Month: February 2022

National Museums Scotland: What’s on this month

National Museums Scotland’s exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America opens this month, please see details of the exhibition and related events below, followed by all other National Museums Scotland listings to 12 March 2022. 


OPENING SOON Audubon’s Birds of America 
12 Feb – 8 May 2022 
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
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.   

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 
 
Book now nms.ac.uk/BirdsofAmerica 

NEW February Half Term 

14 Feb – 17 Feb 2022 
10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 16:00 
Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
Free, drop-in 

Swoop into the National Museum of Scotland for some feathery February half term fun or download a hands-on activity to try at home.  

Join our Learning Enabler team at their drop-in Learning Trolleys to find out the basics of birdwatching – what to take, where to look and what to look for. Or have a go at a bird chatter challenge and see if you can match the bird to its call. 

Next, imagine the Grand Gallery is a garden and look up to spy six beautiful birds perched around the balcony. Can you identify all six and complete the answers on our bird watching challenge sheet?  

You can also fold your own paper origami dove with the team from Burns & Beyond. These doves will later be flown alongside 2,500 others in artist Michael Pendry’s creation, to debut at St Giles’ Cathedral in March 2022. 

Event supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery 

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

 
Spotlight On: Audubon’s Birds of America 
8 Mar 2022 
14:00-15:00 
Auditorium, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
Free, advance booking required.  
Suitable for those aged 12 and over. 

Join exhibition Curator Mark Glancy and Paper Conservator Lisa Cumming as they discuss how our upcoming exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America took flight.   
Discover how Birds of America, one of the world’s rarest and most coveted books, was made, and learn about the ongoing conservation work to preserve these life-size, hand-coloured prints for future generations.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

NEW Mindful viewing of Audubon’s Birds of America 

6 March 2022 
17:30-19:00 
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 

A rare chance to explore our special exhibition after hours, hosted by museum mindfulness teacher Laura Baxter. Taking time to savour pleasant experiences, such as looking at art, can increase our mental wellbeing. 

This session will invite visitors to first freely browse the exhibition, then as a group focus on a single work of art within the exhibition, discovering how to enjoy the artwork and experience how to engage with it mindfully, moment by moment. Through guided mindfulness practices, participants will discover how to slow down, connect with the artwork and each other. 

Part of the National Museum of Scotland’s Wellbeing Weekend.

Book Now nms.ac.uk/WellbeingWeekend 

NEW The Joy of Birds 

31 Mar 2022 
19:30-20:30 
Online 
Free, with optional donation 

Join David Lindo and Paul Walton for an online discussion celebrating the joy that birds bring us, the urgent threats they face, and the science and conservation work protecting them.  

David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, is a wildlife broadcaster, nature writer and urban wildlife educationalist. He is Vice-President of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Honorary President of the Colombia Bird Fair, and was voted 7th most influential person in Wildlife by BBC Wildlife Magazine. 

Paul Walton is Head of Habitats and Species for RSPB Scotland. 

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

Book Now nms.ac.uk/JoyofBirds 

Exhibitions & Displays 

National Museum of Scotland  
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 
 
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. 

Sponsored by Baillie Gifford Actual Investors. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/Anatomy 

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.  

Visit nms.ac.uk/Typewriters 

Inspiring Walter Scott 

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. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition 

Scotland’s Climate Challenge 

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. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/ClimateChallenge 

 
National Museum of Flight 
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF 
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00 

LAST CHANCE TO SEE LEGO® Concorde Model 
Until 6 February 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. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

 
Events 

National Museum of Scotland  
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

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. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/DecorativeArts 

NEW Wellbeing Weekend: Yoga, sketching and mindfulness 

4 Mar – 6 Mar 2022 
 
A weekend of resetting, relaxing and reflection within the inspiring architecture and galleries of the National Museum of Scotland.   

As we emerge from the darkest months of the year, join us for a series of events to reset your body and uplift your mind. From relaxing yoga to mindful sketching, make the most of our unique spaces and inspiring galleries to improve and enhance your wellbeing. 

The times, dates, prices and booking info for individual events across the weekend are below. 

Yin Yang Flow Yoga 

Friday 4 March 
18:00-19:15 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 
 
Morning Ashtanga Yoga 

Saturday 5 March  
08:15-09:15 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 
 
Mindful Sunday Sketch 

Sunday 6 March, 
13:00-14:30 and 15:00-16:30 
£10, £8 Members and Concessions 
 
Wellbeing Trail 

4-6 March 
Free 
See the museum in a new light using our Wellbeing Audio Trail, or pick up a paper copy in the Grand Gallery. 

Book Now nms.ac.uk/WellbeingWeekend 

 
Follow us on Twitter…twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot 

Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland 

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/ 

For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789 

One in three people struggling to keep up with bills and credit commitments – double the pre-pandemic number

Millions driven to harmful desperation borrowing as financial pressure on households deepens

The number of people finding it hard to keep up with bills and credit commitments has doubled since the start of the pandemic according to new research from StepChange Debt Charity.

The charity has found the proportion of people struggling is now nearly one in three (30%) GB adults – 15 million people – compared to 15% (7.5m people) who say they were struggling in March 2020.

The findings are part of a new report – Falling behind to keep up: the credit safety net and problem debt – which reveals the pandemic has further entrenched the use of consumer credit to make ends meet.

The report finds 8.6 million people in financial difficulty in Britain borrowed £26 billion to cover their basic needs in the last year. This includes 3.5 million people who have used credit to pay essential bills.

The number of people resorting to credit is expected to increase as the cost-of-living crisis pushes up the price of basic household essentials.

StepChange’s research reveals a credit market that does not always work for people in financial difficulty, with two-thirds (65%) of those in difficulty having kept up with credit repayments by missing bills, borrowing from family and friends or being forced to cut back to the point of hardship.

Despite rules designed to ensure those in financial difficulty access support, fewer than one in four of those struggling with credit repayments are in contact with their bank or credit firm.

Strikingly, half of GB adults (53%) say that they would be reluctant to seek help with financial difficulty from a bank or credit firm due to concerns about credit reporting and the anxiety and stigma of talking about financial difficulty.

The report finds that rather than access help, people struggling with debt can instead experience steps that make their situation worse. Among Stepchange clients who responded to an online survey, 26% were offered further credit after they were in financial difficulty, 35% had a payment taken they could not afford and 51% had interest added to a debt.

The lack of effective early intervention to identify and provide those in financial difficulty with a safe, fair way out of unaffordable debt is causing social harms, with 6.4 million struggling GB adults saying credit has had a negative impact on their health, relationships or ability to work in the last 12 months.

The research, based on a national survey of GB adults and an online survey of StepChange clients, highlights poor practice in the credit market such as ineffective affordability checks and automatic credit limit increases that draw financially vulnerable households into unmanageable debt.

With the cost-of-living crisis now further squeezing budgets StepChange is warning that many more people are likely to use credit to pay for essentials in the coming months. Urgent action is needed to support households to meet essential costs without resorting to credit.

The Financial Conduct Authority recently announced proposals to implement a new Consumer Duty that will require firms to focus on delivering good outcomes for consumers. StepChange is calling for the FCA to ensure the Duty changes practices that are failing consumers, including:

  • Raising standards of lending and addressing unaffordable credit limit increases so that fewer stretched households build unaffordable credit card debt
  • Requiring firms to intervene proactively and provide a widely available and safe offer to customers unable to keep up with repayments, building on learning from payment deferrals offered during the pandemic.

StepChange is also calling on the Government and the FCA to do more to provide alternatives to borrowing for households that are struggling to meet unexpected expenses, through grants via the social security system and a government-supported no interest loan scheme.

StepChange Chief Executive Phil Andrew said: “The sharp rise in the number of people struggling to meet their financial commitments should raise alarm bells across Government, banks and regulators.

“We are two years into a financially damaging pandemic and going through the sharpest cost of living increase in a generation. While consumer credit can potentially play some part in helping people navigate short-term pinch points, this must not be at the cost of their long-term financial and personal wellbeing.

“For our clients, a cost-of-living crisis is not new – for years we have been seeing a steady rise in the number of households who experience debt simply through a prolonged period of not having enough income to meet their basic needs.

“However, the number of such households looks set to grow, and in the absence of public policy intervention the risk is that such households will have no other option but to turn to borrowing in the short term, which will only exacerbate and prolong their financial difficulties.

“Those responsible for the steering us through these choppy financial waters need to be attuned to the harm many credit products, made available to people on the cusp of financial difficulty, can cause.

“The new Consumer Duty is a crucial opportunity for firms to redesign products and change practices to ensure credit does not exploit financial difficulty and those in difficulty get effective help fast.

“To resist acting is to risk a rapidly escalating debt crisis, particularly among lower income households.”

Falling-behind-to-keep-up-the-credit-safety-net-and-problem-debt-StepChangeDownload

Work on Roseburn – Leith ‘improvements’ starts on Monday

On Monday (7th February), work starts on a major new cycling and walking route linking the east and west of the city (including other improvements to the area) – from Roseburn to Leith via Haymarket and West End.

The project is divided into  three sections:

Section 1 – Roseburn to Haymarket

Section 2 – Haymarket to Randolph Place

Section 3 – St Andrew Square to Picardy Place

Find out  more about the traffic management arrangements and works planned. 

All project and roadworks information is on the city council’s website:

http://edinburgh.gov.uk/ccwel

15 million milestone reached for Coronavirus tests in Scotland

More than 15 million COVID-19 PCR tests have now been carried out in Scotland since testing began, nearly two years ago.

The tests, which include those carried out by NHS Scotland at the three NHS regional hubs set up around Scotland and the network of Health Board diagnostic labs, have now reached 15,092,074.

They also include  the four-nations network of Lighthouse laboratories, partner laboratories and testing sites.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Reaching fifteen million tests is a major milestone and recognition of the hard work and dedication of our testing teams across the country.

“Testing has a vital role to play as restrictions are phased out and we learn to with the virus.

“It may be tempting to think as vaccinations increase and cases drop, that testing will become less important. In fact, this will only make it more important to spot and prevent new outbreaks as cases emerge. We know from our experience  just how quickly one outbreak can lead to another.

“The recent changes to testing requirements and self-isolation guidance are helping to maximise testing capacity and ensure a speedier start to the process of contact tracing.

“It is crucial that individuals report their LFD test results online to enable us to understand the prevalence of COVID-19 and allows contacts of those with positive results, to rapidly receive the correct advice to prevent onward spread.

“The ability to quickly identify new outbreaks and put appropriate measures in place will remain at the heart of our strategy to help break chains of transmission.”

Three regional hubs were established last year by National Services Scotland (NSS) in  Glasgow (west) at Gartnavel hospital,  Foresterhill in Aberdeen (North) and Lauriston Place in Edinburgh (East) to increase capacity.

These facilities complement the testing capacity provided by the UK Government lighthouse lab network in Scotland.

Forget price-match, it is all about your perfect love-match with Aldi Scotland this Valentine’s Day!

They say the way to a someone’s heart is through their stomach and this Valentine’s Day, Aldi Scotland has teamed up with an up-and-coming Scottish Agony Aunt to help its shoppers discover what their purchases say about their love life. 

The supermarket is encouraging shoppers to share a copy of their receipt or a list of their latest purchases via Aldi Scotland’s social channels for the chance to receive love and dating tips from Dear Ashleigh, based on what is in their shopping basket.  

Dear Ashleigh, a beautician from Glasgow, has been a trusted listening ear for her clients for over 10 years, but during lockdown decided to use this experience to offer love and life advice to her online followers looking for guidance on their relationships. 

Creating the perfect hybrid of Cilla Black’s ‘What’s your name, where’d you come from’, and Gillian McKeith’s ‘You are what you eat’, Aldi and Ashleigh will be playing cupid in the run up to Valentine’s Day to find what shopper’s eating and drinking habits suggest about their romantic side and to offer tips on what to look for when searching for their soul mate. 

Ashleigh, online Agony Aunt, commented: “In my experience, people tell you the most about themselves subconsciously, and more often than not, it’s the small things that they themselves haven’t noticed which reveals the most. 

“I’m looking forward to helping Aldi shoppers find out a bit more about themselves and where they should be looking for love.” 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “We have such a varied range of products from local suppliers in our Scottish stores that often the combination of items picked up can say a lot about shopper’s likes and dislikes. 

“So, to mark this Valentine’s Day we thought it would be fun to work with Ashleigh to get her opinion on what a shopping list reveals about our shopper’s love lives and offer some sage advice for our single shoppers looking for love.” 

Shoppers can add romance to any menu this Valentine’s Day with Aldi Scotland’s Valentine’s Specialbuy range available from 10th February, including Love Heart Lorne sausage (£1.09, 150g), Loch Fyne Oysters (£3.99, 360g) and Loch Fyne Scottish Live Mussels (£2.99, 1kg). Customers can also pick up some award-winning gins including Eidyn Premium Scottish Gin (£19.99, 70cl). 

Ashleigh will be sharing her analysis of Aldi Scotland receipts on social media on Valentine’s Day – share your latest purchases with Aldi Scotland via Facebook or Instagram for a chance of personalised dating tips from Ashleigh. 

Healthy Heart Tip: Stopping smoking

Approximately 6.9 million people over the age of 18 are smokers. Smoking harms almost all organs in the body, including your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of having a heart attack.

Quitting smoking can be extremely difficult, but it is an important step in reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips to help you stop smoking:. 

Decide when to stop and make a plan

The sooner you decide to quit smoking, the better. Choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.

Identify triggers that make you want to smoke and work out how you will overcome them in advance. For example, if you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead. 

Notify friends and family of your intention to stop smoking and ask for their support.

Manage your cravings

Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke and they can last for 5 minutes.

Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. When you get a craving, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes until it passes. You could try planning a healthy dinner or plan a route for a cycle ride or a walk.

Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.

Get support

Getting support to stop smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP.

You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking, or from someone who is also trying to quit.

Perhaps consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nasal sprays to help stop the cravings.

As well as reducing your risk of developing serious diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, quitting smoking can also help to improve your mental wellbeing.

Why not reduce your risk by choosing a date to quit smoking today?

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at:

www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: 

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Stockbridge in the spotlight

LifeCare’s monthly History Talk is about ‘Stockbridge through the archives of Historic Environment Scotland’ @HistEnvScot by Jackie Sangster.

On Tues 22nd Feb at 15:00 – 16:15 on Zoom.

If you would like to attend please contact us at alekspacula@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk for the code.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street gears up for Six Nations Championship

Johnnie Walker Princes Street, the eight-floor visitor attraction in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, has today unveiled its plans for the Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Kicking off this weekend, 4 February, rugby fans can treat themselves to special match day breakfasts in the stunning rooftop 1820 Bar, be in with a chance of winning the ultimate match day experience just by visiting the ground floor retail store, snap a selfie with the Guinness Six Nations Trophy, take part in exclusive tastings and more. 

Johnnie Walker is the official whisky of the Guinness Six Nations, here’s how Johnnie Walker Princes Street is celebrating:

Guinness Six Nations Breakfast Menu (available 5-6 and 26-27 February from 9.30am-12pm in the 1820 Bar)

  • Johnnie Walker Big Breakfast:

Sausage, bacon, potato scone, black pudding, haggis, mushrooms and fried egg

  • Johnnie Walker Vegetarian Breakfast:

Vegetarian sausage, vegetarian haggis, potato scone, spinach, mushrooms and fried egg

  • Eggs Benedict with crispy onions
  • Eggs Royal with seaweed
  • Eggs Florentine with micro chives

To book a table visit: https://bit.ly/3uq0vct 

Guinness Six Nations Prize Draw (4-23 February in the ground floor retail store)

To enter, simply speak to the team in the Johnnie Walker Princes Street retail store who will guide guests through the process of entering this exclusive prize draw. Winners will be announced on 23 February on the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Instagram. 

Prizes include:

  • Ultimate match day experience which includes 2 x tickets to pre-event plus match. On Friday 25th February, between 10am – 12pm the winner will be invited to have breakfast in one of the hospitality boxes, before heading out into the stadium bowl at BT Murrayfield to watch the Scotland team on their final training session before the match. The winner will also receive 2 x tickets to Scotland vs France on Sat 26th February.
  • A Scotland Rugby shirt 
  • 2 x tickets to the Scotland vs France game 
  • Two tickets to Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s Whisky Makers’ Cellar tour worth £190
  • A bottle of Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s fill your own ‘Winter Blend’ worth £80

Full terms and conditions can be found at: https://bit.ly/3uuadKX 

Find Your Flavour Tastings (4-23 February)

  • Johnnie Walker Princes Street staff will guide fans through the ‘Flavour Wheel’ to help them find their perfect whisky, tasting a number of options along the way
  • Those who make a purchase on Murrayfield match days can store bottles at Johnnie Walker Princes Street free of charge and collect by the following Monday. Free engraving is also being offered for eligible bottles on Murrayfield match days

Guinness Six Nations Trophy Display (22-24 February)

The Guinness Six Nations Championship Trophy will be proudly displayed at Johnnie Walker Princes Street for three days, situated in the ground floor retail space. Fans are invited to come in, snap a selfie with the trophy, and share using #JWPrincesStreet.

Journey of Flavour tours:

Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s flagship experience, the Journey of Flavour tour, continues to wow whisky lovers and novices alike. The perfect follow up to breakfast in the stunning 1820 Bar, guests are taken on a 90 minute exploration of Johnnie Walker’s search for flavour, discovering their own perfect way to enjoy whisky during this one of a kind personalised tour.

To book the Journey of Flavour visit: https://bit.ly/3L8ZOdD

MSPs seek views on COVID recovery

A call for views into the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill has been launched by several Scottish Parliament Committees. 

The wide-ranging Scottish Government Bill, seeks to make permanent some of the temporary, emergency legislation introduced during the pandemic, and to extend others, which are due to expire by March 2022.

The Bill covers a number of policy areas including alcohol licensing, bankruptcy, justice, education (closing establishments and continuity of education), freedom of information, and vaccinations and immunisations.

Some key proposals outlined in the Bill include:

• maintaining provisions in the UK Coronavirus Act that enable Scottish Ministers to enact measures via public health regulations for any future public health threats, in line with powers that are already in place in England and Wales;

• maintaining provisions that grant Scottish Ministers power to restrict access to educational establishments on public health grounds;

• maintaining pre-eviction protocols relating to rent arrears in the private rented sector, placing more responsibility on landlords to ensure correct procedures are followed and that tenants are fully informed of their rights;

• allowing extended time-limits for criminal proceedings to temporarily remain in place to help the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service manage the backlog of cases arising from COVID-19; and allowing cases to continue to be heard through digital and physical means.

Four Parliament Committees will analyse the Bill. The COVID-19 Recovery Committee is the lead Committee scrutinising the Bill; while the Criminal Justice Committee will consider the justice policy measures; the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider the tenancy and eviction policy measures; and the Education, Children and Young People Committee will look into education related provisions. 


Speaking as the inquiry was launched, Siobhian Brown MSP (above), Convener of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee, said: “This pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our lives, from restrictions on how we live, to mass vaccinations and significant changes in how public services are delivered.

“The threat of COVID-19 meant a great number of temporary, emergency legislatives measure were introduced at speed, but with these measures due to expire in March 2022, the time is now to decide which of these in the Bill should be put in place permanently.

“We recognise the size and scope of this Bill mean a diverse range of people and organisations may wish to comment on it. That’s why respondents will have the option to complete a short survey, where they can give their views on a specific aspect of the Bill, or a longer form, more detailed option is also available.”

“The Scottish Government’s stated aim for the Bill is to support Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic but we want to make sure it does not go too far, and that any changes which are made permanent act to benefit the people of Scotland and ease pressure on the public services we all rely on.”


The Convener continued: “Given the wide-ranging nature of this proposed legislation, the Parliament was keen to ensure it was given an appropriate level of scrutiny.

“That’s why we are bringing several Committees together, who will work collaboratively and use their specific areas of expertise in order to assess the impact of this Bill as effectively as possible.”

Members of the public who wish to respond to our consultation can do so here: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/covid19/recovery-bill-survey

Stakeholder organisations can give us their views here: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/covid19/recovery-bill-detailed

The call for views closes on 25 February 2022.

Way to Work: 150 new jobcentres and Youth Hubs now open

Thousands more jobseekers can now access tailored face-to-face job support and meet local employers as 150 new jobcentres are opened, ‘levelling up’ opportunities across the country.

These will be at the heart of the UK Government’s Way to Work Campaign to encourage more people across Great Britain into jobs.

Towns and cities from Falkirk to Torquay are now home to over 150 new temporary jobcentres and over 150 Youth Hubs, with more to follow, as the government pledges to get 500,000 people a job by the end of June.

Two of the new temporary Jobcentres are in Edinburgh city centre.

Work Coaches at jobcentres are at the forefront of the government’s drive to help people access the support they need to get into work, and many of the team recently joined the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the rapid recruitment drive to hire 13,500 new Work Coaches to boost job seeker support as we recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A further 50 jobcentres are expected to open to the public in the coming months as efforts ramp up to get jobseekers into work faster, through the Way to Work campaign, by bringing them face to face with employers and encouraging them to look for work in a sector they may not have previously considered.

Work and Pensions Secretary of State, Thérèse Coffey, said: “We know how much people benefit from getting into work – both financially and for their wellbeing. And from getting any job first, they can get a better job next and then progress to a career.

“Jobcentres and Youth Hubs are crucial to get people into work, and will help level up opportunity across the country as through our Way to Work campaign we invite employers wherever they are to work with us and help find 500,000 people a job by the end of June.”

Driving the new Way to Work campaign, Work Coaches will help those who are capable of work search more widely for jobs from the fourth week of their claim, rather than from three months as is currently the case.

This clearer focus will ensure that, if people are not able to find work in their previous occupation or sector, they are expected to look for work in another sector and this will be part of their requirements for receiving their benefit payment.

Work Coach at Wigan Mesnes House Jobcentre Plus, Mike Cook said: “Being able to provide support and guidance to people in the local community on their journey to gain sustainable long-term employment, and therefore improving their lives, is the most rewarding and important aspect of my job as a Work Coach for the Department for Work and Pensions.“

There are also over 150 Youth Hubs now up and running across the country helping young jobseekers access local training and job opportunities, as well as a range of services to address wellbeing needs.

Investing in the skills and opportunities of young people and helping people into work at every stage of their lives is an integral part of the government’s ambitious plans for levelling up, which will transform the economic geography of the UK.

Youth Hub Work Coaches are working with jobcentre-based Youth Employability Coaches and tailored employment programmes, including Kickstart, to ensure quality, joined up support is accessible to those who need it.

Youth Work Coach at Barrow Youth Hub, Lisa Wicks said: “I have found working as a Youth Hub Work Coach both challenging and rewarding. To be able to offer support to some of our most vulnerable young people and to watch them grow in confidence and capability is a real privilege.

“This has been supported by partnership, working both within the DWP and with external partners, and is making a real difference to the lives of the young people accessing the support available.”

The government’s Plan for Jobs agenda is supporting jobseekers into work and those on low-pay to progress and earn more. The new Way to Work campaign will ‘turbocharge’ this national effort by getting half a million people into work over the next five months.

EDINBURGH’s new temporary Jobcentres can be found at:

Edinburgh11-15 North Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1SB 
Edinburgh Waverley BridgeUnit L23, Waverley Mall, Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1BQ