Month: August 2022

WellChild Awards: Dr Pat Carragher rewarded for exceptional work for seriously ill children

Dr Pat Carragher has been named as a winner in the prestigious national 2022 WellChild Awards, in association with GSK, having been nominated by his colleague Emma Craig.

Pat will be off to collect his award in London on September 8th.

The Awards are run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children, and will be attended by the charity’s Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. The Duke will deliver remarks.

Dr Carragher, who is Medical Director at Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Legacy category in these Awards which celebrate the resilience of children living with serious illnesses or complex conditions and honour the dedication of those individuals who go the extra mile to help these children and their families. 

In summer of 2022, Dr Pat Carragher will be retiring as Medical Director at CHAS after nearly 39 years of working as a doctor. He has encountered periods of great change in his years as a medic including in Primary Care when he was a GP in Kinross before becoming Rachel House’s first hospice doctor and formally beginning work in Children’s Palliative Care in March 1996.

Dr Carragher has led the changes to CHAS’s medical service provisions through the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges the pandemic brought, alongside the team, he was determined to find ways to continue to reach the thousands of children with life-shortening conditions that rely on CHAS.

He helped establish new and innovative ways of working using technology to provide help to families across Scotland and proved himself to be a strong and resilient leader through immense change. He has reshaped CHAS’s medical services, helping families during what continues to be an isolating and unpredictable time. 

Within three to four weeks from the start of the Coid-19 Pandemic, CHAS completely adapted its service offering to survive and to maintain the very best standards of care for children with palliative care needs, and to support their families.

Dr Carragher also led on virtual work through the “Near me” consultations via the NHS and by the use of Microsoft Teams, to interact with and assess children at home, and to work with their parents.

CHAS’s pioneering virtual children’s hospice was also launched at the beginning of the pandemic and has rapidly developed since proving to be extremely successful.

Dr Carragher has also helped lead the CHAS hospital teams in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh through this period of transformation, providing clinical leadership and support in the planning and delivery of palliative care whilst working closely with the NHS and local authorities.

He was key in launching the first hospital-based Supportive and Palliative Care team in Scotland at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and has continued to provide specialist advice through the pandemic. 

Rami Okasha, the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, who nominated Dr Carragher for the WellChild Award, said: “Dr Pat’s leadership and strength of character has enabled the team to adapt in ways which they never imagined. He’s shown resilience and an unwavering drive for reaching all of those who require CHAS’s help, and he’s inspired not only the medical team but all teams.”

“Dr Pat was continuously able to inspire and encourage teams to ‘keep going’ during the pandemic and to embrace the new and innovate ways to deliver care. He has provided solid leadership throughout this period of immense change.

“Dr Carragher ends many presentations with the following which he feels is vital for us all to understand: ‘The death of a child has serious and lasting effects on parents and other family members, effectively for the rest of their lives. Any attempt to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in the final days or weeks, must not only be good for a child but, in the fullness of time, be helpful to those left behind‘.”

WellChild Chief Executive, Matt James said: “There are more children and young people than ever before in the UK living with long-term, serious health needs.

“The WellChild Awards 2022, in association with GSK, will be a unique opportunity to recognise and highlight the immense challenges they have faced and to celebrate the remarkable positivity, resilience and spirit they have demonstrated.

“It will also help us to shine a light on the dedication of those around them, from siblings, professionals and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help them through such challenging times.”

New Leadership group set up to help the retail sector

Cost crisis high on the agenda

A new group established to help Scotland’s retail sector as it recovers from the pandemic has discussed soaring energy costs and the impact of Brexit.

At its first meeting, the Retail Industry Leadership Group (RILG) also considered how to deliver the Scottish Government’s Retail Strategy and began drafting priorities to help businesses grow.

The Group is co-chaired by the Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth Tom Arthur and the Chief Operating Officer of the John Lewis Partnership, Andrew Murphy. It comprises senior business representatives, trades unions and industry groups.

It will work with the Scottish Government to help the retail sector meet current and longer term challenges while becoming stronger and more resilient. Fair Work and achieving Net Zero goals will underpin the group’s work.

Mr Arthur said: “This first meeting of the Retail Industry Leadership Group was timely given the cost crisis we are facing and allowed us to learn more about the impact on retail businesses, staff and customers. Implementing the Retail Strategy can help the sector seize opportunities, deal with longer term trends, and recover from immediate challenges.

“There is no single solution to helping retailers so, as we approach a challenging winter, it is essential the response from government at every level happens at speed, to address the nature and magnitude of the emergency.

“We support calls from businesses for measures related to energy prices, VAT reduction, staff shortages and handling business loans – direct support which falls within the reserved responsibilities of the UK Government.”

Co-chair and Chief Operating Officer of the John Lewis Partnership, Andrew Murphy said: “I was encouraged by the positive and collaborative nature of our discussion. Given the scale and nature of the collective challenges we are all facing, this is both timely and vital.

“There was a shared concern around the impact inflation is having on suppliers, employees, customers and our communities through the current cost of living crisis. It is clear that both retailers and the Scottish Government continue to work hard to find ways to provide more support where they can.

“I’m excited by the evident enthusiasm of the Leadership Group to drive forward the implementation of the Retail Strategy. Fair Work, the skills agenda and the importance of retail in delivering high quality town and city centres are uppermost in our minds as we look ahead to the next few months.”

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Ian Murray: Sturgeon is using Scottish Parliament to manage decline and push for independence

Shadow Scottish Secretary: At some point, something will break, and Scottish voters will say: ‘We can’t go on like this’.

LABOUR’S Ian Murray has blasted Nicola Sturgeon for using the Scottish Parliament to “manage decline” and push for independence.

In an exclusive interview with GB News, Mr Murray, who is Labour’s only MP in Scotland, ripped into Ms Sturgeon and said although he doesn’t think Scottish Independence will happen anytime soon opponents would have to fight “very, very hard” to prevent it in any new vote.

Speaking to Gloria De Piero, the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland also opened up about losing his father when he was aged just nine.

He also recalled the bizarre moment he almost blew his chance of a Shadow Cabinet job – by mistakenly putting the phone down on then Labour-leader Harriet Harman when she’d called to offer him the post. 

Asked by Ms Piero about the chances of Scotland ever securing independence during his lifetime he said: “I absolutely don’t think I will live to see it, because it just doesn’t work. They just cannot find a viable way of promoting a proposition that works.

“And that’s not to say they might not win it eventually.  Nicola Sturgeon has said that if they lose a second one, they’ll have a third. And all this stuff about mandates, about Brexit, about the Tories. All of the excuses that they give for another referendum are all the excuses that were given the day after the last one. 

“So, we’re just finding an excuse and a trigger to have one. And as all that’s happening, and I see it in my own constituency day in, day out is the NHS is getting worse, educational attainment gap’s widening, transport is  dreadful, the economy is slipping behind the rest of the UK, the number of higher rate taxpayers is diminishing, the demographics are much older and therefore all the problems that comes with that.

“And none of that’s being dealt with. It’s just all Westminster’s fault: ‘so vote for independence’. And I just think at some point, something will break, and Scottish voters will go, ‘We can’t go on like this’. And maybe that’ll take another referendum, you know, I don’t want one, we shouldn’t have one, if we end up having one, we’ll fight very, very hard to stay in the United Kingdom.

“But something’s going to have to break to get out of this. Otherwise, we’re going to stay on this constitutional merry go round and things are just going to get worse. This Scottish Government essentially uses the Scottish Parliament to manage decline.”

Mr Murray, who represents Edinburgh South, also opened up to Ms Piero about losing his dad, Jim, when he was just nine years old. 

Recalling the night he died, Mr Murray said: “We were playing snooker at home, mum was out at the bingo, and he was in his pyjamas. His bottoms fell down and I was only nine so I started laughing, my brother was a little bit embarrassed and a bit concerned. But, you know, he also just thought it was him messing around. Then he never missed a ball for about 10 minutes, he just potted everything and we were going: ‘This is a bit strange’.

“Then 10 minutes later, he was on the floor. He had a cerebral haemorrhage. Mum was called and rushed home. Eventually the ambulance came. Then at four o’clock in the morning mum returned and said, ‘Dad’s not coming home’.  The following morning, I woke up, went into the lounge, and the whole family were sitting there, and that’s when it really sunk in.  

“The lesson from it was that he had been ill for some time and didn’t tell anyone and he should have really got some advice. Whether or not, in the mid-80s, he would have been able to get the medical attention required to sort something like that, I don’t know, because obviously it’s moved on quite a bit.

“But, you know, he was having blackouts at work and wasn’t telling anyone, he was feeling a bit depressed, which is all the great symptoms of having something wrong with your brain. My dad was 39 when he died. I’m six years older than that now, so I reflect on it a lot. And being a father now as well, I reflect on it a lot. But yeah, I mean it was utterly traumatic, and my poor mum had to deal with the consequences of it. She went into 6th gear and brought up two boys on her own.”

Mr Murray said he has hardly any memories of his dad and that his mother, Lena, never talks about her husband’s death. 

“She’s never, ever spoken about it,” he continued. “Apart from her regret that she didn’t let us boys go to the funeral, which was a choice she made at the time, and I think she regrets that.” 

Mr Murray was the only Scottish Labour MP to keep his seat in 2015, meaning even though he’d been tipped by many to one day become Shadow Scottish Secretary he suddenly became the automatic choice. 

However, as he told GB News, things didn’t run smoothly.

He explained: “Because I’d been the only person to win, my phone for 24 hours was just completely red hot. And there was this woman called Harriet from the BBC Scotland who was phoning me up constantly to say, ‘Could you do drive time? Could you do the morning show? Could you do Good Morning Scotland?’ and ‘What about Sunday Shows?’.

“Obviously because the election was on the Thursday, elected overnight on the Thursday night into Friday. And I just said, ‘Look. It’s been a really tough election. I’ve done all the media I really want to do. I have nothing else to say and until things settle down, I’m not quite sure I want to do anymore’, and she kept ringing and ringing.

“And then my phone rang again, and I just picked it up, I was in my flat at home, the flat I still live in, and I just said, ‘Ian Murray speaking’. And I just heard this, ‘It’s Harriet here’, and I didn’t hear anything else, the voice on the other side of the phone said, ‘I’d like you to join the Shadow cabinet’, and I thought I heard, ‘Are you joining the Shadow Cabinet?’.

“I went, ‘Look Harriet, will you stop bothering me? It’s been a long week. You know, I am the only one that’s left. We’re all in a bit of shock here, and I’m sick of journalists phoning me and asking me if I’m joining the Shadow Cabinet. So, the answer is no comment’, and I put the phone down. And actually, the phone rang again, and it was Harriet Harman as the acting leader of the Labour Party offering me a place in the Shadow Cabinet.”

Laughing, he added: “So, I apologised profusely, and she promised never to mention it. Oh, and I also promised I would never tell the story….”

Community support funding announced for people of Liverpool

The Home Secretary has announced a £150,000 package to support the communities of Liverpool and Knowsley in the wake of the tragic shootings in the city. This will provide specialist trauma informed support in nearby schools, as well as mental health provisions for those closely affected.

Following the horrific killings of Sam Rimmer, Ashley Dale and Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Merseyside within a week of each other, the Home Secretary also announced £350,000 to expand the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ pilot to other areas in Merseyside affected by Serious and Organised Crime.

The pilot sees both a proactive policing response and multi-agency working to support communities worst affected by Organised Crime Groups to make them more resilient and less susceptible to their activities.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The whole country has been appalled at the spate of violence in Liverpool over the past couple of weeks, which has tragically left 9 people dead, including 9 year old Olivia.

The impact on the wider community is immense, which is why we are providing funding for specialist trauma and mental health support for those who need it, as well as expanding the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ pilot to disrupt Merseyside’s corrosive and deadly Organised Crime Groups.

We will stop at nothing to drive down serious violence and ensure that fewer families have to endure the pain of losing a loved one in this way.

Established in the Birkenhead area of Merseyside in January 2022, the pilot has focused on making sustainable reductions in firearms and knife crime offences, whilst improving community confidence and delivering preventative programmes to over 2,000 young people in the area.

Priti Patel made the announcement on a visit to Liverpool on Friday where she met with Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable, to receive an update on the investigation, and then with the local policing commander to understand the impact the violence has had on the community and what resilience plans are being put in place.

City prepares for the Big Clean Up

EDINBURGH’s bin collections will restart when the strike ends on Tuesday 30 August,the city council has announced.

In a tweet posted last night, a city council spokesperson said: ‘Bin collections will restart when the strike ends on Tuesday 30 August. We’ve developed a recovery plan and will shortly be updating our website with advice on what to do with your bins next week – watch this space.

‘Thanks for your patience.’

Talks to resolve the national bin strike will continue this week.

Appeal for witnesses after police officer injured at Tynecastle

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses after an officer was injured prior to the Heart of Midlothian v FC Zurich match on Thursday (25 August, 2022).

Shortly after 7.05pm an officer sustained serious injuries when a traffic cone was thrown on McLeod Street in Edinburgh during the escort of football fans to Tynecastle Park Stadium.

The officer received treatment at the scene.

Detective Constable Andy Lambert, of Gayfield CID, said: “An officer was injured as a result of this incident so we are appealing for anyone who was in the area and witnessed what happened to get in touch.

“I would also encourage anyone who may have video footage of the incident to contact us.

“Anyone with information should contact police via 101, quoting incident 2449 of 25 August. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Craigroyston FC 2009s looking for more players

Craigroyston FC are looking for players born in 2009 to join our squad.

Craigroyston plays in SERYFA | South East Region Youth Football Association in division 4 were looking for players who are committed and a good team players

We train on Mondays and Thursdays 6.30pm-8pm and have games on Sundays around 11am.

Port of Leith’s Heron Place shortlisted for housing award

Sustainable Granton waterfront development in the running for award  

A key element in Edinburgh’s on-going waterfront regeneration programme has been nominated as Scotland’s Best Affordable Housing Development at the prestigious Herald Property Awards ceremony to be held next month in Glasgow. 

The Heron Place development at Granton Harbour, completed by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) and its subsidiary Persevere Developments in 2021, consists of 46 homes for social rent, including two wheelchair accessible flats, and 58 homes for mid market rent.  

The development is being recognised for the finish of the homes, the stunning views it affords of the water and Edinburgh Marina, and its sustainability. It has achieved the lowest possible Environmental Impact Rating, contains high quality insulation and is fitted with air quality monitors throughout.  

Heron Place’s contractor was CCG and the architect was Hackland + Dore. Bayne Stevenson Associates were the structural engineer, and The Keenan Consultancy was the M&E engineer. 

Heather Kiteley, Group Chief Executive, Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “We’re all very proud of the extent to which Heron Place has already become a thriving element of the rapidly evolving Granton waterfront community, providing first-class, sustainable affordable homes and brilliant communities.

“Being shortlisted for Best Affordable Housing Development at the Herald Property Awards is the icing on the cake for us.” 

Manuela Molendini, Associate Director, Hackland + Dore Architects, said: “We are delighted with the shortlisting of Heron Place, a successful outcome of productive team working and community engagement, resulting in a comprehensive regeneration and improvement of the site and of wider Western Granton.

“The mixed-tenure development provides a well-integrated placemaking solution that meets housing targets, delivers a strategic environment and a sustainable neighbourhood where communities feel connected and can thrive.” 

The development is a key element of PoLHA’s ambitious plans to deliver more than 600 high-quality, affordable homes by 2025. You can read more about this in its strategic plan polha.co.uk/2025. 

RNLI’s Swim Safe returns to Scotland to deliver free sea safety lessons

This summer, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has teamed up with Swim England to offer children aged 7 – 14 the opportunity to learn lifesaving water safety skills.

Last year, the RNLI in Scotland saw 267,191 visitors on the lifesaving charity’s eight lifeguarded beaches and expect that number to increase this summer.

Local delivery partners around the UK supported by the national governing body for swimming in England and the RNLI are running free Swim Safe sessions to teach children aged 7-14 how to stay safe in and around open water and what to do if they, or someone else, gets in difficulty – including how to Float to Live.

Since 2013, the Swim Safe programme has delivered free lifesaving sessions to more than 148,000 children across the UK.

Run by local partners with qualified lifeguards and instructors in four locations in Scotland in July and September, the sessions provide children with both water safety advice on land and in-water tuitions.

Iona Hamilton, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor and Swim Safe Co-ordinator, said: ‘Last summer, RNLI lifeguards aided nearly 400 people across the eight beaches in Scotland. By educating children about water safety from a young age, together we can help reduce the number of incidents around our coasts.

‘Swim Safe is a great way for young people to learn about the different dangers associated with open water swimming in a safe and fun environment with qualified instructors and lifeguards.

‘We want children and parents to enjoy the beautiful beaches around Scotland but also to consider their own safety and know what to do in an emergency.’

As part of the session, participants will have the opportunity put into practice the vital message of ‘Float to Live’, which could save the lives of them or other.

This is a simple technique where you lean on your back and use your arms and legs to stay afloat. It allows you to control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety and is proven to save lives. 

The RNLI’s key water safety advice for 7-14 year-olds is:

  • Stop and think – Always swim in a safe place.
  • Stay together – Always swim with an adult, younger children should always be within arms reach.
  • Float – If you find yourself in trouble in the water, float on your back like a starfish.
  • Call 999 in an emergency and ask for the Coastguard.

To find out more or to sign up for a RNLI Swim Safe session, visit:

https://swimsafe.org.uk/

Blackhall Mosque Fun Day tomorrow

Asalaamualaikum,

Blackhall mosque is holding its very own fun day. In’shaAllah. All proceeds will go to the mosque.

There’s something for everyone. Games, Food, clothes, bouncy castle and lots more.

So we would like to invite everyone to come and enjoy the day with Blackhall Mosque. Please pass the flyer on.

Jazak Allah Khair