Entries are now open for VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards, and companies across Scotland of all sizes with a green ethos that have demonstrated significant business benefits from good environmental practice are being encouraged to enter.
The VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards are a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.
This year’s award categories include: Leadership Scotland, Innovating Scotland, Product Scotland, Service Scotland, Hydro Nation Scotland, Circular Scotland, Moving Scotland, Adapting Scotland, Engaging Scotland, Partnership Scotland, Small Business Scotland.
Businesses in Scotland have already felt the impact of the risks associated with climate change, and food producers and whisky distillers were faced with water scarcity last summer furthering the drive for positive and radical environmental action.
Organisations are being encouraged to follow the example of firms such as Vegware and Paterson Arran Ltd. who have shown that environmental best practice can also bring economic benefits including financial savings, an engaged workforce, positive working culture and improved competitiveness as well as contributing towards a better economy and society as a whole.
Since its inception in 1999, the VIBES Scottish Business Awards, have recognised and rewarded businesses that have championed sustainability by identifying ways to tackle the impact on the planet by reducing consumption on its resources.
This has included everything from increasing recycling and facilitating active travel to reducing consumption of raw materials by adopting a more circular approach.
Bob Downes, chair of SEPA and head of the VIBES judging panel, said: “Scotland is a leader in climate change action and successful businesses recognise the economic benefit from driving environmental innovation and best practice.
“Every business in the country has a role to play in leading Scotland to Net Zero. The VIBES awards recognise those businesses that are developing sustainable solutions and helping to achieve net zero of all greenhouse gases by 2045.
“We are looking for entries from businesses who are taking the lead in the transition to a net zero emissions economy through innovation, partnerships, circular economy, adaptation and a commitment to making the environment a key factor in decision making.
“These creative and pioneering organisations will be those who champion best practice and create sustainable goods, products and services through leadership, innovation and ambition, making a positive environmental impact protecting our plant for future generations.”
Scotland’s premier pro-European campaign is urging the UK government to follow the lead of the EU and allow Ukrainian refugees from Russia’s horrendous war to settle here for up to three years without being forced to apply for asylum.
With more than one million Ukrainians forced to flee their country, the EU has said it will offer “temporary protection” for 36 months – a decision hailed by UNHCR as “unprecedented”.
The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) says today the UK Government must drop its restrictive migration policy and allow thousands of vulnerable Ukrainians fleeing the most savage war in Europe for over 75 years to live and work here.
EMiS also calls upon the five main political parties represented in Holyrood to endorse this stance and put pressure on the UK Government to join forces with the EU-27 in welcoming Ukrainian refugees on the scale required.
Mark Lazarowicz, EMiS vice-chair, said: “This is no time for a self-styled world leading country to impose cruel barriers to Ukrainian refugees seeking protection in our own country as in other European nations. We urge Home Secretary Priti Patel to change course and show generous compassion.”
Scottish chefs serve up food waste-busting recipes in Zero Waste Scotland talent competition
Search to find Scotland’s best dish made from commonly-wasted foods launched to mark Food Waste Action Week (7-13 March)
Competition comes as 24% of food and drink businesses in Scotland recognise food waste as a significant contributor to climate change
Cooks across the country, from hotels and restaurants to colleges and community groups, encouraged to take part
BBC MasterChef winner Gary Maclean among culinary experts judging entrants
A survey, released today, shows just 24 per cent of food and drink businesses in Scotland think food waste is a significant contributor to climate change1. That’s despite Scotland, as a whole, wasting 988,000 tonnes of food and drink every year2.
In response, Zero Waste Scotland has launched a nationwide challenge to crown Scotland’s culinary champion of food waste – a single professional or business whose recipe can turn what could have gone to waste into delectable treasure.
The search for Scotland’s best waste-less scran was launched at the beginning of Food Waste Action Week (7 – 13 March). It will see cooks across Scotland enter their best recipes that primarily feature ingredients commonly wasted in kitchens, such as bread, or use up the parts of food items that people don’t usually eat, for example, broccoli stalks.
Food Waste Action Week is an annual campaign led by Love Food Hate Waste and WRAP to raise awareness of the devastating impact that food waste has on the planet.
The competition to find the most delicious way to tackle food waste will see Zero Waste Scotland challenge food and drink professionals to rustle up their best no-or-low waste recipes: from chefs in top restaurants, to Scotland’s hospitals and schools; and food manufacturers, right through to cooks in community groups.
The winner will be selected from a list of entrants who have met the criteria of simplicity, taste, time, ingredient use, and ingenuity.
BBC MasterChef champion and Scotland’s National Chef, Gary Maclean, will be lending his culinary expertise as part of the judging panel. This will be the latest partnership between Maclean and Zero Waste Scotland following their collaborative campaign to raise awareness of food waste during the festive season.
The competition’s top chef will then win a bespoke prize package from Zero Waste Scotland. This will include hands-on support to further reduce food waste and become more resource efficient, as well as promotion of their environmental initiatives.
To compete, entrants should visit the dedicated competition page on the Zero Waste Scotland website to download a submission template which can then be sent to food.drink@zerowastescotland.org.uk. Entrants must check the full criteria before applying. The competition closes on the 1st of September 2022.
“We know many food and drink businesses in Scotland are already doing their bit, with our research indicating 43 per cent rank reducing food waste as one of their top priorities. However, we also know only 14 per cent consider food waste every day. We’re calling on expert chefs to show off their planet-saving recipes and showcase their commitment to tackling the climate emergency.
“Businesses will benefit greatly from reducing food waste, both sustainably and financially, and with over 80 percent of the UK population concerned about climate change getting involved in Food Waste Action Week is a great way to show customers, clients and employees that you and your business share their values.”
According to research from WRAP, the top four most wasted ingredients in the hospitality and food service sector include potatoes, bread, pasta and rice.
An estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted globally every year, roughly one third of all that is produced for human consumption3.
When food is wasted, all the energy and resources that went into producing, processing, transporting and cooking it also goes to waste. This is why food waste is so dangerous for the climate. Businesses also lose the money they spent – meaning that they are less efficient and less competitive.
On top of this, if food waste then ends up in landfill, it generates even more emissions in the form of methane, a gas many times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.
Gary Maclean, Scotland’s National Chef, said:“Scotland is world renowned for its delicious, first-rate food and drink. But if we’re serious about our reputation as a hotspot for top-notch cuisine, then we must urgently stop perfectly edible food from going to waste. In a post-COP26 landscape, the food sector now has a golden opportunity to prove its environmental credentials too.
“I think it’s extremely important for trainee chefs to embrace food waste reduction from the get-go. As a professional, fully understanding where your food comes from, and the energy and resources it takes to get it onto the plate, is crucial. So, there’s every reason to make sure none of it is wasted.
“The bottom line is that everyone in the food sector in Scotland has a lot to gain from reducing their food waste. There are potential savings in-store, plus a new market of eco-conscious customers, so I’d encourage all to apply to Zero Waste Scotland’s competition.”
Zero Waste Scotland operates a dedicated Food Waste Reduction Business Support service to help businesses in Scotland identify how, and how much, they could save by reducing food waste. Almost 280 businesses have already benefited from the support, with typical cost savings of £5,000 a year.
Zero Waste Scotland offers consultations delivering bespoke opportunity assessments, staff training to help implement behaviour changes and the ‘Target, Measure, Act’ programme which helps businesses to set their own targets and deliver against environmental goals.
To celebrate the start of the new university year and a much-anticipated return to full in-person learning for students around the UK, Italian-American restaurant brand Frankie & Benny’s recently completed phase one of a country wide free vegan hotdog giveaway to students.
When looking at how the brand could provide students with a tasty treat and some much-needed cheer, the ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ was the obvious choice. The much-loved UK brand has for many years run their student offer (20% off food), as well as priding themselves on offering a broad choice of vegan and vegetarian options.
The first phase of the ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ kicked off at Nottingham Trent University in late January 2022, followed by successful stops at Bristol Uni, Manchester Met, Leicester University, Birmingham City University, Nottingham Uni, Plymouth Uni, Sheffield Uni and Leeds Beckett.
Off the back of phase one and following the overwhelmingly positive feedback from students across England, Frankie & Benny’s will continue with the activity, this time focusing phase two of ‘The Tour’ on Scotland and Wales.
After a short break, the ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ will restart and head to the following sites:
· Glasgow University on 7 March
· Edinburgh University on 8 March
· Newcastle Uni on 14 March
· Cardiff Met on 21 March
Be sure to continue to follow the tour and any relevant updates on Frankie & Benny’s social: @frankienbennys, as the brand will be handing out vouchers at their upcoming university stops (for freebies in restaurants), with students also in with a chance to win Frankie’s for a year when they sign up with the brand.
The ‘hero’ of the whole tour has been the famous ‘Vegan Dog’, a new vegan option on the Frankie & Benny’s menu and one that is proving very popular with vegans and non-vegans alike! The juicy plant-based hotdog is served on a soft glazed roll, with fried onions, gherkins, fiery chillies, BBQ sauce and delicious vegan mayo.
Gabby Barysaite, Senior Brand Manager, Frankie & Benny’s, said: “Our recent ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ has proved to be such a hit, and with such positive feedback from students across the country, it’s a programme that we’re committed to continuing – with a focus on universities in Scotland and Wales.
“We pride ourselves on our vegan and vegetarian menus and as a company it’s something that we’re always looking to adapt and update. We hope that some of the students that tried our vegan hotdogs at their universities were suitably impressed and will look to plan a trip to their nearest restaurant soon.”
YOTEL Edinburgh are opening their doors to local charities and non-profits this year for International Women’s Day by offering free working space for six months to a nominated group.
Providing a fresh, engaging space to collaborate, advance their work and provide inspiration and resources, YOTEL Edinburgh are joining this year’s #BreaktheBias theme for International Women’s Day.
As an added extra, the city-centre hotel will offer the founder or leader of the organisation a complimentary overnight stay for two, as a small thank you for all of their work in the hotel’s local community.
A UK wide initiative, YOTEL are asking communities across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London to nominate local organisations doing incredible work for or with women, offering one full day (subject to availability, 9am – 5pm) per month for groups to use however they wish – whether it’s a small non-profit working from home who need a meeting room, a group looking for an inspirational new working space or a local branch of a national charity hosting workshops, YOTEL will make them feel right at home.
To nominate a charity or non-profit in Edinburgh head to YOTEL Edinburgh’s social channels. Simply tag the organisation in the comments or share the post on your story and tag your chosen charity.
Entries will close 21 March 2022, before being whittled down to a shortlist of five organisations to be spotlighted on YOTEL Edinburgh’s social media channels across the month of April, offering support and exposure to the local groups.
The nominated organisation can kick off their free six months of working space from April 2022 – September 2022 with one day per month available.
In Edinburgh’s New Town YOTEL, the nominated group will win the use of a flexible private meeting room, enjoying the hotel’s buzzing city-centre location, just a 5-minute walk from Princes Street, as they collaborate on their group’s inspiring ideas for up to 10 people.
Sahrette Saayman , VP Communications at YOTEL said: “We’re excited to open the doors to YOTELs across the UK and collaborate with our local communities for International Women’s Day in 2022.
“We know there’s some inspirational work happening right on our doorsteps and we’re excited to lend a hand, whichever way we can.
“We also hope this campaign will help our local communities discover some incredible new non-profits or charities to support, and shine a light on the outstanding work they are doing across Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester.”
Aiming to give back to their local communities, YOTEL are throwing open their doors and collaborating with female-focussed charities and non-profits in 2022, offering an inspiring space to work, collaboration and perhaps a much needed break.
Hoping to provide the organisations with room to grow in a welcoming environment, YOTEL Edinburgh are keen to hear from local groups about the ways in which they’d use the spaces.
Veterans of the Falklands War and families of those who lost their lives in the conflict will take centre stage during commemorations to mark its 40th anniversary this spring.
Leading military charities Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland today launched a programme of commemorative events in partnership with the Armed Forces and the Scottish Government, to remember the conflict which took place between April and June 1982.
The programme will culminate in a national parade and service of remembrance in Edinburgh on Saturday, June 18th. Falklands veterans and bereaved relatives are also invited to attend the UK-wide service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on June 14th, the anniversary of the ceasefire.
Other activities will include a package of resources for schools to allow young people to learn more about conflict as part of Poppyscotland’s wider learning programme.
Poppyscotland’s interactive mobile museum, Bud, will also visit schools in areas which have a close connection to the conflict, including Arbroath, which is home to 45 Commando, the Royal Marine unit which played a key role in the liberation. An event that will see pipers across the globe join in tribute to those who fell will also form part of the commemorations.
Theresa Davidson, from Glenrothes, whose husband Lance Sergeant Clark Mitchell was killed on the day of the Argentine surrender, joined the charities to lay a wreath at the Falklands Memorial Garden in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh.
There, she spoke for the first time of her years of heartache following his loss and the importance of remembering the sacrifices of all those who served.
The conflict began on April 2nd, 1982, when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. In total, 255 British servicemen, 649 Argentine military personnel, and three civilians died, and many more were wounded.
Mrs Davidson, 65, a foster carer, was just 25 when she was widowed in the conflict. Lance Sergeant Mitchell was one of eight Scots Guards killed in the Battle of Mount Tumbledown in the early hours of June 14th.
She said: “I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was in our quarters at Lasswade, Midlothian, when an officer and his wife came to the door to tell me the news. My world just fell apart. I lost everything: my husband, my best friend, the family we wanted together.”
She had met Clark, then a junior soldier from Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, at the age of 17 when she was training with the Women’s Royal Army Corps. After an “amazing” six years of married life in Germany and England, they had returned to Scotland and were hoping to start a family when the conflict began.
Mrs Davidson said: “Nobody knew anything about the Falklands – we thought they were up in the north of Scotland. It was only when we saw the map, we realised they were 8000 miles away.
“When he was away, I had this dreadful fear, and just lived for the news. On the morning of the 14th I felt so happy and thought ‘Thank God the war is over’. But then it was like something had hit me, and I knew something had happened to Clark.
“Losing Clark changed me, and it took me years to rebuild my life. He was an extremely good soldier, but he was also very gentle, kind and caring, with a great sense of humour and zest for life. I will never forget him or the sacrifices he and the other men made. To me it’s about keeping their memories alive.”
Poppyscotland and Legion Scotland are sharing the stories of veterans and their families in the run-up to June. They are encouraging people to reflect on the Falklands and other recent conflicts, and recognise the contribution made by our Armed Forces community.
Recalling his memories of serving on the front line in the Falklands, Keith Brown MSP said: “I am delighted to be able to partner with Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland to deliver a national event in Edinburgh to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War on 18 June 2022.
“As we approach the 40th Anniversary I look forward to participating at a variety of events and commemorations to pay tribute to the heroism of those brave men and women who made up the Task Force which set sail to free the Islands. This is also a time for reflection and a chance to remember all those who lost their lives and to those who made an enormous contribution during the conflict, including civilians and dockyard workers.”
Unveiling the programme of Falklands 40 events, Dr Claire Armstrong, Chief Executive of Legion Scotland said: “The Falklands conflict was the first military action since the Second World War which involved all elements of the Armed Forces.
“Although it lasted just 74 days, it claimed the lives of hundreds of servicemen and had a lasting impact on thousands more, as well as their families. Many veterans still struggle with physical or mental scars, or have faced hardships in the years afterwards.
“Between April and June, communities across Scotland will be commemorating the 40th anniversary of this conflict and reflecting on the service and sacrifice of so many. We are pleased to be able to hold a national Scottish event in Edinburgh to engage with our Armed Forces, Legion Scotland members and the wider public, and would encourage everyone to play an active part in the commemorations.
“We would also love to hear from anyone who is planning a commemorative event in their community so we can help to promote this alongside the other Falklands 40 events.”
Mark Collins, Interim Chief Executive of Poppyscotland, said: “We want to remember the extraordinary efforts of thousands of service personnel, the civilians who played a vital role, as well as their families. This is also a chance for people of all ages to learn more about the Falklands conflict and how it has shaped our recent history.
“Poppyscotland’s learning programme will reach schools around the country, engaging young people and showing the impact that the conflict had on people and communities. By sharing veterans’ stories, we can bring their experiences to life, as well as highlighting the role our Armed Forces play today and how we can support them and their families.”
Scotland’s national membership organisation for the voluntary sector SCVO has warned the Scottish Government’s flagship economic plan has ignored the importance of the sector.
Earlier this week Economy Secretary Kate Forbes unveiled Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The plans, as well as a debate in Holyrood on the subject on Wednesday, failed to recognise the importance of the voluntary sector and its role in the economy.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has raised concerns about the lack of plans outlined to invest in the sector, warning Scotland is in danger of missing a genuine opportunity to transform its economy.
SCVO warned the sector’s exclusion from the Advisory Council that developed the strategy means important issues for many organisations in Scotland – including areas like its role as a significant employer and multi-year funding – remain underappreciated.
Commenting on Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and yesterday’s Scottish Parliament debate, Chief Executive of SCVO, Anna Fowlie said:“Though I recognise the positive elements in this strategy, I’m deeply disappointed that it fails to recognise Scotland’s voluntary sector’s role in achieving the aspiration to become a wellbeing economy built on the principles of prosperity for all, equality, sustainability, and resilience.
“Through supporting the employment prospects of those furthest from the labour market, tackling digital exclusion, providing social care and housing, undertaking vital medical and environmental research, or running most of our theatres, museums, galleries, and sports clubs, Scotland’s voluntary organisations are integral to Scotland’s economic and social fabric.
“With an annual turnover of £6bn and more than 100,000 paid staff, the Scottish Government needs to invest in a skilled and engaged voluntary sector workforce that can innovate and enhance successful programmes that are crucial to Scotland’s foundational economy.
“Many of us called for the strategy to invest in voluntary organisations as significant employers, partners, and agents for change in Scotland’s recovery, alongside the public and private sectors, yet this strategy overlooks the intrinsic role of Scotland’s voluntary sector role in addressing systemic issues in our economy, and is stubbornly, ‘focused on business.’
“While the Scottish Government pledges to ensure the voice of business is heard, with ‘robust governance’ structures ‘co-led by business,’ there is no such commitment to the voluntary sector. This is not an inclusive strategy, and there is little evidence of the Scottish Government respecting the strengths or drawing on the expertise of Scotland’s voluntary sector.
“The sector was not represented on the Advisory Council that developed the strategy; key sector policies including the Social Renewal Advisory Board, the Social Enterprise Action Plan, and Volunteering Action Plan, all of which can play have a vital role in transforming the economy, are forgotten within the alignment of existing plans; and the sector’s role supporting work, innovation, and investment is unappreciated, even in relation to areas like fair work and multi-year funding, which are of key importance to the sector.
“Given that the strategy will underpin Scotland’s first spending review in 11 years, it needed to go further in detailing how the Scottish Government plans to work alongside the voluntary sector to achieve our National Outcomes and how it will build upon and invest in the capacity of this vital sector.”
What do we know about the real economic value of charities and social enterprises?
Join us at this webinar session with Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander Institute, part of the #SCVOeconomy series, to hear more.
Spring booster jabs will be offered to those aged 75 and over and people at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease from today (Monday).
To protect these groups a spring booster dose will be offered at least 24 weeks after the last vaccine dose to:
adults aged 75 years and over
residents in care homes for older adults
individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed
Following recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), letters are also now being sent out to parents and guardians inviting children aged five to 11 for their first vaccination appointments. Children in this age group with specific medical conditions have already been invited.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We know that those in high-priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and I therefore welcome the start of the rollout which will offer a further dose to these people.
“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus. However, the degree of protection offered wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus.
“The additional booster dose will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.
“I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”
Following the latest JCVI advice, at-risk groups will be invited as they become eligible from at least 24 weeks after their last booster with the first groups receiving appointments from Monday 7 March.
This weekend the smash hit Outlander returns to our TV screens, and Scottish touring company, Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com) is offering fans of the historical drama the opportunity to visit some of its most famous filming locations.
Step aboard a luxury mini-coach and be transported to a fictional, mystical world.
Travel back with Claire to the Jacobite revolution on the Outlander Trail
Outlander first hit our screens in 2014, when millions of us watched Claire Fraser fall unknowingly into the violent world of 18th century Scotland. Since then, she, and her soulmate Jamie, have adventured with Pirates in the West Indies and fought for survival in revolutionary America – but the show has never forgotten its Scottish roots, nor the dramatic wild highlands that inspired this story of rebellion and romance.
The Rabbie’s Outlander Trail sets off from Edinburgh and soon arrives at Culross, where cobbled streets lead to the historic Culross Palace.
This charming town posed as the fictional village of Cranesmuir in Outlander, the home of Geillis Duncan and her ill-fated husband Arthur. Continue to the small town of Falkland where fans can relive the show’s first ever episode, recognizing familiar sights such as Mrs. Baird’s Guesthouse and the Bruce Fountain, where Claire’s husband Frank first saw the ghost of Jamie.
Elsewhere, visit Newtonmore Highland Folk Museum, which houses replicas of 18th-century turf-roofed Highland crofts, which were used in the show’s earliest episodes.
After resting overnight in the ‘Capital of the Highlands’, Inverness, the tour visits Culloden, a town drenched in history as it sits not far from the Culloden Battlefield, the site of the last battle fought on British soil.
Viewers watched Outlander’s Claire and Jamie say their tearful goodbyes here before Jamie joined the Jacobite army to fight for the Stuarts. You have the opportunity to explore the visitor centre and site, and pay tribute to those real soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their freedom.
On the third day of this Outlander adventure, guests visit the majestic Glen Affric, a beautiful spot with high mountains and dense pine forests. Landscapes like these were once the perfect hiding spots for Jacobite soldiers evading the English redcoats.
Next, travel along the entire length of Loch Ness to reach Glenfinnan, and the tall stone monument which proudly commemorates the beginning of the last Jacobite rising.
On your final day exploring the sites and scars of 18th century Scotland, get ready to discover the iconic fortresses which projected power and dominance over the Highlands.
First up is Doune Castle, an extensive ruin that represented Castle Leoch, home of Colum and Clan MacKenzie in Outlander. Later it’s Blackness Castle (above), a heavily fortified stronghold perched on the shore of the Firth of Forth. Your final destination is Jamie’s lovely Lallybroch home – Midhope Castle.
An essential photo opportunity for fans of the show to remember their journey through locations synonymous with Outlander and Scottish history itself.
Prices for this four-day Outlander Trail start at £265 with the first tours departing in April. A one-day Outlander Adventure which visits Culross, Linlithgow Palace, Blackness and Midhope Castles and more departs during March, with prices starting at £46. Both tours depart from Edinburgh.
This isn’t the only tour offered by Rabbie’s which transports fans to their favourite fictional worlds:
Lacock Village has long been a favourite of Hollywood location scouts, and when guests step off the bus and explore the beautiful village they will soon see why.
Productions as diverse as Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, and Pride and Prejudice have all been shot in this rural Wiltshire village.
Appropriately enough, the nearby Lacock Abbey was where William Henry Fox Talbot created the earliest surviving photographic negative in 1835, and kick-started popular photography!
The Abbey’s peaceful cloisters have since portrayed Hogwarts, and its antechambers doubled as the place that young Harry Potter stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised.
Visit Lacock, along with other gorgeous locations on the Bath, Avebury & Lacock Village tour departing from London. Prices start from £56.
As with all Rabbie’s tours, guests are transported in luxury 16-person mini-coaches and treated to the stories and services of a friendly-driver guide. The mini-coaches mean Rabbie’s tours can reach the smaller, independent destinations, ensuring your trips supports local communities and independent businesses.
To book a Rabbie’s Tour and for more information, visit www.rabbies.com.
Next week the Prime Minister will call on the international community to make a renewed and concerted effort to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine
PM to meet leaders from Canada, Netherlands and Central Europe in London next week
Comes as the Prime Minister set out a six point ‘plan of action’ for the international community
In the last few days the UK has upped humanitarian and military support to Ukraine and doubled down on diplomatic efforts to isolate Russia
The Prime Minister is to call on the international community to make a renewed and concerted effort to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine.
In the days since Russia invaded Ukraine we have seen an unprecedented wave of international condemnation from across the globe. On Wednesday evening 141 nations voted to denounce Russia’s actions in only the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly ever held.
The same day, 38 countries, coordinated by the UK, led the largest ever referral to the International Criminal Court to ensure Putin will be held to account for his war crimes.
At the same time, more and more countries have stepped up to provide much-needed humanitarian and military support to the people of Ukraine. Nations across the globe have imposed the largest ever package of sanctions against a major economy.
On Monday the Prime Minister will welcome Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Rutte to Downing Street for discussions on how to turn these commitments into a concerted campaign of solidarity with Ukraine. On Friday he spoke to President Macron and the leaders of Turkey and Serbia.
On Tuesday, he will host leaders of the ‘V4’ group of Central European nations – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. These are countries already experiencing first-hand the humanitarian crisis rapidly engulfing the European continent.
The Prime Minister will tell leaders that, to ensure Putin fails in his ambitions, the international community must come together under a six-point plan of action to:
Mobilise an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine
Support Ukraine in its efforts to provide for its own self-defence
Maximise the economic pressure on Putin’s regime
Prevent the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine
Pursue diplomatic paths to de-escalation but only on the basis of full participation by the legitimate government of Ukraine
Begin a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area
Setting out his six-point plan tomorrow, the Prime Minister will say: “Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression. It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order – we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force.
“The world is watching. It is not future historians but the people of Ukraine who will be our judge.
Last week the UK increased its humanitarian support to Ukraine and the region to £220 million announced this year, including £25 million of match funding to the DEC appeal. The UK continues to supply defensive and lethal weaponry to Ukraine and the Prime Minister has spoken to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy daily to understand the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ needs.
The UK has already implemented the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. We have brought in sanctions on President Putin, Sergey Lavrov, five Russian banks and more than 300 individuals and entities at the heart of Putin’s regime, and Belarus. We are preventing the Russian state from raising debt here and isolating all Russian companies from access to UK capital markets.
The government will continue to ratchet up pressure and use sanctions to degrade the Russian economy on a scale that the Kremlin, or any major economy, has ever seen before. On Friday the government announced new provisions to streamline the current legislation so we can respond even more swiftly and effectively to the current crisis.
The Prime Minister will host both Prime Minister Rutte and Prime Minister Trudeau in Downing Street for separate bilateral meetings and a joint trilateral meeting.
Tuesday’s meeting of the V4 will take place in London and include both a plenary session of all five leaders and separate bilateral meetings.
PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON WRITES:
We must do more for Ukraine
Over the last week, in response to the gut-wrenching scenes in Ukraine, Western unity has been impressive and heartening. I know from my near-daily conversations with President Zelenskyy that this has provided Ukrainians with some comfort in their hour of need.
Never in my life have I seen an international crisis where the dividing line between right and wrong has been so stark, as the Russian war machine unleashes its fury on a proud democracy. Russia’s reckless attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant reminds us just how grave the stakes are for everyone. Millions of people are fleeing from the violence, towards an uncertain future.
President Biden has displayed great leadership, consulting and convening allies, exposing the lie that America’s commitment to Europe is somehow diminished. The European Union has undertaken a remarkable effort to align behind severe sanctions on Russia. Dozens of European countries are now sending defensive equipment to Ukraine’s armed forces. But have we done enough for Ukraine? The honest answer is no.
Putin’s act of aggression must fail and be seen to fail. We must not allow anyone in the Kremlin to get away with misrepresenting our intentions to find post-facto justification for their war of choice. This is not a NATO conflict and it will not become one. No ally has sent combat troops to Ukraine. We have no hostility towards the Russian people and we have no desire to impugn a great nation, a world power and a founding member of the United Nations. We despair of the decision to send young innocent Russians into a bloody and futile war.
The truth is that Ukraine had no serious prospect of NATO membership in the near future – and we were ready to respond to Russia’s stated security concerns through negotiation. I and many other Western leaders have spoken to President Putin to understand his perspective. Mr Putin to understand his perspective. The United Kingdom even sent emissaries to Moscow before Russia’s invasion to deal directly with Defence Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who are spearheading this awful campaign.
It was now clear diplomacy never had a chance. But it is precisely because of our respect for Russia that we find the actions of the Putin regime so unconscionable. He is attempting the destruction of the very foundation of international relations and the United Nations Charter: the right of nations to decide their own future free from aggression and fear of invasion. His assault on Ukraine began with a confected pretext and a flagrant violation of international law. Now it is sinking further into a sordid campaign of war crimes and unthinkable violence against civilians.
Though there can be no comparison with the assault on Ukraine, we in Britain know something of President Putin’s ruthlessness. Four years ago, we endured the outcome of his order to his operatives to use chemical weapons to assassinate people in Salisbury in 2018 – and our allies rallied to our side. In our defence and foreign policy review, published a year ago, we warned that Russia remained the most acute security threat and we announced the biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
We also warned that the world was changing for the worse, entering into a period of competition in which authoritarian states would test the mettle of the West in every domain. Last year’s agreement between Britain, America and Australia to build nuclear submarines for the Australian navy demonstrated our shared resolve to meet these challenges in the Indo-Pacific. But we must restore effective deterrence in Europe where, for too long, the very success of NATO and of America’s security guarantee has bred complacency.
We have failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour that have led to this point. No one can say we were not warned: we saw what Russia did in Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014 and even on the streets of the British city of Salisbury. And I know from speaking to my counterparts on recent visits to Poland and Estonia just how acutely they feel the threat.
It is no longer enough to express warm platitudes about the rules-based international order. We are going to have to actively defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by force and other tools such as economic coercion. What happens in Europe will have profound implications worldwide.
We are pleased to see more nations now beginning to grasp this hard reality. In January, the UK was among a handful of European countries sending defensive aid to Ukraine. Now, more than 25 countries are part of that effort. Defence spending is going up, though it will take time for that to translate into capability.
These are welcome developments, but not going to be enough on their own to save Ukraine or keep the flame of freedom alive. Russia has overbearing force and apparently no regard for the laws of war. We need to prepare now for even darker days ahead.
So must begin a six-point plan for Ukraine, starting today.
First, we must mobilise an international humanitarian coalition. On Monday I will meet the leaders of Canada and the Netherlands in London to talk about creating the widest possible coalition to expose the outrages that are taking place in Ukraine. On Tuesday, I will host the leaders of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, now on the frontline of a refugee crisis. The UK has 1,000 troops on standby for humanitarian operations on top of £220 million of aid. We must all work together to establish an immediate ceasefire and allow civilians safe passage, food and medical supplies.
Second, we must do more to help Ukraine to defend itself. More and more nations are willing to provide defensive equipment. We must act quickly to coordinate our efforts to support the legitimate government of Ukraine.
Third, we must maximise the economic pressure on Putin’s regime. We must go further on economic sanctions, expelling every Russian bank from SWIFT. We must go after the oligarchs, as the UK is doing – sanctioning over 300 elites and entities including Putin himself and giving our law enforcement agencies unprecedented powers to peel back the façade of dirty Russian money in London. But these measures will be insufficient unless Europe begins to wean itself off the Russian oil and gas that bankrolls Putin’s war machine.
Fourth, no matter how long it takes, we must prevent any creeping normalisation of what Russia does in Ukraine. The lesson from Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 and seizure of Crimea in 2014 is that accepting the results of Russian aggression merely encourages more aggression. We cannot allow the Kremlin to bite off chunks of an independent country and inflict immense human suffering and then be allowed to creep back into the fold.
Fifth, we should always be open to diplomacy and de-escalation, provided that the legitimate government of Ukraine has full agency in any potential settlement. There can be no new Yalta decided over the heads of the people of Ukraine by external powers.
Sixth, we must act now to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security. This includes bolstering NATO’s eastern flank but also supporting non-NATO European countries that are subject to the same Kremlin playbook, such as Moldova, Georgia and the nations of the Western Balkans. And those who participate or enable Russian aggression, such as Belarus, will be subject to maximum sanctions.
Ukrainians have bravely defended their country. It is their valour that has United the international community. We can’t let them down.
