The New Year is slowly approaching, and many of us are reflecting on 2021 and re-evaluating our lifestyle choices. The New Year is the perfect time to set new goals and targets, however big or small.
According to recent data, 23 million Brits set New Year’s resolutions in 2021, but despite good intentions, on average, people only managed to keep to their New Year’s resolutions for seven weeks.
With the very poignant COP26 and William’s Earthshot Prize, 2021 has also shown that we must do all we can to protect and give back to our wonderful big blue and look to making changes to help our planet one day at a time.
Avallen, the planet-positive calvados brand, shares some New Year’s resolutions you can set for 2022 to help combat the climate crisis and start the year off by making positive environmental lifestyle changes, without feeling totally overwhelmed:
1. Drink Sustainably
If you don’t want to go cold turkey this Dry January, why not switch up your go-to tipple? Avallen’s sustainable spirit is so good for the planet that it actively removes 2.73kg of CO2 from the Earth with every bottle. The perfect delicious guilt-free tipple that won’t give the planet a hangover!
2. Composting
Recycling your food is easy, and organic matter is great for your garden! You can grab a composting bin online from an ethical retailer and use this to collect food waste, which can then be recycled in your garden. Your garden, all the little bugs and the bees will love you for it!
3. Welcome and nurture wildlife
It’s essential that we all play our part in preserving biodiversity, and do more to preserve wildlife, whether it’s in your garden or on a balcony. From filling up your bird feeder, fitting bee bricks to your exterior or adding late flowering plants, there are a variety of things we can do, no matter how big or small, to support our furry friends.
4. Reduce your meat consumption
Many of us have become aware of how meat production is negatively contributing to the climate crisis, with citizens across the world changing their diets to become more sustainable. Why not take part in the Veganuary campaign, or look to minimise the amount of meat in your diet to help tackle the ecological crisis?
5. Use your voice
Now more than ever, it is vital that we wield our power as citizens to influence environmental change to save our planet. Get involved with environmental organisations who are influencing policy, write to your local MP and let them know the environmental issues that matter to you so your voice can be heard. Why not get your family and friends on board with your new eco lifestyle swaps too, to influence your nearest and dearest to do their part for the planet.
6. Take the scenic route
Instead of driving to every destination you visit, switch up your commute and try increasing your public transport use. Whether it’s getting the train, tram, cycling, carpooling or walking, you can explore new routes and the planet will thank you at the same time. Only use your car when you absolutely have to. If you travel frequently and have the option to, you could look at swapping high-polluting planes for relaxing trains that offer scenic views.
7. Limit your wardrobe
The textile industry plays a detrimental part in the climate crisis, emitting billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases every year. Look to curate a capsule wardrobe that has you covered for all seasons and minimises the need to buy unnecessary new clothing. Why not attend clothes swaps where you can exchange unwanted items that can be repurposed -without hurting the planet.
8. Support sustainable brands
There is a wide selection of sustainable brands out there to choose from who are leading the way for environmental change. From interior paint to planet-positive spirits, there’s a wide range to choose from, and by purchasing items from brands that care about the planet and are bettering their business with eco-friendly practices you’ll be doing your part for the planet.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that 2,828 customers filed their Self Assessment tax return on Christmas Day, compared to 2,700 in 2020.
For thousands of customers, filing their tax return on 25 December has become part of their Christmas tradition, with 227 choosing to complete their Self Assessment between 12:00 and 12:59.
In total, more than 31,000 customers submitted their 2020/21 tax return between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – getting it in early ahead of the deadline on 31 January 2022, and most festive filers completed their return on 24 December:
· Christmas Eve: 19,802 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was 11:00 to 11:59 when 2,914 returns were received
· Christmas Day: 2,828 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing was 12:00 to 12:59 when 227 returns were received
· Boxing Day: 8,641 tax returns were filed. The peak time for filing 12:00 to 12:59 when 821 returns were received
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Filling in a tax return won’t have been on many people’s to-do lists for Christmas, but please don’t leave it until the end of January either.
“We have videos, guidance and helpsheets to support you – just search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”
Some Self Assessment customers may feel worried or anxious about paying any tax owed by the deadline. If they cannot pay in full, customers can set up their own Time to Pay arrangement online if they:
have filed their 2020/21 tax return
owe less than £30,000
are within 60 days of the payment deadline
plan to pay their debt off within the next 12 months or less
If customers owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.
HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information.
Customers should always type in the full online address www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge. HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department. If in doubt, HMRC advises not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact them straight away and to search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.
With 2022 just around the corner – The Scottish Engineer wanted to give all of Drylaw Telford Community Council a little present to start the year!
From next Monday (3rd January) you can enjoy 25% off food for the whole of January.
To qualify, simply tell your server you are from Drylaw Telford Community Council facebook group when requesting your bill and the discount will be applied automatically.
You may use this discount as many times as you like throughout January and no booking if required.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Audubon’s Birds of America 12 Feb – 8 May 2022 Member Preview Day, 11 Feb Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Ticketed, £0-£10
This new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will examine the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and biggest books.
Published as a series between 1827 and 1838, Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a landmark work which achieved international renown due to the epic scale of the project and the book’s spectacular, life-sized ornithological illustrations.
Audubon’s Birds of America (12 February – 8 May 2022) will showcase 46 unbound prints from National Museums Scotland’s collection, most of which have never been on display before, as well as a rare bound volume of the book, on loan from the Mitchell Library. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see so much of Audubon’s work in one place.
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 1 Jul – 13 Nov 2022 Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Ticketed
Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.
This exhibition will look at the social and medical history surrounding the practice of dissection. It will trace the relationship between anatomy, its teaching and cultural context and the bodies that were dissected. Looking at Edinburgh’s role as an international centre for medical study, the exhibition will offer insight into the links between science and crime in the early 19th century.
The Typewriter Revolution Until 17 Apr 2022 10:00–16:30 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free entry
The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this new exhibition and looks at its role in society, arts, and popular culture. It traces the effect and evolution of typewriters across more than 100 years, from weighty early machines to modern style icons.
The impact of the typewriter has been much wider than simply speeding up the way we write. It helped revolutionise the world of work and change the lives of working women in particular. Typewriters helped them launch their own businesses at a time when female employers were rare and became a vital weapon in the fight for the vote.
Until 8 Jan 2023 Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1 Free entry
On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. In this small exhibition we show how Scott drew upon real historical objects for inspiration, placing objects alongside Scott’s words, and the stories in which they feature. While you view these fascinating objects, you can listen to an actor reading extracts from these tales.
In association with Walter Scott 250: Celebrating 250 Years of Scotland’s Greatest Storyteller.
Until 27 Mar 2022 Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1 Free entry
This small exhibition highlights the exciting work being carried out in Scotland to fight against climate change. It brings together just some of the technological responses that have been developed in Scotland or that are being used here in the effort to cut carbon dioxide emissions. On show are a range of leading-edge equipment, much of it newly collected, alongside samples of natural material.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
The Extinction Bell is a work by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram that aims to raise awareness of biodiversity loss. A fire engine bell from National Museums Scotland’s collection has been adapted to toll at random intervals 150-200 times per day. Each ring of the bell symbolises the extinction of a species, representing the number being lost every 24 hours (according to a 2007 report from the UN).
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00
LEGO® Concorde Model Until 30 Jan 2022 Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00 Free with pre-booked museum entry
Master builder Warren Elsmore and his team have created a LEGO® Big Build of the National Museum of Flight’s Concorde.
Six metres long and made of over 60,000 bricks, you can see the model on display alongside the real thing. The model is made purely from standard 2×4 LEGO bricks and took five days to build as part of our Brick Wonders exhibition in Spring 2021.
Museum Art Challenge 2021 Until 2 Jan 2022 Online, free
Looking for something creative to do this December? The Museum Art Challenge invites you to make art inspired by our incredible collections. With five weekly themes to get you thinking, you can take part from near or far simply by emailing us a picture of your finished artwork.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
*NEW* Origami Dove Making 21 – 23 Jan 2022 11:00-13:00, 14:00-16:00 Grand Gallery, Level 1 Free, drop-in
Try out your origami skills and help to create a flock of birds to become part of Les Colombes (The Doves), a stunning installation symbolising love, hope and kindness. The artwork will make its Scottish debut in St Giles’ Cathedral as a highlight of the annual Burns & Beyond Festival later in January 2022.
20 Jan – 31 Mar 2022 11:00 – 13:00 Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4 £175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.
Victorian Edinburgh considers the complex challenges and changes wrought in the period 1837–1901 within Scotland’s capital city. It examines examples of the economic, social and political context in which ‘Edinburghers’ lived, and assesses their responses to the most important Scottish, British and international events.
This course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.
20 Jan – 31 Mar 2022 14:00 – 16:00 Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4 £175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.
Georgian Scotland explores Scotland’s great changes and developments from 1714–1815. Making extensive use of National Museum Scotland’s collections, the course covers the Enlightenment and the growth of universities, trade, transportation and industry, as well as the impact of Jacobite rebellions and events overseas, from France and Spain to the American colonies.
This course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.
*NEW* Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland
20 Jan – 24 Mar 2022 11:00 – 13:00 Dunfermline Room £175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.
This course will introduce the magnificent decorative arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. We will explore the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced the modern methods and techniques used to create many of the beautiful objects on display in the National Museum of Scotland.
This course will be led by Karen A Clulow BA MA FSA Scot. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.
National Museum of Rural Life WesterKittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Clyde’s Winter Trail Until 9 Jan 2022 10:00 – 17:00 Free with pre-booked museum admission
Spot the festive scenes that Clyde, the Clydesdale horse, and his friends have been creating around the museum as they get ready for the festive season.
New package of support to help thousands of disabled people into work asUK Government ‘builds back fairer’.
15 Jobcentre Plus sites to trial framework to become more autism-friendly.
26,000 work coaches are undergoing accessibility training to improve jobcentre services for disabled people.
Thousands more disabled people are set to benefit from a new package of support designed to help them into the work they want.
Minister for Disabled People, Chloe Smith, has today announced that 15 Jobcentre Plus sites will be testing an autism framework, designed with the National Autistic Society (NAS), to transform the service available to jobseekers on the autism spectrum. The framework pilot will aim to help people with autism find, retain and progress in fulfilling jobs.
This comes as 26,000 work coaches in jobcentres across the country are undergoing specialist accessibility training, delivered in partnership with Microsoft, in a further effort to help more disabled jobseekers secure employment.
The work coaches will look at how they can support disabled jobseekers with tools including immersive readers, magnifiers and automated captions, which will not only improve their daily work but will also help with the completion of job applications and interviews.
One in 100 people are autistic and there are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK, according to the National Autistic Society. Not all autistic people will be able to work, but the charity’s research found that the vast majority want to.
Working age autistic people are often locked out of employment due to a lack of understanding and knowledge from employers and colleagues, and anxiety-inducing environments that can be distressing. It is hoped that the framework will help to break down these barriers and see more autistic people in jobs they love.
The Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith said: “Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to find a job they love and to progress in their career, but we know we must do more to help people with autism.
“By testing this autism framework and offering new specialist training to our jobcentre staff we are helping to deliver more employment opportunities for those who would otherwise feel locked out, as we work towards seeing one million more disabled people in work by 2027.”
The framework explores how best to support autistic people into employment, including ensuring jobcentre appointments with autistic ‘customers’ take place in the right environment and educating local employers in the additional requirements of autistic workers.
For example, many autistic people become distressed in busy, bright or noisy environments. As part of the pilot, jobcentre staff will therefore be asked to carry out appointments with customers triggered in this way in quieter rooms, with more appropriate lighting.
Work coaches will also be able to help providers and employers in the local communities understand the additional needs required by autistic employees, which should in turn create more opportunities for autistic jobseekers in settings where they can thrive.
If successful, the framework could be rolled out to more jobcentres in England, Scotland and Wales, benefitting thousands of people with autism.
Christine Flintoft-Smith, Head of Autism Accreditation at the National Autistic Society, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the DWP to make sure autistic people get the support they need delivered in the way they need it, when they visit Jobcentres. We both want to work to close the autism employment gap and make sure autistic people are getting the help they need to get jobs.
“Our framework of best practice has been developed with input from autistic people, specifically for Jobcentres. We want all Jobcentre staff to understand autism, be able to think about their practice and make the necessary changes to the support and environment that autistic people need.
“We look forward to our continued work with the team at DWP to get jobcentres working better for autistic people, and to get more autistic people in the jobs that they want and deserve.”
Hector Minto, Lead Accessibility Evangelist (Eh? – Ed.) at Microsoft, said: “Technology has the potential to greatly empower disabled people in the workplace, but awareness is often low, people don’t know that there is support built into modern digital experiences.
“In creating this training with DWP, built on our own internal training, we found there is terrific passion and energy in this workforce to share their knowledge with jobseekers. I am confident that it will drive real impact and help us tackle a real challenge in society.”
If we have the political will we can make this the last year where people have to go hungry, Scottish Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury has said.
Foysol Choudhury is calling on parliamentarians to support Rhoda Grant MSP’s ‘Right to Food’ bill, which would enshrine the right to food in Scots Law.
The MSP said that food poverty in the City of Edinburgh is at unacceptable levels. The Trussell Trust reported that it has distributed some 8,974 food parcels to people in Scotland in the six months from April to September this year, including a shameful 2,948 distributed to children.
In August, the Food Foundation reported that 10.3 per cent of Scots were experiencing food in security.
With the Tory cut to Universal Credit set to push families across Scotland further and further into poverty, Edinburgh Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury is calling for urgent action to tackle food poverty.
Foysol Choudhury said:“There is no reason at all why anyone should be going hungry in a wealthy nation like Scotland.
“The evidence is clear – thousands of Scots are in food poverty and many more are being put at risk due to Tory cuts.
“These appalling figures show how many families in the City of Edinburgh are relying on food banks to get by.
“We simply cannot stand back and allow this situation to continue.
“If we have the political will we can end food poverty in Scotland by enshrining it as a human right in Scots Law.
“This will send a powerful message to the country that we are serious about tackling the scourge of food poverty and force us into action.
“Let’s make this a reality, so no-one in Edinburgh has to go hungry next Christmas.”
St Andrews Brewing Company are delighted to announce the release of “Mistaken Identity” which supports the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
As with their previous rugby release “38 Year Itch” which celebrated the Scottish Rugby Team’s historic victory at Twickenham, all profits from the sale of Mistaken Identity will be donated to the foundation.
The name Mistaken Identity is a reference to Doddie’s defence when he was alleged to have broken curfew on the 1997 Lions Tour to South Africa.
Philip Mackey, St Andrews Brewing Company MD, said “We are delighted to be supporting such a fantastic cause in our own unique way. In what remain challenging times for many people we hope that Mistaken Identity will bring a little festive cheer and will prove the beer of choice for the opening weekend of the 2022 6Nations Championships.”
Mistaken Identity can be purchased exclusively from the St. Andrews Brewing Company website www.standrewsbrewingcompany.com
2022 is set to the ‘year of the squeeze’, with real wages set to be no higher next Christmas than today, and families face a typical income hit of around £1,200 a year from April as a result of tax rises and soaring energy bills, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today.
The Foundation’s latest quarterly Labour Market Outlook looks ahead to how workers and families will be affected by the big economic shifts in 2022.
It notes that while Omicron is rightly at the forefront of people’s minds at present, it is unlikely to be the defining economic feature of next year as the wave is expected to be relatively short-lived.
Instead, 2022 will be defined as the ‘year of the squeeze’ for family budgets, with inflation set to peak at 6 per cent in Spring 2022 (its highest level since 1992) and pay packets stagnating as a result.
The report notes that real wage growth was flat in October, almost certainly started falling last month, and is unlikely to start growing again until the final quarter of 2022. As a result, real wages are on course to be just 0.1 per cent higher at the end of 2022 than at the start.
By the end of 2024, real wages are set to be £740 a year lower than had the UK’s (already sluggish) pre-pandemic pay growth continued. This shows just how much the Covid-19 crisis has scarred pay packets across Britain, says the Foundation.
The peak of the squeeze will come in April, says the report, which risks being a cost of living catastrophe as energy bills and taxes rise steeply overnight.
The cap on energy bills is expected to rise by around £500 a year. Coupled with a further £100 rise to recoup the costs associated with energy firm failures, this could mean a typical energy bill rising by around £600 a year.
This rise will fall disproportionately on low-income families as they spend far more of their income on energy. The share of income spent on energy bills among the poorest households is set to rise from 8.5 to 12 per cent – three times as high as the share spent by the richest households.
Higher-income families will instead by disproportionately affected by rising tax bills in April. The average combined impact of the freeze to income tax thresholds and the 1.25 per cent increase in personal National Insurance contributions is £600 per household. For families in the top half of the income distribution, the NI rise alone will raise tax bills by £750 on average.
The Foundation says the scale of this April cost of living catastrophe, at a time of falling real wages, means the government is likely to have to act.
While there is little the Chancellor can do in the short-term to tame inflation or boost wage growth, the welcome 6.6 per cent rise in the National Living Wage next April should protect the lowest earners from shrinking pay packets.
The top priority for further action should be tackling rising energy bills, says the Foundation. Options for doing so include:
Reducing the size of the energy cap rise directly. Compensating energy suppliers for a six month, £200 reduction would cost around £2.7 billion, or £450 million if focused on lower-income households on Universal Credit.
Extending the time period over which the costs of supplier failures are recouped, with the £100 bill rise reflecting a policy of recouping costs over a single year.
Moving environmental and social levies currently added to electricity bills into general taxation, saving households £160 per year and costing up £4.5 billion per year.
Extending and increasing the Warm Homes Discount.
Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said:“2022 will begin with Omicron at the forefront of everyone’s minds. But while the economic impact of this new wave is uncertain, it should at least be short-lived. Instead, 2022 will be defined as the ‘year of the squeeze’.
“The overall picture is likely to be one of prices surging and pay packets stagnating. In fact, real wages have already started falling, and are set to go into next Christmas barely higher than they are now.
“The peak of the squeeze will be in April, as families face a £1,200 income hit from soaring energy bills and tax rises. So large is this overnight cost of living catastrophe that it’s hard to see how the Government avoids stepping in.
“Top of the Government’s New Year resolutions should be addressing April’s energy bills hike, particularly for the poorest households who will be hardest hit by rising gas and electricity bills.”
A new film from the UK government Better Health Smoke Free campaign has been released to discuss how adult smoker can influence younger people
Experts warn that teenagers whose parents smoke are likely to copy them in adulthood
New film features health experts discussing how adult smokers can act as role models
NHS support offered to smokers – in particular parents, carers and other adults – to encourage them to quit in the new year
Top medical experts have warned that teens whose parents or caregivers smoked are FOUR TIMES as likely to have taken up smoking.
Analysis has also shown that early teens whose main caregiver smoked were more than twice as likely to have tried cigarettes (26% vs 11% ) and four times as likely to be a regular smoker (4.9% vs 1.2%).
A new government Better Health Smoke Free campaign has launched as leading family doctors warn of the issues facing the children of smokers – and calls on people to help prevent this by quitting in January.
In a new film released today, NHS and behavioural health experts discuss the link between adult smoking and the likelihood of children in their household becoming smokers. This includes family GP Dr Nighat Arif, child psychologist Dr Bettina Hohnen, and smoking cessation experts Professor Nick Hopkinson and Dr Anthony Laverty of Imperial College London, who have called on parents in particular to give up smoking in the new year in order to set a good example to their children.
Maggie Throup MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Vaccines and Public Health, explained why the campaign is launching now: “We know that many people make a quit attempt in January, and while there are so many good reasons to stop smoking for yourself, we hope that this new campaign – by highlighting the inter-generational smoking link with parents influencing their children – will be the added motivation many need to ditch the cigarettes for good this year.
“With so much help and support available for parents, carers and anyone looking to quit – including the NHS Quit Smoking app, support on Facebook, daily emails and texts, and an online Personal Quit Plan – you won’t be alone in your New Year’s resolution.”
Recent research from NatCen Social Research has also shown children aged 10-15 were more likely to smoke if either their mother or father currently smoked. Children were also more likely to smoke if either parent had smoked in the past, even if they were not a current smoker.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer and joint lead for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparity, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy said: “Smoking is terrible for your health but it also has a negative impact on people around you.
“Most people know the dangers of second smoke but we should not overlook the impact that parents have as role models. Every parent wants what is best for their child and will not want them to become smokers.
“By stopping smoking now, parents can help break the pattern of smoking in their family across the generations, protect their children and improve their own health.”
The film forms part of the Better Health Smoke Free campaign from the new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in the Department of Health and Social Care, and aims to give smokers a strong motivation to quit in January, offering free and proven NHS resources and advice.
The campaign comes as the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that one in eight adults in England still smokes. There has been a complex picture of smoking patterns since the pandemic, with high rates of quitting but also high levels of relapse and signs of a rise in smoking rates among younger adults.
Professor Nick Hopkinson of Imperial College London said: “Our research findings are clear – adult smoking has a tangible impact on children. Children whose caregivers smoke are four times as likely to take up smoking themselves.
“The most effective way to help prevent this would be for adults to quit smoking – clearly not only does this have enormous benefits for them but it will also benefit their children both now and in later life.”
Dr Bettina Hohnen explains how parents’ behaviours can have a huge impact on their children’s’: “Even if we don’t directly expose children to second-hand smoke, or believe we are hiding our smoking by not smoking directly in front of them, it can still have a major impact and children can pick up the behaviour without you even being aware you’d had an influence.
“Children copy their parents’ and carers’ behaviours, so it’s important to model the behaviour you want from your child – or we can pass on behaviours without even realising. Actions really do speak louder than words, so if you don’t smoke, you will significantly reduce the chances of them taking up smoking in the future.
Family GP Dr Nighat Arif has first-hand experience of helping smokers in her general practice: “One in eight adults in England still smokes, and it remains the leading preventable cause of premature death.
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health, and it’s never too late to quit. If you want to quit smoking for your family or for your own health this January, you’re not alone. The Better Health campaign provides tons of proven support and resources from the NHS which can help you quit for good.”
Georgina from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is 35 and stopped smoking in January 2021 after being a smoker since she was only 16. Her nephews inspired her to quit: “After 15 years of smoking I took the decision to quit because I really didn’t want to pass the habit on to the children in my life.
“I was totally unaware at first, but over time I noticed that my 7- and 4-year-old nephews were watching me smoke. I am a big influence in their lives so obviously I was worried they’d one day pick up smoking too.
“In the end I quit smoking – both for my own health but for my nephews as well. When I felt ready to start my stop smoking journey, I turned to the Better Health website, and looked at the different resources they had available to help me build confidence and give myself the best possible chance of quitting.”
The Better Health campaign gives access to a range of free quitting support and tools including free expert help from local Stop Smoking Services, the NHS Quit Smoking app, Facebook messenger bot, Stoptober Facebook online communities, daily emails and SMS, and an online Personal Quit Plan.
Search “Smoke Free” for free and proven quit smoking tools and advice on different types of support, nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) and e-cigarettes, to help you quit smoking.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will update MSPs on the battle to contain the Omicron variant when she addresses Holyrood this afternoon. Despite a huge push to get more people ‘boosted before the Bells’ and the introduction of tighter restrictions, COVID case numbers continue to rise.
Provisional data for 28 December indicates a continued high level of cases of COVID-19 being recorded. The daily totals for each of the 25, 26, 27 and 28 December are the highest recorded in Scotland since the start of the pandemic.
Given that not everyone with symptoms books a test, and that some people can be infected and not have symptoms, the true number of infections is likely to be higher still.
The figures are:
25 December 2021: 8,252 cases
26 December 2021: 11,030 cases
27 December 2021: 10,562 cases
28 December 2021: 9,360 cases
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “While these figures remain provisional, the significantly increased transmissibility of Omicron is reflected in the steep increase in cases now materialising, and we would expect to see case numbers rise further in the days to come.
“I am grateful for the continued efforts of the public in complying with the guidance issued in the run up to Christmas. Without this, it is likely that the figures would have been even higher.
“These figures serve to underline the importance of people continuing to get ‘boosted by the Bells’ and following the guidance to help slow the spread of COVID while we complete the accelerated booster programme.
“I know it is hard, but it is really important people continue to comply with the guidance over the New Year period. We must not underestimate the impact of Omicron.
“Even if the rate of hospitalisation associated with it is lower than past strains of the virus, case numbers this high will still put an inevitable further strain on the NHS, and create significant levels of disruption due to sickness absence across the economy and critical services.
“In addition to observing good hand hygiene and wearing face coverings, please limit your contacts as much as possible, keep any essential indoor gatherings to a maximum of three households, and get boosted by the Bells.”
Ms Sturgeon with address members of the Scottish Parliament at 2pm this afternoon. Those looking for stronger action are likely to be disappointed, however …
