Health charity ASH Scotland is urging North Edinburgh residents to attend an event organised by the Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) on No Smoking Day tomorrow (Wednesday 8 March).
People who smoke and attend the event in PCHP’s Community Hub at 73 Boswall Parkway between 12 midday and 1pm will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from the charity and NHS Lothian’s Quit Your Way service, which provides person-centred support to help stop smoking attempts.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland said: “Our charity’s theme for No Smoking Day is ‘Quit and Win’ and, through our campaigning and engagement at this event hosted by Pilton Community Health Project, we look forward to encouraging more people in NorthEdinburgh to make attempts to quit smoking to benefit their health, wellbeing and personal finances.”
Dawn Anderson, Director of PCHP said: “We are delighted to support our Community Wellbeing partnerASH Scotland with its No Smoking Day campaign and encourage people who smoke, their families, friends and neighbours to come along, share some lunch, and tell their stories about smoking, quitting or trying to quit.They will also have the chance to get some personalised advice from the experts about the best way for them to stop.
“The informal event will include lunch and those who take part will also receive a small gift card to thank them for sharing their experiences. We hope people who have already given up smoking will also come along and offer support to those starting out on their quit journey.”
If you live in North Edinburgh and would like to register for the event contact PCHP on 0131 551 1571 or email Dawn Anderson on dawnanderson@pchp.org.uk .
Anyone who has the goal of giving up smoking but unable to attend the event can contact a Quit Your Way adviser by calling the free helpline on 0800 848484 or create a quit plan at www.quityourway.scot.
North encourages next generation of technology workforce
Edinburgh-based apprentice Connor Ratter works on innovative CCTV project across capital city
North, the UK’s leading technology services and solutions provider, is encouraging young people to embark on a career working with a range of technologies through its dedicated apprenticeship programme.
As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2023 (6-13 March), North is celebrating its team of apprentices by shining a light on the valuable contribution they are making within the industry. The team hopes to inspire more young people to explore a career in technology, future proofing the sector’s talent pipeline.
North plans to expand its apprenticeship programme by continuing to offer positions each year in disciplines including Advanced Networking, Safety & Security and Network Cabling.
With a commitment to an 80/20 split between academic and practical learning through Skills for Security, North offers apprenticeship opportunities in safety and security, data networking, and data cabling disciplines.
As well as industry-specific knowledge, North upskills apprentices in soft skills, such as customer service and client management, to ensure they are workplace ready whilst completing the apprenticeship.
In 2021, North was appointed to undertake a £2.6 million project for City of Edinburgh Council to upgrade its CCTV provision across the city, including the delivery of a new CCTV Control Centre which includes a leading edge video analytic solution, and the replacement of analogue CCTV with high-resolution Internet Protocol (IP) cameras.
As part of the project, the local authority officially opened its Smart Operations Centre in the City Chambers in December 2022, taking Edinburgh one step closer to becoming a leading Smart City.
As part of this project’s social value commitment, North onboarded a dedicated apprentice, Connor Ratter, to help deliver and support the roll out. As a safety and security apprentice, Connor has been trained in an area that is becoming ever more important within private and public sectors.
Throughout his time at North, Connor has now gone on to work across more service and maintenance based projects, involving fault finding and planned maintenance activities. He has also worked alongside experienced professionals with several high-profile clients, including the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People, Royal Edinburgh Hospital and the National Museum of Scotland.
On completion of his apprenticeship in 2025, Connor will be a fully qualified Safety & Security engineer and will go on to enjoy full-time employment at North.
Connor Ratter, Safety & Security Apprentice Engineer at North, said:“It can sometimes feel overwhelming to know what career path you want to take, but the North apprenticeship programme has given me an invaluable opportunity to work alongside and learn from experienced engineers, reinforcing that I want to excel as an engineer.
“Making the switch between working in financial services to engineering was no easy feat, however I have been supported by a brilliant team with the opportunity to work with interesting clients from the start of my apprenticeship.
“I have learned an entirely new set of skills that I will continue to develop throughout my career and I’d encourage anyone considering an apprenticeship to go for it and enjoy the journey, it’s been incredibly rewarding.”
Joining Connor on the Safety and Security programme is Kieran Wakefield and Jamie Small, based in the North East of England and on the data cabling and data engineering courses are Ben Gould, Tom King and Ciaran Falloon, also based in Scotland.
Ian Reid, Technical Field Service Manager at North, said: “We are very proud of our fantastic team of apprentices, and we are consistently looking at how we can enhance and expand the opportunities we provide at North. Intrinsic to a successful industry is investing in tomorrow’s talent, providing hands on experience in a supportive environment.
“Connor has been a real asset to the team at North, working alongside senior engineers and directly with our customers. He has demonstrated determination and enthusiasm, and undoubtedly will go on to enjoy many more successes within his career at North.”
To find out more information about North’s apprenticeship programme, visit:
A new parliamentary inquiry into the Scottish Government’s public service reform programme has been announced.
Holyrood’s Finance and Public Administration Committee wants to examine the detail of the reform programme, which is focused on digitalisation, innovation, estates, public body landscape and procurement.
As part of this work, the committee will examine how public bodies are working to achieve the government’s plans to make efficiencies, while ensuring effective delivery of public services, in 2023-24 and beyond.
It will also consider the government’s ambitions to:
keep the public service pay bill costs at 2022-23 levels and
return the public sector workforce “broadly to pre-Covid-19 levels”.
“Further information on the government’s plans for reform and workforce levels were expected in the Scottish Budget 2023-24 but did not materialise due to ongoing economic turbulence.
“Our committee therefore wants to look at how public bodies are working to put in place the government’s ambitions for reform.“We also want to establish from where in the public sector reductions in headcount to pre-pandemic levels will be made, and to what timescales.
“Clarity and transparency around these issues are crucial, during what is an uncertain time for the public sector.”
A call for views from public sector bodies, academics, think tanks and other interested parties has been launched today, with a closing date of 1 May 2023.
To inform this inquiry, the committee is seeking written views from Scottish public bodies on their plans for public service reform in their sectors, and others with a view on how the reform programme is working in practice and how it is delivering effective and efficient services.
The committee is particularly keen to hear from:
all types and sizes of public sector bodies from across the public sector
others affected by the Scottish Government’s public service reform programme, and
think-tanks, academics and commentators on progress with, and outcomes from, the reform programme.
We need your help to make The Edinburgh Climate Festival a reality, so please vote for our project today!
You have 5 votes to support not only our project but other outstanding ones as well.
Here’s a guide on how to vote for The Edinburgh Climate Festival:
Step one: If you’re an adult, register on myaccount https://www.mygov.scot/myaccount to cast your vote. This is a secure online portal that provides access to various public services using a single login ID and password. You can find a registration guide on the Edinburgh Council website. Young people under 18 can vote through Young Scot https://getyournec.scot/ using their Young Scot NEC number.
Step two: Once your account is active, visit Your Voice website : https://yourvoice.edinburgh.gov.uk/ and sign in using your myaccount details.
Help us create a sustainable future for Edinburgh!
Community wellbeing for climate impact (Ferryhill Parent Council)
We are a parent council groups that’s passionate able helping the children learn and thrive in the community.
This project will enable us to create a forest school within the school grounds, giving the whole school the ability to learn more about climate through hands on learning.
We will also be looking to add to the schools existing orchard with some raised beds for the children to grow food and learn about sustainable practice. We also plan on linking up with the local community centre to support the garden project.
Starter Packs Project (Fresh Start)
Since 1999 Fresh Start has been supporting people moving on from homelessness to ‘make a home for themselves’ across Edinburgh. Responding to people with lived experience of homelessness we provide practical support as people move on from temporary accommodation into new unfurnished tenancies.
Our service-users typically are allocated unfurnished properties and do not have the means to purchase the goods that make a home. Fresh Start provides Starter Packs of essential household goods – crockery, pots/pans, bedding, towels – to homeless households within the first 3 days of them moving in to their new tenancies, relieving financial burden and ensuring they have the essentials they need to settle in their new home.
We supply 13 different Starter Packs of quality used-household goods which are donated by the public and local businesses. Teams of volunteers gather in these donations and sort them in our warehouse for distribution.
In 2022 we distribute 14,430 packs and helped over 2,000 people moving out of temporary Housing. We diverted 75,500 kg (75.5 t.) of goods from landfill.
Community Shed (North Edinburgh Arts)
Vote for the North Edinburgh Arts Community Shed and support our ambitions for a more sustainable future!
Our Community Shed has been nominated for The City of Edinburgh Council‘s Edinburgh Community Climate Fund, and you can vote for it as part of the public participatory budgeting process until 12th March.
The primary focus of the Community Shed is to reuse wood and wooden furniture to enable our members to make and mend things for their homes, gardens and communities. Each year in Scotland we throw away tons of stuff into landfill, including wood and furniture, that should be recycled, reused, mended or made into something completely different and the Community Shed does its bit to convert this waste into useful and beautiful things.
Since its launch four years ago, the Shed has become a key community project in North Edinburgh with over 150 members. Being part of the Community Shed has a significantly positive impact on our members’ lives by improving their self-confidence, giving them meaning and purpose, making new friends and social connections, as well as providing them with an informal support network.
The Edinburgh Community Climate funding will enable us to purchase new much-needed technical equipment to cut and process wood, which will help speed up our processes while also significantly improving the quality of our output.
Please support our work and help create a greener community by casting your vote today!
This is a chance for you to decide how the Edinburgh Council money is spent on things that matter to you and your community.
For those under 18 wishing to vote this can be done through Young Scot using your Young Scot NEC number. School libraries will be offering supported voting too.
If you would like to vote in person, please visit your local library.
For information for our local residents, Muirhouse Library is currently located in the foyer of Edinburgh College Granton campus near Morrisons (350 West Granton Road), and its opening times are as follows:
Monday – Friday: 10am to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Make sure you vote before 12 March.
Thank you for your support, and please share with your friends and families as every vote counts!
All Aboard for Climate Action (People Know How)
The All Aboard canal boat run by People Know How and Polwarth Parish Church has been shortlisted in the Edinburgh Climate Community Fund to receive funding to run climate change sessions with children and young people on the Union Canal.
These organisations are now looking for votes from the public, which will decide the final projects that will receive the funding.
The climate change sessions will focus on engaging children and young people with nature and the local environment and exploring the impact of climate change. Using fun and engaging activities, we will introduce them to small everyday actions that they can take at home and in their community to help tackle climate change.
The sessions will be open to pupils from local primary schools that People Know How work with as part of their Positive Transitions service, supporting children, young people and families in the transition to secondary school.
They will draw on the charity’s established experience of running groups across Edinburgh and East Lothian, including previous sessions on All Aboard that have introduced young people to a green space in the heart of their community, seeing plants and wildlife up close.
All Aboard was launched in 2021 and aims to nurture community cohesion and wellbeing in an innovative space on the Union Canal. It is open to the community, serving as a safe space in which to explore the canal, find new experiences and socialise, while surrounded by nature.
To vote, visit the webpage below and select All Aboard for Climate Action as one of your five projects. Voting is open to all Edinburgh residents over the age of 8 and can be done online or at your local public library. Please note, you must use all 5 votes for your selections to be valid.
Further instructions can be found via the link below.
Aldi Scotland’s Supermarket Sweep challenge has returned for another year, and customers in Edinburgh have the chance to raise money for a local foodbank of their choice.
The game-show inspired supermarket challenge is guaranteed to make doing the weekly shop more fun. Edinburgh residents have the opportunity to pick up their favourite items from Aldi’s store on Gorgie Park Road.
Launched in 2016, Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep gives shoppers the chance to do a five-minute trolley dash and take home all the Aldi favourites they can grab in that time. Aldi will also donate the cash value of the trolley to a local foodbank.
The lucky shopper also has a chance to double this cash donation and take home a SpecialBuy item of their choice* if they successfully find a hidden inflatable instore.
Edinburgh residents can apply for the Supermarket Sweep from Monday 6 March to Sunday 12 March.
Richard Holloway, Managing Director for Scotland, said:“The Supermarket Sweep is an event in the Aldi calendar that we always look forward to. We are pleased to be bringing the initiative back for yet another year, and to offer one lucky Edinburgh resident the chance to have a truly unique supermarket experience.
“Foodbanks across Scotland are working tirelessly to help those who need their services the most, especially during these challenging times. Last year we donated almost £10,000 to foodbanks through Supermarket Sweep, and we want to build on this in 2023.
“From Glasgow to Aberdeen, Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep will be travelling all over Scotland this year. Not only are they a fun way to raise money for local foodbanks, but they also give our loyal customers the opportunity to stock up on their favourite Aldi products.”
Shoppers will be asked to nominate their chosen foodbank when applying to take part. Entrants must be over 18 years old to take part, and alcohol products and Specialbuys are not included in the sweep.
Neigh ‘horsing around’ as East Lothian venue hosts highest value raceday this year
PARTYGOERS, families and sports enthusiasts will don their most royal outfits as they flock to the Easter Saturday meeting at Musselburgh Racecourse.
Celebrations will take place on 8 April and will culminate in the venue’s highest value race, the prestigious Queen’s Cup, with £100,000 worth of prize money.
The Queen’s Cup received its name following Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Musselburgh Racecourse for its Bicentenary Raceday in 2016. The racecourse has a proud Royal heritage with The Queen’s Stand also opened by Princess Anne.
The venue will be bringing back its popular ‘Pommery domes’ for the event – which were a huge hit for revellers on New Year’s Day – with a bottle of Pommery Champagne and charcuterie board to enjoy while soaking up the race day atmosphere.
For families, an abundance of free activities for young ones are on offer, with a dedicated ‘Clip Clop Zone,’ offering free funfair rides for all ages and face painting.
Aisling Johnston, Marketing Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “Easter Saturday is one of our biggest social events in the calendar. It promises to be a day full of music, dancing, street food vendors, champagne bars and of course, first-class racing.
“We also have a host of free entertainment planned for those looking to bring the little ones, including the return of the hugely popular and highly-anticipated Easter Bunny which is sure to go down a treat! The best part is that all kids under 17 are free when accompanied by an adult.
“With a huge variety of exciting activities planned, there is something for everyone to enjoy no matter what your age.”
As well as the Queen’s Cup, there will be a series of key races taking place throughout the day, including the Royal Mile Handicap, the Silver Arrow and Scotland’s fastest race, the Scottish Sprint Cup, which attracts top sprinters from across the country.
Prize money that will be awarded across the day will total £226,000 – the venue’s highest value offered this year. ITV Racing will cover the full sporting event.
Aisling added: “After the last race, revellers will be able to enjoy some music and dancing with the memorable ‘Funkwagen’ party van experience.
“So, strap on your best dancing shoes and come and join us for an unforgettable Easter experience. Tickets are selling quickly, so act now to have the chance of grabbing one for yourself – you won’t regret it!”
Vendors at the event will include some of Scotland’s best street food offerings, such as Well Hung and Tender’s burgers and chips, Dog N Bon’s hot dogs and loaded fries and Bonnie Burrito’s Mexican cuisine.
Purchasing a ticket before midnight on the 7th April will result in a saving of £5 per person. On the day gate admission will be £35. Children 17 years and under go free.
Musselburgh Racecourse provides year-round racing action, with 27 race days across the flat and jump racing season – weekend, midweek and evening.
Every race day offers quality racing with outstanding facilities and an atmosphere to match. Its ‘Sensational 6’ includes New Year’s Day, Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend, Easter Saturday, The Edinburgh Cup sponsored by Edinburgh Gin, Stobo Castle Ladies Day and The Summer Finale weekend.
For further information on Easter Saturday and to book tickets now, visit:
This week marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week (6th-10th March), a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the vital role apprenticeships play in supporting people, employers and the economy.
Modern Apprenticeships allow people from diverse backgrounds, no matter their background and abilities, to gain and develop skills for every business no matter its size or sector.
The rewards of getting young people who are disabled or care experienced into work are well worth it. They bring passion, skills, dedication and drive to the workplace.
Recruiting a Modern Apprentice enables employers to fill the skills gaps that exist within their current workforce, as apprentices begin to learn sector-specific skills from day one, developing specialist knowledge that will positively affect the bottom line.
However, as always, we can do more and support for businesses and other employers is key as it is they who clearly make the vital difference.
As we mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we would urge Scotland’s employers to look beyond the label and take on a Modern Apprentice who may have an additional need, taking advantage of the excellent skills offered by many of these young people.
Tennis Scotland has revealed the shortlist for its 2023 Awards with eight Edinburgh and Lothian based clubs, teams, and programmes shortlisted in seven of the most prestigious award categories.
Held at Stirling Court Hotel on Friday 31 March in front of an audience of over 100 members of the tennis community, the Tennis Scotland Awards are a key part of the tennis calendar in Scotland and celebrate the success and hard work within the community game all the way through to the world stage. This year, the awards will be marking an incredible year of growth in the sport with tennis memberships soaring to an all-time high of 75,000.
With last year’s award winners celebrated at the esteemed Davis Cup Finals in Glasgow, the Tennis Scotland Awards return as a stand-alone black-tie event hosted by special guest and comedian Josh Berry.
Twenty-four-year-old Finn McLean and twenty-eight-year-old Katie Hoch have been shortlisted for the Development Coach of the Year award, recognising their contributions to their clubs.
Finn McLean, a full-time coach at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre and Joppa Tennis Club, works to increase tennis participation in East Lothian by offering more local competitions for children embarking on their tennis journey. Hoch is recognised for her work at Abercorn Sports Club to get more women and girls involved in the sport.
Teresa Tait was born in Uphall West Lothian, and currently plays at Elgin Tennis Club and Rothes Tennis Club where she has been shortlisted for the Volunteer of the Year award.
Teresa is inspired by Sue Barker and Virginia Wade and aspires to organise more girls events at her club to increase club participation.
Abercorn LTC have been shortlisted for Club of the Year for their continued work to build a coaching programme to include specific activities for women and girls, with a focus on a pathway for progression from beginners to intermediate.
One of Tennis Scotland’s Development Apprentices, Luke Turnbull, is up for the Rising Star award.
Luke Turnbull has competed for Great Britain’s Learning Disability Tennis team in the past and is currently working towards obtaining his Level 2 qualification while coaching to help players of all ages and abilities reach new heights.
On the shortlist for the Park Venue of the Year award is the city centre’s Meadows Park, who host league games and deliver their junior and adult social coaching programmes at Edinburgh Leisure’s Meadows facility.
Open days, tournaments and events were hosted throughout the year to help support new member growth and reduce court-hire costs during the summer months. These initiatives saw over 23,000 players utilise the courts over the course of the year.
St Serfs Men’s First team are on the shortlist for Team of the Year. The team were undefeated in VMH East of Scotland Division 1 2022 season and went on to win the league.
The three-court club has also been recognised for cultivating a great social environment for all members, which has been reflected on the court through the team’s consistent results.
The East Lothian Open has been shortlisted for Competition of the Year which has been recognised for outstanding organisation and delivery as well as creating a welcoming and enjoyable environment for players and spectators.
The East Lothian Open comprises of almost 40 different events which cater to different abilities and were the first Open Grade 3 tournament in Scotland.
Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland Chief Executive, said: “It has been a very successful year for tennis in Scotland with record membership numbers and events like the Davis Cup Finals and Billie Jean King Cup Finals being hosted in Scotland.
“With record entries across many competitions, tennis is clearly thriving, and we have decided to return to an Awards dinner to celebrate, with our award nominees and winners, what has been another fantastic year for tennis in Scotland on Friday, 31 March.
We are proud to announce the shortlist for 2023 and recognise the individuals that played their part in growing and developing tennis over the last year. I would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted and look forward to announcing the winners soon.”
The shortlist for the Tennis Scotland Awards 2023 recognises the contributions of individuals, clubs, programmes, and competitions that played a key role in growing the game in 2022.
Twenty-six nominees have been announced across 10 categories, with the winners earning a place at the LTA British Tennis Awards.
Walking needs to be made an easier choice if ’20-minute neighbourhoods’ are to succeed in getting people out of cars, says a new report launched today (7 March 2023).
20-minute neighbourhoods: a community perspectiveis published by Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking.
20-minute neighbourhoods are at the heart of Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework. The concept – based on the idea that people can meet their essential needs within a 20-minute walk – is already popular in cities worldwide like Melbourne, Copenhagen, Paris and Utrecht for its potential to improve public health reinforce, economy as well as reducing carbon emissions from short car journeys.
The Living Streets Scotland report looks at the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods, studies the evidence behind them, and asks whether they can be applicable in Scotland. The report follows a one-year research project that asked people in Stirling and North Lanarkshire how they travel within their local areas and what a 20-minute neighbourhood might look like for them. It also considered the barriers they currently experience when it comes to walking more.
Participants in the research commented on a lack of safe crossing points missing or and badly maintained pavements, and that pedestrian and disabled access can feel like “an afterthought”. The report recommends much better care and maintenance of local walking routes to make walking and wheeling a realistic and attractive option.
Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland said: “Creating safe, accessible and well-connected places will enable more of us to choose to walk or wheel our everyday journeys – helping to boost health, support local businesses and connect us to our local communities.
“Most people who drive report doing so because of the convenience, the lack of time to make another choice, or the necessity of using their car because the walking route is challenging or simply non-existent. While they like the idea of living locally and walking more, they still choose to drive. For 20-minute neighbourhoods to work, walking needs to become the easiest choice.”
The report launches at Living Street Scotland’s Big Walking Seminar, which this year focuses on reducing traffic in car dominated places and is supported by Transport Scotland.
