Eight projects working with young families to encourage good nutrition are being allocated funding by the Scottish Government as early intervention to reduce childhood obesity.
Among the initiatives is the Greater Glasgow and Clyde project ‘Thrive Under 5’ which will receive £269,344 towards a community food nurturing programme to help families of pre-school children in Glasgow’s most deprived areas with food insecurity, healthy eating and physical activity.
The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet-related health inequalities.
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “Addressing obesity remains a public health priority and we want children and families to have access to appropriate support to give everyone the best start in life no matter where they live.
“We know that diet impacts on children’s health and development and will therefore continue to support local partners to develop these ambitious and effective plans to help prevent and reduce childhood obesity. Our 2021-22 Programme for Government sets out our focus on improving the health of young people by taking forward the actions in our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan.
“These projects, alongside our Best Start Foods payment and Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme Milk are central to our commitment to ensure everyone in Scotland has access to healthy, nutritious food. We have also introduced the Good Food Nation Bill to help ensure good quality, locally sourced and produced food is a practical everyday reality for everyone.”
Health Improvement Lead at Glasgow City Health & Social Care Partnership Siobhan Boyle said: “We are delighted to receive year two Scottish Government funding for the Thrive Under 5 Project. This project is an exciting pre-5 early intervention project that aims to enable a healthy weight in the early years through a child poverty lens.
“This programme will directly benefit families in the Thrive Under 5 neighbourhoods by combining a suite of healthy lifestyle supports in relation to financial inclusion, food insecurity, healthy eating and physical activity.
“A local Thrive Under 5 network in each area will drive the project forward in partnership with local people. We are looking forward to seeing the positive difference that this project will make.”
As well as Thrive Under Five in Glasgow, other projects to receive funding are: Jump Start Tots in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the HENRY Train the Trainer model in NHS Fife, NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian, an extension to the HENRY programme in NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles, and Little n Lively in NHS Lanarkshire.
Nigeria to be added to the travel red list from 4am Monday 6 December following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which are linked to travel from this country, with 134 UK cases now reported in total
In light of emerging evidence on the Omicron variant, from 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and above wishing to travel to the UK will need to show a negative pre-departure test (LFD or PCR) as close as possible to departure and not more than 48 hours before to slow the importation of the new variant
Government working at pace to expand Managed Quarantine Service capacity, but passengers are advised that hotel bookings may be limited as new hotels are onboarded
These are temporary measures that have been introduced to prevent further Omicron cases from entering the UK, and will be examined at the three-week review point on 20 December
From 4am tomorrow – Monday 6 December – UK and Irish citizens and residents arriving from Nigeria must isolate in a government-approved managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and receive two negative PCR tests, as further precautionary action is taken against the Omicron variant.
Currently, the vast majority of cases in the UK have clear links to overseas travel from South Africa and Nigeria, and over the past week, 21 Omicron cases reported in England originate from Nigeria.
A temporary travel ban will therefore be introduced for all non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who have been in Nigeria in the last 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through Nigeria while changing flights.
Last weekend, 10 countries were added to the red list and it was announced that all vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK must take a day two PCR tests and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Since then, the geographical spread of Omicron has increased considerably, with 37 countries around the world now reporting Omicron cases and over 134 cases identified in the UK.
New analysis conducted by the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates that the window between infection and infectiousness may be shorter for the Omicron variant, which increases the efficacy of pre-departure testing as it is more likely to identify positive cases before travel.
In light of this emerging evidence and the changing global picture with regards to the spread of Omicron, from 4am on Tuesday, anyone wishing to travel to the UK from countries and territories not on the red list must also show proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow (LFD) pre-departure test, taken no earlier than 48 hours before departure. This applies to vaccinated passengers and children aged 12 and above.
Airlines will be required to check for pre-departure tests alongside a completed passenger locator form, and passengers will not be allowed to board a flight without providing evidence of a negative test result.
Given the reduced incubation period of the Omicron variant, passengers are advised to take the pre-departure test as close as possible to their scheduled departure to the UK and no earlier than 48 hours before travelling.
These additional measures are vital to delaying the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK.
However, as the Prime Minister set out on 27 November, all temporary measures will be reviewed after three weeks to ensure that they remain necessary and proportionate, and this will take place on 20 December.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, said: “We knew this winter would be challenging but the arrival of a new variant means we must further strengthen our defences.
“As our world-leading scientists continue to understand more about the Omicron variant we are taking decisive action to protect public health and the progress of our COVID-19 vaccination programme.
“I urge everyone to do their bit to slow the spread by following the new travel rules, wearing masks where mandatory and most importantly getting the booster jab when called.”
Anyone arriving from Nigeria before 4am Monday [6 December] will be advised and strongly encouraged to isolate at home, and their household should also self-isolate for 10 days starting with their arrival in England.
Affected individuals will be contacted and offered free PCR tests to be taken on day 8 after their arrival.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “Following developments in the past week, the science shows that we must be cautious in guarding against this new variant and so, while we appreciate this will be difficult for the travel sector, it’s important we prioritise public health.
“As we learn more about the Omicron variant, we will review these temporary measures to ensure they continue to be proportionate and necessary to protect public health.”
Analysis by the UKHSA suggests there is strong indication of Omicron presence in Nigeria, and several cases identified in the UK are linked to travel from Nigeria. The country also has very strong travel links with South Africa, for example Nigeria is the second most popular flight destination from Johannesburg.
The UKHSA continues to monitor the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world, and government is working collaboratively with the WHO and countries around the world to better understand the new variant and possible mitigations.
Travellers should not attempt to travel to the UK from a red list country without a Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) booking, as they will not be able to board a flight and could be subject to a fixed penalty notice at the UK border.
The government’s advice is to keep checking the CTM website as there are significant number of cancellations happening which will free up rooms.
The MQS has contracted several new hotels to enter service this week, in response to the likely numbers of UK residents who will want to travel from Nigeria before Christmas.
British nationals in Nigeria should check Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice and follow local guidance. The FCDO will continue to offer tailored consular assistance to British nationals in country in need of support overseas on a 24/7.
The UK government is clear it will take further ‘decisive action’ if necessary to contain the virus and new variant.
The change, informed by a UK Health Security Agency risk assessment, will also take effect in Scotland.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “It is essential we take steps now to keep people safe, protect the roll out of the booster programme and reduce the chances of unsustainable pressure being placed on the NHS over the winter.
“We have always said it may be necessary to quickly implement fresh measures to protect public health in Scotland, particularly with regards to international travel, and these restrictions are proportionate and necessary to that aim.
“We fully understand the impact the changes will have on staff and businesses in the travel and aviation sectors, particularly as the new variant came at a time when we were beginning to see some signs of recovery. We will not keep the restrictions in place any longer than is necessary.”
Countries currently on the red list are: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namiba, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Pre-departure tests are currently required for red list arrivals and unvaccinated travellers from all countries of origin. This change extends the pre-departure test requirement to vaccinated travellers and requires all pre-departure tests to be no later than two days before departure.
A man who was found fatally injured at Academy Park in Leith has been named as Douglas Forbes. The 78-year-old was discovered around 8.50pm on Thursday (2 December 2021).
Detective Inspector Jonny Wright from Gayfield CID said: “”We are still working to establish how Douglas came to sustain his injuries. We are trying to piece together his last movements, and believe he was in the city centre with friends, prior to being dropped off at Academy Park by a taxi.
“We would like anyone who was out with Douglas on Thursday 2 December, and for the taxi driver who dropped him off, to get in touch with us as soon as possible. This can be done by contacting 101, quoting incident number 3329 of 2 December 2021.”
POLICE UPDATE:
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Following the death of 78-year-old Douglas Forbes, at Academy Park in Edinburgh, on Thursday 2 December, Police Scotland can confirm a 69-year old man has been arrested in relation to driving offences.
“He’s been released pending further enquiries and the investigation continues.”
Flu is very infectious and can be serious. Flu can lead to complications that may result in hospitalisation or even death.
The flu vaccine will reduce the risk of your child getting or spreading flu to friends and family who are at greater risk from flu and coronavirus, such as grandparents or people with health conditions.
The flu vaccine provides both individual protection for the child and reduces transmission across all age groups.
Getting the flu vaccine will help prevent the flu virus putting extra strain on our NHS services this winter.
Every year in Scotland, children are hospitalised for the treatment of flu or its complications.
In some cases flu can lead to complications. These can include:
bronchitis
pneumonia
painful middle-ear infection
vomiting
diarrhoea
For children with health conditions getting flu can be even more serious. Health conditions that make children more vulnerable include:
asthma
bronchitis
heart disease
kidney disease
liver disease
neurological disease
diabetes
immunosuppression
asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
Childhood vaccinations are very important. Please bring your child to their vaccination appointment to protect them and others against flu.
If you think you or your child are showing symptoms of coronavirus call the number on your invitation to rearrange your appointment.
From September 2021 all primary and secondary school pupils in Scotland will be offered the flu vaccine.
How will my child get the vaccine?
The child flu vaccine is normally given at school between September and December.
If your child misses their vaccination in school, please contact your local NHS Board to find out about local arrangements for getting their vaccine at another time.
Home-schooled children are also eligible for the flu vaccine. Your local health board will contact you directly to offer vaccination.
Children aged 6 months to less than 2 years of age with an eligible health condition will also be offered the flu vaccine. Your local health board or GP practice will invite you by letter to get your child’s flu vaccine.
Primary and secondary school-aged children (including those with eligible health conditions) will be offered the vaccine at school.
If a young person has left secondary school, they are not eligible to get a flu vaccine at school. 16 and 17 year olds with an eligible health condition who have left school can phone 0800 030 8013 to receive an appointment for the flu vaccine.
If you don’t know the phone number for your local health board, you can phone 0800 030 8013.
What vaccine is used?
Children aged 2 years and older are given the flu vaccine as a nasal (nose) spray into each nostril. It is quick and painless and is the best available protection against flu.
Your child does not have to sniff or inhale the vaccine and will just feel a tickle in their nose.
The flu vaccine is the safest, most effective protection against flu.
All medicines, including vaccines, are tested for safety and efficacy before they’re allowed to be used.
Once they’re in use, the safety of vaccines continues to be monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The nasal spray flu vaccine has been used safely since 2014 and millions of doses of the vaccine have been given to children in the UK
The virus in the vaccine has been weakened so it doesn’t cause flu. It helps your child build up immunity to flu.
Children who don’t get the vaccine are not at risk of catching flu from children who have had the vaccine. The only exception to this would be children who are extremely immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system).
How effective is the vaccine?
The annual vaccine offers protection against the most common types of flu virus that are around each winter. The flu vaccine should start to protect most children about 10 to 14 days after they receive their vaccination.
Over the last few years the flu vaccine has worked very well, providing protection against flu. It has also reduced the chance of spreading flu into the wider community.
There is still a chance that your child could get flu after having the vaccine. If they do get flu after vaccination, it is likely to be milder and not last as long.
Children who can’t have the nasal spray vaccine
An alternative injectable form of the vaccine is available for children who cannot have the nasal spray vaccine.
This includes children who:
have their immune system suppressed because they’re getting treatment for serious conditions, such as cancer, or if they’ve had a transplant
have a serious condition which affects the immune system, such as severe primary immunodeficiency
live with or are in close regular contact with very severely immunocompromised people who require isolation
are taking regular high doses of oral steroids
have had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
are undergoing salicylate treatment (for example, taking aspirin)
Children with egg allergies
Children with an egg allergy can safely have the nasal spray vaccine, unless they’ve had a life-threatening reaction to eggs that required intensive care.
An egg-free injectable vaccine which can be used in those from 2 years of age is available. If you’re affected, please speak to your immunisation nurse for advice.
Children with severe asthma
The nasal spray vaccine may not be suitable for some children with severe asthma who regularly need oral steroids for asthma control. If you’re affected, please speak to your health professional for advice.
Children on medications
If your child is at school, please make sure you list all of your child’s medications on the consent form. All consent forms will be checked by a health or immunisation team member before the immunisation session to make sure your child can have the nasal spray.
Pork gelatine
The nasal spray vaccine contains a highly processed form of gelatine (pork gelatine) which is used in many essential medicines.
The gelatine helps keep the vaccine viruses stable so the vaccine provides the best protection against flu.
Many faith groups, including Muslim and Jewish communities, have approved the use of vaccines containing gelatine.
However, it’s your choice whether or not you want your child to get the nasal spray vaccine.
The nasal spray vaccine is a much more effective vaccine than the injected flu vaccine and is the preferred option.
If you do not want your child to get the nasal spray vaccine for religious reasons, you may request the injectable alternative by ticking the box on the consent form (your child won’t automatically be offered the injectable alternative, you’ll need to tick the box every year).
Independent luxury jeweller, Laings, has transformed its Edinburgh showroom into a Christmas wonderland, featuring traditional rich red and gold décor, to encourage its clients to treasure the time they have with loved ones and celebrate the magic of the festive season.
Putting a focus on the gift of time, Laings has launched an in-store activation with the British Heart Foundation to help bring people together, giving clients the opportunity to send a special message through its dedicated showroom post boxes.
The charity initiative, which will see £10 donated by Laings for every letter received at its Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff and Southampton showrooms, and through its website, will help to end heartbreak from heart and circulatory diseases.
Each sentimental message sent to Laings will be emailed to the chosen recipient to open on Christmas day, endeavouring to put a glorious smile on their face. Once the recipient has enjoyed their letter, they will be able to see all the messages from across the UK showcased on the Laings website, displaying the warmth and love of Laings’ extended family.
Through six generations of family ownership, Laings understands the importance of long-standing relationships and celebrating special moments, with strong family values at its core.
Stuart McDowell, Managing Director of Laings, said: “Reflecting on what has been a challenging year for most, this year, more than ever, we must cherish the precious moments spent with our loved ones.
“Family is at the heart of Laings, and we feel the festive season is the perfect time to bring everyone closer together. Our winter campaign does just that – encouraging us to treasure the moments we get to spend together and creating memories which last a lifetime.”
With the season to sparkle now upon us, Laings has also unveiled a new Fine Jewellery and Diamonds collection which includes one-of-a-kind pieces, superlative designs and magnificent gemstones.
The collections are on display in Laings’ festive campaign photoshoot, which features traditional Christmas and extravagant party scenes. Both prove the versatility of the collections at Laings and illustrate the magic of the festive season with gifting, champagne, ballgowns and, most importantly, love in the air.
The campaign can be seen in Laings showroom windows across all of its locations, bringing to life the festivities with a distinctive red and signature Laings blue colour scheme that only adds to the wonder of the jewellery in the spotlight.
Stuart added: “We are proud to help celebrate our clients’ memorable moments and this Christmas our talented team will be on hand to help you find the perfect gift – or something to add to your own wish list.
“As we continue to invest in every area of the business, we’re able to take our clients on an even more immersive journey, from offering them the opportunity to view our carefully curated collections in an enhanced showroom environment, to matching them with one of our in-house designers to create a bespoke piece.
“We’ve also recently introduced new brands to our esteemed portfolio, including luxury Maison Fabergé, as well as expanding our own collections, bringing new pieces and price points to our clients.”
Browse the latest collections at www.Laingsuk.com/Christmas or visit one of Laings’ showrooms to speak to a member of the team and to post your letter to a loved one.
All letters as part of the British Heart Foundation ‘messages to loved ones’ initiative should be submitted by 24 December 2021.
Christmas can be the most expensive time of the year for mums. We all want to spoil our little ones rotten with gifts, splurge on festive food and treat ourselves to outings with friends – but it can be easy to get carried away with spending.
To help parents save those extra pennies this December, Little-Loans.com has rounded up some saving tips from Instagram Mums on how to decorate the home for less.
Their tips and hacks can save mums up to £286.50 which should make Christmas spending that little bit less stressful whilst keeping your home looking like a Winter wonderland.
“It’s hard not to get pulled in by all the shiny new Christmas decorations this time of year, but I actually really enjoy being creative and think it makes your home unique when you make a few things yourself.”
– @emma.wears.it.all
Emma Stretton is a mum-of-two and savvy-saver living in Manchester. She has a keen eye for fashion and interiors and knows how to dress her house for Christmas without breaking the bank.
Swap fancy wrapping for simple brown parcel paper – save £10 “A 6 metre roll of brown wrapping paper costs £1 at The Works. I can get two rolls of this to cover all my Christmas presents. The beauty of this is you can then decorate each present individually. I use some simple string or cheap balls of yarn, or even the kid’s craft supplies to make my presents look festive. You can also get the kids involved and ask them to draw Christmas pictures on the presents, making them really unique and personal.”
Save glass jars for table decor – save £20 “Next time you’re dishing up dinner using a Dolmio jar or similar, peel off the label, wash it out and keep it for Christmas. I decorate them using old bits of ribbon that I’ve saved from gifts or with different coloured yarn and then put tealights, acorns or pine cones in the bottom. It’s a really simple way to dress a table or a fireplace and much cheaper than buying Christmas candles you only use once”
Use Christmas cards to your advantage – save £5 “We tend to get a lot of Christmas cards from my children’s classes. So I buy a ball of twine and some miniature pegs and hang them from the walls. They double up as Christmas decor and keep your shelf space free. This also might be a bit ‘bah humbug’, but I don’t ever give Christmas cards, it’s a waste of money and precious time!”
Fill up your tree with snowballs to spend less on baubles – save £25 “Decorating the tree can get expensive so over the years we’ve come up with a few ways to fill it up without overspending. One of my favourite things is the fake snowballs we put on it every year. A bucket of 20 costs £5 and we dot them all over the tree to make it look less sparse. We’ve also accumulated several Christmas teddies over the years. These get stuffed between the branches and the kids love seeing Kevin the Carrot peeking out at them.”
Create DIY crafty Christmas letters – save £15 “This is a good one for keeping the kids occupied. You can buy mdf 3D letters from Amazon for £1 each, then get the paints out and let them decorate them for Christmas. Last year, we did some with our elf’s name on so she had a designated spot in the house where we could find her if she’d been ‘too tired’ to get up to mischief that day.”
Savings tip
Amount saved
Brown paper instead of fancy wrapping
£10
Simple table decor including a runner, napkins and glass jars
£50
Not buying Christmas cards
£5
Snowballs and teddies to fill up the tree instead of expensive new decorations
£25
Decorating our own Christmas letters instead of buying them
£15
Total savings:
£105
“I’ve made cute Christmas tree decorations from an old tartan scarf and Christmas bunting from leftover fabric I had after making my niece some patchwork dungarees.” – @sarahrefashionhunter
Devon-based Sarah Hunter is the mother of two twin boys and upcycles forgotten clothes in her spare time. She uses her passion for sustainability and DIY to save on festive decor each year and shares some easy tips on how you can do the same.
Upcycle bags for life to make decorative Christmas gift bags – save £30 “I recently found a beautiful quilt in a charity shop for £2.99 and will make little trinket bags from it. If sewing is tricky they can simply be glued with fabric glue, which I like to get my twin boys involved with. For larger gift bags, I repurpose supermarket bags for life. They are nice and sturdy for present holding and you can use faux fur to cover it and make a really fun gift bag that also looks great under the tree.”
Use faux fur trimmings to revamp old decorations – save £40 “With the offcuts from my gift bags, I tend to cover any tired looking Christmas decorations to give them a new lease of life. The tatty old hearts and stars look much better with a new faux fur cover. It also means I have the same patterns and themes running through my decor which I can easily change each year if I fancy something new, with little cost.”
Create a DIY rag Christmas wreath – save £30 “This year, I’m going to make a Christmas wreath using rags. I’ve been saving the offcuts from my sewing projects and will buy a wire frame to wrap them round. There are loads of tutorials and I love that it’s something a little different and uses things that would otherwise be thrown away. It’s also much cheaper than a shop-bought wreath and I can add to it each year to freshen it up.”
Use old Christmas cards to make personalised gift tags – save £10 “My twins will be helping me out this year by making gift tags with me. I kept some of last year’s Christmas cards which will be cut into shapes to make new tags, adding stickers, paint, whatever they fancy to customise them. Then just a hole punch at the top and a bit of string or wool and you have your own homemade tag.”
Savings tip
Amount saved
Gift bags made from fabric and bags for life
£30
Faux fur/sheepskin Christmas tree decorations and favors
£40
Rag Christmas Wreath
£30
Homemade Christmas tags
£10
Total savings:
£110
“You’d be surprised at how much you can save on Christmas decorations whilst still making your home look like a Christmas paradise!”
– @imperfectly_sustainable_style
Karen Ford is the mother of a boy and a girl, ages 13 and 11. To avoid wasting money on disposable Christmas decorations, Karen’s tips focus on second-hand thrifting and DIY creations which look the part and don’t break the bank.
Make your own chocolate tree decorations – save £2.50 “I’ve always made my own chocolate tree decorations, my mum taught me this trick and I do it with the children every year. Our personal choice is usually coins, but you can use any wrapped type. Simply push a threaded needle through the sweet, then create a loop by tying the ends together to your chosen length. You could go really bright or more traditional with your choices according to your tree’s theme and colours and it can save you a few pounds whilst feeling way more bespoke and special.”
Choose second-hand decorations – save £30 “I keep an eye out for any decorations in the charity or second-hand shops and Facebook local selling groups in the build up to Christmas. They often put out saved stock and we have found some really good quality items this way over the years, saving us some money and the bonus of knowing you’re recycling something.”
Create a DIY pinecone centerpiece and garland – save £24 “I collect any pretty pinecones, tree vines or sticks we come across while out on walks in local woodland. Simply give them a wash and create your own table centerpiece or garland using a glass bowl and some ribbons or fairy lights.”
“If you wanted to go really fancy you could dehydrate orange or lemon slices and add them too! You’d be surprised at how beautiful and effective this can look, it’s completely free and really gives that personal touch.”
Revamp old decorations using spray paint – save £15 “Use spray paint to revamp decorations you already own. If you have classic decorations, like baubles for example, but you feel you want to change your Christmas colours without spending out on a whole new set, spray painting them can be a helpful money-saving option.”
Savings tip
Amount saved
Make your own tree decorations
£2.50
Second-hand decorations
£30
Pinecone centerpiece decoration and garland
£24
Revamp old decorations
£15
Total Savings:
£71.50
Commenting on the tips, Little-Loans.com’s Personal Finance Expert, Paul Wilson, said: “Christmas is probably the easiest time of year to get carried away with spending. Though it’s important to treat yourself and others, it’s important to find the balance with savvy saving.
“We love these tips from real mums who know exactly what it’s like to feel the financial pressure over the holidays. Their advice just goes to show that you don’t have to lose any of the Christmas magic in your home whilst cutting back financially on decorations! The little ones will never know the difference.”
The influencer savings tips have been created in partnership with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorised and regulated credit broker Little-Loans.com, a unsecured loan broker that allows customers to browse credit options from over 40 lenders to get the best APR.
School feeding charity Mary’s Meals asked 2,000 people about their favourite Christmas traditions.
Of people in Scotland surveyed, 13% chose watching action film Die Hard.
Mary’s Meals is asking people to start a new tradition by joining its virtual Christmas dinner to feed hungry children in the world’s poorest countries.
A new survey by global school meals charity Mary’s Meals has reignited a debate which has rumbled on for years: is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?
Watching the Bruce Willis classic was named as a top Christmas tradition by 13% of those polled across Scotland – just ahead of attending their work Christmas night out (12%).
The survey also revealed that it is time-honoured traditions that people really cherish – with 67% of people in Scotland saying they enjoy eating their Christmas meal and just over half saying they love decorating their Christmas tree.
And, in a nod to it being the season of goodwill, more people preferred to give presents (67%) than to receive them (51%).
Mary’s Meals serves more than two million children with a nutritious meal every school day in 19 of the world’s poorest countries, including Malawi, South Sudan and Haiti. The promise of a good meal attracts children to the classroom, giving them the energy and opportunity to learn, and the chance of a brighter future.
Each December the charity holds a virtual Christmas dinner, Big Family Christmas, to raise funds to feed even more hungry children. Last year, nearly 9,000 people around the world took part in the fundraiser.
Morven Macgillivray, supporter engagement manager, at Mary’s Meals, says: “As our survey shows, Christmas is a time of giving. We are so thankful to everyone who helps us to spread the joy by making a gift to Mary’s Meals; letting the children we serve know there are people thinking of them at this time of year.
“Every year, I set a place at the Mary’s Meals virtual Christmas dinner for my mum, and she sets one for my brother and myself. It has become a family tradition. This year I’m extending that Christmas tradition to include a place at the table for the star of Die Hard, John McClane! As he famously says in the film, welcome to the party, pal!”
In return for a donation of £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can take part in the Big Family Christmas. They will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table alongside names from across the world – and the Die Hard hero!
Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2022 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.
At midnight on Christmas Eve, young people in South Sudan joyfully run around with torches, shouting ‘Merry Christmas’ and drumming on jerry cans.
Moses Kopurot, who manages the Mary’s Meals programme in South Sudan, explains: “This tradition is known throughout South Sudan and so everybody knows the next day is the 25th of December and is the day that we have to celebrate Christmas.”
Mary’s Meals serves maize or sorghum (a local grain) and beans to more than 75,000 children in South Sudan every school day.
This includes children like nine-year-old Daniel who wakes at 6am every day to milk his family’s herd of cows before walking for more than an hour to reach his local school.
He says: “I like this school because we eat good food. If I wasn’t in school, I would be at home taking care of the cows.”
Police Scotland is advising the public to be vigilant after a recent telephone bank scam in East Lothian where a 57-year-old man was the victim of fraud, with losses of almost £58,000.
The man received a phone call from someone claiming to be from his bank, and told him that there had been fraudulent activity on his account. They asked him if he would be willing to help them, alongside Police Scotland in an internal investigation.
The fraudsters used the name of a legitimate bank employee, and used phone numbers that appeared to be genuinely from Police Scotland to persuade the man to transfer the funds.
Detective Constable Garry Mauran said: “This was a very sophisticated scam. The man genuinely thought he was assisting the bank and the police frauds department and made genuine efforts to check this was legitimate before taking action.
“I would like to remind the public, if fraud has been committed on your account, banks will never contact you direct and ask you to transfer money to another account. If they do – hang up immediately.
“You shouldn’t feel pressured into taking action and transferring money, a genuine caller will understand if you want to make the relevant checks. If anyone is in any way suspicious I would ask then to get in touch with their bank.”
If you have any concerns surrounding fraudulent activity, or feel you may have been scammed, please contact police on 101.
This year’s Winter Windows from Edinburgh’s Christmas, with the support of the city council’s department of Arts and Creative Learning, have been unveiled, with 38 colourful festive designs by schoolchildren from across the city being turned into vibrant stained-glass masterpieces for all to enjoy.
The windows have gone on display over five locations across the capital – the City Chambers Quadrangle (above), Granton, Gracemount, Duddingston and Balerno – spreading messages of festive cheer.
The overall winner of the competition was Jackson Lobban, P5A, from St. Peter’s Primary School and was chosen by the Lord Provost himself.
All winning entrants were invited to receive their awards at a special reception at the City Chambers on Thursday evening.
This year’s Winter Windows are inspired by the theme of ‘Connections and Kindness’, allowing Edinburgh’s school children to reflect on the connections made and kindness that they have received and shown throughout the pandemic. Participants were encouraged to create their entries using sustainable, up-cycled materials.
Edinburgh’s Christmas festival has been running the Winter Windows contest since 2014 with the aim of encouraging and inspiring creative talent in local youngsters.
The displays will be available to view at the above locations until 4 January.
A flock of free-range hens from a commercial premises near Gretna has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.
In order to limit the further spread of disease, appropriate restrictions have been imposed on the premises and any identified contact premises, plus the area of the Surveillance Zone, which overlaps into other regions.
The remaining birds at the premises will be humanely culled and a 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been declared around the infected premises – taking effect 00:01 on 04 December – to limit the risk of spread of the disease.
Within these zones, a range of different controls are now in place. These include restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure, and restrictions on bird gatherings.
Producers and bird keepers are reminded to comply with the Order to house birds, which came in to effect on 29 November, or to ensure their birds are kept separate from wild birds. Bird keepers must ensure they follow biosecurity procedures.
The additional housing measures build on the strengthened biosecurity regulations that were brought in across Great Britain as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) on 3 November 2021 and in and Northern Ireland on 17 November 2021.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “With the recent disease confirmations in wild and captive birds across the UK, it is not unexpected for avian influenza to be found in birds here in Scotland.
“We ask that the public remain vigilant and report any findings of dead wild birds to Defra’s national telephone helpline. Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find.”
Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “We have already made clear that all bird keepers – whether major businesses or small keepers with just a few birds – must ensure that their biosecurity is up to scratch to protect their birds from disease and prevent any contact between their birds and wild birds.
“Keepers who are concerned about the health or welfare of their flock should seek veterinary advice immediately. Your private vet, or your local Animal and Plant Health Agency office, will also be able to provide practical advice on keeping your birds safe from infection.
“Any dead wild swans, geese, ducks or birds of prey, or five or more dead wild birds of other species (including gulls) in the same location at the same time, should be reported to Defra’s national telephone helpline.
“Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, and it does not affect the consumption of poultry products including eggs.”
