The Heart of Newhaven Community, Friends of Victoria Park and The VP Allotment Holders invite you to The Picnic in the Park, at Victoria Park on Sunday 19 June from 12.30pm-3.30pm.
Bring a picnic and enjoy meeting your neighbours in the park
Children’s Races (including the world-famous 3-legged!) Fun Dog Parade
Plant Swap Table
Kids’ Books Swap Table
Live Music
Optional Fancy Dress for People and Pets!
Prizes for taking part for Children and Dogs!
Check the ‘Friends of Victoria Park’ and ‘Heart of Newhaven’ Facebook pages for updates
Today: AAA screening. All men 65 or over are offered an ultrasound scan to check for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) and will receive an invitation the year they turn 65.
Men aged 65 are invited for a one-off simple ultrasound of the abdomen (tummy) to detect a AAA. Treating a AAA early greatly reduces the chance of it causing serious problems.
Innovators to share in £150K prize fund and other business growth support measures
A host of University of Edinburgh students and alumni who have founded their own startup companies are celebrating after taking honours at this year’s Scottish EDGE Awards.
Xiaoyan Ma, founder of Danu Robotics, an innovative business focused on developing sustainable technological solutions for the benefit of the environment, was named among this year’s main award winners. The company secures £75K in grant funding to accompany its award.
Three other company founders, which have also been supported by Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the University’s commercialisation service, were named as Young EDGE winners. They include Alex Hodson of Podspectrix; Niall McGrath of Robocean; and Elena Höge of Yaldi Games.
Meanwhile Ioannis Stasinopoulos of Prozymi Biolabs, a further EI-supported startup, was named as a Wildcard EDGE award winner. Between them, the four companies will share a further £45K in grant funding along with their awards.
The annual Scottish EDGE Awards, aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high-growth entrepreneurial talent, recognises and supports entrepreneurs and startup businesses.
Funded by the Hunter Foundation, the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and private donors, the competition is delivered twice annually and has to date supported 395 early-stage Scottish businesses with over £15m in award funding.
The winners from this year’s Scottish EDGE Awards will share in more than £150K ingrants and benefit from other forms of support and mentoring to help them maximise their growth aspirations.
John Lonsdale, Head of Enterprise Services from Edinburgh Innovations said:“We congratulate all the University of Edinburgh students and alumni in their success at this year’s Scottish EDGE Awards.
“We are delighted to have supported these emerging companies, all of which are focused on developing innovative solutions to some of the key challenges facing society.
“As an organisation committed to helping University of Edinburgh startups reach their full potential, Edinburgh Innovations is proud of its role in supporting entrepreneurs who are driving economic growth in Scotland and beyond.”
Three thousand art packs for refugees and asylum seekers have been made by the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Intended as a warm welcome to people arriving in Scotland who have fled conflict or persecution, they are being gifted in partnership with several charities and local authorities.
A large group of Ukrainian children and young people recently picked up their packs at an art workshop at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Organised by NGS and Dnipro Kids, a charity which supports orphanage children from Ukraine, activities across the day included an introduction to painting with their new watercolour sets, clay sculpture making and exploring the gallery spaces.
Thousands of the packs have been shared among other charities, including Aberlour Scottish Guardianship Service, Scottish Refugee Council, SCOREscotland, Cyrenians and The Welcoming. Local authorities across the country have also assisted in distributing the art materials to refugees and asylum seekers in their areas.
The packs contain 10 high-quality postcards showing artworks from the national collection, specially chosen for the children and young people receiving the packs. The images were selected with the intention of providing hope, to spark their curiosity and to introduce them to Scottish culture.
For instance, Una and the Lion (c. 1860) by William Bell Scott draws on the story of a brave young girl undertaking a frightening journey on her own. The packs also contain a sketchbook, pencil, colouring pens, a watercolour set and paint brush.
Sir John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “It is a privilege for the National Galleries of Scotland to play a small part in extending a warm welcome to the people who will receive the art packs, and we very much hope they enjoy getting creative with them.
“We are also grateful to the charity and local authority partners who are helping us with distribution. We would welcome hearing from other such organisations should they be interested in requesting art packs for their beneficiaries.”
Steven Carr, Chair of Dnipro Kids said: “We’re very grateful to the National Galleries for their help. This art packs and visit have been wonderfully stimulating for the kids, who have enjoyed themselves immensely.
“The welcome and kindness from the people of Scotland continues to amaze us all, and this is another example of how people have opened their hearts to our group.”
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said; “We are pleased that players of People Postcode Lottery support the National Galleries of Scotland in extending a warm welcome to children and young people forced to flee from danger in their home countries.
“We hope the art packs offer all recipients the opportunity to spend some time getting creative as they settle in here in Scotland.”
Virgin Hotels, the luxury lifestyle hotel brand by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, announces that its flagship restaurant and bar, Commons Club, located inside the newly opened Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, is now open.
The luxurious modern day social club will officially open to the public on Tuesday 14th June. For those eager to get ahead of the crowd, reservations can now be made directly on the hotel’s website at https://virginhotels.com/edinburgh/dine-and-drink/the-commons-club/.
Nestled across two floors, Commons Club is designed to be a playful yet sophisticated environment for guests to eat, drink and vibe in the heart of Edinburgh and will showcase contemporary Scottish seasonal cuisine using the freshest produce straight from Scotland’s local larder for diners.
Newly appointed Executive Chef, Steven Wilson, has created a menu that will cater to all tastes. For starters, guests can enjoy an array of stunning dishes including, Ceviche with line-caught & cured wild seabass, shaved fennel, dill, nashi pear & green olive puree; Wagyu Tataki with Scottish wagyu beef “Tataki style”, fried garlic, ponzu green onion puree & parsnip crisp and Risotto with Scottish farm spelt & barley risotto, baby morels, lightly-roasted almonds & shaved fresh summer truffle.
Moving onto mains, guests can choose between Halibut with pan-seared Gigha halibut, confit aromatic farm seasonal vegetables in a light saffron & Shetland blue mussels velouté; slow roast Perthshire chicken “dinner” with fondant potato, baby leek, morel mushrooms & fresh peas, crispy chicken & Pata Negra croquet, bread sauce, roast chicken jus & chive oil and Isle of Mull seaweed tortellini pasta filled with wild herb ricotta, clay oven-roasted artichoke, pea & feve etuvee, vegetarian parmesan air.
Guests can also explore a range of bespoke cocktails created with locality in mind, helping to bring a sense of Scotland into each of the flavours. From a ‘Breakfast in the Highlands’ made with Glenfiddich 15 Single Malt Whisky, Brown Butter, Toasted Oat Amontillado Sherry, Heather Honey and Bittered Sling Kensington Aromatic, to a ‘Queen Street’ made with Bacardi Carta Blanca Rum, Martini Reserva Ambrato, Lemon, Celery Bitters and Islay mist, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Commons Club is situated within the brand-new Virgin Hotels Edinburgh located in the landmark India Buildings in Edinburgh’s Old Town, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle. The finished hotel will feature 222 Chambers and Grand Chamber Suites and multiple dining and drinking outlets, all with their own unique space and distinct design.
Accompanying Commons Club later in the year will be Eve, a vibrant, all-day dining space, offering a progressive approach to late night entertainment in Edinburgh. The hotel site is also home to a 19th century church, known as Greyfriars Hall, that is being beautifully restored and repurposed as a special event venue. In addition, the hotel will offer a rooftop sanctuary with unobstructed Edinburgh Castle views.
Scott McArdle, General Manager of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, commented: “Edinburgh is such an iconic city and we’re thrilled it will be the home of our flagship restaurant and bar within the first Virgin Hotels in the UK and across Europe.
“Commons Club is a unique offering that will complement the current offering of the hotel. The food and drink menus will bring an array of local flavours to the table and can’t wait to welcome everyone in to try them.”
Steven Wilson, Executive Chef of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, said: “After years of travelling the world and working in some unforgettable restaurants and hotels, I’m so excited to be back in my hometown and to be part of this iconic opening in Edinburgh.
“We really do have access to the highest quality local produce right on our doorstep in Scotland and that’s something the menu at Commons Club celebrates. Guests will enjoy our timeless menu that will continue to evolve with the seasons, keeping them coming back time and time again.”
All guests can sign up for the brand-wide guest preferences and loyalty program ‘The Know’, which grants a personalised hotel experience that allows for access to room upgrades, member rates, special events and a complimentary cocktail hour in Commons Club – all when booking directly with Virgin Hotels.
All Chambers and Suites have integrated tech capabilities, which can control lighting, thermostats, TVs, and order room service directly via the mobile app, Lucy which is exclusively available to Know members.
Lucy also gives guests the ability to check in prior to arrival and can be used as an access key to their Chambers. Chambers are also pet friendly, with complimentary ‘pet-menities’ available, including dog beds and food and water dishes.
The hotel has been developed and is owned by Flemyn and managed by Virgin Hotels.
Reservations for the hotel are also open and can be made directly on the hotel’s websitewww.virginhotels.com/edinburgh.
The Met Office is issuing a ‘high’ pollen forecast for Scotland, south of Grampian and The Highlands, which could give hay fever sufferers more than watery eyes from today.
Scottish hay fever sufferers who are vulnerable to grass and nettle pollen and Cladosporium spores, which will increase in intensity during bright warm weather should take note, especially if they take medication to lessen symptoms.
The Met Office forecast has led to a warning from one of the country’s leading car insurance comparison websites, that many motorists are unaware of the fact that ‘driving under the influence’ could result in hefty fines and points on their licence. Some hay fever medications could see drivers committing this type of motoring offence without even realising it.
Insurance comparison website Quotezone.co.uk says the government legislation that bans driving while under the influence, does not distinguish between illicit drugs, prescription medication and over-the-counter medications. This means any type of drug that affects a motorist’s driving abilities could potentially result in a drug-driving conviction, even if it’s something as simple as hay fever medication that causes drowsiness.
One in four people in the UK has hay fever, that’s approximately 16 million people, according to the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Grass pollen is arguably the biggest cause of seasonal allergies, affecting approximately 90% of hay fever sufferers – with peak season from mid-May until July.
Scotland’s hay fever sufferers could consider the following advice before getting behind the wheel:
Five driving tips for hay fever sufferers
Check medication – antihistamines and hay fever medications can differ in strength, check with the doctor if in any doubt about possible side effects and always read the label – the warning, ‘do not operate heavy machinery’ is commonly found and applies to cars, forklifts and any other heavy machinery.
Plan journeys – check the Met Office Pollen warnings or download the weather app, which gives a 5-day forecast for high pollen counts.
Keep the car as pollen-free as possible – clean the car regularly to get rid of dust that could trigger symptoms before setting out, regularly change pollen filters in the car’s ventilation system and keep car windows closed during journeys.
Get stocked up – keep the car stocked with fresh tissues, hay fever medicine, a bottle of water, eye drops, anything used to ease the symptoms, should they strike unexpectedly.
Drive safely – better to err on the side of caution, giving lots of space to fellow road users and taking breaks if hay fever symptoms start. If drivers don’t feel well or the pollen count is high, play it safe and don’t make non-urgent journeys.
Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, comments: “A lot of people aren’t sure exactly when the hay fever season starts, it actually runs for seven months of the year – March to September – depending on the type of pollen people are allergic to, so it can catch drivers off guard.
“Most people assume that the term ‘drug-driving’ refers to driving while under the influence of illicit narcotics, but the truth is that driving after taking any type of drug, could result in a motoring conviction if the motorist’s driving abilities are impaired.
“While some hay fever medications are non-drowsy, some types do cause drowsiness, and some prescription hay fever tablets in particular carry a ‘do not operate heavy machinery’ warning. If a driver fails to obey this warning and gets behind the wheel, they could risk a hefty fine of up to £5,000, points on their licence and endanger themselves and other road users.”
Three men have been arrested and charged following the recovery of a six-figure sum of Class A drugs during a proactive operation in North Edinburgh.
A warrant was executed at a property in Pilton Drive North yesterday (Tuesday 14 June). Officers searched the property and seized a quantity of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, with an estimated street value of £130,500.
Three men – aged 29, 38, and 56 – have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
They are expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Wednesday, 15 June.
Detective Inspector Bob Campbell, of Edinburgh CID, said: “Tackling serious and organised criminality is a priority for Police Scotland and this significant recovery reinforces our determination to target criminals.
“Drug misuse brings nothing but misery to our communities and people’s lives can be ruined.
“I want to reassure the public that we will continue to use every tool and tactic at our disposal to remove these illegal substances from our streets.
“Serious and organised crime has no place in our society and we will continue to disrupt this, and any other criminal activity, which impacts on our lives and our communities.”
Chief Inspector Sarah Taylor, local area commander, said: “We depend on the continued support from our local communities and I would like to thank members of the public who have come forward with vital information, which assisted our investigations.
“I would urge anyone who has any information, or concerns surrounding drugs in their area, to contact police.
“Anyone with concerns can call officers on 101 or alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
The energy crisis is hurting swimming pool operators up and down the country, with many fearing for their future, seriously impacting their ability to help their community enjoy water safely. Soaring fuel costs could herald a reduction in pool programmes and even threaten the closure of much loved and needed community pools.
It couldn’t have come at a worse time for the sector. The lasting impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), staff shortages, and now sharp and severe price hikes are putting operators under extraordinary pressure and presenting real threats to the nation’s stock of swimming pools.
Our friends at some of the most influential groups in the industry have written to Michael Gove and Nadine Dorries – Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Secretary of State for Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, respectively. The letter voices their concerns and calls for urgent support to save leisure facilities from closure. Read more here.
At the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), we foresee the impact of swimming pools closing as an increase in drownings.
In 2020 swimming pools were closed due to COVID-19, and people flocked to beaches, rivers, lakes, and other waters to have fun. Many children hadn’t had swimming lessons for some time and had missed out on their regular visits to the pool with friends or family. This resulted in a drop in water confidence and swimming ability and has unfortunately ultimately resulted in a year-on-year increase in UK accidental drownings through 2020 and 2021.
We know swimming pools are one of the safest places to enjoy water. Many pools have lifeguards and staff trained to educate users to enjoy the facilities in a safe and fun manner. Swimming pools are such an important part of a community. It is unthinkable that pool closures will mean more children potentially losing out on the life skills of learning to swim and how to enjoy water safely – simply because they do not have a pool to learn and swim in!
We are working with the sector to help navigate these challenging times, particularly by supporting operators to keep their pools open by ensuring they have highly qualified lifeguards in post.
A shortage of lifeguards is an additional challenge that pools are facing. Lifeguards are critical to the safe operation of swimming pools and providing a secure environment for people to enjoy the water and learn to swim.
Our National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) ensures the highest of standards and is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland (95% of all UK pool lifeguards).
In recent RLSS UK surveys, 99 per cent of RLSS UK candidates told us they felt proud to hold a RLSS UK regulated qualification, and almost three-quarters (71 per cent) of lifeguards told us they felt proud to know how to save a person’s life, with 60 per cent also gaining satisfaction from being part of a highly respected profession. Rightly so, as a recent consumer survey revealed five in six UK adults think that it is important that an indoor pool has trained lifeguards present.
Any swimmer aged 16-years or older can become a NPLQ lifeguard in just five days, and there are currently 350 lifeguard courses advertised throughout the country in June and July.
A lifeguard qualification is a fantastic springboard for a range of careers, from the emergency services and the military to the leisure sector. #IStartedAsALifeguard
Lifeguards and public swimming pools play a unique role in our society. They provide affordable access to one of the most universally accessible forms of exercise, offering huge benefits for mental and physical health. They are also places where both children and adults learn the skills that could one day save their life. We cannot afford to lose them. That is why we will continue to lend our support to the sector and raise awareness in government of the challenges facing pool operators to help prevent the loss of these valuable assets.
At RLSS UK, we work tirelessly to educate people to enjoy water safely.
To download our free water safety education resources click here.
For information on RLSS UK’s Drowning Prevention Week, click here.
Residents are being invited to drop-in events this week as the Council gathers views on the ongoing ‘transformation’ of Powderhall.
Detailing early plans for new homes and greenspace on part of the site on Broughton Road, Council officers will be joined by Cruden Building and Smith Scott Mullan to take questions and gather views on Wednesday 15 June between 4:00pm and 7:30pm. This will take place at McDonald Road Library.
A virtual drop-in will also go live on Thursday 16 June between 4:00pm and 7:30pm, with a presentation and Q&A starting each hour (4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm).
For residents unable to attend these events, a consultation website will open on Wednesday 15 June for three weeks, closing on Wednesday 6 July.
This consultation will specifically consider the Council’s vision for new housing on the former Waste Transfer Station site, which will include around 240 new energy efficient mixed-tenure homes.
In addition to the above, the blueprint for the wider area comprises redevelopment of an adjacent former bowling greens site for 27 affordable homes for older people, above a new 128 space early years centre and refurbished B-listed stables building on Broughton Road. This will be converted into a flexible event and exhibition space with a community art workshop, while new public realm and improved cycling and walking in St Mark’s Path are also planned. These phases have previously been the subject of community consultation and have received planning permission.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The closure of the old waste transfer site at Powderhall has created a unique opportunity for us to create a sustainable neighbourhood which benefits everyone in the area.
“Alongside affordable new homes – which will form an important part of our housebuilding target – our vision for Powderhall is to create enjoyable new public spaces and a truly intergenerational community. There will be dozens of employment opportunities too, as we also protect and preserve the nearby 1890s stable block for a whole variety of new uses.
“Local people have been very engaged to date and I hope that their views will genuinely shape this next phase of the project. The potential for Powderhall is incredible and we really want to make sure we get the designs right. The feedback from these drop-ins will help us.”
How to have your say:
In-person drop-in event
Wednesday 15 June, 4:00pm-7:30pm, at McDonald Road Library.
An innovative pilot project to transform support for Long Covid patients in Scotland is underway to improve care for people living with the condition and dramatically relieve the pressure on GPs.
The platform, called ‘MyTailoredTalks’, has been developed by Pogo Digital Healthcare and has been jointly funded by NHS Lothian, CHSS and the NHS Lothian Charity (formerly Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation) – with £120,000 invested in the platform so far.
It will allow GPs and other clinicians to refer patients automatically to the CHSS’s Long Covid support services and to provide tailored self-management information to patients.
Over 70 patients are taking part in the pilot across 26 GP practices in the region.
The team behind the project is appealing for partners to expand the ground-breaking innovation beyond Lothian so that everyone with Long Covid in Scotland can get better access to support.
Lothian-based GP Amy Small is living with Long Covid. She has been at the heart of developing the new system. She said:“As a GP and someone living with Long Covid this new digital system will be hugely beneficial to patients and primary care.
“It’s a big breakthrough in integrated care. It gives patients direct access to support to help manage their condition.
“GPs will also now be able to seamlessly refer their patients through to the charity’s Long Covid Support Service which provides one-to-one support and advice from experienced advisors who can provide more time to the patients than GPs can.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf welcomed the project. He said:“Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Long Covid support service not only supports people living with Long Covid, but also helps reduce some of the pressure on NHS services. That is why we have funded and continue to support Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland to deliver a Long Covid Support Service.
“I welcome this collaboration and investment. This kind of digital innovation is just one example of the flexible way in which our NHS boards across Scotland are adapting to meet the needs of people with Long Covid. We are spending £3m this year to support NHS boards like NHS Lothian to develop and deliver the best models of care appropriate for their local population’s needs.
“I look forward to seeing the full results of the pilot exercise and we are committed to working closely with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to share the learning generated from it to support the sustainability of our health services.”
Professor Tim Walsh, Director of Innovation for NHS Lothian, said:“This project shows what can be achieved by the NHS, patients, charities and digital expertise working closely together to find innovative solutions.
“The personalised ‘MyTailoredTalks’ have been designed to provide trusted ‘bite sized’ information for patients to access whenever they need to and be able to share with family or friends.
“We hope that these, together with the holistic support CHSS offer, will make a real difference to people living with Long Covid.”
Allan Cowie, interim chief executive at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said:“For the past two years we’ve been campaigning alongside people living with Long Covid to ensure that systems are in place to help them easily access the care and support they desperately need.
“This system has the potential to transform access to wraparound care through GP services. It has been developed with clinicians and people with Long Covid and we want it to be adopted right across the country as soon as possible.
“It not only makes this process easier for people living with Long Covid, but it helps to alleviate some of the pressure that primary care is under by allowing clinicians to easily refer their patients into a service they can trust.”
Greig Brown, 44, contracted Covid-19 in January 2021 and has been hospitalised twice because of the condition.Once a keen runner and cyclist, Greig now lives with the symptoms of Long Covid, suffering from severe breathing difficulties and memory loss.
He has not been able to return to his job as a joiner at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, and he fears he will never regain the health and fitness he once had.
Greig lives in Armadale, West Lothian, with his partner, Sam. Their plans to marry are up in the air as they have had to use their savings while Greig has been off long-term sick.
He says: “This is my reality. I am so breathless and exhausted every day that simply getting downstairs and settled on the couch wipes me out.
“I used to walk miles every day around the hospital, carrying tools and anything else I needed. Now I can’t even walk to the kitchen without needing to sit down.
“My GPs kept telling me Long Covid is all new to them, too, and they don’t know how to treat it.
“I feel as if people like me have fallen through the cracks. I hope having a system in place like this NHS Lothian pilot that lets doctors refer patients directly to the CHSS support service can make a real difference to everyone living with Long Covid symptoms.”
Sanjay Singh, Head of Funding Programmes with NHS Lothian Charity, said the pilot is a “great example of partners working together during the pandemic to achieve patient care that is personalised and, crucially, in response to Long Covid, as we learn more about this awful illness as time goes on.”
“We were delighted to be involved in this innovative project and to be able to support through funding made available to support our communities dealing with the effects of Long Covid,” he said.
Jack Francis, chief executive and founder of Pogo Digital Healthcare, added:“Working in partnership with healthcare professionals, patients and technology experts to develop this innovative new healthcare pathway has resulted in a unique way for patients to manage their Long Covid symptoms.
“I am delighted with the pilot engagement so far from both the patient groups and Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s advice line team, and it has been great to be part of such an innovative new healthcare solution.”
