Month: October 2023

Ban on wet wipes containing plastic moves closer

Progress towards protecting Scottish waters

Wet wipes containing plastic could be banned as part of proposals to tackle plastic and microplastic pollution.

The consultation, which is being undertaken by all four UK nations, seeks views on a proposed ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of plastic-containing wet wipes across the UK.

Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. Banning these products would help alleviate this issue, as well as reducing the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants when wrongly flushed.

The consultation comes in response to public calls for action to tackle plastic pollution in waterways, and widespread support for the proposed ban.  

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This is very welcome progress towards a goal we all want to achieve: tackling plastic pollution.

“Wet wipes containing plastic are an avoidable and yet a growing source of beach litter. They are unsightly; they pose risks to the environment and wildlife; and annually they contribute to around 36,000 sewer system blockages in Scotland, risking flooding and costing approximately £7 million to clear.

“This is only the first step: legislation alone cannot solve this issue and we all need to be more careful about what we flush. We continue to support Scottish Water’s ‘Nature Calls’ campaign highlighting the impact of inappropriately-flushed items and the damage they cause to our environment.

“We have already successfully delivered a ban on other single-use plastic products such as straws and cutlery – which also contribute to marine litter. This will deliver on a commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and is another important step on our journey towards a truly circular economy.”  

Edinburgh Music School Open Day

SATURDAY 4th NOVEMBER 11am – 2pm

at BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL

Calling all aspiring young musicians 🎶

Develop your potential at our unique City of Edinburgh Music School.

Find out more at our Open Day Sat 4 Nov 11am to 2pm at Broughton High School

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/musicschoolopenday

20,000 and counting: Edinburgh Remakery’s milestone moment

🎉🌟 Exciting Milestone Alert! 🌟🎉

Momentous Moments can sometimes pass you by without pause, but we do want to shout about this one. The Edinburgh Remakery has just refurbished its 20,000th piece of tech in the span of 10 incredible years! 🛠️✨

Amazing, considering that our Tech Team consisted of just one individual at the beginning! Their drive and determination have propelled this project into what it is today – a team of six, working hard to refurbish the donated tech for sale (at very affordable prices) and for gifting to people facing digital poverty. It’s a brilliant testament to sustainability and innovation. 🌏♻️

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that each of these 20,000 refurbished items has been given a new lease on life, extending their usability and diverting them from the clutches of landfill. 💪✨ Every refurbished piece represents a step towards a greener and more sustainable future. 🌱

A huge shoutout to the entire Tech Team for their continued hard work, dedication, and belief in the power of refurbishment. 🙌👏 Let’s celebrate this milestone and continue to drive change towards a more eco-friendly world. Together, we can make a difference, one refurbished tech item at a time! 🌟🌍💚

#Sustainability

#EdinburghRemakery

#MilestoneAchievement

#RepairReuseRelove

#wastelesslivemore

#remakeadifference

Police appeal following theft of oil painting

LORD NELSON PORTRAIT STOLEN IN NEWCRAIGHALL

POLICE are appealing for information after a large oil painting was taken from outside a property in the Quarry Cottages area of Newcraighall.

The incident happened between 1pm and 5pm on Saturday, 30 September, 2023.

The painting is a portrait of Lord Nelson in a gold frame and measures 1.4 metres by 1.4 metres. It is worth a five-figure sum.

Police Constable Richard Bradley said: “This is a large painting that was placed outside as work was being done within a property and the owner wanted to protect it from damage.

“We are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has seen the painting or knows where it is to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3572 of Saturday, 30 September, 2023, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Local charities shortlisted to receive share of £25,000 Scotmid funding

LIFT @ Millenium Centre and the Living Memory Association are two of three good causes across the East of Scotland to have been shortlisted to receive a share of a £25,000 funding pot, thanks to Scotmid’s Community Connect initiative.

The funding will be announced next April, following a vote by Scotmid members.

LIFT @ Millenium Centre offers support to families living in the most deprived areas of Edinburgh or those that are socially or financially vulnerable. The funding from Scotmid will be used to deliver ‘Family Teatime’ sessions, which will provide families an opportunity to eat, play and learn together in a safe and welcoming environment.

The Living Memory Association brings together people that are socially isolated or living with dementia. From their base in Ocean Terminal, the charity offers exhibitions, including The Wee Museum of Memory, as well as recording podcasts and videos. The funding from Scotmid will be used to employ a part-time sessional worker and cover materials needed for their workshops.

Pauline Nicol-Bowie, CEO/Founder of LIFT, said: “We are incredibly thankful to be part of Scotmid’s Community Connect initiative, which will help us expand our ‘Family Teatime’ programme.

“This is a vital part of local communities in North Edinburgh and we look forward to being able to expand our services to support more people.”

Heather Robertson, Service Co-ordinator at Living Memory Association, said: “The Living Memory Association is delighted to be shortlisted for Scotmid’s Community Connect initiative.

“The funding will allow us to develop new projects for older people to celebrate lived experience and combat the loneliness and isolation the community can often face.”

The other charity shortlisted in the East of Scotland is Children’s Clothing Bank Dunfermline, which provides pre-loved good quality and new clothes in a dignified manner for children aged 0-18 years in the local community.

Keen to support local good causes? Pop into your local Scotmid and pay £1 to become a member.

Tens of thousands of young Scots ‘swipe’ to learn more about keeping safe from violence

Fearless – the youth service of Crimestoppers – have reported a huge increase in young people engaging with their recent youth violence and weapon possession campaign.

In just a three-week period, over 33,000 young people in Scotland swiped from Fearless’ latest Snapchat campaign to the charity’s website at Fearless.org Once there, young people were able to learn more about the common myths around weapon carrying, the Law and listen to podcasts from people with lived experience of serious violence.

Dozens of intel reports were submitted 100% anonymously to the charity about people carrying weapons and responsible for other serious crimes.

The campaign was launched in September at Eastbank Academy, Glasgow.

The highly successful Snapchat campaign content was designed entirely by a small group of young people from elsewhere in the city who volunteer with the charity.

Lyndsay McDade, National Youth Projects Coordinator at Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “I’m delighted by the results our youth violence campaign. It shows the sheer scale of young people’s willingness to engage; recognising that the issue of violence and weapon possession needs to improve and wanting to play their part in making their community safer.

“Young people have so much talent to offer. When we focus on a tiny fraction of young people making unsafe choices, it can be easy to forget that the vast majority want to be, and indeed are, part of the solution.

“Fearless provides a very clear call to action for young people. We make it easy to speak up about crime by providing a way to do so 100% anonymously through our website Fearless.org or by calling us on 0800 555 111.

“That means you don’t need to worry about the stigma sometimes associated with reporting, the potential retaliation and so on. We can’t track your IP address or any contact details so nobody will know the information came from you but you will make lives safer.

“I am immensely proud of the service we offer at Fearless.org and how we empower young people in Scotland to feel confident speaking up about crime.”

One young person who was involved in the design of the Snapchat content said: “I know people who are in gangs and have knives and stuff and I know someone my age who was stabbed recently.

“Something needs to be done and I cannae get rid of like the gangs or anything but helping with this was fine. I’m really happy there was a good response.”

Chief Superintendent Derek Frew from Police Scotland’s Partnerships, Preventions and Community Wellbeing Division said: “Carrying or using a knife can have a devastating impact on our communities.

“We remain committed to reducing the number of knife-related offences occurring within Scotland and working with partners to educate young people about the risks and consequences associated with such crimes.

“The Fearless campaign allows young people to anonymously report any concerns they have about someone carrying a knife, which, in turn, allows police to investigate and potentially prevent a violent crime involving a bladed weapon.

“We have been extremely encouraged by the engagement from young people throughout Scotland as part of the campaign and are grateful to those who have come forward and provided Fearless with information, for us to follow up on.”

Save a life! The Restart a Heart campaign aims to save more lives

The Restart a Heart campaign starts today (Mon 16 October), a  lifesaving initiative aiming to help save more lives across Scotland by teaching people vital resuscitation skills which can be used if someone goes into cardiac arrest. 

Around 3,200 people in Scotland have an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) every year with people in deprived areas twice as likely to have one. 

Survival rates for OHCA have doubled in Scotland in the past eight years due to initiatives such as Restart a Heart and the public are being encouraged to sign up so we can improve further.  

Steven Short, the Scottish Ambulance Service’s OHCA Programme Lead, said: “Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest. Early CPR and the use of a defibrillator is essential to increasing the chances of survival. 

“With most cardiac arrests happening at home, knowing CPR and being confident to act could save a loved one’s life. The chances of survival reduces by around 10% for every minute without CPR, so it’s essential that as many people as possible sign up to learn these lifesaving skills. You never know when you might need them.”  

One member of the public who has benefitted is John Hooper, of Milngavie. John, a dad-of one and grandfather of three, was recently reunited with ambulance crew Sophie Barrett and Kayleigh MacDonald, both of Leverndale Ambulance Station, who saved his life after he collapsed while out running outside Clober Golf Club on Craigton Road, Milngavie, on May 18, 2023. 

John said: “Thanks to a neighbour and several bystanders, I was given CPR immediately and a defibrillator was brought out from the golf club. Ambulance service personnel then arrived and continued to give me lifesaving treatment before taking me to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 

“Were it not for the efforts of everyone involved I would not be here today. I am so grateful to your staff. Having performed CPR several times myself when I was an operational fire officer, I never thought it would need to be performed on me.

“My family and me sincerely thank everyone involved and hope they know how much it means to us. I am still here to be with them. I’ll be forever grateful.” 

John is pictured with Sophie, on the left, and Kayleigh

Find out more and get ‘CPR ready’ by visiting www.savealife.scot 

£750,000 to support relief projects in Libya and Gaza

International Development Minister Christina McKelvie has pledged new funding from the Scottish Government to support projects providing access to clean water, food and shelter in Gaza and Libya.

Ms McKelvie has confirmed the Scottish Government will provide £500,000 towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) flash appeal in response to the ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip.

The UNRWA’s appeal is urgently seeking funds to respond to the immediate food, health, shelter and protection needs of up to 250,000 people seeking safety in UNRWA shelters in Gaza and another 250,000 Palestine refugees within the community.

A further £250,000 will also be allocated through the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) to support relief efforts in Libya, following deadly flooding in September. More than 4,000 are reported to have died in the flooding and this number is expected to increase with around 10,000 people still missing.    

Ms McKelvie said: “Our thoughts are with all the innocent people caught in the middle of escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza. The Scottish Government reiterates the call from the First Minister and the UN Secretary-General for a humanitarian corridor to be established so that urgent assistance can be given to those civilians who are trapped, helpless and cannot leave.

“Many thousands of people in Libya are also still dealing with the impact of major flooding following dam collapses in the aftermath of Storm Daniel and our thoughts are also with them and their families, as work to provide essential aid, such as food, clean water and shelter, continues in those areas worst affected.”

UNRWA Director of External Relations and Communications Tamara Alrifai said: “This generous contribution is an incredibly humane gesture towards tens of thousands of people who are in utter distress in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA is very grateful for the show of support by Scotland and will use every penny to help alleviate the suffering of civilian women, children and men in Gaza.”

First Minister calls for Gaza humanitarian corridor