A man has been arrested and charged following an attempted robbery at a convenience store on West Granton Road.
The incident happened around 7.45am yesterday (Sunday, 10 October). The 31-year-old man is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Tuesday 12 October).
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “Fortunately no one was hurt and there was no threat to the wider public. I would like to thank the public for their patience.”
Leading Scottish law firm Thorntons welcomed six further trainee solicitors this September. This follows an earlier intake of ten trainees in March of this year and underlines the firm’s commitment to growth.
The new recruits will undertake a two year course across the firm’s network of offices, developing their skills and knowledge across a variety of legal disciplines, as part of their traineeship.
All trainees will adopt a blended work approach, working both from home and in the Thorntons’ offices, ensuring they have direct support from their supervising partner and other colleagues.
The trainees are Walter Buckman from Glasgow, David Durie and Finlay Williamson from Dundee, Antonia Kildare and Hannah Smethurst from Edinburgh, and Martyna Kotlarz from Aberdeen.
Structured around four six-month department rotations, the trainees will gain hands-on experience, complete practical work and have direct client contact from early on. The group will also benefit from Thorntons’ diverse learning and development programmes, mentoring scheme and internal virtual networking opportunities which are all designed to further advance skills and knowledge.
Additionally, all trainees are allocated a specially selected mentor from Thorntons’ team to offer advice and guidance throughout the duration of the training contract.
New trainee David Durie said: “Going to University in Dundee, Thorntons was a huge presence in the legal community. But the firm didn’t just appear to us in billboards, on the television, and on the radio. The people at Thorntons were always willing to give their time to help with events, offer their knowledge and advice, and even act as a sounding board regarding doubts about our futures.
“When I was given the opportunity to join the firm as a trainee and pay forward the help I was given, I knew I had to grab it. I have a lot to learn over the next two years, and there’s a lot of work to be done. But that work is made all the more rewarding by witnessing first-hand that ‘doing what’s right’ isn’t just a slogan, it really is Thorntons’ mission.”
Lesley Larg, Managing Partner at Thorntons, said: “Our trainees play a vital role in the success of the firm, and I’m hugely excited to welcome our new team members.
“As Thorntons continues to grow, and more and more opportunities become available for newly qualified solicitors, this is a particularly exciting time for our trainees to embark on their careers. Each year a significant number of successful trainees stay on to continue their careers with us, and we look forward to working with them to develop their skills and knowledge.”
For more details on Thorntons traineeships visit:
Leading sustainable waste management company Biffa is launching a partnership with Simon Community Scotland (SCS) to tackle homelessness in the country.
SCS is a Scottish charity that provides help and support to homeless people via their street teams, drop in support and advice centres, and 24-hour helpline. SCS work across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Central Scotland.
The partnership with Biffa will support the services that SCS provides as well as raising awareness for the charity.
Biffa is sponsoring the cost of the helpline and street team throughout the month of October to give advice and support to those in need. On average, the helpline receives 500 to 600 calls per month. On the streets 140 Biffa vehicles will also carry the SCS logo and helpline number as they complete their rounds in Scotland.
SCS are committed to eliminating homelessness and firmly believe that everyone should have a safe space to live and access the support they need.
Gavin Money, the regional manager at Biffa, commented: “This is a really positive, socially-engaged organisation that I am excited to be a part of with Biffa. The reality is our collection teams are on the streets every day and come across people that need support, and we want to be able to do as much as we can to help.
“Our partnership with SCS will allow us to educate our staff, volunteer and make a difference to people’s lives.”
Biffa has worked hard to raise awareness of the dangers of people sleeping in bins, issuing a call to action on waste management companies to make their bins harder to access, as well as commissioning research with the Open University and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to find out the extent of the issue in the sector. Biffa introduced its own approach to the issue by implementing warning stickers, locks and even trialling human detection technology.
The collaboration with SCS is part of Biffa’s continued support to tackle the issue and eradicate homelessness.
In 2020 – 2021, the Scottish government recorded 42,000 people in homeless households with 25% of these households’ containing children, despite rooms and housing offered during the pandemic reducing applications for housing. With the lockdown rules ending, this figure is likely to increase to pre-pandemic levels.
Murray Easton, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Everyone at SCS is delighted to be working in partnership with Biffa. Our street teams in Edinburgh and Glasgow are out every single day, connecting with people who are sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough. We provide advice, support to access services and some on-street services.
“Our partners at Biffa are also out on the streets every day, making this partnership feel incredibly natural and we’re excited about how we can work together to increase awareness of the issue, change and ultimately save lives.
We really appreciate Biffa’s support – their teams will be on the ground helping with our helpline the week commencing with world homeless day on 10th October.”
You can find out more about the work Simon Community Scotland are doing here: https://www.simonscotland.org/, or you can ring their helpline on 0800 027 7466.
Professional, scientific and technical services – including financial management, scientific research and development and agricultural – have received the UK’s highest increase in average wage since the pandemic began, a new study shows.
Comparing ONS average wage figures from January 2020 with those from July of this year, research from leading software developers Bacancy Technology reveals that the average salary for those working in professional, scientific and technical services has gone up by 11.4% – the highest increase across industries in the UK. Overall, this sector’s monthly pay packet of £2,270 per month in Jan 2020 has increased to £2,529 in July of this year.
Roles within the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector have seen the second highest average wage increase, going up by 10.8%. The industry’s average has gone from £1,255 in January of 2020 to £1,391 in 2021 – a growth of £136.
Though positions within Finance and insurance saw the third highest percentage increase in wages of 10.6%, the sector saw the highest raw average financial increase from last January to this July, of £308. Average wages in this sector increased from £2,883 to £3,191 per month.
At the other end of the spectrum, employees within Accommodation and Food Services ranked with the lowest wage growth, both in percentage and raw financial increase – seeing an average increase of less than 1% – just £8 per month.
Construction services have also seen slow growth over the lockdown period, placing the second lowest in the table with an average increase of just 1% – an additional £23 per month to their pay checks.
Assessing these findings, a spokesperson for N.Rich commented: “This breakdown shows a number of interesting facts surrounding the UK’s most lucrative industries for personal financial growth over time. The rising demand for financial guidance, agricultural suppliers and medical research and development over lockdown has clearly impacted the wages received by the employees of these businesses.”
The study was conducted by N.Rich, which offers a rich array of intent data and ad inventory that enable marketers to drive awareness and lead generation effectively.
UK industry average wage increases – January 2020 to July 2021
| Sector | Avg. wage in GBP (Jan ’20) | Avg. wage in GBP (Jul ’21) | Increase in GBP from Jan ’20 to July ’21 | Raw financial increase rank | Percentage increase from Jan ’20 to July ’21 | Percentage increase rank |
| Finance and insurance | 2,883 | 3,191 | 308 | 1 | 10.68 | 3 |
| Information and communication | 2,836 | 3,129 | 293 | 2 | 10.33 | 4 |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 2,270 | 2,529 | 259 | 3 | 11.41 | 1 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,255 | 1,391 | 136 | 4 | 10.84 | 2 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1,668 | 1,803 | 135 | 5 | 8.09 | 5 |
| Energy production and supply | 3,228 | 3,358 | 130 | 6 | 4.03 | 15 |
| Administrative and support services | 1,580 | 1,707 | 127 | 7 | 8.04 | 6 |
| Health and social work | 1,768 | 1,895 | 127 | 8 | 7.18 | 8 |
| Extraterritorial | 2,796 | 2,920 | 124 | 9 | 4.43 | 14 |
| Education | 1,891 | 2,013 | 122 | 10 | 6.45 | 9 |
| Real estate | 1,995 | 2,104 | 109 | 11 | 5.46 | 12 |
| Manufacturing | 2,298 | 2,402 | 104 | 12 | 4.53 | 13 |
| Other service activities | 1,360 | 1,461 | 101 | 13 | 7.43 | 7 |
| Transportation and storage | 2,254 | 2,344 | 90 | 14 | 3.99 | 16 |
| Wholesale and retail; repair of motor vehicles | 1,476 | 1,557 | 81 | 15 | 5.49 | 11 |
| Mining and quarrying | 3,870 | 3,939 | 69 | 16 | 1.78 | 19 |
| Water supply, sewerage and waste | 2,457 | 2,517 | 60 | 17 | 2.44 | 17 |
| Public administration and defence; social security | 2,460 | 2,519 | 59 | 18 | 2.40 | 18 |
| Households | 910 | 963 | 53 | 19 | 5.82 | 10 |
| Construction | 2,196 | 2,219 | 23 | 20 | 1.05 | 20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,070 | 1,078 | 8 | 21 | 0.75 | 21 |
Laings The Jewellers is honoured to welcome revered luxury maison, Fabergé, to its showrooms in Edinburgh and Cardiff, alongside its online store.
Fabergé has become renowned throughout the world as an artist jeweller, creating extraordinary jewellery and objects of art, as well as bespoke commissions for an international clientele.
Founded in 1842, Fabergé has gained an unrivalled legacy ever since Peter Carl Fabergé became the official goldsmith to the Russian Imperial Court, providing exquisite jewels and the legendary series of lavish Imperial Eggs.
These eggs were adored by the Empresses of Russia’s royal House of Romanov and gained acclaim throughout the European world of royalty and aristocracy.
Today, Fabergé has carved out a unique place in the cultural landscape as a symbol of the ultimate prestige and luxury.
Iterations of the iconic Fabergé Egg have featured in Hollywood productions such as James Bond Octopussy, Peaky Blinders and Ocean’s Twelve, and Fabergé’s High Jewellery creations regularly adorn celebrity red carpet appearances, worn by the likes of Helen Mirren, Dua Lipa and Winnie Harlow.
Stuart McDowell, Managing Director of Laings, said: “It’s an honour to offer our clientele the opportunity to enjoy Fabergé, a magnificent maison that values ‘A Life in Colour’ and has an incredible legacy.
“The collections present a beautiful relationship with the brand’s history and the present day, and we are looking forward to showcasing Fabergé’s magic in Edinburgh, Cardiff and our online store.”
Laings will launch Fabergé with an array of collections including Heritage – a quintessentially Fabergé offering drawing inspiration from its historic masterpieces, Colours of Love – a vibrant array of jewellery that exemplifies the philosophy of ‘A Life in Colour’ and celebrates special lifetime events, and Essence – a selection of egg-inspired jewellery that embodies Fabergé’s world of surprise and delight.
Antony Lindsay, Managing Director of Fabergé, said: “We are delighted to be working with arguably one of the most esteemed and established jewellers here in the UK that offer nothing but the very best for its distinguished clientele.
“Both Laings and Fabergé have a rich, illustrious history that when combined spans well over two centuries and has allowed for time-honoured values and traditions to be refined, perfected and passed onto our discerning clients.”
Fabergé is showcasing a much anticipated exhibition ‘Romance to Revolution’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum London, opening 20 November 2021.
Laings encourages all Fabergé enthusiasts to explore the wonder of the maison at the exhibition, which will host over 200 precious objects including three remarkable Imperial Eggs lent to the V&A by Moscow Kremlin Museums.
For more information on Laings, visit www.Laingsuk.com.
One in five Scots were unable to purchase essential food items in the past two weeks, new research has revealed.
18 percent of people in Scotland could not buy essential food items – the third-highest percentage of people in the UK who were unable to access essential food. The study also found that almost a quarter of Scots were unable to purchase non-essential food items.
The research, conducted by delivery management experts Urbantz, used new ONS data on goods shortages to analyze the percentage of people in Scotland who were unable to access essential food between the 22nd of September and the 3rd of October.
The study found that 12 per cent of people in Scotland bought less food than usual between 22nd of September and 3rd of October as a result of shortages – double the percentage of Scots who purchased less food in the previous fortnight.
One in four Scottish residents reported that when they went food shopping, items that they needed were not available and they could not find a replacement, while half said that there was less variety of food in the shops than usual.
On a UK-wide level, one in six people struggled to buy essential food items in the last fortnight, and 15 percent of people couldn’t buy fuel. The North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the East of England were the areas worst hit by food shortages, with 21 percent of people in those regions unable to buy essential food.
When it came to fuel shortages, the South East and the East of England were the regions that struggled most. In the South East, 22 percent of people were unable to access fuel – 57 percent higher than the national average.
A spokesperson for Urbantz, which conducted the data, said: “With the country facing significant delivery of food and other essentials, it’s vital to look at the experiences of families in the UK, and what they have dealt with in the past two weeks when trying to shop for food, medicine, and fuel.
“The impact of the driver shortage is felt across the entire supply chain, all the way through to the last mile – where consumers are faced with fewer choices at checkout and longer delays on their deliveries due to retailers’ struggles to keep their warehouses stocked”.
Food shortages by region
| Region | % who couldn’t buy essential food in last fortnight |
| Scotland | 18% |
| North West | 14% |
| North East | 21% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 21% |
| East Midlands | 21% |
| West Midlands | 12% |
| East of England | 19% |
| London | 19% |
| South East | 17% |
| Wales | 14% |
| South West | 18% |
Fuel shortages by region
| Region | % who couldn’t buy fuel in last fortnight |
| Scotland | 6% |
| North West | 14% |
| North East | 9% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 14% |
| East Midlands | 14% |
| West Midlands | 13% |
| East of England | 23% |
| London | 16% |
| South East | 22% |
| South West | 19% |
| Wales | 14% |
All data gathered from the ONS.
Activities for Primary School pupils at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
For further information or to register call the Centre, telephone 552 5700
DROP IN VACCINATION BUS
Tuesday 12th – Sunday 17th October from 10am – 6pm
The most comprehensive analysis of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) linked to UK food & drink production and consumption ever undertaken shows the urgent need to slash the carbon footprint of food if we are to achieve the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.
It also shows the need to consider the full, global, footprint of the food & drink we consume, if we are to avoid reducing our own emissions at the expense of increasing emissions in other countries.
The report, UK Food System GHG Emissions, estimates that the UK food system was responsible for nearly 160 MtCO2e emissions in the UK and overseas in 2019 – equivalent to around 35% of UK territorial emissions*.
This landmark mapping was made possible by the development of a new Food System GHG model to pinpoint carbon hotspots across the food system and investigate the reductions possible through different types of action.
The ground-breaking work shows that a 50% reduction in food-related emissions by 2030 (in line with a 1.5oC trajectory) is possible, but only if we take urgent action.
The findings come at a key time as world leaders gather next month for the crucial COP26 meeting in Glasgow, to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The report’s author, the UK’s environmental charity WRAP, is now urging politicians from around the world to consider the contribution food and drink makes to climate change and put food system emissions on the table at talks in Glasgow.
Marcus Gover, WRAP CEO said, “Much attention will rightly be paid to energy generation and transport at COP26, but we ignore the food system at our peril.
“There is little talk about the contribution that strategies around food and drink can have to climate action, and it is vital we raise awareness and drive action among policymakers and businesses at COP26. That is why WRAP has set out the tangible reductions that can be made simply by focussing on food and drink as key part of climate action.
“A 50% reduction by 2030 is possible, but we need action as much as talk. And the benefits go far beyond the environment as a more sustainable food system is crucial to feed our expanding global population against a backdrop of changing climate and less predictable weather patterns. Policymakers must pay attention to the critical role food has in helping deliver Net Zero, and I intend to have those conversations at COP.”
The food system is a global network requiring a worldwide perspective. GHG emissions associated with overseas production of food & drink imported, sold and consumed in the UK are more than one third of the UK’s food and drink consumption footprint.
WRAP’s work details this connectivity to imported food and outlines the need for widescale action to prevent the positive actions by one nation inadvertently increasing emissions in another.
WRAP held a special briefing in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Resources Institute last week to outline how a Net Zero food system can benefit the planet, and its inhabitants.
It highlighted the scale of GHG emissions reductions that could come from different types of interventions across the food system such as zero deforestation, decarbonising energy, decarbonising transport and preventing food waste. With five key actions for UK industry.
These actions will help meet environmental goals such as the UK’s Courtauld Commitment 2030 GHG target (50% absolute reduction in emissions associated with food and drink consumed by 2030 from 2015).
The Courtauld 2030 target is aligned to a 1.5oC pathway and has become a crucial milestone to meeting wider food sector targets for Net Zero by 2040, including those managed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Food & Drink Federation (FDF).
DR Liz Goodwin, OBE, said: “This report is a useful reminder of the scale of the challenge faced by countries aiming to achieve Net Zero targets and the important role that reducing food loss and waste can play.
“It comes after the UN Food Systems Summit which clearly highlighted the importance of tackling food loss and waste as part of moving to a more sustainable food system. The Champions 12.3 coalition continues to urge action by all players; governments, businesses and civil society, so that we continue to build momentum in reducing food loss and waste and deliver UN SDG 12.3”.
WRAP’s work allows for a full investigation of the implications of actions across the whole food system, to aid policy decisions and focus action by businesses.
The Food System GHG model has been designed to help quantify the scale of potential emissions reduction that could be achieved through a range of actions aligned to existing commitments, such as renewable energy targets, zero deforestation commitments and targets to halve food waste.
The model provides a robust means of monitoring the UK’s total food system emissions (including both domestic production and imports), which is an important metric highlighted in the National Food Strategy. Monitoring progress over time will ensure actions taken are having the right effect.
WRAP believes the model could be replicated in other countries.
As well as the most comprehensive mapping of GHG food emissions to date, WRAP’s report also highlights where food system emissions arose and details the changes between 2015-2019, during which time an 8% reduction was achieved by the UK. It builds on the National Food Strategy and recent Courtauld 2030 progress report, both of which highlighted the significance of the food system for both territorial emissions and our wider global footprint.
Crucially, the report highlights a pathway to achieving a 50% reduction in the GHG emissions linked to production and consumption of food and drink in the UK. This can be achieved mainly by ensuring that existing policy, business and sector-level commitments and targets are delivered.
But warns WRAP, they must be delivered at pace.
The Moderator of the General Assembly Lord Jim Wallace has embarked on a ten-day schedule to learn more about the life and work of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Lord Wallace said he is looking forward to attending events organised by the Presbytery of Edinburgh which will see him meet people from all walks of life and learn how they have coped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Presbytery visits provide Moderators with an opportunity to offer encouragement and support to church members and the communities they serve.
Due to the lockdown, this is the first fully in-person visit to take place since 2019.
Lord Wallace, a QC and former MP and MSP, said the city is close to his heart. “I am very much looking forward to my first presbytery visit, not least because it is Edinburgh where I went to university, trained as a lawyer, practiced as a lawyer, sat in the Scottish Parliament and where I met my wife, Rosie,” he said.
“I am very grateful to the presbytery for putting together a very comprehensive programme, which will allow me to engage with a whole range of people who reflect my interests and background.”
The programme will see Lord Wallace visit churches, hospitals, universities and a prison and meet ordinary church members, politicians, senior figures in the judiciary, ministers, chaplains and interfaith and ecumenical leaders.
Lord Wallace was ordained as an elder at what was St Bernard’s Church in Stockbridge in 1981. It is now called Stockbridge Parish Church and Lord Wallace joined the congregation there yesterday (above).
In the evening, the Moderator led worship at Holy Trinity Church in Wester Hailes.
Lord Wallace will meet with Councillor Frank Ross, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, at the City Chambers today and will later attend an event at New College to mark their 175th Anniversary and meet candidates for the ministry.
This evening, the Moderator will attend a civic event at the City Chambers for members of the Edinburgh Area Children’s Panel who make sure that a young person is at the heart of legal decisions that affect them.
Many church members are involved in this work and Lady Wallace, who will be accompanying her husband, was a panel member for many years until recently.
On Tuesday, Lord Wallace, who is currently sitting on the non-affiliated benches in the House of Lords, is visiting the Charteris Centre run by Greyfriars Kirk, which is based in a refurbished church building at The Pleasance which is nearing completion.
It is a social enterprise initiative which seeks to provide a place for connection with communities of all kinds.
Afterwards he will visit Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Courts to hear more about the administration of justice, especially during the pandemic.
Lord Wallace will then travel to HMP Edinburgh in the Saughton area of the city where he will be given a tour and introduced to staff, prisoners and the chaplains who support them.
On Wednesday, he will visit Napier University’s Sighthill campus where he will meet Principal Andrea Nolan and be given a tour of the Clinical Centre in School of Health and Social Care.
He will meet staff, students, members of the university’s chaplaincy team and Professor Gary Hutchinson and Liz Aston from the School of Applied Sciences to discuss work with Scottish Institute For Policing Research.
In the afternoon, the Moderator will visit the Granton Goes Greener project at Granton Parish Church to learn more about an innovative clothes upcycling project which is part of work to reduce consumption as part of efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
He will later attend a special Presbytery service in St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, which will be attended by the church’s ecumenical and interfaith partners, as well as national and civic leaders, and will be followed by a reception in Parliament Hall which will bring people from the worlds of religion, politics and legal profession together.
On Thursday, the Moderator is visiting Edinburgh Airport with Rev Moira MacDonald, minister of Corstorphine Old Parish Church and Workplace Chaplain, Esther Elliot, to hear about the work of workplace chaplains.
He will later meet with the Principal of the University of Edinburgh and visit the law school – the place where he studied – to speak with students and staff.
In the evening, the Moderator will attend a Presbyterial Guild event in Craiglockhart Parish Church, speaking on the theme of “Look forward in Faith”.
On Friday, he is visiting the Royal Blind School, the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and will attend an evening reception at Edinburgh Castle for chaplains who serve in a wide variety of contexts – hospitals, the military, universities and the workplace.
Lord Wallace said: “I am looking forward to meeting people engaged in chaplaincy, many of whom have been at the front line during the COViD-19 crisis.
“I will be very much in listening mode and hope to provide them with encouragement.”
Polwarth Parish Church is the Moderator’s next stop where, on Saturday, he will visit the new All Aboard canal boat that the congregation jointly own with a charity called People Know How.
It is used for spiritual and educational pursuits on the Union Canal, which links Edinburgh and Falkirk.
The Moderator will take part in worship at Tron, Moredun and Gilmerton Church on Sunday and join members of Leith Churches for a special service in the evening.
He will visit the Richmond’s Hope bereavement project for children and young people at Richmond Craigmillar Church the following day.
Very Rev Dr Derek Browning, Moderator of Edinburgh Presbytery, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Lord Wallace.
“Presbytery visits allow Moderators to meet local Christians and gain a wider perspective of how the Church, and the communities we support, engage.”
