Month: April 2023

Live Forever? Ultimate Rock and Pop Pilgrimage launched

It’s a UK road trip with a difference – music fans have been invited to make the ultimate rock and pop pilgrimage by visiting the locations where some of our biggest stars passed away.

Car rental experts from StressFreeCarRental.com have revealed the postcodes and locations where some of the biggest names in music, including Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury and George Michael, sadly died.

They have suggested a 1200-mile round Britain itinerary to visit the sites which can be reached by inputting the provided postcodes into any sat nav device.

They’ve also made available a free to download checklist which music fans can print out and then tick off each location as they visit.

But they are urging fans to undertake the road trip purely to pay their respects to the late artists and to remain mindful that many of the sites remain private property.

The 1200-mile road trip takes in several locations which attract thousands of visitors each year – such as the ditch where Marc Bolan crashed his Mini in 1977.

Starting in London the unique tour takes in the spots where icons Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury, Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix passed away.

After leaving the capital music fans are encouraged to journey south to the crash site in Surrey where Glam Rock legend Marc Bolan died before heading on to Hartfield, East Sussex to visit the house where Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones was found dead in a swimming pool in 1969.

They then travel west to Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, where sixties icon Dusty Springfield sadly passed away before heading to nearby Goring-on-Thames where 80s pop legend George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016.

From Goring it’s a short trip to Salisbury where Thin Lizzy star Phil Lynott sadly died. Fans are then told to head to a lay-by close to the Severn Bridge near Bristol where Manic Street Preacher guitarist Richey Edwards is believed to have disappeared. He was later declared legally dead.

From there the road trip turns north stopping at Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire where legendary singer-songwriter Nick Drake passed away, before heading on to a terraced house in Macclesfield where Joy Division singer Ian Curtis hung himself in 1980.

The trip then veers north to Scotland to Auchterhouse, near Dundee, the location of the suicide of Billy Mackenzie, lead singer of 80s band The Associates. He was found in a garden shed after an overdose.

The trip then heads back down south stopping at Arkesden, Essex at the location of the death of legendary Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott who sadly perished in a house fire in 1991.

A spokesman for StressFreeCarRental.com, who came up with the tour, said it was a chance for music fans to pay their respects to some of the biggest icons of all time.

He said: “Britain has produced some of the greatest stars in the history of popular music and many of them will never be forgotten. They are the legends who changed the lives of millions and many of us still listen to their music every day.

“So we thought it would be a good idea to gather together the greatest names who sadly passed away on UK soil and offer music fans an itinerary to visit the places where they passed on.

“Many of the locations remain private homes so we urge everyone who follows our guide to remain courteous and respectful at all times.

“By gathering all of the locations together into one suggested road trip we want to celebrate the legacies of some of the greatest talents Britain has ever produced.

“Fans can print off our handy checklist and tick off each location as they make the trip. By the time they’ve completed their journey they will have visited the locations where some of our greatest stars have passed away. Although in a way these legends will never die. They live on forever through their music.”

To download the free checklist and to find out more about the UK road trip to rock and pop star death sites please visit https://www.stressfreecarrental.com/en/uk/rock-pop-pilgrimage

Fraser of Allander Institute: A new financial year beckons

Thursday 6th April is the first day of the new tax year (hands-up who missed the ISA deadline, again) and a number of changes in both UK and Scottish policy come into effect (writes FRASER of ALLANDER Institute).

Here is a brief rundown of some of the changes that have come into play at the start of this new financial year:;

Firstly, taxes.

For higher rate tax payers the new 1p comes into effect in Scotland as well as the reduction in the threshold for those paying the additional rate, mirroring what has happened in the rest of the UK. Other band thresholds, including the personal allowance (the rate at which people start to pay tax) have remain frozen.

The UK Spring Budget announced changes to the pension annual allowance and lifetime allowance also come into effect.

Council Tax bills have gone up across the country. Local authorities have the ability to vary the Band D rate charged, which then translates into rises in bills across all bands via a set of multipliers. On average, Band D rates have risen by 5%, but there are clear exceptions (Chart 1).

Failure to reform Council Tax makes any additional revenue raised through Council Tax regressive in nature. Failure to revalue the tax base means that increasingly the bills paid by households bear little resemblance to the relative value of their home.  This isn’t the fault of Councils – the ball firmly remains in the Scottish Government’s court on this one.

Unlike Council Tax, there has been a revaluation for Non-Domestic Rates. Even though the poundage rate charged to non-domestic properties has remained frozen (as also the case in rUK) businesses will see a change in their bills reflecting their updated ‘rateable values’.

Secondly, benefits

The UK Government announced in its Autumn Statement that reserved benefits would be uprated by 10.1%. This practice of uprating, using the previous September CPI, is standard procedure.

Devolved benefits have received the same uplift from the Scottish Government, with the exception of the Scottish Child Payment. This increased in value in November 2022 and it was decided it was not in scope for further uplift for 2023/24.

Although not strictly a benefit, the continuation of the energy price guarantee on energy means that we are not facing a rise in our energy bills this month. The guarantee has been extended at its current level for a further 3 months, by which time it is hoped that energy prices will have come down to more reasonable levels. It will hopefully be warmer by then too!

On that note, we wish you a pleasant Easter weekend, and fingers crossed that the sun will shine.

Tech partnership boosts health innovation

Linking business and clinical expertise

Innovative companies will be able to trial new health products in clinical settings across the country following a link-up between the Scottish Government’s £42 million Techscaler programme and the NHS.

Participants in the programme, which provides world class expertise and support to young businesses with high growth potential, are being offered access to NHS Regional Test Beds. These enable entrepreneurs to work alongside clinicians and have access to patients and anonymised data to test ideas, products and services.

And in a reciprocal agreement, firms already using the NHS Test Beds will automatically become part of the Techscaler network.

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray announced the move during a visit to Bioliberty in Edinburgh, which uses robotics to provide rehabilitation and assistance for stroke survivors.

The company will be one of 14 firms in sectors including healthtech and life sciences to join a Scottish Government-funded visit to New York to showcase their work.

Mr Gray said: “Scotland’s life sciences sector has an annual turnover of more than £8 billion and is one of our key sectors for transformative economic growth. This partnership will be able to leverage our world-leading universities, life sciences hubs and excellent healthcare systems to support the growth of the sector and development of entrepreneurs.

“Testing products in a real world environment and accelerating development is vital, and will enable a broader reach of the Tech Scaler programme. This in turn will benefit patients and medical staff as they develop cutting-edge technology for use across the NHS, from stroke and rehabilitation through to reducing drug-related deaths.

“It is a further example of the steps we are taking as we develop a sustainable, high-skill economy that works for everyone.”

Chief Scientist (Health) Anna Dominiczak said: “I welcome this collaboration, which will result in transformative innovations for the NHS and help to ensure that Scotland is the best location for life sciences companies.”

Scotland’s Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan said: “By making this connection between health testing and business support, we create an environment for innovation which enables Scottish companies to compete effectively, whilst bringing much-needed treatment solutions to the NHS.”

NFU Mutual launches 2023 Scottish Inspirational Young Person Award

Leading insurer NFU Mutual has partnered with industry body Scotland Food & Drink to launch the 2023 ‘Inspirational Young Person Award’.

Talented young people working in the food and drink industry are being encouraged to enter the fifth annual ‘Inspirational Young Person Award’.

The award seeks to uncover inspiring examples of talented people aged 16 to 26 who own, work, or study in the food and drink sector and who are a driving success in their field.

The award will highlight the innovation young people bring to Scotland’s food and drink businesses, as well as the important contribution they make to the sector’s long-term future.

Entries and nominations are now open and the closing date is 3rd July. The first, second and third place winners will be announced during Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight (5-20th September) and awarded cash prizes of £500, £300 and £200 respectively.  

In recognition of the challenges the industry has faced economically in the last year and the part it can play environmentally such as cutting down on food waste, this year’s judges are looking for entrants who are adapting the way they work and contributing to the resilience of Scotland’s food and drink sector.

Last year’s winner was 23-year-old Craig Chambers, a Distiller at Dunnet Bay Distillers based in Thurso.

He impressed the judges with his natural flair for the distillery business and the way he identified improvements and helped create new recipes designed to reduce energy consumption during distilling by 90%, which helped the business maintain the original price point for customers as energy prices increased.  

Since winning the award, Craig has expanded his horizons and is presently on a placement at a distillery in South America.

Craig said: “Winning this award was an amazing high-point for me. I have since been on a placement at a distillery in Argentina to learn even more about the industry and other food and drink cultures.

“The prize money came in very handy for my travels too.”

Mark McBrearty, NFU Mutual’s Regional Manager in Scotland and one of the judges for the award, said: “The importance of young people to Scotland’s food and drink sector cannot be overstated. This special award illustrates just how wide a contribution they make and how valuable their drive and innovation are to business success.

He added: “Like all industries, the food and drink sector has been facing some very challenging times. This year’s judging will consider how young people have responded to this and also adapted to the way they work environmentally, such as saving energy or cutting down on food waste.”

Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “I am really looking forward to discovering the wealth of talent – both culinary and business-focused – among the younger generation in our industry. 

He added: “Scotland has a proud reputation nationally and internationally for its food, drink and hospitality. Supporting the future of our sector by recognising up and coming talent is crucial to its long-term success.” 

How to Enter 

The NFU Mutual and Scotland Food & Drink Inspirational Young Person Award 2022 is open for entries until 3rd July 2023. Submit your entry or make a nomination here.

Any individual between the ages of 16 and 26 who owns, works, or studies within a food and drink related business, organisation or institution can be nominated or enter on their own behalf.

The winner will receive £500, with the second and third place finalists receiving £300 and £200 respectively. Winners will be announced in September 2022. 

For more information on the range of NFU Mutual insurance services, visit: 

https://www.nfumutual.co.uk

Heart of Newhaven: April Newsletter

Welcome to your April Newsletter

Good news on Funding

We are pleased to report that Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) has generously agreed to fund a new Community Teaching Kitchen at the Heart from their Community Health & Well-being Fund.

The almost £13,000 will pay for a total revamp of the old VPS kitchen and provide a space where community-minded groups involved with the many aspects of food growing and preparation can come together to share their skills.

This will involve a lot of work, so accept our apologies for any disruption, especially around the cafe area, as it might not be completed until after the summer.

If you tasted the food offered by Mwamba at our two Coorie-In events, then you’ll be pleased to know that they have already signified their interest in using the new kitchen once it’s ready.

In the meantime, if you or your group would like to use the space for the benefit of the community, please get in touch with admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Working with us –

Age Scotland are also getting involved at the Heart. They are providing the funds for a six-month, part-time position (two days a week) for someone to help organise and run sessions at the Heart for local people living with dementia and their carers.

Applications for the position have now closed, but watch this space for more news as the successful applicant is due to start in June.

We also will be welcoming our new building maintenance officer, Ian White who joins us at the start of May to support all the activities in the Heart.  

VIP visitors

The Heart has been happy to host VIP visits recently, with two local councillors, Councillor Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, Councillor Stuart Dobbin and MP Deirdre Brock being given tours of the site and an introduction to what’s been going on, bringing them right up to date with both our achievements and our future plans.

We look forward to welcoming them back again in the future.

Our reminiscence volunteers are keeping busy.

Those who undertook reminiscence training are now offering drop-in sessions at the Heart once a month, on Wednesday mornings. (Wed 12 April, Wed 10 May, Wed 14 June, Wed 12 July, all from 10.30 – 11.30 am).

It is completely free, open to everyone and all ages and there is no need to book in advance  – just come along to the Heart, take a seat and start chatting!

The aim is to have a different theme each month, with different pictures and objects to get the discussion going. Do spread the word if there is anyone you know who might be interested in coming along – feel free to bring a friend.

For any further information email admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Children and the future of the Anchor Building 

Four Pop-up Play Cafes for carers and children aged 0-7, were held at the Heart in March, led by Froebelian Futures (https://www.froebel.ed.ac.uk/) with the support of various local organisations that support Early Years and families, including Homestart and Stepping Stones.

The aim was to gauge community response and around 200 people, adults and children, passed through the doors on each of the four days.

The feedback, which has all been very positive, is currently being evaluated and will inform our next steps. We will let you know!

Moving forward to August, DaddyDayCare will be opening their doors in the Anchor Building as well.

They are now accepting applications for places, so head to their website for all the details – daddydaycareedinburgh.com

Heritage

Meanwhile, HONC has not been neglecting the heritage side of things.

Representatives from the Heart and our partners the Victorian Schoolroom attended a consultation meeting organised by the City’s Museums Services held in the new Victoria Primary School last month.

A small but enthusiastic number of attendees put forward their ideas for working collaboratively and the representatives from the City Council will take away their ideas and work on them.

Similarly, we also attended a preliminary meeting of a new venture called the Edinburgh Local Heritage Network, also being led currently by the City’s Archives, Libraries and Museum Services.

The idea is for different heritage groups around the city to collaborate on exhibitions, events and publicity to make more locals as well as visitors aware of the many and differing heritage strands the area has to offer.

Finally, our Warm & Welcoming mornings (Wednesdays and Saturdays) are becoming popular but we really need more volunteers to help welcome and chat to visitors as well as make them a warming cup of tea or coffee.

If you think you could give a couple of hours a week, particularly on Wednesday mornings, please contact admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Remember to check our website and social media pages regularly for what’s happening around the Heart. 

You’ll find the latest courses being run by Ink on Mesh and our bookbinder Cass, as well as the next date for a Leith Folk Club gathering, by clicking What’s On.

By clicking on Culture & Heritage news, you’ll find an appeal for photo identification and a lovely link between the Heart and the Victorian Schoolroom when the great granddaughter of a former pupil came to visit.

P.S. Save the date:

We’ll be hosting a Family Ceilidh on 29th April, so save the date. 

More details to follow on the website / social media.

Hop To It! Local Care Home residents host Easter Bunny Hunt

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Strachan House care home have been having fantastic fun hiding Easter bunnies all over the place in the Blackhall community for local children to find.

The staff and residents decided to challenge local children to find 12 Easter bunnies that have been hiding in all kinds of different locations all over town.  The children then had to write down the number of each bunny and where they had been found in order to take part in the Easter Bunny Hunt.

General Manager Gordon Philp said: “We’ve all had such fun first of all hiding the bunnies and then receiving the entry forms from all the local children. 

Our residents have had a wonderful time reading all the entry forms and deciding the winners of the Easter bunny hunt.  Of course, all the children were winners in our eyes!”

Alice Kholer, a resident said: “I loved taking part in the Easter bunny hunt, it was such a lovely idea and we were so happy to be able to give Easter surprises to all the winners.  I think the children all had a great time too,” 

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities. 

Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing care, residential care, respite care.

Over £11,000 raised for Pancreatic Cancer Action in memory of Frank McGarvey

Glasgow locals and Celtic supporters came together on Friday 17thMarch 2023 to remember and celebrate the life of football legend Frank McGarvey, raising £11,050 for Pancreatic Cancer Action.

Frank’s close friend Bernie Vallely, who runs ‘Fitba Greats’, teamed up with Robert and Mary from Elders Bar in Tollcross to organise a special St Patrick’s Day gathering. They wanted to create a memorable evening that would honour Frank’s legacy whilst also supporting a worthy cause.

Tickets for the event sold out in record time, with family, friends, and fans of Frank all eager to show their support. Ninety guests attended the evening, which was hosted by Tommy Sheridan, another of Frank’s close friends. Former Celtic Football players Tosh McKinlay and Joe Miller were also in attendance, sharing football memories and stories.

Guests were provided with an opportunity to win a raffle prize of a framed Celtic Football Club shirt, signed by the squad and a very kind guest then offered a very generous donation for a second version to be sourced by ‘Fitba Greats’.

The auction was the main driver of achieving such a fantastic total, with exclusive prizes creating a bidding battle across the packed room!

Prizes included:

  1. Signed framed print of Frank McGarvey
  2. Framed Bertie Ault print
  3. Framed Danny McGrain signed shirt.
  4. Framed Lisbon Lions print signed by 8 Lions.
  5. Framed & signed Celtic double winners’ shirt – Ange’s first season.
  6. 1985 Cup Final Shirt signed by the scorer of the winning goal – Frank McGarvey
  7. Signed by the Boss Ange signed shirt.
  8. Framed & signed Jersey – Captain Callum McGregor

Franks’ son Sean also brought along an additional prize of a signed Celtic shirt kindly donated by Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson.

Fiona Brown, Scottish Development Manager for Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: “I was privileged to meet Frank and his family last year, and it has been heart-warming to see the incredible outpouring of support from across the football community.

“It was lovely to hear people share memories of Frank event, and a wonderful video played on the night showcasing some of Frank’s many footballing highlights certainly triggered a few tears!

“We are very grateful to everyone involved in making the event such a huge success, raising a phenomenal amount of money, and indeed helping raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.”

Bernie Vallely, who runs ‘Fitba Greats’, said: “This was a real team effort, and we are all hopeful that raising the funds we did will massively help Fiona and her team.

“I’m glad we could celebrate Franks’ 67th birthday in such a positive way. Everyone played their part, and a great night was had.”

Jennifer Kane (Frank McGarvey’s daughter) said: “I was so flat on St Patrick’s Day with it being my dad’s birthday and have been missing him so much, but I got such a lift from people’s generosity and stories.

“My dad was so lucky to have pals like Bernie, Robert and Tommy and everyone coming together to raise that much money for a charity now so close to my heart is unbelievable, I know my dad will want us to continue to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, it was an amazing night my dad would have loved it. I can’t wait for next years!” 

For Celtic supporters, 67 represents a special number, and this fundraiser was a fitting way to remember and celebrate Frank McGarvey’s life. It’s heart-warming to see how the Glasgow community has come together to support this cause, and we hope that this event will help raise awareness and support for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with over 10,000 people diagnosed each year. Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates, yet under 8% of those diagnosed will survive for five years or more.

Pancreatic Cancer Action is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and funding research into early detection and treatment. To find out more about their work, visit their website at www.panact.org

Record recruitment at Scottish Ambulance Service

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has recruited a record 1,388 staff and introduced 52 additional ambulances in the past three years as part of its Demand and Capacity Programme.

Launched in 2019, the Demand and Capacity programme is the largest and most complex programme ever undertaken at the Scottish Ambulance Service, with multi-million-pound investment from the Scottish Government enabling hundreds of new A&E staff – Paramedics, Technicians, Ambulance Care Assistants and Advanced Practitioners – to be recruited. 

464 frontline A&E staff have been recruited this financial year, in addition to recruitment of 924 over the previous two years.

Of the 464 this past year, 368 are Trainee Technicians, 33 are Qualified Paramedics, 47 Newly Qualified Paramedics, 6 Advanced Practitioners and 10 Qualified Technicians. 153 were recruited for the East Region, 105 for the North Region and 206 for the West Region.

Over the last three years, the estates element of programme has also enabled the opening of ten new stations, including nine co-locations with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at Ardrossan, Dreghorn, Clarkston, Penicuik, McDonald Road in Edinburgh, Crewe Toll, Sighthill, Bathgate and Aberdeen Central.

Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive Pauline Howie said: “The aim of the Demand and Capacity Programme is to ensure we are working as effectively as possible by having the right resources in place to deliver the most appropriate care for the people of Scotland.

“The increase in staffing and resources, coupled with alignment of shift patterns to patient demand profiles, aims to improve patient safety and staff welfare and has involved a considerable amount of work behind the scenes.

“With demand for our services increasing across the country and additional pressures that have been brought about by the pandemic, this investment has been vital in protecting our response to patients and supporting our existing staff. 

Health Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Our increased investment to support the Scottish Ambulance Service through their Demand and Capacity review is helping to ensure the right resources are in place across the country to deliver a high-quality emergency service to the people of Scotland.

“These additional resources will help support existing staff, who have shown remarkable resilience in the face of sustained pressure over the last three years, and I thank them for their continued dedication and hard work.”

Superheroes Unite! St James Quarter welcomes Comic Con to Edinburgh

Sci-fi fans in Edinburgh are in for a treat as Comic Con is headed to St James Quarter for a free two-day event on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of May. 

Kicking off from 10am on the Saturday, the B3 car park will be transformed into a hub of activity, courtesy of the Big Glasgow Comic Page. The event will take over the entire St James Quarter car park on Level B3 and will feature everything from comic book and memorabilia sellers and workshops to props and gaming.  

A family-friendly event, guests of all ages will be able to take part in a cosplay contest and browse a wide variety of toys and crafts on offer. Comic book fans will also be able to meet their heroes, as stars of the big screen come to life with special meet and greets with the nation’s favourite superheroes and villains.  

With a stellar line-up of activities, this is set to be the biggest comic con event the city has ever seen and promises to be a fun-filled weekend for all.

For more information and tickets, you can visit the BGCP Comic Con event page. 

Flooded people asked to share their experiences for exhibition

The National Flood Forum are joining forces with The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) to create an exhibition highlighting peoples experience of flooding.

The exhibition will take place as part of the Flood & Coast Conference at Telford International Centre in June 2023.

People who have been flooded are being asked to share artwork, poetry and / or photographs that show their experiences of being impacted by floods.  There may also be the opportunity to attend the event and give your personal experience of flooding.

Tracey Garrett, CEO, National Flood Forum, said: “We would like to increase understanding between the industry and those who flood and putting this exhibition of flooded people’s experiences into the Flood and Coast Conference, gives a chance to do just that.’’

Terry Fuller, CEO at CIWEM, said: “We want our conference to place communities at the heart of our thinking and discussions.

“Flood & Coast provides a great opportunity to raise the importance of community engagement amongst the flood risk professionals and decision makers who attend. It is personally important to me that everyone with an interest in flood and coastal risk feels welcome and able to participate”.

For more details and to submit your contribution visit:

https://zealous.co/ciwem2/opportunity/Flood-Coast-2023-Your-flood-experience-story/