Wemyss Malts are launching six new extremely rare single cask whiskies. The six expressions from the Wemyss Malt whisky range are boldly named using the aromas and tastes of the whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling.
This wave of releases will be in a brand-new design, with each label colour coded to match the flavour category it falls under: Sweet, Spicy, Smoky, Rich, Light and Oily.
The team at Wemyss Malts believes that much of the malt whisky terminology can be difficult to decipher, even for a knowledgeable consumer. The expressions from the Wemyss Malt whisky range are boldly named using the aromas and tastes of the whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling. The six new single casks follow this naming convention and have intriguing descriptive names to entice whisky drinkers.
In addition to their flavour led names each label is colour coded to match the flavour category it falls under: Sweet, Spicy, Smoky, Rich, Light and Oily.
This wave of releases will be in a new design, the updated packaging includes a bespoke decanter bottle, ornately illustrated labels and gift box.
Each cask has yielded only a few hundred bottles and the resulting unique whiskies are extremely rare.
Prices noted are approximate suggested retail per 750ml:
• Bananas and Cream: This light single cask is a grain whisky from Strathclyde distillery. Distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2021. Priced at £88. Key tasting note: Sweet banana ice cream, meringue, lemon balm and iced buns.
• Clove Studded Oranges: From Speyside, Glenrothes distillery. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021, with only 187 bottles. Available only through www.wemyssmalts.com (£200). Key tasting note: Rich, deep orange flavours laced with intense cloves, dried fruits and muscovado sugar.
• Jam on Toast: This spicy single cask is from the Highland distillery of Blair Athol. Distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2021, this single malt is a majestic 30 years old. 226 bottles. This bottling is a Cask Club members’ exclusive (£300). Key tasting note: Sweet rich fruit flavours with a slight savoury edge evokes an array of rich fruits; plum and orange jam with sultanas. Complex wood spices give a peppery and spicy depth.
• Kiwi and Chilli: From Speyside, Glenrothes Distillery. Distilled in 1996, with 282 bottles (£225). Key tasting notes: Kiwi fruits with a spicy Jalapeños kick. Sweet, glazed doughnuts, shortcake and provides a cereal rich depth. Honey rich sweetness balances the zesty exotic fruit and chilli spice.
• Sweet Disposition: From Speyside, Glen Keith Distillery. Distilled in 1996 with 492 bottles (£200). Tasting notes: Light and enticingly sweet with eucalyptus honey, pear drops Moffat toffee, lime cordial and strawberry laces. Glazed doughnuts, shortcake and provides a cereal rich depth.
• Ultimate Apple Pie: This sweet single cask is from Speyside, Glen Moray distillery. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021. Priced at £150. Tasting notes: Rich and stewed apple pie with allspice and sweetened short crust pastry. Zesty green grapes, candy chews and white icing. The sweetness shifts to a drier note with an effervescent, fizzy mouthfeel.
William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented:“Winter is all about treasuring time with loved ones over the festive period, with this in mind our latest selection of single casks convey an assortment of fortifying and warming flavours.
“With this assortment of single casks from the spritely and sweet ‘Ultimate Apple Pie’ to the incredibly decadent Glenrothes aptly named “Clove Studded Oranges” and the show stopping 30 year old Blair Athol named “Jam on Toast” we truly have something to please all whisky fans.”
Four of the six bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.
Kirsty Mackinnon, Brand Manager, Wemyss Malts, commented:“We have selected one very special bottling; a 30 year old Blair Athol named “Jam on Toast” to be an exclusive release to our Wemyss Malts Cask Club members.
“Anyone interested may join the Cask Club free via our website. Whether you are a newcomer to whisky or an experienced imbiber the Wemyss Malts Cask Club also aims to delight and enlighten with regular features and competitions.”
“Jam on Toast” joins 6 new single cask bottlings that have been released online and to selected retailers in the UK, EU and Asian markets. Four Speyside single malts, one Highland single malt, one lowland single malts and one single grain whisky make up the new release. Each cask has been selected by Isabella Wemyss, Director of Production, each bottling has a descriptive name illustrating the whisky’s character and have been bottled non-chill-filtered and in their naturally colour.
They are limited to only a few hundred bottles with suggested retail prices ranging from £88 to £300.
Full detail of these single casks can be found of the Wemyss Malts website.
Edinburgh Napier has been named as the top university in Scotland for environmental sustainability and ethics, according to the 2021 People and Planet University League.
People and Planet is the only league table of UK universities focusing on action and transparency of environmental sustainability performance, and ranks universities across a number of credentials, including carbon management, energy, waste and recycling and workers’ rights.
Edinburgh Napier achieved a 2:1 ranking – the only Scottish university to do so – and topped the league in Scotland while receiving an overall UK ranking of 43rd.
The University scored particularly highly on its carbon reduction and carbon management and saw its biggest increases in score within Education for Sustainable Development, Ethical & Investment & Banking, and Staff and Student Engagement, highlighting recognition of collective work within each of the areas.
The good news comes in the same week as the University launched its new Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which sets out the ways in which the university community will work towards a target of Net Zero Carbon 2030 and beyond.
Jamie Pearson, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We are incredibly proud that the work and leadership of our community has been recognised in this table. An array of students, staff and partners have led and enabled key areas of improvement in our work, including divestment, engagement and curricular development.
“We will now continue our journey at Edinburgh Napier and will meet the significant commitments made within our strategy, including the very recent publication of our new Environmental Sustainability Strategy.”
– The Ultimate Breakfast is back on the menu after feedback from customers –
– It has bacon, sausages, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato, black pudding, hash browns, beans and fried bread –
– Other customer favourites coming back include the Prawn Mayo Sandwich and Mini Fish & Chips –
A selection of customer favourites are making a return to the Morrisons Café menu this week, including The Ultimate Breakfast.
The 15-piece fry up is available all day and includes three large sausages, two bacon rashers, a fried egg, two flat mushrooms, a griddled tomato half as well as two black pudding slices, two hash browns, Heinz beans and a slice of fried bread cut in half. What’s more, it costs just £6.95.
Other winter warmers making a comeback include our Mini Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash and Sausage, Egg, Chips & Heinz beans. The smaller café classics all cost £4.50 and are available all day.
Our Prawn Mayonnaise Sandwich is also back by popular demand. For an additional £1.00, customers can now add a portion of chips to their sandwich orders as well as to other main meals such as salads, pies or pizzas.
This week also sees our takeaway Afternoon Tea reduced from £12.00 to £10.00, including the festive option. It includes a selection of sandwiches, cakes and mince pies that are served with British clotted cream – all served with proper Yorkshire Tea.
If it’s just a hot drink you’re after, then you can now order a coffee and cake for £3.00 or simply add a muffin to your drinks order for just £1.00.
In addition, kids can also eat free all day everyday when an adult meal over £4.50 is purchased.
Our Christmas menu is currently available with a wide range of breakfast and lunch options including our Christmas Turkey Lunch with all the trimmings for just £5. Succulent hand carved Morrisons Deli turkey is served with roast potatoes, creamy mash, carrots, brussel sprouts, stuffing, yorkshire pudding, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce and gravy.
Ali Lyons, Morrisons Head of Café, said:“This week we’re bringing back by popular demand some of the items from our menu that customers have told us they are missing, particularly our 15 piece Ultimate Breakfast as well as a selection of smaller dishes.
“We’re also making it easy to add some extras to your orders such as a portion of chips to a main meal or a cake or muffin to a hot drink.”
To help customers in the run up to Christmas, we’re also offering £5 main meals on a selected number of delicious Morrisons café dishes.
Customer favourites include our Best Beef Burger which is stacked in our The Best Brioche Bun with cheese, salad and burger or a Crispy Chicken Burger using Market Street succulent chicken.
For pie lovers there’s our Market Street Chunky Steak Pie which is served with creamy mash, mushy peas and piping hot gravy. Our Full Breakfast is also available in this offer too.
Danger of Omicron ‘running riot’ – but Nicola Sturgeon backs away from tighter restrictions
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House this afternoon:
Good afternoon everyone, thanks for joining us. As you can see I’m joined today by the Chief Medical Officer and the National Clinical Director.
Throughout this pandemic – and particularly at key stages of it- I’ve tried, we’ve tried, to be open and upfront with you about the challenges and the uncertainties confronting us, so that you can better understand – if not always agree with, I accept – the difficult judgments and decisions that we have had to make.
I’m afraid that this is another moment when such frankness is really important.
The purpose of today’s update is to level with you on what we know so far about spread in Scotland of the new Omicron variant – and also our estimate at this stage of what we are likely to face in the days and weeks to come.
The fact is that we do face a renewed and a very severe challenge in the shape of the Omicron variant.
To be blunt, because of the much greater and faster transmissibility of this new variant, we may be facing – indeed we may be starting to experience – a potential tsunami of infections.
Now we’re not alone in that, far from it – everything I am about to share with you about the situation in Scotland is, I believe, broadly reflected in the data for the rest of the UK too. And although I’m not familiar with the data elsewhere, I would suspect it is reflected there too.
However, we have just published an evidence paper which seeks to provide you with more detail about the Omicron variant here in Scotland at this stage, and you can find that evidence paper online on the Scottish Government website or Twitter feed.
Now I’m going to come back to more detail in that and to tell you what we do know about and what we expect from Omicron and I’ll do that shortly.
Firstly, though, as I usually do, I’m just going to briefly summarise today’s statistics.
5,018 positive cases were reported yesterday – which is 9.3% of all tests carried out.
Now, this is one day’s figures – but as you can see it is a sharp rise on the average of around 2,800 per day that we have been reporting recently, and it underlines our fear that a new wave may indeed be starting.
573 people are currently in hospital with Covid – that’s 5 fewer than yesterday.
And 40 people are in intensive care, 1 more than yesterday. Although I would remind you that there is always a time lag between rising cases and rising numbers of people in hospital and intensive care.
And sadly, a further 19 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, and that takes the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 9,707.
And I want again to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
I am pleased to report, though, and this is important and will become increasingly important in the weeks to come, that the vaccination programme continues apace.
4,358,725 people now have a first dose, 3,967,477 are now double dosed, and we have also now, very significantly, passed two million booster or third doses administered in Scotland. To be precise, 2,000,915.
On first, second, third and booster doses, Scotland is still the most vaccinated part of the UK.
And again, I want to record my thanks to everyone involved in organising and delivering this vaccine programme. Without a doubt, the biggest peacetime logistical exercise that has ever been undertaken in Scotland.
Now, in relation to the Omicron variant specifically, as of 5pm yesterday, there were 110 confirmed cases in Scotland. And to give some context to that, 10 days ago we reported a total of 9 confirmed cases.
Now, these are confirmed cases and by that we mean that Omicron has been confirmed through genomic sequencing.
There are two reasons why confirmed cases represent just the tip of the iceberg and shouldn’t really be looked at as the best indicator of the true prevalence of the variant in Scotland right now.
The first reason is because genomic sequencing takes some time, much longer than processing a PCR test, so there is a time lag in these figures. But secondly, while in Scotland we do a lot of genomic sequencing, not all tests are or indeed can be analysed in that way.
So a much better indicator of whether a case is Omicron or not, is whether the PCR test shows a specific genetic characteristic known as the S gene drop out. And you may have heard us talk about that previously.
Now around 95% of all tests in Scotland are analysed in a way that allows us to know this.
And almost all tests that do show the S gene drop out just now will be the Omicron variant.
So these figures help to give a much better sense of the true scale of the variant in Scotland at this stage.
And, what they show, is that Omicron right now is rising exponentially. Indeed, what we are seeing in the data just now is perhaps the fastest exponential growth that we have seen in this pandemic so far.
In the final week of November, if we look at all of the Covid cases recorded in Scotland, there were no days when the proportion of cases with the S Gene drop out was higher than 1%.
However, by last Sunday, the 5 December, the proportion had risen to 2%. On Tuesday, it was just over 4%. On Wednesday it was almost 7%, and today, it is 15.5%.
Now you might think that these are still relatively small percentages, but consider that trend. This is doubling on a very, very, rapid basis. Indeed, our estimate at this stage is that the doubling time for Omicron cases is between 2 and 3 days. And actually it may be closer to 2 days than to 3 days.
Now, if that continues, and we have no reason at this stage to expect that it won’t, Omicron is going to very quickly overtake Delta as the dominant strain in Scotland.
Indeed, I think we can now say with some confidence that we expect it to overtake Delta within days, not weeks. We estimate this will may be as early as the very beginning of next week.
Now you might be asking, why does that matter? It matters because Omicron has a much higher R number – a higher transmissibility – than the Delta variant which for some time now has been the dominant strain in Scotland and much of the world.
So, the R number in Scotland in recent weeks has been hovering around 1. We always like it to be below 1, but hovering around 1 is not the worst place to be in. Of course, we’ve been seeing a decline in cases in Scotland in recent weeks.
However, the R number associated with Omicron is likely we think to be well over 2 –and possibly closer to 3.
And as and when Omicron becomes the dominant strain as it is in the process of doing, the R number associated with it will then increasingly become the R number for Scotland as a whole.
So as a result, our estimate is that the R number overall is likely to rise and possibly to rise above 2.
All of these estimates are based on the limited data that we already have here in Scotland, and we have been analyzing that closely but also other data available from South Africa and elsewhere.
What it all that means is that in our judgement right now, it isn’t any longer a question of if we are facing a surge in cases. We now believe that to be virtually certain.
Our health protection teams are working really hard through contact tracing, testing and isolation to slow the spread of Omicron cases and I want to thank them for the excellent work they are doing and everybody across the population who will be following their advice.
But the nature of transmission, and the nature of a variant that is even more transmissible than what has come before, means we do expect to see a rapid rise in cases in the days and weeks ahead.
This is driven by the transmissibility of this variant. Figures we are seeing here in Scotland are consistent with data from around the world. And they provide a considerable degree of certainty that Omicron is significantly more transmissible than the Delta variant.
The best expert advice at this stage also tells us that that Omicron is more capable of re-infecting people who have had the virus previously.
And – based on preliminary laboratory trials – the best evidence suggests it can evade to some extent the immunity conferred by vaccination.
Now, and I want to underline – triple underline – this point. That does not mean that the vaccines will not significantly help us. Being less effective is not the same – nowhere near the same – as vaccines being ineffective.
And booster doses, in particular, will help retain a higher level of vaccine efficiency.
So getting your vaccines, including your booster, remains absolutely crucial.
The thing we don’t know yet, is whether Omicron cases cause more or less serious illness than the Delta variant.
However, there is an absolutely crucial point that we all need to understand, and it is one of the most important points I need to set out today because it is a matter of basic and quite brutal arithmetic.
Even if the variant is generally a little bit less severe for most people – and let me stress we still don’t know if that is the case – but even if it is, and we certainly hope it will be, for some people it will still cause serious illness, hospitalisation, and, tragically, some people will die.
But the overall impact point here is that even if a smaller percentage of people overall than is the case for Delta require hospital treatment, a small percentage – and a smaller percentage – of a bigger number will result in a massive number of cases who might need hospital care.
And given the volume of people who could be infected by Omicron because of its greater transmissibility, even if most of those cases are mild, the number of cases of serious illness amongst those infections will put massive strain on the ability of the NHS to cope.
Also, the numbers of people becoming infected even mildly – and having to isolate – will put a significant strain on the economy and on critical services.
And we’re actually starting to see this already. I can tell you that today there are 60 ScotRail cancellations due to staff shortages, and these staff shortages are mainly due to Covid.
And as you may have seen in the media already today, many staff at an Accident & Emergency unit in Lanarkshire are having to isolate – through no fault of theirs, incidentally – after attending a social event and becoming infected.
So, all of this means that Omicron, I am afraid, is an immensely concerning development – even if it does prove to be slightly less severe than Delta. It’s concerning for Scotland, for the UK, and indeed for the world.
I wanted to set this out to you today, not to try and scare people, but to provide the context for the difficult decisions that all governments might have to take in days to come. And to do what I have always tried to do – level with you and try to share the rationale for these decisions.
We, in the Scottish Government, will be considering our next steps very carefully – but also mindful, in the face of this virus, particularly a more transmissible variant, of the need to act quickly.
We will be discussing matters on a 4 nations basis too. I am very mindful, very mindful, that anything we do – including some of what I am saying today – has an economic and a financial impact for businesses and UK funding arrangements means we have no choice but to look to the Treasury to act. That’s a point I will be raising again with the UK Government in a COBR meeting later this afternoon.
It is worth noting though – as I illustrated a moment ago – that not acting will also have a financial and economic impact as more people get infected and have to be away from work. But the impact of not acting will be less managed and therefore potentially more damaging.
Now, I will keep you and obviously Parliament fully updated in the days ahead.
But, there are two points I want to briefly make today before I conclude.
The first is in response to advice I received last night.
Given that Omicron is now becoming dominant, our response to it has to become more general. Because it will quickly be the case that most people who have Covid have the Omicron variant.
And we must do all we can in that context to break the transmission chains.
Therefore, from tomorrow, our advice will be that all household contacts of any confirmed Covid case should isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status and even if they initially get a negative PCR test.
I know that this is not easy – and we will obviously keep it under review. We will also ensure careful exemptions for critical services.
But we believe this to be essential at this moment to help slow transmission.
Non household contacts should continue to isolate pending a PCR result. If that is negative they can leave isolation at that point as long as they are double vaccinated.
Secondly, I want to refer to the advice that Public Health Scotland made public late yesterday afternoon that people should think about deferring work Christmas parties.
This is not easy advice to give or to hear.
But it is incumbent on public health experts to set out very clearly and frankly the risks we face, and it is incumbent on me and government to pay attention to that advice.
There is a significant risk with Omicron – and we are already seeing the reality of it – of Christmas parties or events with lots of people becoming super-spreaders.
And if that happens lots of people get infected and if these are work events, as well as the risk to individual health, there is a risk to the ability of the workplace to operate as people have to isolate. And I’ve already cited the train cancellations and the Accident & Emergency unit in Lanarkshire as examples and illustrations of that.
So the public health advice – which I have no alternative but to agree with given the evidence of risk that I know about and have now shared with you – is that we should all think a bit more carefully about unnecessary contacts, especially in crowded places just now. And that it would be sensible to defer work Christmas parties.
Now I know this has a big impact on businesses which is why we are considering – and pressing the UK government – on financial support.
But once again we face a situation that frankly has no easy options.
We know that any additional protective measures will cause social and economic harms – especially after almost two years of this pandemic.
But we also know – from past experience – that early action is often needed when dealing with this virus. In fact acting early, is often the best way of acting proportionately. So we can’t rule out further measures. And I’m afraid we can’t avoid the advice that I have shared with you today.
I will continue to do all I can to be upfront and open with you in the days ahead. And I continue to be so grateful for the responsibility the vast majority across the population are showing.
For now, though, I will end with a plea to abide by all the current protections that we have in place. It is more important than ever.
In fact, doing that still gives us the best chance we have of minimising the need for any further protections
So I want to stress once again what those current protections are.
Firstly, please get vaccinated. What I’ve set out to you today is grim to hear, I understand that. But vaccination, even with that, means we are in a better position than last year and a better position – a vastly better position – than we would be without it. So please get your vaccination – first, second, third or booster dose – as soon as you are able to. It’s the single best thing we can do. And it’s not too late if you haven’t done that already.
Secondly, test yourself regularly and often.
If you are going to meet other people – then test yourself before you do so. And if you are asking someone round to your home, or if you’re meeting someone for lunch or a drink, test yourself and stress the importance to the people you are meeting of them doing the same.
Do that even if you are going out for Christmas shopping.
The evidence we have, suggests that lateral flow tests are as effective at identifying Covid for Omicron cases, as they are for Delta cases.
So that means they are a hugely important way of helping us find out whether we might have the virus – especially if we don’t have symptoms. So if we take these tests before we go, and if we’re positive if we isolate and get a PCR test, we significantly reduce the risk that we then pass the virus on, inadvertently, to others.
You can get LFD devices online, NHS Inform, they’ll be mailed to your home, or get them from a local pharmacy or test centre. They’re easy to get and they’re going to be made available in other places over the next period – shopping centres, garden centres, for example. But they’re already easy to get and they’re easy to use as well.
And finally, please comply with all of the other basic protections.
It’s more important than ever that you’re wearing your face covering on public transport, in shops, and when moving about in hospitality.
Keep windows open when you are meeting people indoors. Don’t get me wrong, I know that is not an easy thing to ask in Scotland in December, but it does make a difference.
And follow all of the advice on hand hygiene and cleaning surfaces.
And please work from home if you can. If you were working from home at the start of the pandemic, please work from home now. And employers, if that was the case for your staff, please enable it to be the case now.
This is not a briefing any of you would have wanted to hear. It’s certainly not one I wanted to deliver, especially not as we approach Christmas. Just as I’m sure all of you long for the day you never have to see me, or any of us, at this podium again for a Covid briefing, let me assure you I long never to have to do another Covid briefing again.
But we face a really challenging period ahead again. And the only way through it, and we know this from experience, is together, with a shared understanding of what we need to do and a shared willingness to do it for our own sake and the sake of all those around us.
And a key thing to remember is that – even with Omicron – we know the things we can do to help to make a difference.
So please – get vaccinated, test yourself regularly, and follow all of the other rules and guidelines. That will help us get through, even with everything I’ve said today I hope it will help us have a Christmas much more normal than last year. Above all, a Christmas that is safe and allows us to go into the new year still hoping for that better Spring ahead.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians have published Official Statistics which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2020, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2020.
COVID impacts likely to be responsible for a 2.9 percentage point reduction in household recycling rates from 2019 to 42%
Household waste generated increased 0.3% to 2.4 million tonnes
Scottish household waste landfilled reduced by 13.0% to 660,000 tonnes
Carbon impact of household waste down 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2011
Reduction of all waste landfilled in Scottish by 13.0% to 2.6 million tonnes
Increase of all waste incinerated in Scotland by 3.1% to 1.26 million tonnes
Household waste recycled and landfilled decreases
Scotland’s overall household waste recycling rate reduced from 44.9% to 42% from 2019, and 2.5 percentage points up from the 39.5% achieved in 2011. It is likely that COVID-19 impacts are the main driver behind this reduction. The total amount of Scottish household waste recycled was 1.02 million tonnes, a decrease of 66,000 tonnes (6.1%) from 2019.
There was a reduction in the amount of some waste materials recycled, such as construction and soils (reduction of 26,000 tonnes, 14.8%) and composting of vegetal wastes (reduction of 17,000 tonnes, 5.7%), while there was an increase in the amount of other waste materials recycled, such as such as glass wastes (15,000 tonnes, 14.4%) and plastic wastes (8.3%, 5,000 tonnes).
The amount of Scottish household waste landfilled in 2020 was 660,000 tonnes, a reduction of 98,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019, and a reduction 794,000 tonnes (54.6%) from 2011. This is the ninth consecutive decrease in household waste landfilled. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.
For 2020, the total amount of Scottish household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 748,000 tonnes, an increase of 171,000 tonnes (29.7%) from 2019 and an increase of 625,000 tonnes (508%) from 2011. This includes waste incinerated, incinerator outputs recycled, and organic material recycled that does not meet quality standards.
2020 data reflects a continued downward trajectory since 2011 in Scotland’s household waste carbon impact. The carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed in 2020 was 5.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (TCO2e), which is the equivalent to 1.00 TCO2e per person.
This was a decrease of 225,000 TCO2e from 2019, and a reduction of 1.33 million TCO2e since 2011. This is largely due to increased recycling for high impact waste materials as well as reductions in waste generated and reduced landfilling of biodegradable waste.
Waste landfilled in Scotland sees continued reduction
The total quantity of waste landfilled in Scotland in 2020 was 2.6 million tonnes, a reduction of 390,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019 and a reduction of 4.4 million tonnes (62.9%) from 2005. This is the ninth consecutive reduction in waste landfilled across Scotland. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.
Part of the reduction was largely due to less soils landfilled, which decreased by 340,000 tonnes (29.0%) from 2019. This is likely a result of reduced construction activity in Scotland due to COVID-19 restrictions during the reporting period.
The total quantity of waste incinerated in Scotland in 2020 was 1.26 million tonnes, an increase of 38,000 tonnes (3.1%) from 2019, and an increase of 855,000 tonnes (208%) from 2011. There was, however, a 15.3% reduction (75,000 tonnes) of wood waste incinerated, a likely impact of COVID-19 restrictions such as closure of household waste recycling centres and reduced construction activities during the reporting period.
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “Last month, the world came to Glasgow to agree global action on the climate emergency. The message was clear that together, as counties, companies, or communities – we all have a role to play.
“How we use resources in our homes, workplaces, public services and private sector can have a real impact on Scotland’s environment. Whilst It’s positive that for a ninth consecutive year we see a move from landfill, the latest data does reflect the realism of the public health emergency.
“What’s important is not the past, but what we do next. We’ve shown that by working together, we can rise to the challenge of a healthcare emergency. We need now to show that we can do this again in tackling the climate crisis.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, added: “There’s little doubt the disruption caused by the COVID_19 pandemic hit recycling efforts in 2020. In particular, the closure of recycling centres in many areas seems to have had the greatest impact.
“The good news is that the volume of materials collected for recycling at the kerbside increased, showing that there is a keen appetite to recycle more amongst householders.
“There was a huge collective effort from local authority staff in all departments, as well as private sector resource management companies, to keep the show on the road during the strictest lockdowns, and periods of heavy staff absence. This hard work was very much appreciated by the public. Without all of these efforts, the recycling rate may have been more severely affected.
Iain Gulland concluded, “As we move out of the initial shock to services caused by the pandemic, we need to redouble our collective efforts to increase the national recycling rate, with improved infrastructure and continued engagement with householders.”
In October 2021 there were 108,279 attendances to major Emergency Departments across Scotland, the number of attendances dropped by 5,719 patients (5%) compared to the previous month, September 2021.
Despite this, data show that four-hour performance in major departments has once again reached a new record low, with 70.9% of patients being seen, transferred or discharged within four-hours – 2.5 percentage points lower than the previous month, September 2021.
In October 2021 2,533 patients spent 12-hours or more in a major Emergency Department, this is an increase of 30% compared to the previous month, September 2021, and the highest number on record.
Data also show that 8,181 patients spent eight hours or more in a major Emergency Department. This is an increase of 21% compared to the previous month, September 2021 and is also the highest number on record.
Dr John Thomson, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “Yet again we are reporting on the worst performance figures on record. 1 in 13 patients are now delayed by eight hours are more.
“This trend is extremely worrying and, most of all, dangerous for patients. Each month, the number of patients that have come to avoidable harm grows. So far in 2021, 387 excess deaths have occurred as a direct result of crowding.
“This number will continue to increase unless patient flow is prioritised this winter; this means freeing up beds where possible by ensuring that patients have timely access to social care, utilising the Discharge to Assess model, and avoiding admission when appropriate by maximising the use of Same Day Emergency Care.
“Every winter we know that the increase in demand for unscheduled care, and therefore beds, disrupts elective surgery – this is not a new phenomenon by any means.
“However, with a record number of patients awaiting surgery, ensuring that unscheduled care does not derail progress on the backlog is more crucial than ever. This requires a whole system approach and cannot be tackled in isolation. If poor patient flow in emergency departments is addressed successfully, this will go some way in mitigating the risk of further disrupting elective care.
“We are very keen to work with the Scottish government on what can be done in the short term to alleviate the immense pressures EDs are currently facing.
“Accompanying this, we continue to call on the Scottish government to set out a long-term workforce plan. The required expansion in capacity cannot be safely achieved without both recruiting new and retaining existing staff.
“At present we need an additional 130 EM consultants along with sufficient numbers of both junior and supporting staff and nurses.”
Psychologists share tips and tools to help you cope with Christmas triggers
Although Christmas is time for joy and celebration, for many it can be overwhelming and have an impact on their mental wellbeing. With last year’s Christmas being heavily impacted by Government restrictions, this festive season may present new challenges for some.
Psychologists Madeleine Gauffin, Dr Cecilia Radecka and Dag Härdfeldt, at digital healthcare provider Livi share some tips and practical tools to help you manage your mental health this Christmas.
Dealing with stressful family gatherings
Madeleine says: “Consider how you want to spend your time. Just because things feel more open this year, it doesn’t mean you have to spend time with absolutely everyone you know and love.
“If you’re worried about family pressure, try putting boundaries in place. Families can be invasive or cast shame or guilt. You don’t have to justify your decision on how you spend your time. Allow yourself to be honest and try to communicate that”.
Managing anxiety
Madeleine says: “There are several types of anxiety disorders, from Generalised Anxiety Disorder to social anxiety disorder. With the return of office Christmas parties and family gatherings, this year may be particularly challenging for some.
“Although it’s important to talk to a doctor or psychologist about your anxiety, there are a number of tools you can use to cope in the moment when your anxiety feels overwhelming. For example, try this simple breathing exercise to help calm your nervous system and reduce stress in your body:
· Sit or lie down comfortably
· Exhale completely
· Gently and slowly inhale through your nose for the count of 4
· Gently exhale through your mouth for the count of 4
· Pause and hold for the count of 4
· As you breathe, imagine your breath moving around the image of a square
· Repeat for 1 or 2 minutes, or until you feel calmer
“Exercise is also one of the best ways to help you manage your anxiety in the longer term. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins that enhance emotional wellbeing. High intensity aerobic exercise like jogging, running or brisk walking, 2-5 times a week for at least 2 weeks, can be effective in reducing anxiety”.
Dealing with depression
For people living with depression the holidays can be a difficult period. The latest data from the Office of National Statistics found self-reported depression in Great Britain has increased compared with pre-pandemic levels, with one in five adults experiencing depressive symptoms in the last quarter, compared to one in ten prior to the pandemic.
Madeleine says: “During the festive season and winter months, a lack of sunlight has shown a correlation with symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in some people. This is a type of recurring depression with a seasonal pattern.
Try to get as much daylight as possible. Even a short daily walk can be beneficial . Natural light is the most important cue for maintaining circadian rhythms (the body’s natural sleep/wake cycle).”
Reducing feelings of loneliness
There are nine million lonely people in the UK and four million of them are older people. Christmas is a particularly painful time for older people who experience loneliness throughout the year, but there are a variety of ways which can help to combat feelings of loneliness.
Dr Cecilia says: “Being part of a community gives us a strong sense of belonging. Doing activities that we enjoy is good for our mental wellbeing and a way to meet new people. Try taking part in a book club, choir or volunteering at a community garden. One study found that group singing significantly boosts psychological wellbeing”.
Madeleine adds: “If you can’t see friends or family in real life this Christmas, it helps to make the effort to keep in touch with people in any way you can – video calls or phone calls can help. You can consider starting new networks, too, like an online book club. Or, arrange to have a festive dinner with friends or family over the internet.
“A study has shown that even going for a walk on your own for at least 20 minutes a day can help to reduce feelings of loneliness. When you’re outdoors, your world opens up. You see nature and other people, and this is a good distraction away from your own thoughts”.
When to see a doctor
Madeleine Gauffin, Livi psychologist, said: “Sometimes, you may need professional support to help manage feelings of stress, grief or mental health conditions. If you regularly feel overwhelmed, book an appointment to speak to a doctor or therapist where you feel most comfortable, whether that’s digital or in-person.”.
Scotland’s National Clinical Director Jason Leitch is becoming a vaccinator and is encouraging more people to enrol to help accelerate the national booster jab programme.
Since 19 November, the equivalent of 300 full-time additional staff (more than 1000 individuals) have joined the national vaccination effort and health boards are actively recruiting to create extra capacity.
Following the most recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) everyone aged 18 and over who is eligible will be offered a slot for the booster jab by the end of January. Currently those aged 40-49 are invited to make an appointment through the online portal or the national helpline, from 12 weeks after their second dose. The national programme is also delivering second doses to 16 and 17 years olds.
Professor Leitch said: “I am pleased to join the fantastic team at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and look forward to helping administer booster jabs to adults and second doses to 16 and 17 years olds as we continue to protect Scotland’s population as quickly as possible.
“To be a small part of this national mission is a real privilege. It also gives me the opportunity to thank the clinical teams and volunteers who have got us this far.
“This has been the biggest immunisation programme in the history of the NHS and the hard work and commitment shown by health boards and vaccination teams across Scotland means we have the highest vaccination rate for people aged 12 and over of all UK nations for first, second and boosters/third doses and the winter vaccination programme has already delivered more than 2 million booster and third doses to the most vulnerable groups, covering 45% of the adult population (aged 18+).
However, we would warmly welcome any former NHS employees and of course, they will receive full training before giving any vaccines. I’ll be helping when I can alongside my main role.
“Even a shift a week will help, so if you’re a dentist, a nurse, an optometrist or a doctor and you can help us then please contact your local health board. Every vaccine dose given is another step out of the pandemic. If you don’t have a clinical background, it’s not a problem, you can still assist the programme in another capacity through the British Red Cross.
“We have accepted the JCVI’s updated recommendations and aim to offer the booster vaccine to everyone aged 18 or older who is eligible by the end of January, and we would love some more vaccinators to join our incredibly national programme to assist us through this particularly busy period.”
Vaccination Programme Director at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Anne Harkness said: “In the last year, our vaccination team at NHSGGC have administered more than 2.1 million jags, working with the public to protect our communities.
“We are continuing to build our pool of vaccinators and we are delighted to welcome Jason to the vaccination team and wish him – and all the new recruits – well.”
People who wish to apply to become a vaccinator can find more information at NHS Scotland
Volunteers who are not currently involved in COVID response, or other critical work, who would be interested in assisting the COVID response generally and the vaccine programme in particular, can find out more by emailing:
Homebuyers can now get their first online glimpse of Artisan Real Estate’s much heralded Rowanbank Gardens in Corstorphine, promising immaculate environmental credentials and providing a spectacular blueprint for low-carbon living.
The development website goes live this week and potential buyers can register interest by logging on to www.rowanbankgardens.com ahead of the formal launch of the on-site sales office and marketing suite early in the New Year.
Rowanbank Gardens is an industry-leading sustainable development delivering 126 high quality apartments in a well-connected central location. When complete, it will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom spacious apartments on the site of the former Gylemuir Care Home, just a few minutes’ walk from main access routes into the city for bus, train and car.
Work on site began in summer this year, and the first ‘move-ins’ are anticipated for early 2023. With no fossil fuels being used and both heating and hot water delivered through individual air source heat pumps, the development offers smart energy-efficient design geared to achieving low to zero carbon ratings – with the added benefits of lower home-running costs.
Rowanbank Gardens has also been designed to respond to the rapidly changing requirements of both home buyers and the wider community. Apartments have been designed around an internal courtyard garden, filled with fruit trees and communal planting and growing beds as well as a natural woodland area and formal lawns.
The spacious apartments will provide open-plan living with easy access to a private courtyard or large balcony overlooking the gardens, making them ideal for families and downsizers alike. While innovations such as green roofs ensure benefits of surface water retention, improved insulation and ecology.
Welcoming the launch of Rowanbank Gardens, Artisan’s Regional Sales Manager, Christie Turner, said: “This is part of Artisan’s £90 million investment commitment to raise the standards of sustainable living at prime city centre sites across Edinburgh.
“At its heart is a sustainable design which reflects the demands of modern life, with buildings designed to minimise carbon footprint and maximise daylight. Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.”
She added: “There has already been strong interest in the development from Corstorphine residents, many of whom wanted to downsize and stay in the area and from families looking for more space.
We are now looking forward to launching our marketing suite on site and progressing with the development, continuing with our ongoing investment to get the city living again following lockdown.”
Artisan is perhaps best known in Scotland for large-scale urban regeneration projects like the award-winning New Waverley at the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town. The developer is now applying the same values, resource and design philosophy to its residential developments which is quickly setting it apart from other major homebuilders in Scotland.
The launch of Rowanbank Gardens comes hot on the heels of sales success at the award-winning Canonmills Garden site, Artisan’s other Edinburgh city centre development comprising 180 luxury apartments and colony properties overlooking the Water of Leith.
Sales of the 135 apartments available for private sale are now nearing completion with the development welcoming its first ‘move-ins’ in the summer.
David Westwater, Artisan’s Scottish Regional Development Manager said: “The Rowanbank Gardens site fits in well with Artisan’s approach of regenerating city centre sites with good local amenities and public transport links.
“It is well set to meet the Council’s stated requirement for well designed, high density living whilst providing spacious communal areas and well-established public transport links ensuring low car ownership.
“Artisan now has an opportunity in Scotland to set a new benchmark for high quality urban regeneration in sensitive city-centre environments – whether it be residential, commercial, or mixed-use. Our track record across Scotland has given us a strong understanding of the importance of sustainable low carbon living combined with high quality placemaking, which is at the heart of all Artisan’s developments.”
To register interest In Rowanbank Gardens, savvy homebuyers should now visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com.
The Rowanbank Gardens Sales Team is now based at the offices of lettings and estate agency Umega at 10 Lister Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9GL.
EIGHTEEN of the UK’s most impactful coaches and organisations were recognised and celebrated at the UK Coaching Awards 2021 in Leeds on Tuesday, (7 December).
Whittled down from 27 finalists and many more strong nominations, each winner received a memento to commemorate their extraordinary contribution to sport and wellbeing.
This year’s awards, with an in-person showpiece ceremony not possible the year previous due to Covid-19 restrictions, focused not only on the outstanding level of technical coaching, but those who had gone the extra mile to support participants mentally and emotionally as we transition out of the pandemic.
The winners are:
Changing Lives Award – Andrew Joyce, Christchurch
Coach Developer – Andrew Noble, Sheffield
Coaching Chain, supported by Sport England – Kadeena Cox MBE’s chain (Tom Hodgkinson, Joe McDonnell, Jon Norfolk MBE, Brian Scobie, Sue Bowles, John Westerman and Nathan Wells)
Coaching for an Active Life Award, supported by Spond – Our Parks
Community Coach – Adults, supported by Sport England – Alice Tribedi, London
Community Coach – Children & Young People, supported by Sport Scotland – Sean Ross, Hull
Great Coaching Moment – Jane Figueiredo, London
High Performance Coach – Richard Morris, Sheffield
Lifetime Achievement Award – Richard Brickley, Fife
Talent Development Coach – Julie Maiden, Milton Keynes
Transforming Coaching Award, supported by Reading Room – Coach Core Foundation
Young Coach – Tor Freeman, Biggleswade
UK Coaching CEO, Mark Gannon, said:“This year we have been blown away by the commitment and ingenuity shown by each of our winners. The UK Coaching Awards recognise the huge variety of ways that coaches make a different to people’s lives, whether through training and improving skill level, education and development, or mobilising their community and bringing people together.
“Coaches are a powerful unifying force for good and the amazing examples we have seen this year showcase why we are right to be so proud of the coaching workforce here in the UK.
“I would like to extend a personal congratulations to each of our winners – great coaching has always been about inspiring others, and the pandemic has made this more vital than ever. At a time where we have all needed motivation, that boost to carry on and to be the best we can be, coaches have stepped up and rejuvenated their communities.”
Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award Richard Brickley, was honoured to be recognised for his long-standing contribution to disability sport.
“I am thrilled to receive the UK Coaching Lifetime Achievement Award but at the same time recognise that there are so many others who could equally claim the right to be here,” he said.
“To be in the company of so many amazing young people who believe sport can change the world is humbling. Thank you to UK Coaching for recognising the impact of coaches at every stage of their journey.”
Sean Ross, winner of the Community Coach of the Year for Children and Young PeopleAward, was in disbelief that ‘someone like him’ could be considered a top coach in the UK.
He said: “It feels absolutely amazing to be Community Coach of the Year. I didn’t think I’d have a chance with so many incredible coaches nominated – it feels great just to share a room with so many fantastic people. It’s inspiring for us to keep on learning and achieving more than ever before.
“A great coach is someone who inspires belief, regardless of what walk of life you are from. I believe everybody deserves a chance in life, and I suppose that is what makes a really good coach – someone who gives people the chance they need to be their best self.”
Another remarkable community coach honoured at the awards was Alice Tribedi, who proves great coaching can reach everyone, working with older participants up to 93 years old.
She said: “Coaching means a sense of community to me. I coach mostly those who are older, up into their nineties, and for many they have been on their own throughout the pandemic.
“In my classes there was a lot of depression, many suffering from isolation. That’s why it’s important to support everyone, because these are the people that need it most.
“To be recognised means the world. Having had to give up my dancing career when I was so young due to injury, means that my coaching career is everything to me. I enjoy it so much, and it means everything to coach the amazing people I do.
“One lady told me that not long before her husband died, he had told her to continue coming to my classes to help her. She told me last Christmas that the class had been a lifeline for her. That makes you realise the power of coaching.”
Find out more about this year’s winners and the awards by heading to:
