with naga chilli paste and topped with a chargrilled green chilli. 

Naga chillies have a Scoville rating of up to one million – 200 times hotter than Tabasco Sauce or a Jalapeño. Some Naga chilli varieties are hotter than pepper spray and others have been used to develop tear gas grenades! 

Carrying a 6 chilli warning notice, the Volcanic Vindaloo is also topped with whole green chillies – roasted to intensify the flavour and heat – in the unlikely event that curry fans fancy an even bigger chilli hit. 

Customers can pair their favourite dish with the new Burnin’ Bhaji – a sizzling side made with sweet onion spiced with red chilli in a crisp, golden batter – all for a pocket-friendly £1.

Morrisons Ready Meals Expert, Chris Strong, said: “Customers have been asking us to bring back our Volcanic Vindaloo so we’re excited to put it back on our shelves this October. Be warned, it packs a punch!”

Morrisons Pizza Expert, Leanne Cory, said: “Our Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is a must-try for spice lovers.

“We know our customers love trying unique pizzas with friends and the new limited edition dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser while raising temperatures. Available now on our Market Street counter for under £3, so that all our customers can enjoy this fiery treat on a budget.”

The Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is available now from Morrisons Market Street Pizza Counter and will be made fresh in store by Morrisons foodmakers every day until the 24th of October.