FREE EVENT AT EASTER ROAD STADIUM TOMORROW
HIBERNIAN Community Foundation is hosting an event at Easter Road through Older Peoples Week! The Older Peoples Activity Day is a FREE event taking place between 12pm – 4pm tomorrow (Thursday 5 October).
For further information or to book your place for this event, contact lewis@hiberniancf.org
More than TEN TIMES as many people waited over 12 hours in Scottish A&Es in August 2023 than in August 2019 – an increase branded ‘dangerous and shameful’ by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
The figure has been calculated using data published yesterday (3 October 2023) by Public Health Scotland and reveals how many people visited a major Emergency Department in Scotland in August 2023.
When compared with August 2019 (pre-pandemic) they show the number of people waiting:
The data for August 2023 shows:
Visualisations for the data are available here.
Responding to the figures, Dr John-Paul Loughrey, RCEM Vice President for Scotland, said: “When you compare figures month-on-month you only get a snapshot of what is happening, but when you take a longer view it reveals the bigger, much more concerning picture.
“To think that in just three years we have seen the percentage of people experiencing extreme waits increasing so significantly is shocking.
“But worse than that it is shameful, and it is dangerous. We know long waits increase the risk of people dying.
“The system is stretched to beyond capacity. Nobody wants to be in this situation – not patients and certainly not clinicians. And this should not be blamed on the pandemic – it is symptomatic of a much wider issue.
“In the short term, we need decisive and urgent action from the Scottish Government to avert what is looking like an inevitable winter A&E crisis, but we also need and effective long-term strategy to reverse this unacceptable situation.”
Two police officers killed in the line of duty have been honoured with posthumous Brave@Heart Awards by the First Minister.
Constable George Taylor was murdered in 1976 after two restricted patients absconded from the State Hospital in Carstairs. Detective Sergeant Ross Hunt was killed in 1983 in South Lanarkshire as he investigated a knife attack.
The officers are among 24 members of the emergency services and the public to receive Brave@Heart Awards this year.
The awards recognise acts of bravery and heroism across Scotland, with nominations made by the emergency services, and winners selected by an independent validation panel. Four of this year’s winners also received the St Andrew’s Award for acts of exceptional bravery.
Brave@Heart award winners include two supermarket workers who tackled a knife-wielding attacker, two schoolboys whose quick thinking saved the day when members of their families suffered medical emergencies, and an off-duty firefighter who entered a burning block of flats and led residents to safety.
First Minister Humza Yousaf, who presented the awards at a ceremony in Edinburgh Castle, said: “The courage and heroism shown by the award-winners is truly humbling. In every case, they didn’t hesitate to act when it came to helping others.
“I was particularly honoured to present posthumous Brave@Heart Awards to the families of Constable Taylor and Detective Sergeant Hunt.
“These officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect other people and, tragically, they paid with their lives.
“They are true heroes whose bravery and sacrifice has been overlooked for far too long. I also commend the courage and determination of the families and colleagues who have campaigned over the years for the officers’ heroism to be properly recognised.”
Brave@Heart Validation Panel Chair David Garbutt said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to chair the panel considering the nominations for these awards, recognising the fantastic achievements of people throughout Scotland who have shown courage and selflessness in helping others and keeping our communities safe.”
The Home of Halloween, the Edinburgh Dungeons, is inviting guests to witness its new spine-tingling show, ‘The Death Cell’.
Running from 7th October until Halloween, the limited-time show transports guests back 100 years to October 1923, when the last prisoner was hung in Edinburgh’s notorious Calton Jail.
Traitors will immerse themselves in some of the most horrifying history as they delve into the dark and dreary past of the imposing fortress, with some of the worst conditions ever encountered in prisons. But beware, as the bodies of ten souls, which were left to rot under the foundations of the building, are still buried under the stones to this day!
Peasants can expect blood-curling frights, eerie occurrences and spectacular special effects as the stories of these fateful souls who haunt the prison walls play out in front of their eyes.
The Edinburgh Dungeons is renowned for taking guests deep into the depths of Edinburgh’s local history, and this spine-tingling show is set to provide another fearsome fright!
Simon Beattie, General Manager at The Edinburgh Dungeons, said: “The Dungeons are known as being the home of Halloween and this year is no different. We’re offering our most haunting show yet with The Death Cell.
“Traitors who dare to visit the Dungeons during Halloween will need nerves of steel as they are transported to Edinburgh’s eerie Calton Jail to face the wrath of the ten trapped souls.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming peasants to this devilishly dark experience, whether or not they make it out is yet to be decided!”
For further information and to book a visit to The Edinburgh Dungeons and watch The Death Cell, please visit the website here:
https://www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh/whats-inside/events/the-death-cell/
UKBG CONTINUES SERIES OF EVENTS CELEBRATING EUROPEAN QUALITY FOOD AND DRINK WITH EDINBURGH’S HEY PALU PLAYING HOST TO EXCLUSIVE MASTERCLASS IN SCOTLAND’S CAPITAL
Historic Guild are working on a series of activities to bring the joy of the Mediterranean Aperitivo Moment to UK Hospitality.
The UK Bartenders Guild has announced a host of activities aimed at raising awareness of European quality products and the Mediterranean ritual of aperitivo with British bartenders and consumers.
The programme, delivered by the Guild, together with the beneficiaries of the Mediterranean Aperitivo Programme (MAP), champions quality European food and drink producers whilst aiming to educate and engage the UK’s hospitality professionals about this age-old lifestyle.
The campaign heads to Edinburgh’s award-winning bar Hey Palu on October 4th with a masterclass hosted by Elon Soddu of London’s Amaro Bar. Elon will take attendees on a journey to learn about the simple joy of the time-honoured ritual of the Mediterranean aperitivo.
The masterclass will showcase unique ingredients sourced from Italy and Greece to demonstrate the quality of European produce and the perfect moment of consumption to enjoy them. The masterclasses will include tastings of Vermouth di Torino PGI, Pecorino Toscano PDO, PGI Costa d’Amalfi Lemon and Olives from Greece.
Register for the free masterclass here.
The Mediterranean Aperitivo Programme (MAP) is a project that sees the participation of European food and drink producers dedicated to communicating the various benefits of a Mediterranean lifestyle and the ritual of drinking an aperitivo to consumers and hospitality professionals in three target countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
The programme of masterclasses and events around the UK began in September in London with further classes taking place in Southampton, Leeds and Edinburgh. They are open for all UKBG members to register for and attend and are completely free to join.
They include tastings, demonstrations and networking opportunities. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis however members can still attend the sessions via a live stream if all on-site places have been allocated. Membership to the UKBG is free via the website https://ukbartendersguild.co.uk/.
Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will follow, and is due to take place throughout the UK between 23rd and 29th October.
A consumer awareness campaign, the week is designed to highlight European-quality products through the ritual of an aperitivo, which began as a social phenomenon to end one’s work day and begin the evening. To this day, aperitivo is still an integral part of Mediterranean culture.
Partner venues who participate in Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will receive complimentary stock and are asked to create a signature serve to promote throughout the week to visitors.
Among the products included, Vermouth di Torino PGI is world-renowned for the tradition and history of its production; an aromatised wine created in the 18th century at the foot of the Alps.
The Consorzio del Vermouth di Torino is the ruler of the world’s most important Vermouth, the oldest and the only one with a protected designation of origin. Based in Turin, Italy, the consortium aims to promote and protect the traditional production methods and quality standards of Vermouth from the region.
Pecorino Toscano PDO is considered one of the best Italian specialty foods; produced exclusively with whole sheep’s milk from the region of Tuscany.
The Consortium of Pecorino Toscano PDO is dedicated to the upholding of the tradition and quality of this Tuscan cheese. Its main objective is to safeguard the authenticity and geographical origin of Pecorino Toscano PDO. Through strict regulations and rigorous inspections, the Consortium ensures that each wheel is crafted following time-honoured methods and using local sheep’s milk.
This dedication to excellence and preservation of heritage has earned Pecorino Toscano PDO worldwide recognition and admiration from cheese connoisseurs and culinary enthusiasts alike.
Costa d’Amalfi Lemons PGI are defined by their intense aroma, a tapered shape, a juicy pulp and almost no seeds. Today, about 100,000 tonnes are harvested every year – with each and every one hand-picked.
OP Costieragrumi De Riso represents the Costa d’Amalfi PGI Lemon. The area of the Amalfi Coast, recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, includes the hanging gardens that stretch from the sea to the slopes of the Lattari mountains.
The cooperative was established to give a voice to many small producers by helping to market lemons, providing phytosanitary assistance, and establishing a Product Specification. Doing so allowed everyone to follow the same rules regarding fertilisation resulting in a genuine product which is unique thanks to its edible peel.
Lastly, the olives are grown in Greece. Recognised worldwide for their quality, given by specific climatic and territorial characteristics, their natural, balanced taste and good texture can be attributed to the simplicity of their production.
The Agri-food Partnership of the Region of Western Greece is a non-profit company whose members include public and private sector stakeholders. Its cluster consists of about 100 partners. The main partner is the Region of Western Greece, who owns 49% of the shares and chairs the Board of Directors.
This network of the agri-food chain in Western Greece tries to support communities, so they can produce heritage varieties, and, therefore, the Agri-Food Partnership is the Region of Western Greece main tool to promote the agricultural products in national and international markets.
The chosen charity partner for the project this year is The Drinks Trust. The Drinks Trust is a charity dedicated to the drinks and hospitality workforce. It strives to empower our industry people through services designed to assist financially, restore well-being and develop skills, and to do so with compassion and respect. In doing so, The Drinks Trust seeks to create an equitable industry where opportunities to thrive are open to all.
£1 from every Mediterranean Aperitivo drink served during Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will be donated to The Drinks Trust.
For more information, or to nominate your venue to take part in Mediterranean Aperitivo Week, please contact Adamo Varbaro at map@ukbartendersguild.co.uk.
Claudia Carrozzi, president of the UKBG, said; “We are excited to be partnering with the Mediterranean Aperitivo Programme on this exciting project. Aperitivo is growing in popularity across the UK and with this campaign we hope to bring alive just why to our members.
“We are dedicated to education and training across the industry and hope to provide bartenders and restaurateurs with the knowledge they need to provide authentic aperitivo that their customers will love alongside the story behind the rituals to help to educate and engage them on a deeper level.”
Roberto Bava, President of Consorzio del Vermouth di Torino, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with UKBG in order to spread the word of Mediterranean Aperitivo in the UK.
“Europe plays a key role in safeguarding the quality of its products and the four products that are a part of the Mediterranean Aperitivo campaign are a genuine example of quality.
“Bartenders, trade professionals and consumers all over the UK will have the chance to discover traditions behind olive grooving, the history and peculiarities of Pecorino Toscano and the unique scent of the “sfusato” from Amalfi. Of course, everything will be paired with Vermouth di Torino, an agricultural product with a century-long history, the real king of the aperitivo.”
The UK Bartenders Guild (UKBG) is one of the leading professional associations for the bar and hospitality sector. It is one of the UK’s longest running trade guilds and renowned for its integrity and distinction, is rebranding, with the intention of becoming the leader in future thinking within the hospitality sector.
Focusing on the three main principles: community, education and value, the UKBG works with industry leaders and members alike, in order to form the UK’s most revered platform for bartenders and brands.
The guild was founded in 1934 by industry professionals from some of London’s finest venues, the Guild set out to be a trade association of mutual benefit, to provide training, assistance with employment, as well as set industry standards and chair cocktail competitions.
It went on to become a founding member of the International Bartenders Association, which continues to represent bartenders all over the world.
To find out more please visit https://ukbartendersguild.co.uk/
A trailblazing woman, who was Edinburgh’s first ever female police driver, was welcomed back to her old beat on Friday (29 September), 70-years on from beginning her career.
Mary d’Arcy Kincaid, 91, broke gender barriers when she applied to become a trained police driver in 1956, having seen an advert encouraging officers to apply.
The advert had been intended to attract male applicants, but as no gender had been stated, Mary applied and following discussion with the Chief Inspector, she was accepted onto the course.
Mary would then go on to be one of four women from Scotland to take up a 12-month secondment opportunity in Cyprus in 1957 where she would help with the recruitment and training of female Cypriot officers, work within the control room and assist with the searching of women stopped at roadblocks. During this time she was promoted to Sergeant.
Upon her return to Edinburgh in 1958, she went back to working in the Southside before joining CID in 1960. In 1961, she was one of two women and four men selected to form the city’s Crime Team.
After leaving policing, Mary would later serve as a Magistrate in Westminster and now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband of 53 years.
Speaking of her time in uniform, Mary said: “I was so excited when I sat my entrance exams and passed, and so began my City of Edinburgh Police journey. When the memo circulated inviting applications for police drivers, I thought, why not – after all, they had not specified male or female Constables, so took my chance.
“I loved driving, and knew I could do it well, as part of my role. Despite some reluctance from some colleagues, I couldn’t believe it when I was invited to go for my driver training.
“I passed with flying colours, and so my driving as a Police Constable began. This really meant that I no longer needed a male Police Constable to drive me to a job, take a bus, or walk – I could drive one of the many CID vehicles.”
Senior officers, including Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond, were in attendance at St Leonards Police Station to greet Mary and her family before taking her on a tour of her former beat.
Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond paid tribute to the former officer for leading change for women in policing.
ACC Bond said: “Welcoming Mary and listening to her experiences and perspective was a real pleasure.
“Much has changed to improve the representation of women in all ranks and roles in policing over the course of the last few decades thanks to inspirational figures like Mary, quite literally, driving progress.
“Police Scotland is absolutely determined to continue to build on the progress led by trailblazers like Mary, to address sexism and discrimination in policing and across society and improve experiences for our officers and staff and the people who we serve,”
Cala Homes (East) has installed a bench at the Cammo Meadows development to help boost mental health awareness, providing a space for locals and residents to take some time out of their day for a quiet moment of reflection.
A second bench has been installed by David Wilson Homes East Scotland who, alongside Cala Homes (East), have jointly funded the benches.
Cala Homes (East) has placed its bench in a quiet corner, at the western edge of the development, beside a local woodland walk and cycle path to provide picturesque views of the historic Cammo Estate.
An inscribed plaque will clearly display contact information for Breathing Space, a free telephone service which aims to help those in Scotland who are experiencing anxiety, stress or feeling low.
Peter McNamara Site Manager at Cala Homes’ (East) Cammo Meadows development, said: “We are delighted to unveil this Breathing Space bench at Cammo Meadows. The bench will act as a reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health, and we hope that residents use it for moments of peaceful reflection.
“Its position beside the Cammo Estate is also something we took into consideration, as it means it’s not just those who live at Cammo Meadows, but also the wider community are able to use the bench, not just those that live within the development. This gives everyone a chance to benefit from this peaceful setting and take some time out.”
Tony McLaren, National Co-ordinator for Breathing Space, said: “The benches we have installed help the spread of positivity, as well as encouraging people to reach out to those who need it most. By adding the plaque with our phone number, we hope to make more people aware of the helpline which is available on weekday evenings and 24 hours at weekends. Those looking to speak to a Breathing Space advisor can call 0800 83 85 87.
“We hope the residents and the whole community at Cammo Meadows and surrounding area are able to enjoy the bench, in this serene and calm setting, and that it has a positive impact on the local community.”
Anne Ross, sales director at David Wilson Homes East Scotland, part of Barratt Developments Scotland, said: “The new Breathing Space bench at our Cammo Meadows development is a welcome addition to the site, providing a space for the local community to relax and find a moment of calm amidst busy schedules.
“Residents and locals experiencing anxiety, stress or who are feeling low can also find contact details for a free telephone service on each bench’s plaque. It might not seem much, but these two small corners of calm are a positive step in supporting and shifting the stigma surrounding mental health.”
To learn more about Cammo Meadows, or to request a viewing, call 0131 5156 4399 or visit: https://www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/scotland/edinburgh/cammo-meadows
To learn more about the portfolio of properties developed by Cala Homes (East), visit www.cala.co.uk/east-of-scotland/
This #LibrariesWeek Scottish Book Trust is celebrating the profound impact school libraries have on shaping the lives of our children, through nurturing a love for reading and supporting wider wellbeing:
An Edinburgh Napier University cyber project has been backed by new funding to explore ways of combatting phone-based impersonation and imposter scams – which cause substantial financial losses, privacy breaches and distress to people around the world.
LastingAsset, which began as a crypto asset security concept, has secured £200,000 in funding from Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spinout Programme and £20,000 from The Data Lab.
The LastingAsset team at ENU’s School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE) will now use the technology behind that original idea and spend the next year working with pilot customers to refine their anti-fraud product, before taking it to market.
Among other privacy features, it uses encryption technology to prevent rogue actors from impersonating an organisation’s phone number to dupe victims.
According to the UK Government’s latest fraud strategy, unsuspecting individuals and organisations lost £2.35bn through fraud in 2021, with the banking and finance industry losing £1.3bn.
Project leader Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh said: “Our research team were initially working on a custodial solution for crypto assets. While this remains a problem that needs addressing, we wanted to provide a solution to a more pressing societal challenge. This is when we pivoted to using the same underlying technologies to address the problem of impersonation phone call scams.
“In today’s modern digital world, businesses often find themselves unable to effectively protect their customers from cyber fraud, which tarnishes their reputation and their ability to use the voice calls effectively.
“The LastingAsset solution uses blockchain and homomorphic encryption technologies to effectively combat phone number spoofing, voice-based impersonation and cloning scams, without requiring the organisation to build a new security infrastructure.
“With this, any organisation that communicates with their customers by voice can assure customers that they are speaking with a genuine representative and not a scammer.”
Nanik Ramchandani of Imagine Ventures, who leads the project’s commercial team, said: “We are beginning trials with two pilot customers and opening our waiting list for additional pilots.
“It is going to be an incredibly exciting and rewarding journey over the coming months, as we translate our proof of concept and vision into a valuable offering to clients and stop scammers from defrauding fellow citizens.”
Recently named one of the top 10 universities in the UK for spin-out activity, ENU has supported the creation of many cyber spin-out businesses over the last 10 years, including Cyacomb, MemCrypt, Symphonic Software and ZoneFox. Four years ago, the university created the first identity lab in the world, the Blockpass ID Lab, which has focused on creating more trustworthy systems.
Supporting LastingAsset’s progression from research project to a spin-out business is ENU’s Professor Bill Buchanan, alongside Dr Cathy Higginson, Business Development and Relationship Manager at the University’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise department.
This latest funding received from Scottish Enterprise and The Data Lab will help the LastingAsset project team to integrate their solution with multiple early pilot customers.
Over the next eight to 12 months, they expect to work with more than 30 initial pilot customers in securing their voice communication. This process will allow the team to refine the architecture of their product; test their solution and increase its credibility. At the end of this period, they anticipate product-market fit and the ability to rapidly scale their offering.
Through Scottish Enterprise’s High-Growth Spinout Programme, LastingAsset is receiving £200,000 in funding, building upon £74,948 which was awarded in 2022.
Leah Pape, Head of High Growth Services at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Edinburgh Napier University has an enviable track record of producing companies whose products and platforms direct cutting-edge technological advancements into efforts to combat increasingly sophisticated fraudsters.
“Our grant builds on the funding and advice provided previously to LastingAsset at its earliest stages and underlines Scottish Enterprise’s commitment to supporting the development of the high-growth industries of the future.”
The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, also recently funded £20k to help LastingAsset develop their proof of concept.
Brian Hills, CEO of The Data Lab, said: “Online scamming can have devastating impacts on unsuspecting victims’ finances and mental wellbeing, with recent advances in AI exacerbating the problem.
“Preventing people from falling victim to these crimes in the first place is key. The Data Lab were delighted to support the LastingAsset team at Edinburgh Napier University to develop their groundbreaking technology further to tackle online scamming and reduce the number of victims and financial losses.”
A Harvest Thanksgiving service, organised by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS,) took place on Sunday 1st October at St Giles Cathedral to give thanks for an abundant harvest, raise awareness about the importance of Scottish agriculture and pay tribute to the hardworking farmers who make it all possible.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables were also on display, generously provided by local farmers from East and West Lothian, and were donated to charities including The Salvation Army, Cyrenians and Social Bite. The combine and tractor were provided by RHASS Director Bill Gray of Prestonhall Farm.
The Harvest Thanksgiving was led by Rev Sigrid Marten, Associate Minister of St Giles’ Cathedral.
She said: “We are very excited that we have been able to work closely together with the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland to highlight the vital role that Scottish farmers play in providing great quality food.
“Bringing farming equipment to the Royal Mile is one way to remind us of our dependence on those who work hard to produce our food.”
For further information about the work of RHASS, visit rhass.org.uk
