With winter evenings on the horizon, Saturday nights out are turning into Saturday nights in on the sofa. Make way for Quorn’s new vegan ‘takeaway range’, perfect for those looking for a meat-free twist on traditional takeaway treats, that are better for both you and the planet.
Kick off your fakeaway feast with the flavourful QuornCrunchy Fillet Burger: a chicken-style fillet coated in fennel and smoked paprika seasoned coating. A healthier choice, it will pack a punch on the tastebuds but not the environment. From oven to plate in only 20 minutes, it’s never been easier to enjoy your own crispy fillets from the comfort of your own home, made the way you like it. Extra Mayo anyone!
The range includes three takeaway fan-favourite wings and strips, encased in Quorn’s signature crunchy coating. Made from the brand’s unique super-protein, mycoprotein, providing a feel-good option for those looking to cut down on their meat consumption:
Quorn Buffalo Wings
It’s time to turn up the heat. The meat-free Buffalo Wings are topped with hot and spicy flavouring to entice even the most passionate of meat-lovers with a cayenne pepper, crumbly coating. You’ll never want to order take-out again.
Quorn Crunchy Strips
Indulge in the crunchiest of strips, perfect for gripping and dipping with all the family. What better way to spice up your night in than munching on your favourite takeaway-style chicken, but with a healthier, vegan twist?
Gill Riley, Quorn Marketing Director, said: “As our evenings are getting colder and darker, we know our customers will be looking forward to cosy nights in with takeaways high up on the agenda.
“We’re excited to launch Quorn’s new takeaway range to enable families to have a fakeaway feast that is healthier for you and the planet. There is no better way to bring meat-free into your meals this winter.”
Quorn’s Crunchy Fillet Burger is available in a pack of two at Asda for RRP £2.50, from Monday 18th October 2021. The full wings and strips takeaway range will land on Tesco shelves alongside the Crunchy Fillet Burger from Monday 1st November 2021 for RRP £3.00 per pack.
For more details, visit www.quorn.co.uk or follow @QuornFoods on Twitter and Facebook and @quorn_uk on Instagram.
The City of Edinburgh Council is reminding all city landlords and homeowners that every home in the Scotland must comply with new fire safety legislation which will come into force early next year.
As Edinburgh’s biggest social landlord, the Council is currently working with its contractors to fit new interlinked smoke and heat alarms, so that every one of its 20,000 Council-owned homes meets the new legislation and is made even more fire safe.
When this work’s done in each property, the electrical contractors will also undertake an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) if one has not been carried out recently.
Older residents in particular are being asked to be aware of the new fire safety legislation.
The Council’sOlder People’s Champion, Councillor Catherine Fullerton, is calling on everyone who manages properties for older tenants in Edinburgh to make sure all new standards are met so everyone has the best chance of getting to safety in the event of a fire.
Cllr Fullerton said: “It’s absolutely vital that landlords and property management companies, particularly those that have a responsibility for older people within our communities, understand the new fire safety rules coming into force and act on them as quickly as possible. All properties, without exception, must be fitted with the new interlinking alarms, heat alarms and, where required, carbon monoxide detectors too.
“I’d also urge older people or people with older relatives who own their own homes to check out the Scottish Government’s dedicated ‘Fire safety for homeowners’ webpages for more details and, if necessary, to help them to get their homes fitted with the right kind of alarms. There is also clear guidance for private and social tenants as well as new build homes.
“I’d encourage everyone to be sure they are using a Trusted Tradesperson to change their fire alarms to meet the new law – please don’t run the risk of having faulty or non-compliant ones fitted.”
A ‘Trusted Trader’ in Edinburgh can be found by using this website:
If an older person is receiving Universal Credit, Edinburgh Care and Repair Service has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government to provide this service for free. If not, there will be a reasonable charge.
You can telephone for further advice on 0131 337 111 or email reception@cre.scot.
As part of Morrisons The Best event – a fortnight of offers in store across The Best range – Morrisons has paired a selection of top-rated wines with standout cheeses from The Best range.
The pairings will help customers host the perfect cheese & wine night for friends as the nights draw in.
Some of the wines are currently on offer:
The Best Pinot Grigio – £8 reduced from £10 until the 2nd November
The Best Gavi di Gavi – £9 reduced from £11 he 2nd November
The Best Marques de los Rios Rioja Reserva – £6 down £8.75 from until the 19th October
Companies bidding to win Scottish Government contracts will have to pay the real Living Wage, ministers have announced.
This will ensure public sector contracts tackle in work poverty and promote fair work practices across the public, private and third sector where there is a risk of low pay.
The real Living Wage has been consistently higher than the UK National Living Wage and helps create an inclusive and fair economy for all.
Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “We want to use every opportunity possible to promote fair work and ensure people are paid at least the real Living Wage. By using procurement powers to ensure bidders pay the real Living Wage, the Scottish Government is leading by example to help influence employment practices and embed fair work principles.
“We will continue to engage with relevant sectors to encourage others to adopt this change across the public, private and third sector. We are firmly focused on creating the right economic conditions and fair work practices to drive a greener, fairer and more sustainable economy.”
Fair Work Minister Richard Lochhead said: “As outlined in our Programme for Government, a range of measures are being taken forward to embed Fair Work First across the economy.
“The Scottish Government recognises pay as a clear way that an employer can demonstrate a commitment to their workforce, helping tackle in-work poverty alongside wider Fair Work First criteria.
“We will also introduce further changes to strengthen criteria for Scottish Government grants from next summer, subject to limits on devolved competence, as part of the Cooperation Agreement with the Scottish Green Party.
“The number of accredited living wage employers has increased from 14 in 2014 to just over 2,300 in 2021 and we would encourage more businesses to sign up to help ensure more people see their pay uplifted to at least the real Living Wage. We encourage organisations, regardless of size, sector or location, to adopt our progressive fair work approach which will help ensure all staff receive a fair day’s pay for the work they do.”
The Fair Work Convention Co Chairs Professor Patricia Findlay and Grahame Smith welcome the announcement from the Scottish Government on introducing a requirement to pay the real Living Wage to public contracts.
Commenting on the announcement, Professor Patricia Findlay said: “The Fair Work Convention welcomes today’s announcement from the Scottish Government. Low pay is one of the key drivers of in-work poverty.
“All too often we find that disabled workers, BME workers, young workers and women in particular face precarious and low paid work, so addressing very low pay in public contracts can begin to support better outcomes for these and other workers.
“Pay is a crucial element of fair work, and for too long the obstacles to workers’ challenging and improving low pay in certain occupations and sectors have been considerable. Given this, government action to help address low pay is necessary to deliver fair work as well as to deliver on equality and anti-poverty priorities.
Grahame Smith added: I’m delighted that the Scottish Government has accepted the Convention’s view that there is no legal impediment to making the payment of the real living wage a requirement of those in receipt of public contracts.
“While this decision is a significant step forward and will make a real difference for thousands of low paid workers, we will be exploring urgently how conditionality can be extended to all dimensions of fair work, particularly requirements around collective bargaining, union recognition and the adoption of all terms and conditions negotiated nationally between employers and unions.”
North Edinburgh Arts’ FREE October Film Club for local children and young people starts tomorrow (Monday 18 October), and we’ll be showing a different film every day at 10:30am until Friday 22 October.
Places are available on a first-come basis for local residents living in EH4 2 (Drylaw and Telford only), EH4 4, EH5 1 and EH5 2.
This free offer is suitable for families and children (up to 12 years of age) to attend.
Children under 7 years old must be accompanied by a guardian (aged 14+) with no more than 2 children per guardian. A healthy snack will be provided.
Police Scotland is ready to deliver one of the largest policing operations undertaken in Britain as extensive planning for the COP26 climate conference reaches the final stages.
Around 10,000 officers will be deployed each day to support the safety and security of the event in Glasgow next month, at which around 120 world leaders and heads of state are expected to attend.
The planning operation, which has been under way for almost two years, has been the largest undertaken by Police Scotland.
Officers will be drafted from every division and department in Police Scotland, supported by a substantial number of colleagues from other UK police services as part of mutual aid arrangements. Deployments will include specialist resources such as firearms officers, dog handlers, mounted branch, search teams and the marine unit.
COP26, the United Nations 26th Conference of the Parties, is an annual summit organised by the UN where world leaders and thousands of delegates come together to tackle climate change issues.
This year’s event takes place from 31 October to 12 November at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.
Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr said: “Police Scotland is ready and well prepared to deliver this operation which will involve one of the biggest mobilisation of police assets the UK has ever seen.
“With around 120 world leaders and heads of state attending, along with thousands of delegates and those who wish to protest, the scale of the security operation cannot be overstated. It is a huge challenge but one we are ready to deal with.
“Police Scotland has an enviable reputation throughout the world for the policing of major events and I am confident that we will once again deliver a response which helps deliver a safe and secure conference.”
Police Scotland’s style and tone of policing will be friendly, fair and accommodating for anyone wishing to protest during the event.
All mutual aid officers will be under the command and control of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland and will receive detailed briefings on the style and tone of policing ahead of being deployed.
DCC Kerr said: “Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and has a duty under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest, balanced against the rights of the wider community.
“We will provide a proportionate policing response to any protests and have been engaging with known protest groups for some time to ensure their rights to peaceful assembly and protest are met.
“Those wishing to protest have a responsibility to do so within the law and I would remind the small minority of people who may be intent on violent disorder or causing damage that we will deal with them swiftly and robustly.
“The policing of protests is a particularly difficult balancing act when they are non-violent and peaceful but highly disruptive or unlawful.
“People at protests sometimes break the law in a number of ways that aren’t linked to violence or disorder, such as blocking roads.
“Some disruption is inevitable during the event, if someone is causing significant disruption by wilfully obstructing a main traffic route then officers may move through the various stages of our graduated response more quickly than they would during instances which are causing minimum disruption.
“A considerable part of our planning for COP26 has been to ensure that the communities of Scotland continue to receive the same high standard of service from policing that they have come to expect.
“Policing, so often the service of first and last resort, will never step away from people in crisis.
“There are pressures which exist across many other services, agencies and sectors, and when the health service, local authorities and other key partners come under significant strain, demand is diverted to policing.
“However, Police Scotland prioritises emergency 999 calls and these are answered within less than 10 seconds, on average. Our non-emergency response times continue to be affected by high demand.
“While an event the size of COP26 places considerable demands on policing, we already have contingencies in place and are taking steps to boost those over the coming weeks.
“Although there is potential for further disruption should pressure on other agencies and services persist and become more acute, particularly as the country prepares for COP26, I can reassure the public that if they need an emergency response from us they will get it.”
A new Scotland-wide fund supports charitable organisations providing social, emotional and practical help within their communities with grants up to £10,000.
Scotland is one of two pilot regions in the UK to offer the new PHP Community Impact Fund thanks to Primary Health Properties PLC (PHP). PHP is a Real Estate Investment Trust supporting the NHS in the delivery of primary care buildings, which positively impact the health and wellbeing of the communities they are located in.
Grants are available to charities and community groups that deliver social prescribing and community wellbeing initiatives to the communities served by the primary care centres owned by PHP.
Social prescribing enables a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. It allows GPs and other frontline healthcare professionals to refer patients to a link worker to explore ‘social prescription’ options. Many services provided by the voluntary and community sector can offer solutions to improve patients health and wellbeing.
Examples of services activities that can be included in social prescribing schemes include healthy eating advice and cooking classes, mindfulness activities, music classes, sports and exercise groups, gardening, therapeutic art activities, book clubs, and Men’s Sheds.
Social prescribing is an innovative and growing movement with the potential to reduce the financial burden on the NHS and particularly on primary care. Social prescribing also plays a vital role in helping communities recover and rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, particularly given the increased demand for services to support mental health and combat loneliness.
Grants are available for social and charitable activities and services that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of patients and communities surrounding the 38 different PHP locations across Scotland. The fund also looks to support the education, promotion and protection of good health within these communities.
Helen Wray, Head of Programmes at Foundation Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to partner with PHP to establish this new fund in Scotland. The new Community Impact Fund has launched at a critical time following the height of the pandemic.
“As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing.”
The fund is open until 25th October, offering grants up to £10,000 to charitable organisations within a 10-mile radius of PHP’s 38 locations across Scotland.
Their locations range from Dingwall in the Highlands down to Gretna Green in Dumfriesshire.
A line-up of events is being developed to celebrate the Union Canal’s bicentenary next year.
The City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Canals and partners will join to mark the 200th anniversary of the 16km waterway, which links Edinburgh with The Falkirk Wheel in Tamfourhill and onwards to the Forth and Clyde Canal.
On Thursday, members of the Transport and Environment Committee agreed to take forward a programme of projects celebrating the history of the Union Canal, as well as renewing the vision for its future and accelerating landmark initiatives along the route. Members also approved recommendations to co-fund a fixed term post, along with Scottish Canals, to take forward the programme.
Amongst activities proposed for 2022 are the refresh of the Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy, commemorating the canal’s heritage through various events including a special edition of the Edinburgh Canal Festival in June 2022 and work to secure a new future for the Lockharton Bridge Boat House.
Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “It’s wonderful that we’re going to be able to celebrate the Union Canal and its rich historical and social significance. Not only does it shed light on our industrial past but now serves as a haven for boating, walking, cycling and spending time.
“Over the coming months I’m looking forward to getting to work with Scottish Canals, Edinburgh Union Canal Society, our Canals Champion Councillor Gavin Corbett and other partners to finalise plans fitting for this iconic route.”
David Blair, Revenue and Regeneration Director at Scottish Canals, said: “Scottish Canals are delighted to be working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council to celebrate the bicentenary of the Union Canal in 2022.
“The Union Canal has a rich history, once powering the industrial revolution in the city it has been transformed for the 21st century and almost 200 years on from its opening it remains a hub of activity. The anniversary will not only celebrate the heritage of the network but will also create new and exciting opportunities for canal side communities to learn more about the canal’s past as well as its present use.”
The Union Canal, which is managed by Scottish Canals, stretches from the Lochrin Basin in Fountainbridge to The Falkirk Wheel in Tamfourhill and was originally opened in 1822 as a means of transporting goods. It was closed in 1965 with the advent of freight trains and heavy goods vehicles but was reopened in 2001 as part of the Millennium Link project.
Earlier this year the Leamington Lift Bridge, near the canal’s Lochrin Basin terminus, was awarded a ‘Red Wheel’ by the National Transport Trust, recognising its historical importance to transport heritage.
The bridge was originally installed at Fountainbridge in 1906 but was moved to its current location in 1922 when the canal was shortened to make Lochrin Basin its terminus.
Other potential projects to mark the bicentenary are the formation of a canal-based ‘Blue-Green’ community development trust, launching a citizen science programme with nearby schools to promote biodiversity and completing the WaveGarden at Ratho.
While the programme will focus on the Edinburgh section of the Union Canal, discussions would be held with other communities along the route such as Broxburn, Linlithgow, and Falkirk.
To mark World Menopause Day tomorrow (18th October), NHS 24 has launched new resources on the menopause on NHS Inform, Scotland’s trusted health information site.
Working in partnership with Scottish Government, the resources support the ambitions laid out in the Women’s Health Plan and include information about what to expect whether you’re going through the menopause or want to support someone with symptoms.
https://youtu.be/ddzdgEUOGlk
Women’s Health Minister Maree Todd said: “Women have told us, and evidence shows, that when they are well informed about the menopause, and know what to expect, their experience can be more positive. Knowledge, information and myth busting is powerful.
“I am pleased to see this comprehensive menopause platform on NHS Inform, a key deliverable from our recently published Women’s Health Plan.
“We want to ensure that anyone experiencing menopause has the care and support that they need, and this platform is an important step in achieving that aim.”
Dr Laura Ryan, Medical Director at NHS 24, said: “Menopause can affect everyone differently, and many of us are still unfamiliar with the common symptoms, how these might present, and what to expect if you or someone you know is going through ‘the change’.
“World Menopause Day aims to raise awareness of these and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing. Our new resources on NHS Inform are clinically assured and contain lots of information on signs of menopause, potential treatments, managing your wellbeing, and supporting others through their own symptoms.
“The resources also include ways to manage symptoms with some self-care, and what to do if you feel concerned that your experiences are unusual.
“Sometimes the menopause can have impacts on lots of aspects of life including self-esteem and mental health. These resources are a great way to feel knowledgeable about the experience and empowered in taking any next steps.”
Visit NHSinform.scot for updated information, including a range of videos aimed at dispelling common myths about the menopause.
First Direct and Nationwide have come out on top in Which?’s annual mortgage lender survey, with both named Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) for offering a combination of excellent customer service and consistently competitive rates.
With speculation that interest rate rises could be on the way, it is more important than ever that prospective homeowners and remortgagers do their research and find the right deal and provider.
The consumer champion surveyed more than 3,500 homeowners and analysed thousands of mortgage deals to find which providers offered impressive customer service and the best rates.
Lenders were scored on multiple aspects of customer service, including: keeping customers informed, clarity of mortgage statements, transparency of charges or penalties, dealing with queries and complaints, flexibility of payments, online access and value for money.
First Direct came out on top, receiving an impressive customer score of 81 per cent. Its customers gave it five stars across the board, and the lender consistently offered some of the cheapest deals on the market.
Nationwide earned an overall customer score of 77 per cent and was also named a WRP for the eighth year in a row. The building society achieved five-star ratings for value for money and clarity of its mortgage statements.
Coventry Building Society received the joint-top score of 81 per cent, achieving five stars for customer service, clarity of mortgage statements and keeping you well informed, among others. However, it missed out on becoming a WRP because it did not offer enough market-leading deals.
Royal Bank of Scotland received the lowest score in this year’s survey, with an overall customer score of 64 per cent. RBS received three stars for its general customer service, flexibility of payments and online access, among other criteria.
While nearly nine in 10 (87%) respondents told the consumer champion that they were satisfied with their mortgage provider, a quarter (24%) said they had had a problem with their lender. The most commonly cited issues included poor customer service, a lack of flexibility on payments and poor interest rates.
When asked why they chose a lender, around one in five (21%) respondents said the size of monthly repayments was important, while the same number said the overall cost of the deal was key. One in six (16%) respondents said an existing relationship with the lender (for example, having a bank account with the provider) was a key factor.
Seven in 10 (72%) of survey respondents had a capital remortgage payment plan. However one fifth (20%) had interest-only mortgages. While the majority of respondents with interest-only mortgages had a plan for repayment at the end of the term, worryingly 9 per cent said they did not know how they would repay their loan – meaning they could be forced to sell their home at the end of the term to repay the balance.
Gareth Shaw, Head of Which? Money, said:“Buying a house is the most expensive purchase most of us will make in our lifetime, so finding a mortgage deal that’s right for you is essential – especially when the outlook for interest rates in the year ahead is uncertain.
“Recently, we’ve seen reputable lenders offering record-breaking low rates, meaning it’s possible to find a deal that combines value for money with great customer service. As ever, doing a bit of research and talking to a whole-of-market broker before committing is likely to pay off.”
