Day: April 18, 2022

Most influential UK game show hosts revealed

  • Paddy McGuinness is the most influential UK game show host, potentially earning £4,129.02 per sponsored post on Instagram
  • Most influential hosts came from North of England, beating London talent
  • Davina McCall is the only female presenter in the top ten, earning an estimated £3,086.50 per sponsored post

New analysis has revealed that Paddy McGuinness is the most influential UK game show host on Instagram.

The study conducted by SolitaireBliss analysed Instagram profiles of the presenters and marketing calculators to determine how influential the game show hosts are on social media. 

Paddy McGuinness takes the top spot, potentially earning £4,129.02 per sponsored post. Born in Bolton, Manchester, Paddy is best known for hosting popular dating game show Take Me Out from 2010-2019.

Paddy became a firm favourite on our screens, which led to job offers presenting game shows such as Catchpoint, Benchmark, Take Me Out, I Can See Your Voice, Question of Sport and Amazing Greys.

He made his first television appearance in 1995 as a contestant on TV show God’s Gift, presented by #3 on the list, Davina McCall.

The TV star is making a fortune thanks to his Instagram following of 2 million, where Paddy can expect to earn an average of £4,129.02 per sponsored Instagram post. This would mean that Paddy would need to post thirty one sponsored posts to cover the cost of his new Porsche Taycan Turbo – priced at £125,000.

Paddy’s popularity with viewers led to additional TV opportunities where he now co-presents the fan favourite, Top Gear, alongside Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris, which contributed to his increase in influence.

Keith Lemon, real name Leigh Francis, is the second most influential UK game show host, with an Instagram following of 1.8 million which comes mostly from his hit ITV game shows Celebrity Juice and Through the Keyhole.

As one of the top game show hosts in the country, Leigh can make an average of £3,688.73 per sponsored Instagram post. Born in Leeds, Keith started his television career after being discovered by #3 on the list, Davina McCall, while he was performing stand-up comedy. Now, Keith Lemon still presents on our screens today where he hosts Celebrity Juice, with season 26 now airing on ITV2. 

Davina McCall, born in Wimbledon, is the third most influential UK game show host and only female presenter in the top ten.

With an Instagram following of 1.5 million, Davina can expect to make an average of £3,086.50 per sponsored post. Her television career began in 1992 presenting on MTV, which eventually led to her first game show hosting gig for God’s Gift in 1996. Since then, Davina went on to host a number of game shows such as The Million Pound Drop, The Vault, Don’t Try This at Home, Prickly Heat, Five Minutes to a Fortune, Oblivious, and One Hundred and Eighty.

Davina is also well-known for her 10 year stint presenting Big Brother, celebrity fitness DVDs and more recently for her appearance as guest judge on The Masked Singer UK, all contributing to her overall popularity and influence. 

The fourth most influential UK game show host is Bradley Walsh. Bradley has a total Instagram following of 915,000 and can potentially earn an average of £2,800.63 per sponsored post. With an engagement rate of 2.92%, he has the highest level of user engagement out of the top ten.

Born and raised in Watford, London, Bradley started as a professional football player for Brentford, before ankle injuries led to the end of his early career. Following this, he worked at Pontins as a bluecoat before being recruited by ITV to present his first game show, Midas Touch in 1997.

Most known for hosting viewer’s favourite The Chase, winner of Most Popular Daytime Programme at the National Television Awards three times, and Beat the Chasers. Bradley has also hosted a number of other game shows such as Take Off with Bradley & Holly, Blankety Blank, Cash Trapped, Keep It in the Family, No. 1 Soap Fan, Odd One In and Spin Star. 

At number five is Bolton-born Vernon Kay. With 715,000 Instagram followers, he can earn a potential average of £2,183.56 per sponsored post.

Presenter of the iconic game show All Star Family Fortunes, Kay has a list of presenter credits on other game shows such as Beat the Star, Game of Talents, Hit Me Baby One More Time, Million Dollar Mind Game, Boys and Girls, Beat the Star, The Whole 19 Yards and 1000 Heartbeats. Vernon is also known for his career as a radio presenter, his appearance on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and his marriage to presenter and model Tess Daly. 

Magician and former children’s TV presenter Stephen Mulhern ranks at number six. Stephen has 628,000 Instagram followers which can net him a potential £1,904.62 on average per sponsored post.

As the youngest member of the Magic Circle, Mulhern made his first TV appearance as a child on Blue Peter. Before becoming host of the long-running game show favourite Catchphrase, Mulhern had established a successful career in children’s TV. Stephen has also been the host for past game shows In for a Penny, Rolling In It, Catchphrase, Big Star’s Little Star, Reality Bites, Globo Loco, Magic Numbers and Pick Me! 

Ben Shepherd is the seventh most influential host and earns an estimated £1,531.92 per sponsored post based on his half a million Instagram followers. Ben is known for presenting game show favourites Tipping Point, The Krypton Factor, Ninja Warrior UK, 1 vs 100 as well as Safebreakers and Who Dares Sings! Tipping Point is on weekdays at 4pm on ITV and is celebrating its-10 year anniversary. 

The eighth most influential game show host is Jason Manford. With 359,000 Instagram followers, Jason can earn a potential £1,096.20 per sponsored post. Born in Salford, he started his career as a radio presenter in Manchester before becoming team captain on 8 Out of Ten Cats. As well as performing stand-up comedy and acting, Manford is known for presenting game shows such as Unbeatable and What Would Your Kid Do? Bigheads, The Complaints Department and First & Last.

This number is likely to increase as he is expected to return as a panel judge alongside Sheridan Smith, Beverly Knight and Adam Lambert on new ITV show Starstruck, which has just been renewed for season two after season one received hit ratings with 4.3m at its debut.

Nick Knowles, at number nine, has 320,000 Instagram followers and can earn an estimated £980.55 per sponsored post. Nick first came to attention as host of DIY SOS which he has been presenting for 23 years, and is now known mostly for hosting BBC game shows such as Break the Safe, 5-Star Family Reunion, Guesstimation, Judgemental, Perfection and Who Dares Wins.

Last year Nick, who lives in Cirencester, was replaced by comedian Rhod Gilbert on a Children In Need special of DIY SOS when he breached BBC rules when he appeared as a builder in an advert for Shreddies.

Rounding off the list at number ten is Shane Richie.

With 251,000 Instagram followers, Shane can now potentially earn £767.30 per sponsored post. Known for his portrayal of Alfie Moon in EastEnders, Shane has become known for presenting game shows such as Win Your Wish List, Run the Risk, Reflex, Lucky Numbers, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Decimate and Win, Lose or Draw. 

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from SolitaireBliss said: “The UK has always been obsessed with game shows and as a nation it has produced some TV classics. These hosts are a familiar face that we welcome into our homes every night, so it is no surprise how influential they become. Where we once had a generation of game show stars such as Cilla Black and Bruce Forsyth, we have a new era of hosts that can reach us at any time thanks to their social media presence.”

The analysis was conducted by SolitaireBliss which aims to give users free access to all their favourite card and board games online.

Other TV presenters such as Philip Schofield, Rylan and Ant & Dec are all influential, but are more known for shows such as This Morning and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and so were omitted from the list.

The Instagram earnings of the top ten UK game show hosts
CastInstagram handleFollower countPay per sponsored post
Paddy McGuinnessmcguinness.paddy2,000,000£4,129.02
Keith Lemonkeithlemon1,800,000£3,688.73
Davina McCalldavinamccall1,500,000£3,086.50
Bradley Walshbradderswalsh915,000£2,800.63
Vernon Kayvernonkay715,000£2183.56
Stephen Mulhernstephenmulhern628,000£1904.62
Ben Shephardbenshephardofficial502,000£1531.92
Jason Manfordjasonmanford359,000£1096.20
Nick Knowlesnickknowles320,000£980.55
Shane Richietheshanerichie251,000£767.30

Child Covid Vaccinations

Thinking of getting your child vaccinated over the school break? At your child’s vaccination appointment, you will have the opportunity to speak to the vaccinator and ask questions before giving final consent.

Please see an overview of the locations available to get your child vaccinated here: 

http://ow.ly/a1nF50IJucx

UK space specialists hit new heights with ten contract wins

– Space strategy firm gains clients in spite of the Ukrainian conflict’s impact on business –

An international space firm with a strong presence in Scotland and Ukraine is flying high after landing a host of new contract awards in the first quarter of 2022.

Some of the biggest names in the global space sector have secured the services of AstroAgency, including the European Space Agency’s network of UK Business Incubation Centres.

Space debris removal company, Astroscale, has also joined the roster alongside the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space, which carries out scientific research, technology development and operates facilities for the UK space sector.

The latest spree of space contracts comes with a number of its team members based in Ukraine, leading the firm to release a statement at the onset of the Russian invasion from AstroAgency’s Ukrainian staff, explaining its determination to continue supporting its clients and the growth of the international commercial space sector.

Space sector entrepreneur and AstroAgency founder, Daniel Smith, said: “It’s been a rollercoaster start to the year, between the team’s efforts made to deliver on current projects despite the impact on some of our team members due to the invasion of Ukraine, together with a number of long-term target clients being secured.

“The growth of the company to reach our 40th client milestone has been a huge positive for us at a difficult time and we’re all delighted to have the chance to work with so many key space organisations from across the globe, in both the private and public sectors.

“We’re fully focused on helping them reach their potential and realise their goals.”

Additions to AstroAgency’s public sector arsenal include strategic market research projects for the UK Space Agency and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, the latter being the development of a space strategy for the regions of Norfolk and Suffolk following on from the firm’s work on Scotland’s space strategy last year.

In the private sector, the agency has onboarded Earth Blox, a company that empowers non-experts with information from satellite observations, allowing any organisation to translate raw satellite data into actionable insights without needing to write a single line of code.

Other projects include promotional marketing for Spelfie, an app which uses satellite imagery to produce space “selfies”, and working with Glasgow-based, Trade in Space, which combines space and blockchain technology to process data and enable transactions of global agricultural assets.

Andrea Stewart, Head of Marketing and Communications at Astroscale, said: “We’ve been working on a number of voluntary initiatives together over the last 18 months and we’re delighted to have found a project to work on together as a client at the start of 2022.

“The AstroAgency team are passionate and insightful, we hope to find more opportunities to collaborate together in the future.”

The contract awards follow on from a recently secured project with the UK Space Agency to support start-up space businesses on the ‘Leo’ Accelerator programme, and AstroAgency’s partnership with the University of Edinburgh to guide students and young entrepreneurs considering launching space sector businesses or working in the industry.

The Edinburgh headquartered company has also spearheaded the development of a roadmap for a more sustainable space ecosystem for the Scottish Government, alongside partners Optimat and Space Scotland’s Environmental Task Force.

AstroAgency Chief Operating Officer Daria Filichkina, said: “We’ve only just passed two years as a company and its exciting to see us add strategic space projects for governments to the growing list of private space companies that we work with around the world. 

“We’re in a fortunate position, writing strategies and helping to build awareness in how access to space can be leveraged to support the economy, society, the fight against climate change or space debris. Ultimately, we hope that by sharing success stories we will help draw more businesses into this fast growing industry.”

In addition, AstroAgency is playing a key role in supporting international space delegation visits to the UK, including a partnership with the Swiss Business Hub (Switzerland Global Enterprise), part of the Embassy of Switzerland in London, to organise a space networking event with the University of Edinburgh. The project mirrors their work last year to deliver a Scottish Space Day in Dubai alongside Scottish Development International.

AstroAgency offers businesses and organisations a unique combination of strategic marketing support, brand building techniques, space media coverage, detailed technical knowledge and all-important market intelligence.

The company, which works across the space value chain from satellite manufacture and launch to downstream data analysis, has a presence in London, Milan, Amsterdam and Toulouse. The firm’s 25-strong team are all remote based, although the company plans to open its first office outside of Europe by the end of 2022.

In 2021, international governments invested an estimated $92 billion in the space sector according to Euroconsult, another of AstroAgency’s flagship clients, up by 8% from $84.5 billion the previous year, while the EU collectively invested $2.6 billion in the same period.

Daniel Smith added: “The interest and investment into enabling access to space will continue to soar and both businesses and entrepreneurs entering the sector now, whether technical or non-technical members of the space supply chain, will be in an excellent position to benefit from the huge opportunities which lie ahead.”

For more information on AstroAgency, visit: https://astroagency.co.uk/

Celebrate International Dance Day at Scottish Storytelling Centre

Only two weeks to go until we welcome Edinburgh Tradfest to the Storytelling Centre!

On Saturday 30th, we will be playing host to the finale of brand new mini-festival Pomegranates. This celebration of international dance features dancers and storytellers from across the globe, and will culminate in an energetic ceilidh in the Storytelling Court.

This will be absolutely beautiful! Don’t miss out.

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3xt7liY

What’s On at National Museums of Scotland

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

LAST CHANCE TO SEE Audubon’s Birds of America 

Until 8 May 2022 
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 
Ticketed, £0-£10  
 
Audubon’s Birds of America examines the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and largest books.   

Published as a series between 1827 and 1838, Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a landmark work that 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 showcases 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 

 
The Typewriter Revolution 

Until 11 Sep 2022 
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 
Free entry 

The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this 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 
 
Following 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.  

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition 
 

Book of Hours 

31 Mar – 3 Aug 2022 
Kingdom of the Scots gallery (Level 1) 
Free  

Explore the pages of an illustrated prayer book featuring a handwritten poem by a young Mary, Queen of Scots in this display. 

Written in Latin on vellum, the Book of Hours contains 40 exquisite illuminations by a 16th century Master artist. Used for private worship, it belonged to Mary’s great aunt Louise de Bourbon, Abbess of Fontevraud, who is believed to have gifted this precious volume to the young queen. 

The book will be exhibited in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery in a display alongside other objects associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. Six different pages within the book will be revealed, with a new page displayed every three weeks. A QR code will allow you to scroll through the vividly illustrated pages in detail. 
 
The Book of Hours is on loan to National Museums Scotland from The Pininski Foundation, Liechtenstein. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 

2 Jul – 13 Nov 2022 
Member Preview Day 1 Jul 
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 
Ticketed 

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life will exlplore 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. 

Supported by Baillie Gifford Investment Managers. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/Anatomy 

 
Events 

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

NEW Data After Dark 

21 Apr 2022 
19:00 – 22:00 
Grand Gallery 
£10 standard, £8 concessions 
This is an 18+ event 

Enjoy a special evening opening of Edinburgh Science Festival’s DataSphere exhibition that’s just for grown-ups, featuring bars, a DJ and exclusive activities. 

Take the chance to have as much fun as the kids as you send, swipe and scroll through the data that drives our world in the Datasphere installation. Enjoy the National Museum of Scotland’s interactive galleries Explore and Making It after hours and get hands on with exciting activities including a photobooth, LEGO building and VR lightsabre duels. 

Every ticket includes a welcome drink from Bellfield Brewery, with more bars and a food stall in the Grand Gallery. 

To book or find out more, visit the Edinburgh Science Festival website. 

Edinburgh Science Festival 2022 

9 Apr – 24 Apr 2022 
10:00 – 17:00 

The Edinburgh Science Festival brings two weeks of science-fuelled exploration to the National Museum of Scotland, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks. 
 
The Grand Gallery will be home to DataSphere, a multi-media exploration of the information driving our world. Elsewhere in the museum get-hands on with amazing drop-in experiments from the University of Edinburgh, and children’s workshops exploring everything from Creative Coding to Disease.  

Adults can enjoy a series of fascinating talks and debates on topics from climatology and the philosophy of science to death, folklore and the cities of the future. Speakers include A.C. Grayling, Jim Al-Khalili, Alice Bell and Mary Roach. And join DataSphere After Dark, with bars, a DJ and exclusive activities just for grown-ups.

Take the chance to have as much fun as the kids as you send, swipe and scroll through the data that drives our world. 

To book or find out more, visit the Edinburgh Science Festival website. 

Relaxed Opening Hour

24 Apr 2022   
10:00-11:00   
Free entry 

These monthly Relaxed Opening Hours are for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum.   
   
This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with autistic children; autistic young people and adults; adults living with dementia; adults and children with mental health problems; and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.

Friendly staff will be there to give you a warm welcome and support your visit, as you explore some areas of the museum without noisy interactives and videos to give a more relaxed environment. 

The Relaxed Opening Hour includes access to the entirety of the museum currently open to the public. At 11:00 sound will be switched back on, but visitors to this session are welcome to remain in the museum for as long as they like.  This month the museum is hosting  Edinburgh Science Festival events and may be busier than usual.
  
Find out more at nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

Centre for Open Learning: Victorian Scotland 

21 Apr – 23 Jun 2022 
11:00-13:00 
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4 
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available) 

National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.  
 
This 10-week course uses selected items from the museum’s collections as the basis for studying Victorian Scotland. Using a different historical object each week, students will consider the political, economic, industrial, imperial, cultural and social history of Scotland in this period of enormous change and creativity.  

The course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/VictorianScotland 

Centre for Open Learning: Georgian Scotland 

21 Apr – 23 Jun 2022 
14:00-16:00 
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4 
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available) 
 
National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.  

This 10-week course explores Scotland’s great changes and developments from 1714–1815. Making extensive use of National Museums Scotland’s collections, the course covers the Enlightenment and the growth of universities, trade, transportation and industry, as well as the impact of Jacobite rebellions and events overseas, from France and Spain to the American colonies. 

The course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/GeorgianScotland 

Centre for Open Learning: Discovering the National Collections:  
Jewellery from Antiquity to Present Day 

22 Apr – 20 May 2022 
11:00-13:00 
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4 
£75 for 5 sessions (concessions available) 

National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.  
 
This course will use the museum collections to introduce the extraordinarily diverse world of jewellery. From antiquity to the present day, we will explore our fascination with adornment to discover how trade, culture and craftsmanship pushed the boundaries of jewellery making around the world.  

This course is led by Karen A Clulow BA MA FSA Scot, and will be taught within a range of galleries in the National Museum of Scotland. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

Festival Family Encounters Day 

7 May 2022 
10:00-16:30 
Grand Gallery 
Free, drop-in. Some events may have timed slots and require sign-up on the day. 

The Edinburgh International Children’s Festival opens on Saturday 7 May with Family Encounters at the National Museum of Scotland. Come along to get curious, creative and enjoy specially commissioned performances from Scottish based artists. 

All events at Family Encounters on 7 May are free. Some may have timed slots and require sign-up on the day. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

National Museum of Rural Life  
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR 
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

Bird Bingo 

1 Apr – 30 Apr 2022 
10:00-17:00 
A trail around the museum 
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass 

Come and play Bird Bingo at the National Museum of Rural Life!  

Can you find all the birds hiding around the museum? Using the clues on our family trail sheet, see if you can spot different birds in our museum galleries and learn fun facts about them on your journey. 

This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery 
 
Find out more nms.ac.uk/birdbingo 

Woolly Weekend 
28 May – 29 May 2022 
11:00-16:00 
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass 
 
Visit the National Museum of Rural life to celebrate the start of summer and all things woolly. See our shearer at work with our Scottish Blackface sheep and enjoy wool-themed family crafts and activities. 

 Find out more nms.ac.uk/woollyweekend 


National Museum of Flight   
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF   
From 1 Apr, Open daily 10:00 – 16:00 

Make Do and Mend 

19 Apr – 22 Apr 2022 
11:00-16:00 
Concorde Hangar 
Free with museum admission 

Find out about the sustainability skills that people used during and after the Second World War with hands-on, family-friendly activities. 

Discover original Second World War RAF items and find out how people reused these objects creatively in the times of austerity after the war. Visitors can also try “French” knitting or book tickets for the “Bundle and Steam” fabric printing workshops. 

This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Find out more and book nms.ac.uk/makedoandmend 

Dig for Victory 

8 May 2022 
11:00-16:00 
Free with museum admission 

Find out how people grew and cooked their own food during the Second World War with cooking demonstrations, talks, tours and hands-on family activities. 

Discover the challenges of wartime cooking with food historian Nichola Fletcher and find out about the fruit and vegetables that were grown on the airfield. Families can also join drop-in workshops to create a wildflower seed bomb or make a paper pot to take home. 

This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/digforvictory 

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 

Street Assist Edinburgh celebrates six year anniversary

On 15th April 2016, 23 people launched a project to help protect others. We obtained the loan of a vehicle, designed a logo on the back of a napkin and used a lot of donated money from the volunteers to start the project.

We sat underneath a bridge at King Stables Road and offered a drop-in service on a converted bus, on occasions being able to walk or attend calls using our own cars.

This was done all with the aim of helping others and reducing the pressure on the emergency services.Fast forward six years, we now have a fleet of 5 vehicles, a team of 140 registered volunteers, an agreed amount of regular funding, have delivered copious amounts of training, wear a standardised 4 piece uniform and employ 1 paid member of staff.

Most importantly, we have safeguarded thousands of people from harm, eased the workload of the Scottish Ambulance Service and Edinburgh Police Division, reduced the number of people attending at A&E and have on at least 2 occasions, contributed to saving peoples lives.

The demand on our service has increased dramatically, now dealing with double figured jobs almost every night we’re operational.

We thrive in being able to relieve the workload of the Police and Ambulance Service, by providing the services we do and although he would argue otherwise, the success is primarily down to the hard work and perseverance of our charities director Neil, who was fought tirelessly to keep us going through challenging times. All of the team are extremely grateful for his contribution.

As we celebrate our 6 year anniversary weekends🥳, we would like to say a wholehearted thank you to everyone that’s made our success and development possible, in both the past and present times💚.

#HereToHelp

#SixYearAnniversary

Fatal road crash near Balerno: Do you have information?

Road policing officers are appealing for information following a one car fatal road crash on the A70 near Balerno.

The incident happened around 7.05am on Saturday (16 April), and involved a black VW Passat.

Emergency services attended and the driver, a 58-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. His family are aware.

Sergeant Nicola Young said: “Our thoughts are very much with the family of the man who died and our investigation to establish the full circumstances is ongoing.

“We are appealing to anyone who may have seen the vehicle before the crash or who has dash-cam footage that might help with our enquiries to get in touch.”

If you can help please contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0771 of Saturday, 16 April, 2022.

Online Safety Bill: second reading at Westminter this week

TOUGH new internet laws to protect young people, uphold free speech and make sure there are no safe spaces for criminals online return to Parliament for their second reading this week.

  • Online safety legislation protecting children will be debated in the Commons
  • Comes as new plans to support vulnerable people and fight falsities online are launched
  • Funding boost will help people’s critical thinking online through a new expert Media Literacy Taskforce alongside proposals to pay for training for teachers and library workers

MPs will debate the government’s groundbreaking Online Safety Bill which requires social media platforms, search engines and other apps and websites allowing people to post content to improve the way they protect their users. 

Ofcom, the regulator, will have the power to fine companies failing to comply with the laws up to ten per cent of their annual global turnover, force them to improve their practices and block non-compliant sites. Crucially, the laws have strong measures to safeguard children from harmful content such as pornography and child sexual abuse.

Ahead of Tuesday’s debate, the government is launching the next phase of its Online Media Literacy Strategy. It aims to help vulnerable and ‘hard-to-reach’ people, such as those who are digitally excluded or from lower socio-economic backgrounds, navigate the internet safely and teach them to spot falsities online. 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will spend £2.5 million to advance the plan through the next year including on training, research and providing expert advice.

This includes a new Media Literacy Taskforce featuring experts from a range of disciplines and a boost to the Media Literacy Fund, which gives teachers and local service providers the skills they need to teach people to improve their critical thinking of what they see online.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “The time has come to properly protect people online and this week MPs will debate the most important legislation in the internet age.

“Our groundbreaking Online Safety Bill will make the UK the safest place to surf the web. It has been significantly strengthened following a lengthy period of engagement with people in politics, wider society and industry.

“We want to arm everyone with the skills to navigate the internet safely, so today we’re also announcing a funding boost and plans for experts to join forces with the government to help people spot dodgy information online.

Thinking critically online has never been more important. There was a rise in misinformation and disinformation on social media and other online platforms during the global pandemic and the Kremlin continues to use disinformation to target UK and international audiences to justify its actions in Ukraine.

Ofcom research shows adults are often overconfident in their ability to detect disinformation and only 32 per cent of children aged 12 to 17 know how to use online flagging or reporting functions.

Forty per cent of adult internet users do not have the skills to assess online content critically and children up to the age of 15 are particularly vulnerable.

A new Media Literacy Taskforce with 18 experts from a range of relevant organisations, including Meta, TikTok, Google, Twitter, Ofcom and the Telegraph as well as universities and charities, will work with the government as part of its strategy to tackle disinformation and help hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups in society think about what they see on the web, including improving their ability to protect their data and privacy.

The taskforce will look at new ways to identify and reach people most in need of education. This could include working through local authorities or coordinating support offered by local services to roll out training.

The Media Literacy Fund will expand a pilot ‘Train the Trainer’ programme which ran last year to give teachers, library workers and youth workers more skills to help boost people’s critical thinking skills.

New research will be commissioned to understand the root causes of poor media literacy and on the effectiveness of different methods which aim to build people’s resilience to misinformation and disinformation.

The fund will have a broader scope including a focus on improving media literacy provision for people who are particularly vulnerable online – such as children or people suffering with mental health issues.

Since it launched in July 2021, the Online Media Literacy Strategy has provided £256,000 in grant funding to five organisations to adapt media literacy resources for teachers working with disabled children, run a successful awareness campaign to promote Safer Internet Day and empower LGBTQ+ young people with tools to deal with online abuse.

Nick Poole, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) said: “Media literacy is the key to helping people lead healthier, happier and safer lives online, particularly the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach in our society.

“As a member of the DCMS Media Literacy Taskforce, I welcome the breadth and ambition of this new Action Plan, which demonstrates the government’s commitment to this important agenda. As librarians and information professionals, we look forward to playing our part in bringing it to fruition.”

Will Gardner OBE, CEO of Childnet International and a Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre said: “Media literacy is a core part of Childnet’s work with children, young people, parents and carers, and we fully support the Media Literacy focus and work of the DCMS. This work has never been as important as it is now.

“There is a great deal of work being done in this space in the UK. The government is playing an important role in helping to identify where there are gaps and where focus or learning is needed, and then supporting responses to that.

“As part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, in February 2022 we worked closely with the DCMS in helping to promote the Safer Internet Day campaign to LGBTQ+ young people. We fully support the continued focus of the Action Plan, including ensuring that ‘hard-to-reach’ groups are supported as well as those who are particularly vulnerable online.”

Attempted murder in Westside Plaza: Two men arrested

Two men have been arrested following an attempted murder in Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes.

A 45-year-old man was hit by a car in Westside Plaza last Thursday (14 April).

Two men, both aged 28, have been arrested and charged in connection with this incident and they are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Tuesday 19 April).

A report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal.