One in two of us will face a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime. Going through cancer treatment or getting a diagnosis is tough enough to deal with, and now the cost-of-living crisis is increasing people’s worries. It’s never been more important for people living with cancer to get the urgent help they need.
Macmillan Cancer Support is doing whatever it takes to support people in Scotland from the moment they are diagnosed. Macmillan health professionals are working tirelessly across Scotland, local Macmillan Benefits advisors are at the end of the phone, and the charity’s Improving the Cancer Journey team provide much needed support with the emotional, practical and financial impact of cancer in various locations across Scotland.
The cancer charity relies almost entirely on public donations. That’s why Macmillan is calling on people to dust off their aprons and get involved in this year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning to raise invaluable funds.
Kate Seymour, Macmillan Cancer Support said: “Last year, people hosted Coffee Mornings across Scotland and raised over £710,000 which was amazing. It helped us to provide much needed support, including Macmillan Grants to over 4,000 people in Scotland.
“Whether you host a Coffee Morning or join in, every penny raised helps Macmillan to provide the local services that people living with cancer desperately need, especially at the moment.
“This year, Macmillan Coffee Morning is on Friday 30 September. Whether it’s a traybake with pals in the garden, a virtual Coffee Morning by screen, or a cuppa and cake in the office, hold yours however and whenever you like. There are so many reasons to host a Coffee Morning – whatever your reason, it’s a great one! Every Coffee Morning has the power to raise vital pounds.”
There’s lots of information online including recipes and hosting ideas.
POLICE have confirmed the body which was discovered in Northumberland at the weekend has been identified as 75-year-old Peter Coshan.
The body was found on land close to the A696 near the village of Kirkwhelpington on Sunday, 4 September, 2022.
Dr Coshan’s family has been made aware and specialist officers are continuing to provide support to them.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Patrick, of Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts remain with Peter’s family at this incredibly difficult time.
“I would again like to thank everyone who has come forward with information which has helped our investigation.”
Two men, aged 27 and 63, have previously been arrested and charged in connection with Dr Coshan’s disappearance and both have already appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Today, Thursday 8th September, Liam McArthur MSP for Orkney will lodge a final proposal in the Scottish Parliament for his Members Bill ‘Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland)’.
The report analysing the responses to the public consultation on the bill’s proposals will also be published. The proposals received the highest number of responses to date for a consultation on a Members Bill in the Scottish Parliament with 14,038 valid consultation responses submitted.
The report’s findings show:
• A clear majority of respondents, 76%, were fully supportive of the proposal, with a further 2% partially supportive.
• Many respondents have first-hand experiences of witnessing family, friends and patients with a terminal illness who had experienced great pain and suffered what was often described as a “bad death”.
• Many supportive respondents believe the proposal is an improvement on previous attempts to legislate for assisted dying and are fully satisfied with the proposed criteria – that the right to an assisted death should be available for competent terminally ill adults with a clear and appropriate set of safeguards built in to every step of the process, together with a right for health professionals involved to conscientiously object.
Ally Thomson, Director of Dignity in Dying Scotland said: “The overwhelming majority of people in Scotland support a change in the law and now MSPs have the opportunity to respond to this unprecedented call for change and deliver a safe and compassionate new law.
“That so many people across the country have recounted their personal experience of watching a loved one suffer shows the current blanket ban on assisted dying does not work, instead it creates heartache and injustice for so many families. An injustice that can now be put right.”
“Taken alongside the responses from dying people who wish to have the choice of an assisted death available to them, as well as the evidence from other countries where they would already have this option, it is clear that the case for change is compelling.”
“Liam McArthur MSP today is lodging the Final Proposal for his Members Bill on Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults. I urge MSPs to sign these proposals so that Scotland can move forward progressively by providing our dying citizens with what they need – excellent care and the choice of an assisted death for those who need it.”
MARTIN McDONNELL [meeting organiser] Phone: 07884 265071 Email: mcdbristol116@0130318582789
Following the May Council elections, councillors unexpectedly voted in a minority Labour administration, replacing the previous SNP/Labour coalition, and the Labour group then chose Cllr Scott Arthur as new Transport Convener.
We’ve asked Cllr Arthur to speak to our public meeting about the transport policies of the new administration, with particular reference to cycling and active travel.
At the first full-council meeting Cllr Arthur stated that the objective of the administration is to implement the manifesto on which Labour was elected, whilst recognising that working with other parties is essential.
At the first Transport Committee, Cllr Arthur said that his top personal motivations as Convener are:
Our meeting gives you the opportunity to question Cllr Arthur on administration policies and his intentions as convener – and how realistic they are, given that the administration is a minority one. This is discussed further in our website article.
After Cllr Arthur’s presentation, there will be a full opportunity for questions and discussion, hosted by Kirsty Lewin of Spokes Porty. —
Scottish Government identifies half a billion savings to tackle cost crisis
Around £500 million in savings have been found as resources are focused on tackling the “harsh reality” of the cost of living crisis, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said yesterday.
He updated the Scottish Parliament on steps being taken to meet the increased costs of public sector pay and to provide support to those who need it most, while balancing public finances.
Soaring inflation means the Scottish Government’s budget is now worth £1.7 billion less in real terms than it was last December. Since then inflation has risen from around 4% to more than 10% – with possible further increases when figures come out next week.
Mr Swinney set out to Parliament where savings have so far been made to help pay for initiatives such as fair public sector pay settlements and doubling the Fuel Insecurity Fund. He has also written to the Finance and Public Administration Committee outlining the details of reductions in planned spending made in recent weeks.
The Deputy First Minister has committed to setting out the Emergency Budget Review within two weeks of the UK Government budget update expected later this month. He warned further intervention will represent a significant challenge given the largely fixed Scottish Government budget and limited fiscal powers.
Mr Swinney said: “Our budget was based on a UK Spending Review that simply did not foresee the levels of inflation that are now a reality.
“That alone would require the budget to be revisited. But in times of crisis the job of the finance secretary is not simply to balance the books. It is to find the money to help families, to back business and to fund the priority projects that improve lives for the long term. And so, the Emergency Budget Review must both identify funding to cope with inflation-driven cost increases and aim to support those who most need our help during this crisis.
“This is the harsh reality of a fixed budget and limited powers. The Scottish Government simply does not have access to many of the levers which would provide the greatest support in this crisis. We will do everything we can. We will make the hard choices. But only the UK Government can act to end this crisis. They should do so – and I encourage them to do so now.”
Last year saw nearly 450,000 complaints made to councils about noisy neighbours, averaging one every 70 seconds
However, only a third (32 per cent) of Brits are taking action to try to stop the noise
London has the most noise complaints; Yorkshire leading in tackling antisocial noise
Tolerance for noisy neighbours has fallen across the UK in the last two years, suggests new research from Churchill Home Insurance.
The last financial year saw nearly 450,000 noise complaints to councils across the UK, which equates to 1,229 every day, or one every 70 seconds. This is 10 per cent higher than pre pandemic (2019/20), an increase of nearly 70,000 complaints in two years.
The real number of noisy neighbours may be even higher than official figures, as just a third (31 per cent) of Brits have acted in response to a noise dispute with their neighbour.
The most common causes of excessive noise are playing loud music (19 per cent), hosting parties (16 per cent), animals (13 per cent), children and arguments (both 12 per cent).
Councils appear to be taking noise complaints increasingly seriously, as 4,015 noise abatement notices were issued last year, a rise of 15 per cent on the year before when only 3,487 were issued.
However, this still means fewer than one per cent of complaints end up with a notice issued. An abatement notice from a local authority may require that the noise be stopped altogether or limited to certain times of day. People served with a notice have 21 days to appeal.
The Noise Act 1996 specifies that night-time lasts from 11pm to 7am for noise purposes3 and any excessive noise within that time is considered anti-social behaviour. Over half (52 per cent) of Brits have been affected by excessive noise from neighbours between these times within the last 12 months.
Although a third (33 per cent) of Brits believe excessive noise should not be permitted past 9pm. One in seven Brits (13 per cent) think there is never an appropriate time to make excessive noise.
When it comes to resolving noise disputes, almost two thirds (65 per cent) of victims tried to tackle the matter by speaking to their neighbour. However, in only half (53 per cent) of these cases did it lead to the issue being resolved. Other common actions taken were reporting them to the council (28 per cent), speaking to their landlord (20 per cent), reporting them to the police (16 per cent).
Sarah Khan, Head of Churchill home insurance, said: “Noise can be extremely disruptive to our lives, especially if we feel it is excessive and during antisocial hours when we’re trying to rest or sleep.
“As a nation it seems we have become less tolerant to noise over the last few years, but we are also home a lot more now as so many of us work from home or have a hybrid working patterns.
“There are rules governing noise so if you are affected then try speaking to your neighbours and explaining the problem and impact. If that doesn’t work, then keep a record of the type of noise and time of day it happens and speak to your local council about raising a noise complaint.
“You should also check your home insurance policy as you may find you have Legal Protection cover to pay for potential legal costs if you had to take legal action to get a resolution.”
Regional findings
London receives the most noise complaints in the UK, recording nearly 152,000 complaints last year and accounting for a third (34 per cent) of the total. This amounts to one complaint per 46 households, which is nearly four times the average outside of London (one per 12 households).
Six of the top 10 local authorities for noise complaints last year were in London, with Islington leading the way at over 14,000, a 41 per cent increase compared to two years ago. North Lanarkshire was the only council in the top 10 to see a reduction (-13 per cent) in the volume of complaints compared to two years ago.
At the other end of the scale, Argyll and Bute in Scotland received just one complaint for noisy neighbours, Runnymede in Surrey received just nine and Melton in Leicestershire just 59.
Table one: Councils which received the most noise complaints in 2021/22
Local council
Noise complaints, 2021/22
Percentage increase vs 2019/20
London Borough of Islington
14,224
41 per cent
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
12,945
One per cent
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
12,785
25 per cent
City of Westminster
10,803
22 per cent
Birmingham
9,328
45 per cent
London Borough of Newham
9,074
16 per cent
North Lanarkshire
6,199
-13 per cent
London Borough of Wandsworth
6,158
73 per cent
Manchester
5,450
34 per cent
Belfast
5,396
Five per cent
UK total
448,524
10 per cent
Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2022
Table two: Regional noise complaints
Region
Noise complaints, 2021/22
Percentage increase vs 2019/20
Share of all complaints 2021/22
London
151,814
22 per cent
34 per cent
South East
47,896
19 per cent
11 per cent
Scotland
38,976
-4 per cent
9 per cent
North West
32,897
21 per cent
7 per cent
Yorkshire and the Humber
29,582
10 per cent
7 per cent
West Midlands
28,362
32 per cent
6 per cent
East of England
27,547
36 per cent
6 per cent
South West
27,540
22 per cent
6 per cent
East Midlands
20,621
14 per cent
5 per cent
Wales
17,524
3 per cent
4 per cent
Northern Ireland
12,988
11 per cent
3 per cent
North East
12,778
25 per cent
3 per cent
Total
448,524
10 per cent
100 per cent
Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2022
Yorkshire has the highest rate of penalties to noise complaints, issuing more than 2,000 over the past three years, the equivalent to one for every 10 complaints.
While London leads the way in complaints, it has the second-lowest rate of issuing penalties for noise disturbances, issuing one order for every 79 complaints. This is second only to Northern Ireland, with one in every 88 complaints.
On a council level, Rotherham in South Yorkshire issued the greatest number of penalties for noise disturbances, with 527 last year, followed by Manchester (147) and Fife (146). Bradford (137), Kensington and Chelsea (106), Westminster (96), North West Leicestershire (85), Leicester (62), Bristol (58) and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (55) complete the top 10.
Penguin Books UK and Twinkl are coming together to increase primary school pupils’ access to books by writers of colour, by giving away books including by Sharna Jackson and Malala Yousafzai to 500 schools across the UK.
Twinkl are producing a range of learning resources to accompany titles in the donation, to support teachers to integrate the new texts into their teaching.
Penguin Books have joined forces with Twinkl Educational Publishing to donate books by authors of colour to 500 UK primary schools.
The donation of books from Penguin, Puffin, Ladybird, and Vintage and Andersen Press forms part of Penguin’s Lit in Colour campaign, and aims to give pupils access to a wider range of authors, characters and books to tackle their stark underrepresentation in UK schools.
Each participating school will receive 100 books, covering a range of titles across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and mythology; from much-loved classics to new voices. Authors included in the selection are Matthew A. Cherry, Malala Yousafzai, Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali and more. Each school will also receive a class set of The Good Turn by Sharna Jackson.
Research by Lit in Colour, carried out by Penguin Books and the Runnymede Trust in 2021, revealed a stark picture of under-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic authors in the teaching of English Literature in this country.
This is relative both to these authors’ place in contemporary British literary excellence and school population demographics.
According to the research, 82% of young people do not ever recall studying a book by a Black, Asian or minority ethnic author, while 70% agree that diversity is part of British society and should be represented in the school curriculum.
The research also found that a key barrier for primary school teachers was a lack of ready-made resources available from teaching sites that are focused on diverse texts. This is a significant challenge for educators who rely on these for the basis of their planning.
In response to this, Twinkl are producing a comprehensive set of learning resources that aim to make it as easy as possible for educators to create a full lesson around these titles and immerse learners through a selection of activity sheets to be used alongside the books and as follow-on activities.
Twinkl’s comprehensive series of educational resources will cover 20 titles that will support bringing new literature to classrooms. The learning materials will consist of various worksheets and activity packs.
These include 60-second reading activities, to biography fact files and writing packs. These resources will be available to freely access online and can be used in connection with Penguin’s Lit in Colour book list.
Zaahida Nabagereka, Penguin Random House’s Head of Social Impact, said: “Partnering with Twinkl on this first ever UK wide Lit in Colour Primary School donation is a really significant step in addressing the barriers the Lit in Colour report identified in 2021.
“We are committed to supporting teachers to take diverse books into their classrooms with confidence, and key to that is resources. This collaboration strengthens the argument that we can achieve more when we tackle systemic issues together.”
David Angrave, Twinkl’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “As a global education publisher, we are delighted to work with Penguin on such a meaningful campaign. Our Lit in Colour resources aim to engage learners in a wide variety of diverse titles in the classroom. Through a range of voices in books, children can discover different cultures and identifiable characters.
“We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with Penguin with this campaign and help build an inclusive outlook which celebrates differences and what brings us together.”
Sharna Jackson, author of The Good Turn,said: “When I was younger, there was a pronounced lack of access to many books that reflected my experience – as part of the curriculum, or in my school library.
“It’s why I wholeheartedly support the transformative work that Lit in Colour does to expand and enrich the curriculum. I am so incredibly proud that The Good Turn can be a small part of this change, as this donation from Lit in Colour and Twinkl will make an enormous difference to thousands of young readers who deserve to see themselves and their experience reflected in the books stocked on their school library shelves.”
To find out more about how your school can get involved with the Lit in Colour book giveaway, please visit our website.
Primary teachers can apply by completing this short form by Friday 30th September.
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is holding three virtual meetings this month for the public to provide feedback on its Air Ambulance Service prior to its re-procurement.
The meetings will take place via Zoom on 22, 26 and 29 September at 7pm- 8pm and will build on questionnaire feedback from the first phase of the Air Ambulance re-procurement consultation and engagement programme which ran earlier this year.
The Air Ambulance Service, which is funded in its entirety by the Scottish Government, transfers patients living in remote, rural and island communities to and from hospital. It also provides air ambulance support to the ScotSTAR retrieval teams and responds to 999 calls in a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) role.
Currently, the service is delivered through a managed contract of two helicopters; one based in Glasgow and one in Inverness and two fixed wing aircraft; one at Aberdeen Airport and one at Glasgow Airport. In addition to the four government funded aircraft, the service is supplemented by two helicopters provided by Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.
A national multi-disciplinary team of paramedics, nurses, advanced practitioners, and doctors, work together to provide a flexible and responsive service that offers timely, safe and effective care for patients.
Paul Bassett, Chief Operating Officer at the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “These online meetings are a key part of our consultation and engagement work and their output will inform the re-procurement of our Air Ambulance Service prior to its renewal.
“It’s vital we collate as many views as possible, so I’d encourage people to join the meetings and share their opinions with us.”
To register your interest for an online meeting and to receive joining instructions, please contact sas.airamb@nhs.scot with your preferred date.
For those who cannot attend these sessions, please also contact the above email address and a consultation form will be sent to you week commencing 19 September.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS UK) annual week long Don’t Drink and Drown campaign launches on 12th September, aiming to get the message across about water safety as thousands of students head off to start their first year at university.
In a sample of UK accidental drowning cases analysed in detail by RLSS UK, at least half of those aged 16-25 who lost their life were students. As a result, the charity is urging students to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, especially if there is a body of water within the town or city they are moving to.
3 in 4 of these accidental drowning victims were alone . The campaign aims to speak to students and encourage them to, after a night out, be responsible for their friends, be a mate, and ensure they return home safely.
As fresher’s events take place across the UK in September, many students will be heading to bars and clubs to celebrate the start of their university adventure, and this is where RLSS UK fears tragedies may occur.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “We have seen tragic stories in the past where students have been excited for a new adventure in a new city and should have been enjoying their first few weeks at university but sadly their night did not end how it should have.
“45% of accidental drownings among 16-25 year olds in the last 5 years cited alcohol and/or drugs; we know that alcohol and drugs have a number of different effects on the body including lowering inhibitions, which leads to impaired judgment, and this is where we see people taking risks and getting themselves into trouble in, on and around water.”
In line with this, the data also reveals that when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, accidental drowning victims are much more likely to have unintentionally fallen into the water; 55% compared to 36% for those who were not under the influence.
Lee continued: “We are encouraging students to get to know their new surroundings and if they have a river, canal or other body of water in the city or town that they have moved to, then ensure that the route home after a night out is one which steers clear of the water.”
Further analysis among this group highlighted that, where known, over half of drug and alcohol related drownings take place between 11pm and 5am, the time in which students may be walking home from nights out.
RLSS UK wants to reinforce the message of safety in numbers, be a mate, and stick together to make sure everyone makes it home safe.
Lee said: “Unfortunately in recent years we have seen cases of young people walking home after a night of drinking, and for various reasons getting too close to the edge and ending up in the water.
“At this time of year the water is colder than it looks and cold water shock is a significant factor, and paired with alcohol numbing senses, limiting muscle ability and slowing down reactions, it makes it extremely difficult to be able to swim and self-rescue.
“As we see, mainly young men, walking home alone, sadly in these cases there is nobody around to help we see nights out turn into tragedies.”
For more information on the campaign and to support RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign this September visit www.rlss.org.uk/dont-drink-and-drown.
Running a successful electrical business is a full-time job, but two remarkable sporting sparks have proved that they have what it takes to stand out against aggressive competition in totally different fields.
Michael McKenna and Chris Liddell, both members of electrical trade association SELECT, are making the most of the time when they’re not working to excel in the tough and challenging worlds of professional football and boxing respectively.
Electrician Chris is getting ready to light up the ring again this week after making his comeback as a professional boxer following eight years out of the ring.
The 29-year-old bantamweight won his first bout on the comeback trail in June and now faces his second fight at Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza on Friday 9 September.
Chris, who runs 2 Core Electrics in Lanarkshire, said: “I stopped boxing because I was starting my own business and couldn’t commit enough time to it, but things have calmed down a bit since then so I thought I’d give it another go before it’s too late.
“Juggling work and training is hard, but I’m a bit more mature now so I know what’s involved. It’s gruelling but it’s worth it – it’s been absolutely brilliant to get back out there and I was buzzing to win my first comeback fight.”
Chris, who is managed by Kynoch Boxing Promotions, added: “I don’t want to look too far ahead but I’m setting my sights on a Scottish title. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when, so if you’re a bantamweight, watch out because I’m coming.”
Meanwhile, fellow SELECT member Michael has kicked off a new season with Arbroath FC, hoping to go one better than last season, when he helped them to within a whisker of being the first part-time club to be promoted to Scotland’s top league.
The midfielder, from Edinburgh, scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 2021-22, becoming the Championship’s top goal scorer and scooping Player of the Year awards from both the Professional Footballers’ Association and the SPFL.
Michael – whose day job is running Musselburgh-based McKenna Electrical Solutions – said: “I loved football as a boy but, when I failed to win a contract at 16, I became an electrician. Since then I’ve worked with some great companies at the same time as playing football and now run my own business.
“I’ve got three main clients and get involved in all sorts of projects from full house renovations to new builds, kitchens, bathrooms, attic conversions and so on.”
Michael – who previously played for Livingston and Berwick Rangers – said: “It’s a good balance of work and I’m quite happy with how things are. I enjoy my job and playing part-time for Arbroath and wouldn’t endanger that for a few years of full-time football.”
Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “We can only take our hats off to these two sporting heroes who are demonstrating in a very tangible way that there is nothing you can’t achieve if you put your mind to it.
“For most people, running a company would be enough of a challenge – especially an electrical business, which is at the forefront of technological development as the country transitions to net zero.
“Michael and Chris are showing exceptional dedication, determination and skill and we wish them every success as they push themselves towards sporting glory.”
More details about the sporting sparks can be found in the August-September issue of cabletalk, the magazine which represents the Scottish electrotechnical industry.
