October 2021 – Page 32 – The NEN

Sea Stories at Granton Pier

Come and join us for a relaxing walk and lunch by the sea

When: Thursday 21st October – 11am – 12:30noon

Where: Wardie Bay/Granton Pier

If you would like to join please email: JennaCorker@pchp.org.uk

Edinburgh Leisure making aquatic activity more accessible

Funding from Swim England has enabled Edinburgh Leisure’s Royal Commonwealth Pool to install ‘a Poolpod’, a submersible lift, creating inclusive swimming environments for people with long-term health conditions, disabilities and rehabilitation needs.

The London Marathon Charitable Trust (LMCT) provided a £750,000 grant in 2020 to allow Swim England and its partners, the Activity Alliance, Community Leisure UK and GLL – to enhance swimming provisions at selected venues across the UK. The Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh is the only Scottish recipient, out of 20 sites across the UK, to receive the funding.

With one in five people in our population disabled or living with a long-term health condition, ‘the Poolpod’ gives dignified and independent access to the water for swimmers.

Lynne Bauba, Manager at Edinburgh Leisure explained: “The Poolpod was installed just before the lockdown in March 2020, and with the reduced capacity in our pool when we reopened due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to shout about the Poolpod until now.

“However, regular customers with long-term health conditions, disabilities and rehabilitation needs, have been delighted with this new facility.”

One such customer, Alison Malcolm, who became paralysed from the waist down aged 50, explains how she has benefitted from using the new Poolpod and why she loves swimming.

“When I got back in the pool for the first time, my body confidence was low, and I was concerned I wouldn’t float. It sounds daft but after five months in bed, it took a long time for my body to reset.

“However, the staff were great about encouraging me to swim. I’ve never met a member of staff who didn’t want to help.

“Swimming is one of the most accessible ways for people with disabilities to incorporate physical activity into their lives. One of the things I like most about it is that once you’re in the water, you’re the same as everyone else. It has been a great way for me to get active again and using the Poolpod to get in and out of the pool has made the whole experience more enjoyable.

“Now I tend to swim 24 lengths at the Commie three mornings a week. I enjoy the 50m lengths because I can get in the zone and give myself a cardio workout without putting too much strain on my body.”

Edinburgh Leisure boasts 18 swimming pools across the city, including their stunning Victorian swimming baths and pools within the secondary schools.

They offer a variety of pool-based activities to suit all abilities and while the Royal Commonwealth Pool is the only one to boast a Poolpod, most of them have hoists, which the leisure attendants are trained on, to assist people less able to access the pools.

Sir Rodney Walker, Chairperson of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: “The Trust funds work which challenges inequality of access to physical activity. We want to help create a society in which everyone is physically active, contributing to their health and wellbeing.

“We know that people who benefit most from aquatic activity – including disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, older people, people with mobility issues and pregnant women – often face the biggest barriers to accessing a swimming pool.”

This exciting initiative is making swimming pools across the UK more accessible and ensuring a more inclusive customer experience for all.

The substantial grant from the LMCT has boosted Swim England’s Water Wellbeing model, which aims to help leisure centres remove barriers to accessing the water.

Water Wellbeing’s ‘whole facility’ approach encourages centres to understand and improve the customer experience, through a wide range of resources available on the Swim England website.

A Fairer Future?

Recovery strategy to help those hardest hit by Covid

People who have suffered the most as a result of the pandemic will be at the heart of Scotland’s Covid recovery strategy, the Scottish Government says.

For a fairer future sets out the next steps in Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic, recognising that while the pandemic has affected every area of life in Scotland, those who were already struggling have been hardest hit by its effects.

The strategy aims to address systemic inequalities made worse by Covid, improve people’s wellbeing, and remobilise public services to be more focused on people’s needs, building on lessons learned during the pandemic.

Actions to achieve this will include upskilling and retraining opportunities for workers impacted by the pandemic and the transition to net zero, help for low income families most at risk of poverty, and locally-based mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.

While the strategy is focused over the next 18 months, it includes a series of actions over the course of this Parliament to deliver substantial improvements in child poverty, make significant progress towards net zero, and secure an economic recovery that is fair and green.

Deputy First Minister and Covid Recovery Secretary John Swinney said: “The impacts of this pandemic have not been felt evenly with the most disadvantaged suffering disproportionately from the virus, and the social and economic effects of lockdown restrictions.

“For that reason, our recovery must go further than how life was before Covid. This strategy sets out how we will do that, working with local government, the third sector, and businesses large and small.

“It is the product of months of engagement with a variety of individuals and organisations representing sectors across the country, including the Citizen’s Assembly and the Social Renewal Advisory Board.

“The experience of the past 18 months has shown us what can be achieved when we look past traditional barriers to get the right service or support to people when they need it.

“By working together with the same energy, imagination, and urgency as we approached the pandemic, we can drive a recovery that delivers more for all of Scotland.”

COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said: “I welcome the publication of this strategy and its vision, which has many parallels with the COSLA Blueprint.

“Covid-19 has had an immeasurable impact on communities across Scotland and although we continue to respond to the many challenges it presents, we must also take the necessary action to address inequalities in our society that have only worsened as a result of the pandemic.

“Local Government will be at the heart of recovery, just as we were in response to the pandemic. Recovery is a shared endeavour that requires us all to work together to address the areas of greatest harm resulting from the pandemic, and deliver an inclusive and green recovery for all of Scotland.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver on a collaborative approach to recovery that is at all times rooted in the needs of the people that we serve.”

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “The levels of poverty and inequality in Scotland made the impact of the pandemic so much worse than it might otherwise have been. Insecure and undervalued employment, social security benefits that were inadequate and ingrained inequality all meant that some communities bore the brunt of Covid.

“As we look towards the end of the pandemic, it is right that the Scottish Government prioritises a recovery that addresses these underlying inequalities. Focusing on the creation of a wellbeing economy, tackling poverty and investment in social security, housing and decent public services is to be welcomed. Delivering on these priorities and retaining this focus on addressing inequalities must drive our recovery to Covid.”

Louise Macdonald OBE, National Director of the Institute of Directors Scotland said: “A strong, sustainable wellbeing economy and a fair, equal society are interdependent. We welcome the clarity in this strategy that a thriving economy underpins a successful recovery, especially in making the difference for those greatest affected by poverty and inequality.

“Leaders from business and cross-sector organisations in communities in every part of Scotland have played a vital part in the response to the pandemic in a myriad of ways and it is that spirit of collaboration, innovation and purpose – through collective effort and shared vision – which will deliver this ambitions of this strategy.”

Andrew McRae, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland said: “Scotland’s recovery from the Covid crisis won’t be possible without economic recovery.

“Smaller businesses have an impressive track record of creating jobs and healing communities after economic shocks – so they must be at the heart of implementing this welcome recovery plan.

“We’re looking forward to working with the Scottish Government to ensure delivery of these plans is designed with small and new start businesses, as well as the self-employed, front and centre.”

Covid Recovery Strategy: For a fairer future – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Biggest ever overnight cut to social security “makes a mockery of levelling up”

This morning, around 5.5 million families across the United Kingdom are waking up £1,040-a-year worse off due to the Prime Minister imposing the biggest ever overnight cut to social security.

Despite fierce opposition from across the political spectrum, his government has pressed ahead with this controversial cut which will cause immense, immediate and avoidable hardship.

As the cut comes into effect today, the Prime Minister must face the five most serious consequences of his cut:

Half a million more people pulled into poverty, including 200,000 children.
Makes social security wholly inadequate by reducing the main rate of out-of-work support to its lowest level in real terms since around 1990 and its lowest ever level as a proportion of average earnings.
Around 20% of all working-age families across the UK have lost £1,040 a year. 6 in 10 single parent families will be affected by this cut.
1.7 million people who will experience this cut to Universal Credit are unable to work – due to caring for others, disability, or illness – a promise of higher wages will do nothing to help them.
The cut takes £6 billion of spending power out of local economies. The cut has the most severe impact in Yorkshire and the Humber, the North East, North West and West Midlands, although no region will be left unscathed.

Helen Barnard, Deputy Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “Today the Prime Minister has imposed the biggest ever overnight cut to social security. It makes a mockery of his mission to level up.

“Despite overwhelming opposition, he is ploughing ahead with a cut which fundamentally undermines the adequacy of our vital social security system as we face a cost-of-living crisis. This is not building back better, it’s repeating the same mistakes made after the last financial crisis.

“The Government says a key test of levelling up is improving living standards, yet they have just made around 5.5 million low-income families £1,040 a year worse off. People’s bills won’t get £87-a-month cheaper from today, in fact they are going up. Ministers’ arguments in recent days beg the question: has the party that created Universal Credit forgotten the purpose of the system?

“The Prime Minister is abandoning millions to hunger and hardship with his eyes wide open. Low-income families urgently need him to reinstate this vital lifeline.”

Participants in the Covid Realities project responding to the Prime Minister’s comments on the eve of the cut:

“My husband has been in his job for 25 years +, he hasn’t received a pay rise in 5 years and has recently been told there’s no way he will get one anytime soon.

So I’m sorry but there’s no fix there for us. Once again the only option is to struggle and I’m tired of it.” – Emma, England, Covid Realities

“He has no idea how tough it is and how hard people are working to make ends meet!

It is sickness inducing that he completely misses the point that families will either be cold or hungry due to this cut.” – Kim, Wales, Covid Realities

“Fuel and food is on the increase and … families on a low income cannot afford to absorb these costs.

“It is short-sighted to not think of the long term costs involved when already impoverished working families cannot sustain themselves.” – Aurora, England, Covid Realities

“So our prime minister has said he knows it is tough for people on low incomes, does he honestly? … How as parents can we support our children when we are going without food, hungry and unable to concentrate and even sleep at night with worry and stress, do you really understand?

… I would invite any MP to come and actually experience the day to day drain of living on low income and the impact that has on our mental and physical wellbeing.” – Caroline, Northern Ireland, Covid Realities

Political consequences:

413 parliamentary constituencies across Great Britain will see over a third of working-age families with children hit by the planned £1,040-a-year cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit.
- Of these 413 constituencies, 191 are Conservative – 53 of which were newly won at the last general election or in a subsequent by-election.
In 35 local authorities across Great Britain, 50% or more of working-age families with children will be impacted by the planned cut.

“THE NASTY PARTY IS WELL AND TRULY BACK”

Edinburgh Pentlands SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald has condemned the £20 a week cut to Universal Credit, which comes into force today. The First Minister of Scotland, the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister of Northern Ireland have also condemned the measure.

The previous week, the Scottish Parliament voted overwhelming to support cancelling the Tory UK Government’s planned £20 a week cut to Universal Credit.

Gordon MacDonald also raised the matter with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, Shona Robison seeking information on what representations the Scottish Government has made to the UK Government.

Ms Robison confirmed that the Scottish Government had written to the UK Government on eight separate occasions since March 2020 to ask it to retain the much-needed £20 uplift. In addition on 30 August, Ms Robison joined colleagues from Wales and Northern Ireland to write to the UK Government to urge it to retain the uplift. They are yet to receive a response.

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald for Edinburgh Pentlands said: “The Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly spoke and demanded the Tory UK Government halts their plans to scrap the uplift to Universal Credit.

“Sadly, we also witnessed every single Tory MSP failing to stand up to their Westminster bosses in opposing the £20 a week cut – the biggest welfare cut since the 1930s at the worst possible time. Even former Scottish Tory leader, Ruth Davidson and six former Tory DWP Secretary of States, opposed the cut.

“I am standing up for the 32,022 households impacted across Edinburgh, but the Tory Government at Westminster has now implemented their plans that will rip more than £1,000 a year out of the hands of the most vulnerable at a time when they need it most.

“I am quite frankly shocked, but not surprised, that the Scottish Tory MSPs not only voted to back the Universal Credit cut which will condemn thousands of families to poverty, but actively defended it – the Nasty Party is well and truly back.

“History will remember them for this – Scottish Tory MSPs are letting down thousands of families and children with this callous cut in favour of propping up their Tory chums in the UK Government who are imposing these policies on the people of Scotland.

“This demonstrates once again how the people of Scotland cannot afford to continue to suffer under Westminster control. We need to have the option of choosing a different path in a referendum which can give us the full powers of independence where we can build a fairer Scotland.”

Record winter funding package as NHS and social care prepare to face “toughest winter ever”

“The current situation is not sustainable; it is dangerous for patients and becoming incredibly difficult for staff.” – Dr John Thomson, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland

A substantial new investment of over £300 million in hospital and community care has been unveiled to help tackle what is anticipated to be the toughest winter the NHS and social care system has ever faced.

The new multi-year funding will support a range of measures to maximise capacity in our hospitals and primary care, reduce delayed discharges, improve pay for social care staff, and ensure those in the community who need support receive effective and responsive care.

The NHS and Care Winter Package of additional funding includes:

Recruiting 1,000 additional NHS staff to support multi-disciplinary working
£40 million for ‘step-down’ care to enable hospital patients to temporarily enter care homes, or receive additional care at home support, with no financial liability to the individual or their family towards the cost of the care home
Over £60 million to maximise the capacity of care at home services
Up to £48 million will be made available to increase the hourly rate of social care staff to match new NHS band 2 staff
£20 million to enhance Multi-Disciplinary Teams, enable more social work assessments to be carried out and support joint working between health and social care
£28 million of additional funding to support primary care
£4.5 million available to Health Boards to attract at least 200 registered nurses from outwith Scotland by March 2022
£4 million to help staff with their practical and emotional needs, including pastoral care and other measures to aid rest and recuperation

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “As the winter period approaches, it is vital that we do all we can to maximise the capacity of the NHS and social care system. That’s why I’m setting out our £300 million NHS and Care Winter Package today.

“We cannot look at the NHS in isolation we must take a whole systems approach and these measures will help alleviate pressure across the NHS and social care.

“This significant new investment will help get people the care they need as quickly as possible this winter. Bolstering the caring workforce by increasing their numbers, providing them with additional support, and increasing the wages of social care staff.

“We’ve previously provided funding to ensure that adult social care staff are paid at least the real living wage. Today we’re going further and our new investment will ensure that adult social care staff who are currently paid the real living wage will get a pay rise of over 5%

“Measures I have announced today will help patients whose discharge has been delayed waiting for care and help get them out of hospital and on to the next stage in their care. This helps the individual by getting them the right care, and helps the wider system by ensuring the hospital capacity is being used by those who need that specialist level of clinical care.

“This £300 million of new funding will also fund increases in social care capacity in the community and in primary care – helping to ease the pressure on unpaid carers.

“Our NHS, social care staff and social work staff have been remarkable throughout the pandemic and today’s additional investment will help support them to deliver care to people across Scotland this winter.”

Meanwhile,the latest Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland published by the Scottish Governmentyesterday for August 2021 show that four-hour performance has deteriorated for the fourth consecutive month, again reaching a record low – while the number of patients staying in a major Emergency Department for 12-hours or more reaches a record high.

In August 2021 there were 117,552 attendances to major Emergency Departments across Scotland.

Data show that four-hour performance reached a new record low, with 75.4% of patients being seen within four-hours. One in four patients stayed in a major Emergency Department for four-hours or more before being admitted, transferred or discharged.

The number of 12-hour stays in August 2021 nearly doubled when compared to July 2021. 1,346 patients stayed in a major Emergency Department for 12-hours or more, compared to 760 in July 2021. This figure increased for the fourth consecutive month and it is the highest number of 12-hour stays since records began.

Data also show that 5,279 patients spent eight hours or more in a major Emergency Department. This is the highest figure since records began. The number of patients delayed by eight-hours or more increased for the fourth consecutive month.

Dr John Thomson, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “The challenge for health care workers is growing significantly. In Scotland, the army have been called in to assist the ambulance services.

“In Emergency Departments, long stays are rising drastically, and one in four patients are staying in an Emergency Department for more than four-hours. It is extremely worrying. These pressures are likely to mount further, and performance deteriorate even more as we head into winter.

“We are seriously concerned about patient safety. Long stays put patients at risk, particularly vulnerable patients, and especially with covid still present in the community. We urgently need a plan to increase flow throughout the hospital, to reduce exit block, to prevent crowding, and to ensure that patients who need it can quickly be moved into a bed for their care.

“The current situation is not sustainable; it is dangerous for patients and becoming incredibly difficult for staff.

“We welcome this afternoon’s announcement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf MSP, including the recruitment of more staff and funding for hospital and community care. We hope that these measures will begin to alleviate pressures across the health system, and in particular reduce ambulance handover delays, long stays in Emergency Departments and exit block in our hospitals.

“However, while we welcome this investment, short-term cash injections do little to resolve long-term problems. We must see a long-term workforce plan that includes measures to retain health workers, particularly Emergency Medicine staff, as well as a long-term strategy for social care.”

Responding to the Scottish Government’s announcement to uplift care workers pay to just over £10 an hour, GMB Scotland Secretary Louise Gilmour said: “If we want to tackle the understaffing crisis in social care then we need to substantially increase the basic rate of pay, and for GMB that mean’s a £15 an hour minimum.

“Many of our frontline services are already being delivered on the back of wages of just under or over £10 an hour, and we know this isn’t nearly enough.

“To transform social care for the people who need it and the people who deliver it, particularly as we roll-out a national care service, then we must go further.”

The Scottish Government may also be facing industrial action from nursing staff over the winter …

NHS pay dispute in Scotland: Royal College of Nursing members to be asked about willingness to take industrial action

RCN members working for NHS Scotland are to be asked what industrial action they would be willing to take in support of their ongoing trade dispute with the Scottish government and NHS employers over pay.

The trade dispute was lodged in June following the Scottish government’s decision to implement a single-year NHS pay deal for 2021-22 for Agenda for Change staff, without further discussing RCN members’ overwhelming rejection of the pay award.

The indicative ballot will open on 12 October and close on 8 November.

Eligible members will receive information on the different forms of industrial action.

The indicative ballot will be run by Civica, the independent scrutineer that organised the consultative ballot earlier this year. Eligible members will receive an email from Civica with a personal link to the online voting site on Tuesday 12 October. Weekly reminder emails will also be sent.

The result of the indicative ballot will not formally authorise industrial action. It will be used to inform the next steps RCN members might take.

Julie Lamberth, Chair of the RCN Scotland Board, said: “Industrial action is always a last resort but the current staffing challenges are causing unacceptable risks to patients and staff. The Scottish government has the opportunity to do the right thing by nursing.

“I would urge all eligible RCN members to seek out the available information on what taking industrial action means and what the implications of doing so might be. We need each member to make up their own mind and have their say in the ballot.”

Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Director, added: “This is your chance to speak up – for your patients and your colleagues. Many of you rejected the pay offer and you know the link between fair pay and safe staffing.

“This is your opportunity to tell us what action you are prepared to take. To let the Scottish government know that the time to protect patient safety and value the safety critical role of nursing is now.”

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

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.

Cramond Association’s History Section to explore St Kilda

The first meeting of the Cramond Association’s History Section – details below:

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