Month: April 2022

Aldi donates 5,089 meals to Edinburgh and Lothian charities over the Easter school holidays

Aldi helped local charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians provide 5,089 meals to people in need over the Easter school holidays. 

The supermarket paired its stores up with local charities, community groups and food banks to donate surplus food, making the most of unsold fresh and chilled food throughout the Easter period. 

Around 105 tonnes of food were donated throughout the UK, with more than 187,000 meals going to causes focused on supporting families and children.  

The donations followed research from Aldi and community-giving platform Neighbourly which found that 98% of food banks in Scotland have seen demand soar since the start of the year. 

Neighbourly recently polled more than 700 food banks and community causes nationwide and found that an estimated 30% of people using these services in Scotland in recent months have been new to the food banks. 

On average, food banks in the region reported an average rise in demand of around 28% for their services so far this year, with expectations of further increases of around 29% in the next three months as higher energy bills and an increase in national insurance contributions add to the pressure.  

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “The school holidays can be a busy time for the local charities and organisations we support, but, especially in the current climate, food banks are experiencing even greater demand than usual.  

“We’re proud to support so many good causes in Edinburgh and the Lothians, helping them to provide meals to those in need over the recent school holidays.” 

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “The findings of our latest survey highlight that the cost-of-living crisis is clearly deepening, with families and households up and down the country really starting to feel the pinch and turning to charities and local causes for support as a result.  

“During what is a hard time for everyone, anything people can do to give back in the coming weeks will make all the difference.” 

Aldi has community donation points in stores nationwide to help those in need, and is encouraging customers to help in any way they can.

According to its poll with Neighbourly, products that are most in demand at local community groups include tinned food, tea and coffee, UHT milk, toiletries, and household cleaning products. 

Stepping Stones have flitted!

You can now find Stepping Stones at Inchgarvie Court, Ferry Road Drive. Our office number is still the same and we can be reached on 0131 551 1632.

We’re really excited to be in and we’re looking forward to welcoming families into our new space.

Alongside our office base we have a great playroom where under 5’s can access opportunities for play and learning and we’ve a group work room where parents can take part in fun and creative learning opportunities.

We can’t wait to get started with our first group in the building today at 1 pm! 😃

Climate change is affecting Scotland’s lochs and reservoirs

Climate change has already caused a rapid and extensive warming of Scotland’s lochs and reservoirs with impacts expected to intensify, research has revealed for the first time.

A report published today by Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), shows that between 2015 and 2019, 97% of monitored Scottish lochs and reservoirs have increased in temperature. While most warmed by up to 1.0°C per year over this period, 9% increased by more than that – some by up to 1.3°C per year.

Researchers warn that these changes increase the risk of harmful algal blooms developing, which could restrict their use for recreation and water supply, and as a safe habitat for wildlife.

It is expected that waters in the south and east of Scotland are expected to warm the most at first, but this climate-related impact will reach all parts of the country by 2040.

The report makes a number of recommendations to address these impacts in the immediate term, as well as further research to improve our understanding of climate impacts on the complex functioning of lochs and reservoirs.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “This important research provides yet more worrying evidence of the risks of harm from climate change on Scotland’s water environment.

“It is vital that we do more to mitigate those impacts, to seek to reduce the pace of warming but also to adapt to it.  We have committed £243 million since 2015 through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme to support land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“Scotland is renowned worldwide for the quality of our water. Research like this will be hugely valuable in informing the development of policy solutions and measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and also protect, restore and enhance these vital natural assets.”

Freshwater ecologist Dr Linda May of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), lead author of the report, said: “This research has shown, for the first time, that climate change is already warming our lochs and reservoirs in Scotland, and that this trend is likely to continue.

“It provides early warning of the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity, water supply and recreational use, and highlights the need for mitigation measures to be put in place as quickly as possible.”

Dr Pauline Lang, project manager for CREW, said: “This pioneering research led by experts at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology demonstrates that, without intervention, climate-driven risk is projected to further increase by 2040.  

“To prevent the modelled scenarios becoming reality, we trust the recommendations proposed will enable effective climate action for safeguarding freshwaters now and during the critical decades ahead.

“This project is a great example of how CREW can pivot towards Scotland’s water-related needs by bringing a community of researchers and stakeholders together to collaborate on addressing the most important environmental concerns of this time.”

NatureScot Freshwater and Wetlands Advice Manager Iain Sime said: “Scotland, like the rest of the world, is facing an unprecedented climate emergency. The findings of this comprehensive review are stark, demonstrating the impact that climate change is already having on our freshwater lochs and reservoirs, and their biodiversity.

“The need for urgent action is clear, and at NatureScot we are using the £65m Nature Restoration Fund to prioritise efforts that support the conservation of our lochs and ponds.”

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Senior Ecologist Ian Milne said: “CREW’s report, which used SEPA data from 142 lochs and reservoirs, is important in highlighting some of the climate change pressures Scotland’s environment is facing.

“The findings emphasise the significance of SEPA’s ongoing work to tackle the threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, which is being done in partnership with Scottish Government, local authorities, Scottish Water, environment and community groups, farmers, land managers and others through our River Basin Management Plans.”

CREW-–-Assessing-climate-change-impacts-on-the-water-quality-of-Scottish-standing-waters-v5_final_0Download

British Sign Language Bill set to clear final hurdle before becoming law

Tens of thousands of British Sign Language (BSL) users are anticipating a momentous day today as a Bill that will see BSL become a recognised language in Britain is expected to clear its final hurdle on the way to becoming law.

The British Sign Language Bill, a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Rosie Cooper MP last year and backed by the government, will receive its third reading in the House of Lords today before it passes into law following Royal Assent.

The BSL Act will recognise BSL as a language of England, Wales and Scotland in its own right. It is also supported by a duty on the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to regularly report on what each relevant government department has done to promote or facilitate the use of British Sign Language in its communications with the public.

The Act further places a requirement on the DWP Secretary of State to issue guidance to departments on the promotion and facilitation of BSL. The guidance will be developed together with D/deaf BSL signers.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe Smith MP said: “Today is a momentous day and I truly hope it will transform the lives of D/deaf people across the country.

“The BSL Bill will help remove barriers faced by the D/deaf community in daily life and is a further welcome step towards a more inclusive and accessible society.

“I am so grateful to the efforts of Rosie Cooper MP and the wonderful campaigners who have brought the BSL Bill to the point of passing into law and I’m proud to have played a small part in its journey.”

Rosie Cooper MP said: “At long last, the Deaf community will be able to say that their language is legally recognised.

“Working across party lines and with the Deaf community, I really believe we have made history by creating a mechanism for Deaf people to achieve equal access to public services. Their voices will be heard loud and clear and there will be no excuse for failing to respect BSL as a language.

“The hard work doesn’t stop here however, but the door is now open for the Deaf community make real progress fixing the injustices that they continue to face.”

David Buxton, Chair of the British Deaf Association, said: “We are extremely pleased to see the UK Parliament finally vote to recognise British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain in law today, after 19 long years of campaigning.

“Today is a historic day for the Deaf community in the UK, and an inspiration for other countries around the world where the national sign language has not yet been recognised in law.

“The British Deaf Association looks forward to working hand in hand with the government and civil servants to implement and monitor the progress of the BSL Act 2022.

“While today is a day to celebrate, we are aware that this marks the first step on a long path towards providing truly equal access to public services, information and opportunities for Deaf BSL users in Great Britain.”

Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at RNID, said: “RNID and our supporters join with the Deaf community today to celebrate this historic moment as British Sign Language passes the final hurdle before it is legally recognised in England, Wales and Scotland.

“We’re immensely proud to have worked alongside other deaf organisations and parliamentarians to support this campaign. We look forward to the BSL Bill getting Royal Assent soon and to working with the government to make sure the BSL Act makes a real difference to the lives of Deaf people in the UK.”

The Third Reading of the BSL Bill takes place today in the House of Lords and following this it will receive Royal Assent.

The BSL Bill was first introduced on 16 June 2021 and passed through the House of Commons on 17 March 2022, receiving unanimous cross-party support.

The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has worked closely with Labour MP Rosie Cooper and D/deaf people’s charities and organisations, such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the British Deaf Association (BDA), to ensure the Bill effectively meets the needs of those who will benefit most.

Figures from the British Deaf Association suggest that 151,000 people use BSL in the UK, 87,000 of whom are D/deaf.

Automatic awards to make accessing family benefits simpler

Plans have been announced to automatically pay the Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments to parents and carers who already receive Scottish Child Payment when their children become eligible.

The change will be introduced later this year when Scottish Child Payment is extended to under-16s and increased to £25 per child, per week.

This builds on extensive work already done to make applying for the Scottish Government’s five family payments as straightforward as possible.

It includes the ability to apply for all children in a household on a single form. The form can be completed online, by phone or on paper. Parents and carers contributed to the design of the form to make sure the language was clear and easy to navigate.

As set out in the recent Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’, the introduction of automatic awards will remove the need for eligible families receiving Scottish Child Payment to reapply when their child becomes eligible for the Early Learning and School Age Payments.

This will mean less paperwork for tens of thousands of families and ensure that families automatically receive the support to which they’re entitled.

On a visit to FARE Scotland in Glasgow, Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “Tackling child poverty is a key mission for the Scottish Government and automating payments, where we already have all of the information we need to do so, will mean parents and carers automatically getting the financial support they are eligible for paid directly to them.

“Since launching Best Start Grant in December 2018, we’ve made more than 177,000 payments, totalling £55.3 million in support, families who need it most. Automating payments, where we can, will enable us to help even more families.

“We are committed to making sure that receiving our five family payments is as straightforward as possible. Automatic awards, increasing Scottish Child Payment to £20, and again to £25 by the end of the year, and uprating eight Scottish benefits by 6% are some of the ways we are using our limited social security powers and resources to help families in need.”

Jimmy Wilson, Chief Executive of FARE Scotland, said: “There are families who aren’t aware of all the benefits to which they’re entitled so anything that can be done to make the process simpler is to be welcomed.

“It’s more important than ever that people understand the help which is there for them.

“The advantages in having automatic awards could be significant. We hope this move has a positive impact on take up rates which could help to reduce and prevent child poverty and support family wellbeing.”

  • Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and Best Start Grant School Age Payment are part of a package of Five Family Payments. This package also includes Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Best Start Foods and Scottish Child Payment. By the end of 2022, the Scottish Government’s package of Five Family Payments for low-income families will be worth up to a maximum of over £10,000 by the time a family’s first child turns 6, and £9,700 for second and subsequent children
  • The Early Learning Payment opened for applications on 29 April 2019 and provides £267.65 per child to support child development, for example travel costs, changes of clothes for messy play, trips out and toys for home learning
  • The long application window, from 2-3½, captures the 2 common ages for starting nursery, depending on whether parents qualify for a free nursery place when the child is 2 or 3. There is no requirement to take up a place at nursery to qualify for a payment
  • The School Age Payment opened for applications on 3 June 2019 and provides £267.65 per child to help with the costs of preparing for school, for example educational toys or after school activities. Eligibility is based on the child’s age and relates to when a child is first old enough to start school. The application window runs from 1 June in that year until the last day in February the following year. There is no requirement to take up a place at school to qualify for a payment
  • Between launching on 10 December 2018 and 28 February 2022, more than 177,000 Best Start Grant payments had been authorised. This figure does not include Best Start Foods
  • In 2022-23 we expect 52,000 households will receive £18 million of support through Best Start Grant (Scottish Fiscal Commission report published 9 December 2021). With projected take up rates of 76% for Pregnancy and Baby first births, 77% for Pregnancy and Baby subsequent births, 82% for Early Learning Payment and 80% for School Age Payment
  • The Scottish Fiscal Commission (report published 9 December 2021) has forecast that 20,000 people will receive the Early Learning Payment and 22,000 people will receive the School Age Payment during the 2022-23 financial year
  • Eligible families, and carers can find out more and apply at mygov.scot/beststart or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222

The most profitable Eurovision songs of 2022

  • Representing Italy ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco is the most profitable song in the Eurovision song contest 2022, with more than 69 million Spotify streams has potential earnings of £237,439 in royalties 
  • Second is Sweden with their single ‘Hold Me Closer’ by Cornelia Jakobs earning an estimated £39,566 from royalties from more than 11 million streams via Spotify 
  • S10’s ‘De Diepte’ from the Netherlands earns third place, making a potential £30,117 

New research reveals Italy’s song ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco is the most profitable Eurovision of 2022.   

A study by entertainment experts JohnSlots analysed all 40 Eurovision songs from each country available to stream via Spotify, to discover which song has generated the highest in potential royalties.   

Storming in first is Italy’s ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco; the song has taken more than 69 million streams, earning an estimated £237,439 in royalties. Italy won the annual contest three times, first in 1964 and most recently in 2021 with the song ‘Zitti e Buoni’ by Maneskin has earnt an estimated £1,017,239 from its stream count of 295 million streams, which this year’s winners could look forward to seeing.  

Second with a total stream count of 11.5 million is Sweden’s entry with ‘Hold Me Closer’ performed by Cornelia Jakobs; the single’s Spotify stream adds up to a potential royalty count of £39,566. The country has taken a storming total of six wins in the contest, with Sweden’s last win in 2015. 

S10’s ‘De Diepte’ earning an estimated £30,117 in royalties following more than 8.7 million streams, places Netherlands third in the ranking. The Netherlands won the second-ever Eurovision contest and continued to win four other years in the competition to date.   

Representing Spain, Chanel’s single ‘SloMo’ ranks fourth, totalling streams of 7.8 million, with a potentially high royalty earning of £27,156.   

Norway’s entry has gathered an estimated £19,283 in royalties following 5.6 million Spotify streams; the single ‘Give That Wolf a Banana’ by Subwoolfer takes fifth place. Having previously won three times and last took the crown in 2009 with Alexander Rybak’s ‘Fairytale”.   

‘Stefania’ performed by Kalush Orchestra claims sixth in the ranking for Ukraine, from its total stream count of more than 4 million, accumulating a potential royalty earning of £13,792. Finland follows in seventh, the entry ‘Jezebel’ by The Rasmus has earnt more than 3.2 million streams, totalling £11,258 from royalties in estimation from Spotify.   

Austria’s entrance this year with ‘Halo’ by artists LUM!X and Pia Maria claim eighth place with more than 2.6 million streams, has gathered potential earnings of £9,208. 

Representing Germany, Malik Harris’s ‘Rockstars’ claims ninth with just under £9,000 in royalties it is estimated, has accumulated 2.6 million Spotify streams. Germany has won twice before in previous years of the contest, the last being 2010 with ‘Satellite’ by Lena Meyer-Landrut.  

British singer and TikTok star, Sam Ryder, follows in tenth with the single ‘Space Man’ for the United Kingdom. Sam was selected from an internal process with TaP Music, which also manages A-list stars such as Dua Lipa and Ellie Goulding. ‘Space Man’ has an estimated royalty count of £8,921 following more than 2.5 million streams of the single.  

The Most Profitable Eurovision Song of 2022 
Rank Country Artist Song Spotify Streams (£) Pay per play on Spotify 
1 Italy Mahmood & Blanco Brividi 69,023,157 £237,439  
2 Sweden Cornelia Jakobs Hold Me Closer 11,502,004 £39,566 
3 Netherlands S10 De Diepte 8,755,103 £30,117 
4 Spain Chanel SloMo 7,894,204 £27,156 
5 Norway Subwoolfer Give That Wolf a Banana 5,605,737 £19,283 
6 Ukraine Kalush Orchestra Stefania 4,009,491 £13,792 
7 Finland The Rasmus Jezebel 3,272,948 £11,258 
8 Austria LUM!X & Pia Maria Halo 2,676,998 £9,208 
9 Germany Malik Harris Rockstars 2,616,005 £8,999 
10 United Kingdom Sam Ryder Space Man 2,593,327 £8,921 

Commenting on their findings, a spokesperson from JohnSlots said, “With Eurovision approaching next month and being held in Turin, Italy, it will be interesting to see if Italy’s song will impact the show’s results with the existing popularity taking the strongest lead in streams. 

With Italy’s extensive stream count, it’s equally as insightful to see if they could expect to win for a second time running in the annual song contest. Eurovision has become a tradition for dedicated fanbases worldwide to watch the event, with it being a great source of entertainment and representation of their country for many.”   

The research was conducted by JohnSlots, which is dedicated to slot games, and honest reviews of online games. Crafting a handpicked selection of online casino’s for of an enjoyable experience.

Citroën welcomes NHS, Teachers & Emergency Services staff by extending ‘Citroën and You’ programme

  • ‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme extended further to include NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel.
  • Programme enables eligible customers to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.
  • ‘Citroën and You‘ programme is available exclusively online through the Citroën Store.

Citroën UK is showing its appreciation for the incredible work of the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services across the UK in recent years by extending its ‘Citroën and You’ programme.

The programme, previously reserved for friends and family of Citroën employees, welcomes NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel into the Citroën family and allows users to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.

‘Citroën and You’ is available to NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel as a fully online experience via the Citroën store. Eligible users wishing to take advantage of the ‘Citroën and You’ programme can review current offers online, configure and personalise their car, place it in their shopping basket prior to checkout and access a discount with a personalised promotional code before completing the order.

The initiative launches this week with dedicated pages already live on the Citroën UK website. The offers extend across the Citroën passenger car range†, including C4 and ë-C4 Electric, New C5 Aircross and C3 Aircross SUV.

NHS Employees: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-nhs.html
Teachers: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-teachers.html
Emergency Services: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-emergency-services.html

Last month, Citroën UK celebrated Sign Language Week (14 to 22 March) by extending the ‘Citroën and You’ programme to welcome British Sign Language (BSL) users. Citroën has pledged to become more accessible to the UK’s more than 150,000 strong deaf community. Last year, Citroën partnered with SignLive to become the first car manufacturer to introduce its online video interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing customers across its entire UK retailer network.

British Sign Language users: https://www.citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-bsl.html

Eurig Druce, Citroën’s UK Managing Director, said: “Over the past two years we have seen the remarkable work the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services have provided across the UK in the face of a global pandemic.

“To show our appreciation for the work they have done and continue to do for us all, I am proud to extend ‘Citroën and You’ to all NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel so they can save on a great new Citroën vehicle.”

‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme is exclusively available via the online Citroën Store, which allows customers to configure their vehicle, select the finance package that best suits their needs and order their new vehicle from the comfort of their own home.

*Current offer available at time of announcement. Subject to change in the future.

†Exclusions apply. Visit https://store.citroen.co.uk/ to see all available models.

Prime riverside apartments to launch in Musselburgh

THE FIRST release of apartments at an anticipated development in the centre of Musselburgh will launch to market next week.

May 2nd will see Dundas Estates launch the first phase of one, two and three-bedroom apartments at its 140-home Wireworks development on the banks of the picturesque River Esk.

With reservations being taken by property specialists Rettie & Co., prices range from £184,995 to £339,995, catering for a variety of different buyers.

Situated just off of Mall Avenue, the development is near to a wide range of community amenities, high-street shops and cafes, the development has excellent bus and car connections to Edinburgh and East Lothian – offering capital convenience and relaxed living for buyers.

Head of Sales and Marketing at Dundas Estates, Craig Fairfoull, said: “The Wireworks is one of our most exciting projects to date, regenerating a massive area of vacant land that was a real eye-sore on the local community into beautiful, high spec apartments to help quell demand in the area.

“Musselburgh has many positive attributes that has understandably led to it becoming a highly sought-after area to live.

“The development will appeal to a range of buyers, from first timers to retirees and we’ve already seen high levels of interest.

“Given the popularity of the development so far, we would like to urge interested buyers to get in touch as soon as possible so they don’t miss out on securing their dream home.” 

Situated on the East Coast near Edinburgh, the ‘Honest Toun’ is quickly becoming a popular destination for those looking to relocate from the Capital, due to its value for money and proximity to the city centre.

A recent report by property experts Rettie & Co. show the EH21 region, where Musselburgh is located, has experienced a strong recovery in the wake of lockdown restrictions being lifted mid-2020, with sales exceeding £24million in March 2021, more than £18m above pre pandemic levels.

Despite increasing popularity, 90% of homes in the area sold for under £400,000, with apartments concentrated at under £160,000, more than £100,000 less than the average flat in the capital.

Craig said: “Some of the properties have their own private balconies, whilst some have their own private gardens, making them the ideal place to relax and enjoy what Musselburgh has to offer.”

Based on the site of Brunton Wireworks, the Wireworks will boast a large central landscaped area central reflective of its picturesque tree-lined surroundings, as well as stylish, open-plan living.

Homes at the development will benefit from luxury fitted kitchens with SMEG appliances, luxury Roca sanitaryware in all bathrooms and ensuites, hive controllable, high efficiency gas thermal heating and high spec-thermal insulation as well as generous in-built storage, on-site parking, bike storage and EV charging provision

Dundas Estates, through a partnership with Tesco, East Lothian Council and NHS Lothian, acquired the site after receiving planning permission to regenerate the former Brunton Wireworks site and neighbouring land in 2008.

The Livingston-based firm is also committing up to £400,000 in section 75 contributions, which will be invested into local schooling and infrastructure and building 11 affordable homes to help meet rising demand in the area.

To learn more about Dundas Estates’ Wireworks development visit: 

https://www.dundas.co.uk/developments/the-wireworks, call 0131 243 3858 or email: thewireworks@rettie.co.uk

Forth Neighbourhood Network meets online tomorrow evening

6pm via MICROSOFT TEAMS

FORTH Neighbourhood Network will meet online tomorrow evening at 6pm.

AGENDA

  1. Welcome & Apologies
  2. Notes of Meeting of 19th January 2022 and matters arising (circulated)
  3. Forth NN Neighbourhood Environmental Programme (NEP) HRA update – George Norval / David Delargy
  4. Forth NN current Priority: Poverty, including food poverty update – Biddy Kelly, Response and Recovery Group
  5. Community Grants Fund – review of the past year plus funding panel decisions
  6. Any other Business
  7. Dates of Next Meetings:   22nd June 2022, 14th Sept 2022, 14th Dec 2022.

For further information please contact Elaine Lennon, North West Lifelong Learning Development Officer, telephone 529 5270, email Elaine.Lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk