If you have a cold or cold-like symptoms, the best thing you can do for yourself and others is stay home and rest
If you have a sore throat, but can eat and drink and don’t have a very high temperature, it’s likely to be a common virus.
For advice: http://ow.ly/nmh250MfoU0
As the nation sees in the New Year with celebratory fireworks, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is advising owners on how to keep their pets safe during the celebrations.
Firework noise can reach up to 150 decibels and pets can be particularly sensitive to noise, meaning New Year’s Eve can be traumatic for them. Luckily there are some simple things that can be done around the house to prevent unnecessary stress for dogs, cats and other pets.
Five top tips to help keep your pets calm during New Year’s Eve:
British Veterinary Association President Anna Judson, said: “New Year celebrations can be a frightening time for pets. Parties and gatherings often mean an increase in visitors and noise and a disruption to their usual routines.
“When we add in the anxiety caused by New Year’s Eve fireworks, it’s not surprising that many animals become unsettled and even distressed.
“We recommend that all owners make themselves aware of the specific symptoms of noise phobia in their animal and take steps to minimize the impact of fireworks and other festivities on their pets.”
Signs of distress can vary among different animals and some pets may display quite subtle signs, including restlessness, changes to facial expression, panting, drooling, reluctance to be on their own, toileting in the house or other changes in behaviour. However, in severe cases they may become very agitated or even destructive in their attempts to escape, with the most extreme cases requiring veterinary care.
If your pet is severely distressed by fireworks, a visit to your vet for some short-term treatment as well as to make plans with for a longer-term solution should be considered. A phobia of fireworks can often be effectively treated with behaviour-modification techniques, administered with professional input, and owner commitment and patience. Visit your vet to discuss treatment options and for a potential referral for behaviour therapy.
New stores set to open in Broughty Ferry, Straiton and Castle Douglas in 2024, with Aldi’s investment leading to 500 new jobs
Aldi has confirmed it will continue its expansion in Scotland, with plans to invest more than £56m over the next two years, opening three new stores in Broughty Ferry, Straiton and Castle Douglas next year.
The move supports the discount retailer’s growth ambitions and will allow it to meet consumer demands for outstanding quality and the lowest value in Scotland.
In 2023, Aldi became Scotland’s third-biggest supermarket by volume, moving it ahead of Morrisons and Sainsbury’s for the first time. According to recently published Kantar data, Aldi’s share of the grocery market had increased from 9.7% in November 2022 to 10.6% in November 2023[1].
Aldi has soared in popularity in recent years and welcomed more customers than ever before through its doors, with an additional 5 million customers this year.
In addition to the new stores in 2024, the supermarket has also committed to extend five of its existing stores, including Erskine, Port Glasgow and Alexandria over the next two years.
Having been crowned Employer of the Year at the Scotland Food and Drinks Excellence Awards 2023, the investment will see Aldi increase its employees in Scotland by over 10% in 2024.
Aldi also recently committed to a New Year pay rise, making it the first supermarket in the UK to offer rates in line with the Real Living Wage. It will also guarantee store and warehouse colleagues pay of at least £12 an hour.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said: “2023 was another excellent year for Aldi Scotland, and I am extremely proud that our presence within the Scottish market has continued to be recognised and celebrated.
“We remain committed to the strong relationships we have built with our Scottish suppliers, allowing our customers the opportunity to purchase locally sourced, high-quality Scottish products at affordable prices.
“As we look to the new year, we remain committed to reaching more customers than ever before, with the opening of more stores and increased investment in Scotland. Next year will be extra special for us as we mark 30 years since we opened our first store in Scotland on Glencairn Street in Kilmarnock.
“Whether it’s enhancing our product offerings, maintaining the lowest prices, supporting our dedicated teams, or contributing to the communities we serve – every investment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to Scotland.”
Aldi was commended for its selection of quality, locally sourced Scottish produce in 2023. Its Toradh Scottish Seville Orange Gin was awarded Gold by The Spirits Business’ Gin Masters blind tasting, while its Specially Selected All Butter Shortbread Rounds won Gold in the Christmas Category at the Quality Food Awards.
Known for its longstanding commitment to supporting community initiatives, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund, which has donated nearly £400,000 to amateur sports clubs to date, will continue in 2024. The retailer’s popular Supermarket Sweep initiative will also return for its ninth year. More than £10,000 was donated to Scottish foodbanks through the initiative in 2023.
In November, Aldi announced a new partnership with Age Scotland, encouraging shoppers to submit festive greetings to help combat loneliness amongst the elderly this winter.
As football fans across the city look forward to the Edinburgh Derby tonight on the 27th December, the four-legged residents of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home have donned both teams’ colours. They don’t mind who you support, they would just love to watch by your side.
In 2023, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has seen a record number of requests to surrender pets or access support from their pet foodbanks.
Getting in the matchday spirit, Alfie a 4-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat, Copper a 7-month-old German Shorthaired Pointer, Peter a 12-year-old Lurcher, Lily and Daisy 1.5-year-old Jack Russel x Poodles, and finally Reggie and Ronnie a pair of 8-year-old Jack Russels, have been sporting the famous colours of both Edinburgh teams.
Lindsay Fyffe Jardine, CEO of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “We know how much football means to people across Scotland, ahead of the Edinburgh Derby we wanted to highlight that our residents who are looking for a new home, don’t care who you support, they just want to be by your side.
“This year we have seen a record number of surrender requests as well as a significant increase in the need for pet food bank support. Winter is especially difficult for us, and we are extremely grateful to anyone who can donate towards our winter appeal, or able to give a pet a loving home.”
The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.
They recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.
To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit:
OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.
Garden Centre hosts free indoor gardening session to start the New Year
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is kicking off the new year by inviting gardeners in Edinburgh to join its free Grow How session, learning some top tips on cultivating indoor microgreens.
Taking place on Saturday 6 January at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, the session will showcase how easy it is to grow microgreens including basil, coriander and arugula. Dobbies’ gardening experts will provide seasoned gardeners and novices alike with practical knowledge to successfully nurture these nutrient rich herbs at home.
Microgreens can be grown all year round in almost any container, from recycled cans to seed trays, and should be ready to harvest a few weeks after seeding if moisture and light are maintained. They can be harvested by snipping them just above the soil line and then added to any dish to add flavour.
As well as giving advice on how to grow these amazing greens, the Dobbies Edinburgh Grow How session will also highlight the tools required for a thriving indoor garden.
Dobbies’ Senior Houseplant Buyer, Claire Bishop, has a passion for indoor gardening and loves how versatile microgreens are. She said: “Microgreens are not only a tasty addition to the kitchen but a great way to get the whole family involved in an activity.
“There are plenty microgreens to try growing at home and they are very easy to care for, which those attending can learn about at Dobbies’ Edinburgh session.
“I’d recommend reusing a food tub or any container of your choice then lining the bottom with cut felt or kitchen roll for effective water retention before filling it with compost. Make a shallow hole in the compost with your finger, then sow an equally spaced line of microgreens seeds.
“Remember to position your microgreens in a bright spot as this will help them flourish and grow. Make sure to keep the growing seeds consistently moist, and taste test as the plant grows and the flavours develop, so you know when the time is right for harvesting.”
To learn more about Dobbies’ Grow How Sessions, please visit Events | Dobbies Garden Centres
The Fire Brigades Union has warned that a government plan to deregulate furniture regulations could cost dozens of lives every year.
As shoppers gathered for Boxing Day sales on sofas and other furniture, the union is warning that unless the ministers change course, decades of safety regulations could be lost.
Under the current rules – introduced as the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 – manufacturers must submit furniture to independent testing on flammability. The regulations are estimated to have saved between 50 and 70 lives per year.
But now the Westminster government has proposed scrapping these rules in favour of a voluntary regime. Consultation on the plans closed earlier this year and ministers are now considering proposals.
The union warned that the government was using the pretext of dealing with lithium batteries and other hazards to launch a dangerous programme of deregulation.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “As members of the public shop for furniture in this year’s Boxing Day sales, they should be aware the UK government is planning to scrap crucial safety regulations on furniture.
“The Westminster government wants to scrap mandatory flammability tests for furniture, opening the door for manufacturers to sell furniture that may be hazardous.
“Research shows that the current regulations save 50 to 70 lives every single year. The Fire Brigades Union fought for decades to put them in place.
“The arrival of lithium batteries and other hazards points to the need for more regulation, not less. But the UK government is putting the interests of profit and big business over the safety of the rest of us.
“We had hoped that the Grenfell Tower disaster would make ministers wake up to the dangers of profit driven de-regulation. It seems they have learned nothing.
“Ministers must think again.”
Landmarks across Scotland shone green on the longest night of the year in support of the NSPCC and its Childline counselling service, which will be there for children across the country this Christmas.
Buildings and landmarks lit up on Friday, December 22, for the charity, including the Falkirk Wheel, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura as a reminder that the Childline offers a beacon of light to young people in their darkest hours.
Other sites in Scotland that lit up for the NSPCC include Dalkeith Country Park, West Lothian Civic Centre, Dundee Science Centre, Marischal College, Aberdeen and the Titan Crane in Clydebank.
Also, on December 22, people across the country took part in the NSPCC’s Walk for Children – a 5k fundraiser.
Caroline Renton, NPSCC Scotland Fundraising Manager, said: “Our Childline service is expecting a child to contact them every 45 seconds this Christmas.
“For children facing abuse, the winter nights are dark, long and lonely, and we want all children to know that Childline is here for them, even on the darkest nights.
“We’re grateful to everyone who raised funds through walking and all those who helped with lighting up these landmarks and buildings as a reminder that Childline is here throughout the Christmas period.”
Childline counsellors are on hand around the clock to talk to young people throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day.
With schools closing their doors and children having reduced contact with wider support networks over the festive season, many vulnerable children face increased risks at home.
For those children and young people for whom Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline.
Childline delivered 240 counselling sessions to children in Scotland during the 12 days of Christmas last year1.
During this period, Childline delivered more than 1,000 high-risk counselling sessions across the UK, with 64% of high-risk calls and web chats during that period coming in after dark. Childline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even over Christmas.
Last year, hundreds of people walked 5k on the longest night of the year and raised over £100,000 to help fund vital NSPCC services, like Childline.
UK tipplers will soon be able to purchase ‘pint’ sized bottles of still and sparkling wine, as a new 568ml size is introduced to Britain’s supermarket shelves, pubs, clubs and restaurants, the Department for Business and Trade has announced today (27th December).
The move to introduce the 568ml size would sit alongside the 200ml and 500ml measures already available, offering more flexibility and choice for customers.
The UK’s wine sector is set for the boost as part of the Government’s smarter regulation programme to ensure regulations are up to date and agile,. The move comes following engagement with the industry, with businesses now being able to sell prepacked still and sparkling wine in 500ml and 200ml sizes as well as a new 568ml ‘pint’ quantity.
900 vineyards are set to benefit from the new freedoms, boosting production and supporting British businesses, which currently produce around 12.2 million bottles of still or sparkling wine a year*.
These optional reforms from Government are thanks to our new Brexit freedoms via the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and are wholeheartedly backed by industry wanting to reduce burdensome regulations.
The changes will help to boost innovation, increase business freedoms and improve choice for consumers.
Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business Kevin Hollinrake said: “Innovation, freedom and choice – that’s what today’s announcement gives to producers and consumers alike.
“Our exit from the EU was all about moments just like this, where we can seize new opportunities and provide a real boost to our great British wineries and further growing the economy.”
Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB said: “We welcome the chance to be able to harmonise still and sparkling bottle sizes and we are happy to raise a glass to the greater choice that allows UK producers for domestic sales.
“The Windsor Framework also means that newly packaged wine will be able to be sold by bars, restaurants and retailers in Northern Ireland – with products able to move in what is known as the retail “Green Lane”, under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.”
In addition to announcing the deregulatory measure on wine, the Government has published a response to the consultation Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales. Following the extensive consultation, the Government has decided not to introduce any new legislation in this area. But new guidance has been issued to promote awareness and use of imperial measurements.
The Government will continue to keep this legislative framework under consideration, as part of a wider review of metrology EU derived legislation.
Research also found a third of organisations were dipping into reserves
An overwhelming majority of charities in Scotland have reported financial challenges as their biggest source of concern. The Scottish Third Sector Tracker has found 7 in 10 charities cite financial challenges as their biggest challenge, up significantly in just two years.
Data from the tracker observes the emergence of the sector from the Covid-19 pandemic through 2021, followed by the development of the cost-of-living crisis and associated organisational concerns during 2022 and 2023.
Throughout the waves of research, the frequency with which organisations have reported financial challenges has hugely increased, and in the most recent data collection (April 2023), these were the most frequently reported challenges (71%), compared to just less than half of respondents (47%) just two years ago.
It is concerning that a third of organisations reported having made use of their financial reserves in the 3 months leading into April 2023, an increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Almost half (44%) of the organisations using their financial reserves believed that this situation is unsustainable.
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “Charities, community groups and social enterprises can be financially fragile at the best of times, and the Tracker research clearly demonstrates that we are currently far from the best of times.
“We are seeing that voluntary organisations are experiencing more financial challenges now than they did during the pandemic due to rising costs, particularly of energy and wages.
“Voluntary organisations make an invaluable contribution to Scotland’s social and economic fabric and the people, communities and causes they support are experiencing more pressures than ever before. Public giving of money and time have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis and we are seeing many organisations having to dip into their reserves just to keep going.
“Reserves are there as a safety net and are not meant to prop up business as usual. It’s akin to households having to buy their groceries on a credit card, simply storing up more problems for the future and threatening their medium to long-term viability.
“Everyone can play a part in supporting the sector, whether it is government and councils ensuring there is fair and sustainable funding in place, philanthropic funders investing their money wisely and the public giving when they can.
“A good start would be Scottish Government passing on the money that the UK Government allocated for energy bills relief to see charities through the winter months.”
The Scottish Third Sector Tracker is a growing research community made up of representatives from third sector organisations based across the whole of Scotland, who are willing to share their experiences, views and concerns as the sector faces both new and ongoing challenges.
The Tracker is run by an independent research company called DJS Research on behalf of SCVO, the Scottish Government, the William Grant Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund.
Those involved in the running of a third sector organisation operating in Scotland are invited to represent their organisation as a member of the Scottish Third Sector Tracker.
An Executive Summary of the Scottish Third Sector Tracker’s First Phase of research can be found here:
Torchlight procession road closures
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay takes place from 29 December to 1 January.
To allow events to take place, the city council will have temporary restrictions across the city centre. The closures will start today (Wednesday 27 December) and end on Tuesday 2 January.
The restrictions will affect:
Please note that these planned closures and restrictions may be subject to change.
From 8am on Wednesday 27 December to 5pm on Tuesday 2 January
Castle Street from Princes Street to Rose Street will be closed.
From 7pm on Saturday 30 December to 10am on Monday 1 January
From 5pm on Sunday 31 December to 6am on Monday 1 January
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 3am on Monday 1 January
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 6am on Monday 1 January
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 10am on Monday 1 January
