01/07/2022 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

More than 300,000 children reached during water safety campaign

Lee Heard, Charity Director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has sent his thanks to those who engaged with the charity’s annual Drowning Prevention Week as the campaign drew to a close on 25th June.

Drowning Prevention Week which has just ran for the ninth consecutive year aims to proactively raise awareness of water safety ahead of a summer outdoors. Throughout the week the Royal Life Saving Society UK asked people to engage and share posts, including a brand-new animation, across social media platforms, engaged with MPs at events at Westminster, and also offered schools, leisure centres, swimming clubs and parents a range of free educational resources to ensure that families are well prepared for a safe summer enjoying water safely.

Lee said “I wanted to say a huge thank you to all our members, staff, supporters, and strategic partners who have played a role in sharing our vital water safety messaging this year. I cannot communicate how grateful we are for the support and are still seeing lots of activity coming through.

“Since January I have been calling for a concerted effort to give everyone the skills to enjoy water safely this summer. It’s a message that requires everyone to roll up their sleeves and find ways to get this vital message out into their communities.

“It takes individuals, small and large organisations, water safety partners, leisure partners, local authorities, MPs, emergency services, schools, landowners, water companies and many more. We are exceptionally proud of everybody that has taken the time to make our vital campaign grow again this year.”

For the 2022 campaign, the charity aimed to take a slightly different approach to their national media campaign, working hard to better understand the claims that are often made about water safety and drowning prevention.

They aimed to shine a light on the importance of swimming but further explore the need for parents to invest additional time in themselves and their family understanding water safety.

These conversations are ones that the charity want to continue post Drowning Prevention Week and explore further. Another vital topic that the charity focussed on was the issue of cold water shock. Royal Life Saving Society UK analysed fatalities leading from cold water and stressed the importance to continue to highlight this critical factor in drowning and leverage tools to educate the public using expert knowledge that the charity holds.

Drowning Prevention Week saw great success with the campaign, with thousands of views of their brand-new 60-second animation encouraging everybody across the UK and Ireland to enjoy water safely, which meant it appeared over 173,000 times across social media networks.

The animation directed children and parents to free educational resources and this year, the charity exceeded the number of downloads during Drowning Prevention Week when compared to 2021, and the estimated number of children to be taught is over 300,000.

Lee added: “We have worked with national and local news agencies to support the delivery of over 150 Drowning Prevention Week press articles and over 150 radio and TV broadcasts, to raise awareness of the importance of water safety.

“We have attended parliament with Olympian Professor Greg Whyte OBE, Paralympian Ellie Robinson MBE, and over 50 other Parliamentarians to discuss the importance of spreading water safety awareness, as well as what practical steps could be taken in their constituencies to address the issue.

“There have been over 3,500 social media posts relating to #DrowningPreventionWeek, reflecting the fantastic engagement generated by the campaign. We have been able to draw on our recent survey and analysis to encourage discussion on Twitter around important water safety debates, for example ‘Is Swimming Enough?’ acknowledged by English former competitive swimmer, Sharron Davies as ‘a great thread’ and our other messages have shown resonance with victims’ families.

“At the Royal Life Saving Society UK, our aim is to ensure as many people as possible are safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety to keep them safe.  Now that Drowning Prevention Week is over for another year, we will continue to work hard to raise awareness of water safety.”

Water safety campaigns continue throughout the year and the next comes direct from the National Water Safety Forum and partners for World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July 2025.

Visit our website at rlss.org.uk

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Seven soldiers of the Great War finally laid to rest

Six Commonwealth soldiers and a German soldier who all died during World War One were buried yesterday (Thursday 30 June 2022) in a joint ceremony with the Canadian authorities more than a century after their deaths.

The service, which was the largest of its kind this year, was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (MOD JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, and was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) New Irish Farm cemetery in Ypres, Belgium.

The remains were previously recovered from two distinct sites close to one another near the village of St Julien during a planned archaeological dig. One set contained a casualty of the Newfoundland Regiment, a Royal Inniskilling Fusilier, a Hampshire soldier and an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment.

The Canadian authorities have managed (through DNA) to name their soldier as Private John Lambert (Newfoundland Regiment) who died on 16 August 1917. Sadly, both the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Hampshire Regiment have too many casualties killed on 16 August 1917 for the JCCC to be able to attempt identification.

The second set contained the remains of three casualties: an unknown Royal Fusilier, an unknown soldier of unknown regiment and an unknown German soldier. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to establish their date of death.

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC Caseworker said: “This has been a long and challenging investigation for us. It’s a matter of great sadness to me personally, that we haven’t been able to identify any of the British soldiers or the German casualty.

“Whoever they were, they were somebody’s son, brother, husband or father. It’s especially poignant that we are burying old enemies together. They all paid the ultimate price of war, and their sacrifice must never be forgotten.”

!!3 — *A British soldier lies side by side to a German casualty. Crown copyright.*

The British bearer party was provided by the First Fusiliers whilst the musicians were from the Royal Irish Regiment. The firing party was provided by the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. These three regiments are the modern-day equivalents of the Royal Fusiliers, the Royal Hampshire Regiment and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Louise added: “The soldiers taking part in today’s service can see they walk in the footsteps of the giants who went before them.“

The service was conducted jointly by the Reverend Gary Watt, Chaplain to the First Fusiliers and Father Shawn Daley of the Canadian Army.

The graves will now be marked by seven headstones provided by the CWGC.

!!2 — *The service was conducted jointly by the Reverend Gary Watt, Chaplain to the First Fusiliers and Father Shawn Daley of the Canadian Army. Crown copyright.*

Liz Woodfield, Director of External Relations at the CWGC, said: Today these men have been buried at our cemetery alongside their comrades, with respect and dignity.

“We are honoured to be able to formally recognise Private John Lambert, and although it has not been possible to identify the other casualties, we pay tribute to the ultimate sacrifice they have made. We will ensure the graves of these brave soldiers are cared for with dedication, in perpetuity.”

Pedestrian dies following Easter Road incident

Road Policing officers in Edinburgh can confirm that a 21-year-old man has died following a hit-and-run incident in Leith.

The incident involved a car and a pedestrian, and took place in Easter Road around 2.40am on Sunday, 19 June, 2022.

The pedestrian was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at the time, but has since passed away. His family have asked for privacy at this time.

A 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and further enquiries remain ongoing.

Sergeant Paul Ewing, from the Edinburgh Road Policing team, said: “At this time, our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the deceased.

“We are continuing our enquiries into the incident and would ask anyone who was in the area at the time and may have information to come forward. We’re also particularly keen to speak with two females who were seen near to an ATM at the bottom of Easter Road, around 2.30am.

“If you believe you can assist our enquiries, please call police on 101, quoting incident 0590 of Sunday, 19 June, 2022.”

Green light for Thistle Foundation rehabilitation programme

Thistle Foundation programme gets green light from the Scottish Government to provide rehabilitation support to people across Scotland living with long-term health conditions

Innovative programme aims to make a life-changing difference for people living with long-term health conditions including people impacted by COVID-19;

Two million people in Scotland are living with at least one long-term health condition including long-COVID;

Programme will see the Thistle Foundation providing support and learning to teams of health and social care professionals across Scotland;

Initial £250,000 funding from the Scottish Government awarded to Thistle Foundation.

A new national development programme aimed at reshaping rehabilitation services for people living with long-term health conditions including people impacted by COVID-19, has been given the green light by the Scottish Government today, Thursday 30 June.

This Scotland-wide programme is developed by the Scottish Government and Thistle Foundation, a leading Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people with long-term health conditions.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland estimates that around two million people in Scotland are living with at least one long-term health condition. This programme will support the, Once for Scotland Rehabilitation Approach which aims to: make rehabilitation more accessible to everyone who needs it, and enable the redesign of a wide range of community-based services.

Working in collaboration with organisations across NHS Scotland, Health and Social Care Partnerships and the third sector, Thistle Foundation will offer early adopters (services and teams) support to reshape rehabilitation services.

This will include early intervention, to ensure that more people get the rehabilitation and self-management support they need, sooner and closer to home.

Mark Hoolahan, CEO of Thistle Foundation said: “It’s fantastic to see this work receive funding from the Scottish Government. It allows us to extend some of the really successful support we have been offering health and social care professionals in and around Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife, to a broader range of teams and services across Scotland.

“At Thistle, people are at the heart of what we do. This programme is about more than supporting people with their physical health. It is about supporting people to be connected within their communities, to feel confident and resilient – it’s about thriving rather than just surviving.

“By situating rehabilitation within the person’s community, with support from friends, family and the community around them, people will feel more empowered to lead and manage their situation and remain as independent as possible.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are pleased to be able to support this important work by the Thistle Foundation which fits with our Once for Scotland Rehabilitation Approach.

“Our approach focuses on enabling individuals to access person-centred rehabilitation based on their individual needs. In doing so we hope to make rehabilitation more accessible for all.”

In recent years, Thistle Foundation has been working with Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership, in all 12 GP practices across the area. The collaboration aims to support culture change, shifting the emphasis of health and social care services towards a focus on prevention, anticipatory care, recovery and support for self-management.

Dr Hilary Ansell from Newbattle Medical Practice, said: “My experience with Thistle over the last few years has allowed me to refer with confidence even my most vulnerable patients who have previously had difficulty engaging with NHS services.

“Thistle offer patient centred support, advice and lifestyle changes and their flexibility encourages patients to participate and feel valued. With Thistle, they will continue contact until the individual feels ready to engage – this stops the most disadvantaged from slipping through the net.

“Their practitioners offer holistic support and have broad ranging knowledge of local support agencies and services. They are equally comfortable in working with people with mental and physical long term conditions.

“The aim is always to encourage each individual to grow in confidence to manage their own condition and be the best version of themselves.”

This new, Scottish Government funded development programme will launch across Scotland by late summer, with Thistle Foundation working with NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and Third Sector organisations to agree and plan their requirements.

Regulator announces statutory inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation

The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation, after identifying concerns about the charity’s management, including about the charity’s independence from the family of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore and businesses connected to them.

The Captain Tom Foundation was registered on 5 June 2020, following the fundraising efforts of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore at the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. It is registered as a grant-making charity, for the advancement of public health and wellbeing.

The Commission opened a case into the charity in March 2021. It has now escalated its engagement due to newly identified concerns about arrangements between the charity and a company linked to the Ingram-Moore family, as well as ongoing concerns about the trustees’ decision making and the charity’s governance.

The Commission is concerned that a failure to consider intellectual property and trade mark issues when the charity was established provided Club Nook Limited, a private company controlled by Hannah Ingram-Moore and Colin Ingram-Moore, the opportunity to trade mark variations of the name ‘Captain Tom’ without objection from the charity. This may have generated significant profit for the company.

The inquiry, which opened on 16 June, will examine whether the trustees have:

been responsible for mismanagement and/or misconduct in the administration of the charity and whether, as a result, the charity has suffered any financial losses, including through any unauthorised private benefit to any of the current or previous trustees;
adequately managed conflicts of interest, including with private companies connected to the Ingram-Moore family;
complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law.

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional issues emerge.

Helen Stephenson, CEO of the Charity Commission, said: The late Captain Sir Tom Moore inspired the nation with his courage, tenacity and concern for others. It is vital that public trust in charity is protected, and that people continue to feel confident in supporting good causes.

“We do not take any decision to open an inquiry lightly, but in this case our concerns have mounted. We consider it in the public interest to examine them through a formal investigation, which gives us access to the full range of our protective and enforcement powers.”

Previous Engagement

Prior to the inquiry opening, the Commission engaged with the charity on the following issues:

In March 2021 the charity requested the regulator’s permission to employ Hannah Ingram-Moore, a former trustee, on a salary of £60,000 per year, for 3 days a week. The Commission requested evidence of the benchmarking exercise undertaken.
The charity provided the Commission with this evidence and a revised proposal to appoint Hannah Ingram-Moore on a salary of £100,000 on a full-time basis.
In July 2021 the regulator refused permission to employ Hannah Ingram-Moore as chief executive on a salary of £100,000, considering the proposed salary neither reasonable nor justifiable.
In August 2021 the Commission permitted the charity to appoint Hannah Ingram-Moore as interim CEO on a salary of £85,000 per year, on a 3-month rolling contract, for a maximum of 9 months whilst the trustees conducted an open recruitment process. This period has now ended and the charity has recruited a new CEO.

The Commission’s case had identified potential concerns about payments of consultancy fees and payments to related third parties revealed in the charity’s accounts, published in February 2022.

However, based on the information and evidence provided by the trustees, the Commission was satisfied that these specific payments are reasonable reimbursement for expenses incurred by the companies in the formation of the charity. It is also satisfied that any conflicts of interest in relation to these third-party payments were adequately identified and managed

The £38million raised by the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, and donated to a separate charity, NHS Charities Together, prior to the formation of The Captain Tom Foundation is not part of the scope of this inquiry.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.

HMRC: 323,700 tax credits customers have one month left to renew

323,700 customers are yet to renew their tax credits ahead of the deadline, with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reminding them to do so by 31 July – or their payments will stop.

Tax credits help working families with targeted financial support – so it’s important that customers renew before the deadline to ensure they don’t miss out on money they’re entitled to.

Customers can renew their tax credits for free via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

Renewing online is quick and easy. Customers can log into GOV.UK to check on the progress of their renewal, be reassured it’s being processed and know when they’ll hear back from HMRC.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “There’s just one month to go for our tax credits customers to renew. It’s easy to do online or on the HMRC app – search ‘tax credits’ on GOV.UK.”

Customers choosing to use the HMRC app on their smartphone can:

renew their tax credits
make changes to their claim
check their tax credits payments schedule, and
find out how much they have earned for the year

HMRC has released a video to explain how tax credits customers can use the HMRC app to view, manage and update their details.

If there is a change in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their tax credits claims, they must report the changes to HMRC. Circumstances that could affect tax credits payments include changes to:

· living arrangements

· childcare

· working hours, or

· income (increase or decrease)

The UK Government has recently announced a Cost of Living Payment of £650, payable in two separate lump sums of £326 and £324, for households receiving certain benefits or tax credits, to help with the cost of living.

If tax credits only, they are eligible for each payment. HMRC will contact them and issue payments automatically, with the first being made by the autumn. Customers do not need to contact HMRC or apply for the payment.

More information on the Cost of Living Payment, including eligibility, is available on GOV.UK.

Tax credits are ending and will be replaced by Universal Credit by the end of 2024. Many customers who move from tax credits to Universal Credit could be financially better off and can use an independent benefits calculator to check. If customers choose to apply sooner, it is important to get independent advice beforehand as they will not be able to go back to tax credits or any other benefits that Universal Credit replaces.

HMRC is urging customers never to share their HMRC login details. Someone using them could steal from the customer or make a fraudulent claim in their name. HMRC is also warning people that if someone contacts them saying that they are from HMRC and wants the customer to transfer money urgently or give personal information, they should never let themselves be rushed.

The department urges people to take their time and check HMRC’s advice about scams on GOV.UK.

Boris Johnson: I believe that this great alliance will again be successful

The Prime Minister’s press conference remarks at the NATO Summit in Madrid:

This has been a highly successful and historic NATO Summit in which we have once again exceeded expectations in the unity and single mindedness with which this alliance is confronting Putin’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

After 127 days of war we in NATO are now more resolved than ever that Europe’s boundaries cannot be changed by force and that we must give the Ukrainians the means to protect themselves. And we are.

In the last few days virtually everyone around the table has agreed to give more to help.

And at the same we have to recognise the impacts that this brutal invasion are being felt around the world. In Africa, in Latin America, in Asia – there is not a country that is not being affected now by the surge in energy prices and the shortages of food and fertiliser.

And so just as we in the UK are focused on helping people next month, in July to the 8 million households with £1200 with more help to come, £400 for every family to help with the cost of living and energy. So too, the governments of the Commonwealth, of the G7 and NATO are determined to work together to ease the pressure around the world, whether that means getting the grain from Ukraine or encouraging moves to increase global energy supplies or helping countries to find alternative sources of fertiliser

And we must frankly recognise that not every country takes the same view of Putin’s invasion or sees it in the way that we do. And so we have agreed that we have to explode some myths.

We have to explode the myth that western sanctions are in some way responsible for these price spikes when of course it is the Russian invasion that has caused the shortages of food and Putin’s blockade that are stopping the grain leaving Ukrainian ports.

We need to explode the myth that NATO was in any way responsible for provoking the conflict. Nothing could be further from the truth. And if you want proof that this is a purely defensive alliance, you could have no more eloquent testimony than the accession of Finland and Sweden – quintessentially peace loving countries that have been neutral for decades.

The fact that these two paladins for peace have joined NATO tells you all you need to know about NATO and all you need to know about Putin.

We need to show the global south that we are the partners they need and that we NATO countries and that we’re there to help them as they make the transition to a green future and that they should beware the trap of running up huge debts to other countries that do not share our values and maybe do not have their best interests at heart.

And the final myth we need to debunk is that when it comes to crisis such as this, western democracies, because of the pressures that politicians face, do not have the same staying power.

And I think If Ukraine were to be crushed or forced into a bad peace, the consequences for freedom around the world would be appalling.

And that view is shared by everyone in NATO, so let us be absolutely clear, the best way for us to win the argument around the world about our values, what we stand for, about our opposition to the use of force to change boundaries, about international law. The best way to win that argument is for the Ukrainians to win and for Putin to fail in Ukraine.

That’s why I’m pleased today we have announced another billion pounds worth of military support. And if you wanted evidence of the amazing ability of the Ukrainians to fight back, to overcome adversity to repel the Russians, then then look at what has happened just today on Snake Island where Russia has had to cede ground.

In the end it will prove impossible for Putin to hold down a country that will not accept his rule.

This has been a crucial summit in that we are resolved not just to support Ukraine, but we have agreed a new strategic concept, we are moving beyond the doctrine of tripwire deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank to a new approach of defence deterrence by denial. And countries around the table are also recognising that they must spend more.

And in our case that means meeting, and being prepared to exceed, the target we set for ourselves a decade ago of everybody spending 2% of our GDP on defence, goals which were then set for a very different era. What we are saying is that we want Jens Stoltenberg, the General Secretary to start work on that new target now and he has agreed to do that.

We need to invest for the long term, in vital capabilities like future combat air, while simultaneously adapting to a more dangerous and competitive world. The logical conclusion of the investments we propose to embark, of these decisions, is 2.5% of GDP on Defence by the end of the decade.

I want to say a big thank you to our Spanish hosts, and I think they have done an amazing job and thanks to Jens Stoltenberg, and say at the end of this Madrid Summit – the NATO alliance is plainly in robust health and getting stronger, with new members and a renewed purpose.

We can see that our work is cut out and we can see that there are billions of people around the world, swing voters, who need to hear and understand our arguments, but we have a huge advantage of knowing what we want, in believing in our ideas and having the means to do what we want to do, and above all we are united and, if history is any guide, then I believe that this great alliance will again be successful.

Thank you very much.

Celebrating Community Centres

A SPECIAL DAY AT ROYSTON WARDIEBURN

Now that the Community Centres Crisis is over -at least for now – I feel more comfortable writing about a community event I attended in Royston Wardienurn last week.

The rebuilt Royston Wardieburn Community Centre opened ten years ago, and a day of events celebrated not only that milestone but also the completion of two notable projects completed by groups based in the community centre.

The centre’s Spring Chickens group produced ‘Living Through Lockdown’, a publication that captures the highs and lows of life under lockdown – and the importance of community and companionship offered by groups like the Spring Chickens in combating loneliness and isolation through these darkest of days.

Guest speaker Elizabeth Bryan from Age Scotland spoke of the damage caused by Covid and congratulated the group on it’s fine piece of work. The Spring Chickens then presented their report to a packed audience of invited guests.

That was impressive enough, but there was more to follow.

Royston Wardieburn’s Time for Change project participants worked with other groups from across the area to create a hand-stitched quilt that beautifully illustrates the local scenes and important places in the local area.

I was delighted to be invited to say a few words before the quilt was unfurled by members of the group:

ROYSTON WARDIEBURN: THE UNVEILING OF THE QUILT

Hello everyone, I’m delighted to be here with you today at this special event. I’ve been fortunate enough to have participated in many memorable events here over the years.

Royston Wardieburn is a centre that holds many fond memories, so it gives me great pleasure to be asked along to unveil the quilt/banner – you choose! – and thank you to the management committee for inviting me.

I know plaques are unveiled, and banners can be unveiled, but quilts? Do you unveil a quilt? Unwrap a quilt, maybe. Or how about defrock, even? Now that I’ve seen it close up, I’ve settled for unfurl!

But whatever we call this ceremony, before I have the honour of performing the task – perform makes it sound like I’m going to do something really spectacular – I’d like to give you some background to this impressive piece of work and thank those who have been involved in the process.

The quilt came about as a result of a collaboration between the Time for Change history group and the Time for Change crafting group. Lifelong Learning Worker Lynn McCabe worked with the Men’s History group and they used material that was first researched by the Power to the People group when they were doing their own local history project back in in 2012. I remember that group well and it does seem like a long time ago now!

The History Group saw presentations and participated in local tours before choosing their final selection of symbols and images to represent the area’s history. One a person note I was disappointed to find that there is no place for the Jubilee Supper Room!

The women from the Time for Change crafting group then took over. They worked with other local groups and designed and stitched the symbols on to panels which were then joined together painted and decorated to create the banner. Their work was supported throughout by artist Jess Howarth.

Many of the women had never stitched before so what you will see shortly really is an amazing achievement.

As you can imagine, given the scale of this project there are many organisations and individuals to thank for their support and involvement:

Royston Wardieburn CC management committee who funded the Time for Change programme of activities
Nancie Massey Charitable Trust for funding the artist workshops, and EVOC for their contribution.

Then there are the individuals: All the local activists who have helped to preserve the area’s rich social history – and, like today, helped to create a little piece of new history, too!

Local historians including Ian Moore, John Dickson, Bill Weir and Kenneth Williams. I would add others like Andrew Boath of the original Granton History Group, and local man George Scammell, who I’ll come on to later.

Betty McVay, Donald McDonald and the late Jenni Marrow, local activists who each gave up huge areas of their homes to house community archives.

Then there’s Jen at Screen Education Edinburgh, which many of you will still fondly remember as Pilton Video, who supported the history group by providing film achives.

And don’t forget Lynne and Lorrane, Lifelong Learning Workers here at RWCC.

And finally, Jessica Howarth, the community-based artist who put her heart and soul into creating this wonderful quilt and made it all possible.

Then there are all the groups who contributed, made and stitched and painted images and squares:

Both of the Time for Change Groups – the crafters and the history group.

Royston Wardieburn’s After School Club

Granton Youth

RW’s Spring Chickens group.

Power to the People group, and

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

I do apologise if I have missed anyone. Please show your appreciation for all those who have been involved in this impressive collective effort.

Now, earlier on I mentioned George Scammell, who is one of the local characters who has helped to paint the area’s rich tapestry. George’s particular skill was model boat-building.

Geeorge’s greatest creation was a huge model of the Great Michael, a colossal warship which was built in Newhaven harbour and at the time was the biggest ship in the world.

George’s hand-crafted model was mighty too – so mighty that he couldn’t get it out of the hoose when it was finally completed!

The ship finally went on display at The Peacock in Newhaven before moving on to Ocean Terminal. I would imagine that flitting was a lot easier than the first one!

Over the years George built many, many boats and I would get regular calls to go and see the latest one to get pictures for the NEN. The trouble was that there were just too many models for one wee Granton flat. There were models – finished, half-finished and barely started – on every inch of flat surface.

And where there wasn’t room for a model there was an ash-tray! The house was thick with tobacco smoke and it became really difficult to navigate your way through the boatyard obstacle course get to the latest creation.

On my last visit, the inevitable happened and there was an almighty ‘CRACK’ when I stood on something ship -shaped. “Oh, no! Which one is it, George?”

“Dinnae worry yersel’, son” he said. “That was just a spare lump of wood. I was going to make the Titanic but you’ve saved me the bother! Ye’ve sunk her!”

Now, just before we perform The Unveiling of the Quilt – that really should be a song or a Highland Reel! – I will close by emphasising the importance of our community centres and projects like this one.

History is not just about dates on a calendar from days gone by, of battles fought long ago, of kings and queens and stately homes. WE have history too. Our communities have history – a proud history that’s more relevant to local folk than the date of the signing of the Magna Carta or the Battle of Agincourt.

Our communities’ stories need to be told. And the Time for Change quilt is now the first entry on the next page in our very own Local History story.

Support you local community centre!

Jessica shares reality of loneliness of living with chronic condition

An Edinburgh young person living with juvenile arthritis and complex autoimmune issues is raising awareness of the loneliness of living with a chronic condition for a new charity campaign.

Jessica Rhodes, now 12, was just three years old when mum Tanya noticed she was tiring easily when walking to nursery. Despite numerous GP visits and lots of tests, no one could find anything medically wrong.

Over the next few years, Jessica developed increasingly unusual symptoms and was referred to the Rheumatology Department at the Sick Kids where doctors battled to get things under control.

She was diagnosed with uveitis – inflammation in the eye and one of the world’s most common causes of blindness. Because of this and her joint pain, doctors began to talk about juvenile arthritis.

Over the five years since being diagnosed, Jessica has experienced numerous appointments and in-patient stays, medications, invasive procedures and joint injections, and very few days free from pain.

By 2019, Jessica was experiencing intense muscle spasms and could not walk without collapsing. She was given a wheelchair to attend school – but could only manage short periods due to pain and extreme tiredness. Tanya had to give up her job and find home-based work to care for her.

Jessica said: “I saw so many doctors. I didn’t know why I was getting ill all the time, and why I had to have so many different tests. It was quite scary. I have tried lots of different medications, some helped, some didn’t. Some gave me mouth ulcers and made it hard to eat.

“Eventually they discovered that I have arthritis, uveitis and Raynaud’s disease. At the time, I had no idea what any of that meant and I felt very confused. I have arthritis in my knees, ankles, shoulders and hands. But the inflammation isn’t only in my joints; my eyes and skin are affected as well.

“I need pain relief most days. I’ve lost count of the number of injections I’ve had. I have monthly infusions and regular steroid injections and I have a methotrexate injection every week. It makes me feel sick and rubbish the next day, but I know it helps make me less sore all the time.”

Jessica is now the face of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s (ECHC) new ‘Never Alone’ fundraising appeal which aims to raise awareness of the impact that living with a chronic condition can have on children and raise funds to support them throughout their hospital journey.

Jessica added: “It can be lonely having a long-term illness. I have had to miss quite a lot of school for appointments and treatments at the hospital. When I was in Primary 5, I had a lot of complications from my condition. I was in a wheelchair and couldn’t go to school for a long time. I missed school. I missed being with my friends and teachers.

“I try to join in all activities with my friends. Sometimes I can’t because I’m in too much pain and that’s really frustrating. Sometimes my family has to cancel our plans because I’m too ill to go out.

“I love music and I really enjoy singing in my choir. But I had to stop playing the cello because holding it hurt too much and I’ve missed a lot of choir practice too. I love playing basketball but sometimes it means I’m in pain for days afterwards.

“When I come to the hospital, the ECHC team are on hand to make sure I’m never alone. At the worst points, they have really supported me and helped me feel less negative about coming to hospital.

“They listen to me, understand how tough things can be and make sure I have fun. The ECHC Hub at the hospital is a great place to go and relax after an appointment or treatment. I’ve also made friends and even been on outings with the team. It’s not so lonely with them beside me.

“Sometimes I worry about what it will be like when I’m older, and if it will get worse. I worry what that might mean for my future. But arthritis and my other conditions aren’t the most important part of who I am, and I will work hard and persevere to do the things I want to do.”

As part of the new campaign, ECHC carried out a survey of parents and carers whose children have long term health conditions. 77%* said that their child’s health condition makes them feel lonely.

The survey showed that missing out on social life and activities was the main cause of loneliness for children with health conditions (29.2%), with missing out on school and education also stated as a key reason (24.6%). 

Pippa Johnston, Director at ECHC, said: “Jessica will always have to deal with her arthritis. And sadly, she’s not the only child who suffers from a long term, chronic condition. 

“The hospital sees 110,000 children and young people every year, many of whom must attend on an ongoing basis – over weeks, months and years. It can be a lonely experience and this loneliness can have long term effects on a child. We have an opportunity to change that.

“We’re asking the public to help children like Jessica through their hospital journeys. Donations can fund marvellous magicians, dancers and musicians to visit children at their bedside and in isolation; arts and craft workshops and the running of our youth group so children can make friends; and film screenings, garden play sessions or baby sensory classes to bring families separated through hospital admissions together again.

“We rely solely on donations to be able to do this. Please consider making a donation so Jessica and other children like her never have to feel alone. Thank you.”

To make a donation to ECHC’s Never Alone appeal, please visit:

www.echcharity.org/donate

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life opens this weekend

Opening this weekend, a major new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will look at the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life (2 July to 30 October 2022) will examine the social and medical history surrounding the practice of dissection of human bodies. It looks at Edinburgh’s role as an international centre for medical study and offers insight into the links between science and crime in the early 19th century.

In 1828, William Burke and William and Margaret Hare killed 16 people in the impoverished Edinburgh district of West Port and sold the bodies to an anatomist for dissection.

The exhibition examines the circumstances that gave rise to the murders and asks why they took place in Edinburgh. It unpicks the relationship between science and deprivation and looks at the public reaction to the crimes and the anatomical practices responsible for them.

Covering 500 years of medical exploration, Anatomy opens with early examples of anatomical art, including sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, lent by Her Majesty The Queen from the Royal Collection.

These introduce the search for understanding about the human body and anatomy’s place in the development of medical knowledge across Europe.

Visitors to the exhibition, which is sponsored by Baillie Gifford Investment Managers, will find out more about the role anatomy played in the Enlightenment.

In the 18th century, Edinburgh developed into the leading centre for medical teaching in the UK, and the demand for bodies to dissect and study vastly outstripped legitimate supply. The acquisition of bodies was intertwined with poverty and crime, with grave-robbing – stealing unprotected bodies for dissection – becoming a common practice.

On display will be a ‘mort safe’; a heavy iron box placed over a coffin to deter would-be body snatchers. Other notable objects in the exhibition include a full-body anatomical model by pioneering model maker Louis Auzoux, ground-breaking casts of body parts and William Burke’s skeleton and written confession.

The exhibition closes by highlighting the changing practices and attitudes around body provision in the century and a half since the Burke and Hare murders, bringing the story right up to date. It looks at the modern approach to body donation at universities in Scotland and contrasts the ethics, practices and beliefs today with those of two centuries ago.

Dr Tacye Phillipson, Senior Curator of Modern Science at National Museums Scotland said: “Anatomical knowledge is crucial to medicine, and Edinburgh was a key centre for medical teaching and the development of modern medicine. However, this work relied on the dissection of bodies, the sourcing of which was often controversial and distressing.

“Anatomists could only get the quantity of bodies they wanted through dehumanising the dead and financing a murky industry. Murder was a particularly shocking consequence of this, with people killed for the sale price of their bodies. This fascinating exhibition explores the relationship between society, poverty, ethics and science at that time, and exposes the human cost of early medical advancement.”

Admission: Adults: £10, over-60s £8.50, concessions £7.50. Free entry for National Museums Scotland members and under 16s.