Aldi is celebrating a significant milestone in its partnership with surplus food and household products redistributor, Company Shop Group.
In the past year, Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket has now donated an impressive 77,980 meals from its Regional Distribution Centre in Bathgate to people around Scotland, through Company Shop Group, saving an estimated 33 tonnes of food from going to waste.
Community Shop is an award-winning social enterprise that supports 9,000 members and their families in some of the UK’s most deprived communities, by offering access to discounted products and reinvesting the revenue raised into its Community Kitchens and Hubs.
In just one year, the partnership has supported over 2,800 people through its Community Hub development programmes, which provide individuals and communities with the tools they need to live well and the skills to get them back into work.
It has also enabled more than 2,100 people to attend cooking lessons at the Community Kitchen’s Cook Clubs, where they can learn how to prepare nutritious family meals on a budget.
Aldi’s support for Community Shop’s Christmas lunches last year also saw 1,800 members come together for its biggest-ever Christmas celebration, with ingredients for the festive three-course meals provided by the supermarket.
Liz Fox, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said:“It’s incredible to look back at the results we’ve achieved from just one year with Company Shop Group – from saving tonnes of food from going to waste to supporting thousands of families in need.
“We are committed to making good quality food accessible to everyone. After all, it’s a right, not a privilege.
“We’re very excited to see what lies ahead for the partnership as we get closer to our new goal of reducing food waste in our own operations by 90% before 2030*.”
Gary Stott, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, added:“We are very proud of our partnership with Aldi and its commitment to helping prevent waste and support communities.
“The scheme has helped us deliver a significant social impact, whilst also allowing us to carry out vital work to save the planet from unnecessary waste.”
Britain’s largest noodle bar chain is adding two fantastic new flavours to its menu this March
CHOPSTIX, the nation’s favourite noodle bar, has added two hot new tastes to its menu for food fans across the UK.
The chain has added a sweet new special, Apple Spring Rolls, and a sizzling side dish of Salt ‘n’ Pepper Cauli Bites to its roster of tasty treats.
Those with a sweet tooth will want to get their hands on the apple-flavoured offering, a dessert-focused take on the classic Asian dish which pairs crispy spring rolls containing a sweet apple filling with a sweet caramel dipping sauce.
Vegetarians will also be pleased with the new additions, with the addition of crispy coated cauliflower bites dusted with Chopstix famous ‘Salt ‘n’ Pepper’ seasoning.
Both of the brand new options will be available to buy in any of Chopstix 110 stores across the country, including the chain’s latest openings in Lincoln and London Victoria.
Offering fresh flavours and a new spin on the classic takeaway, Chopstix has quickly become one of the UK’s most popular quick service chain restaurants.
As well as classic dishes like Sweet & Sour Chicken and Salt ‘N’ Pepper Chicken, Chopstix has a range of unique tastes including the spicy Firecracker Chicken with a fiery garlic and chili seasoning, and fan favourites like Chicken Katsu Curry and the restaurants signature Caramel Drizzle Chicken.
Rob Burns, MarketingDirector for Chopstix, said: “We’re always looking for new flavours to bring to the thousands of Chopstix lovers across the country.
“Both of the two new dishes add something totally different to our menu, giving more options that will really tingle the taste buds for anyone that loves Asian-style cooking.
“New dishes like the Apple Spring Rolls or the Salt ‘n’ Pepper Cauli Bites are why people keep coming back to Chopstix. It’s flavour done right in a way that you just can’t find at any other fast food restaurant.”
The noodle bar’s popular dishes are also available to order from Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, or through the Chopstix app.
On Saturday 30th March, Auld Reekie Roller Derby’s All Stars take on Norwich’s Norfolk Broads for the first time in history! Both teams are well-established, experienced and ranked highly in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association rankings, so the game is set to be a nail-biter.
Roller derby is a fast paced, full contact sport played on quad roller skates and Edinburgh’s top team are now in their 15th year.
The game takes place at Dalkeith Community Campus and the club is hoping to attract a lively crowd for their inaugural early evening slot – named Derby Nights. The doors open at 4:30pm with the first whistle at 5pm.
Captain Caitlin O’Carroll is confident about the game, “We have refined our training focuses and intensity for this season with a view to climbing the European rankings and can’t wait to put all the amazing things our 2024 roster have been working on over the last few months into action.”
The event is a double header with the second game seeing challenger teams from friendly rivals Auld Reekie and Glasgow Roller Derby vying for victory.
Alongside the main event of skating, expect the usual interval games and raffles as well as local vendors and a chance to buy team merchandise. Grab a burrito from Bonnie Burrito and enjoy homemade cakes from the cake stand!
Tickets are sure to sell out fast for this evening clash of North and South on the last night of winter – so make sure you book soon at:
Plan for Drivers will ‘improve drivers’ lives, shorten journey times, and ensure traffic measures have buy-in from the people they impact‘
strengthened guidance to ensure low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph speed limits have support of local people
research published today shows just 18% of people surveyed feel listened to on LTNs
latest step in delivering Plan for Drivers measures also include £50 million to upgrade traffic lights, speeding up journey times
consultations are launching to prevent local councils from turning drivers into ‘cash cows’ by enforcing unfair restrictions
Motorists in England are set to benefit from smoother journeys and reduced congestion, with local people getting a stronger voice on road schemes that affect them, thanks to a crackdown on anti-driver road schemes, over-zealous traffic enforcement, and strengthened guidance for councils on 20mph limits.
These are among the latest raft of measures to be announced from the Westminster government’s Plan for Drivers.
The Department for Transport has today (17 March 2024) published draft statutory guidance for councils on low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), setting out that they must gain buy-in from local residents, businesses and emergency services when considering implementing new LTN schemes.
This could involve in-person events, online engagement, and leaflet drops to involve the whole community in the process and will mean that authorities must consider whether an LTN has local support before it is implemented.
The new guidance raises expected standards for LTNs and will come into force this summer when local authorities will be obliged to consider it when shaping new and existing schemes.
Local authorities are expected to follow the guidance and ensure local people support their plans. Recent examples where councils have implemented these schemes without public support have been shown to cause disruption and have unintended negative consequences.
If local authorities fail to deliver sensible road schemes that work for local people they could see future funding withdrawn, and under powers from the Traffic Management Act, the government could ultimately take control of an authority’s roads where they are deemed to be widely mismanaged.
A consultation will also be launched this summer on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data to enforce such schemes by camera.
Separately, councils have received strengthened guidance on setting 20mph speed limits, reminding them to reserve them for sensible and appropriate areas only – such as outside schools – and with safety and local support at the heart of the decision. Local authorities are expected to consider this guidance, and as with the LTN guidance, this could have implications for the awarding of funding in the future.
The action taken today on LTNs is supported by a wide-ranging review that highlights only 13% of residents have responded to councils’ planning consultations on LTNs, and just 18% feel that their views have influenced council decisions.
The report also found that local authorities operating LTNs issue an average of 36,459 penalty charge notices per scheme, with the highest number of penalty charge notices issued for a single LTN scheme exceeding 170,000. That’s why the guidance embeds the need for local support and will ultimately save motorists money.
While the review showed only a quarter of people understood the benefits of LTNs, it also flagged concerns over the impact on disabled residents, high numbers of penalty charge notices, the cost of LTN schemes and even concerns from emergency services that delays to crews caught up in LTNs could “potentially risk lives”.
The new guidance aims to prevent councils having to reverse poorly-implemented or locally unpopular schemes – as with recently removed LTNs at Jesmond, Newcastle and Streatham Wells, London.
These measures from our 30-point Plan for Drivers will improve the lives of drivers, shortening journey times and ensuring traffic measures have buy-in from the people they are impacting.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “We want local people to have their voices heard, and any traffic schemes to have the consent of those they impact.
“Well thought out schemes, like 20mph limits outside schools, can make our roads safer, but we are raising the bar to help ensure all traffic schemes work for everyone in the community.
“We’re on the side of drivers, and these latest measures show we’re getting on with delivering what we promised in our Plan for Drivers – making their lives better, fairer and cheaper, and helping people travel in the way that works best for them.”
Today’s announcement also sees a comprehensive package of other measures designed to put people back in the driving seat.
Traffic lights will be upgraded across the country thanks to £50 million – £30 million to replace outdated equipment, and £20 million to reduce poor traffic light performance through innovative technology that responds to live traffic conditions. From Devon to Durham, 80 highway authorities across England will benefit from funding, to improve journey times and reduce congestion caused by red lights.
Consultations are also launching focusing on preventing local councils from turning drivers into ‘cash cows’ by profiting from enforcing traffic restrictions. This includes fines for drivers going into yellow box junctions or parking restrictions. The 8-week call for evidence will seek views from residents and will also quiz local authorities on how money from fines is reinvested.
Local people will have their say on whether they think enforcement is currently fair or believe authorities should be restricted in their traffic enforcement powers, and the findings will inform future government decisions on restricting authorities. As with LTNs, the government will also look at restricting local authorities access to third-party data, such as the DVLA database, for enforcement purposes.
At the moment, restrictions on bus lane use are too rigid, creating delays and causing regular fines for drivers. New guidance on bus lanes has also been issued today, to make sure they only operate when it makes sense, like when traffic is heavy enough to delay buses. This will prevent drivers being hit with unfair fines.
A consultation will also be launched to look into whether motorcycle access to bus lanes should be standard, a further initiative to reduce congestion and speed up journey times.
Further measures announced today include publication of new guidance making it simpler and easier for councils to charge utility companies who slow down drivers with street works and a consultation aiming to shake up motor insurance will also be launched to prevent those caught without it from claiming property damage from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
Nuisance boy-racers who illegally modify their exhausts and disturb our streets are also being targeted. New research reveals the success of noise cameras in cracking down on illegally modified exhausts and anti-social drivers. The research will be used to encourage local authorities to install noise cameras after successful trials in Bradford, Birmingham, Bristol and Great Yarmouth.
The UK Government’s Plan for Drivers has already delivered measures to crackdown on disruptive streetworks, cutting traffic and anticipated to generate up to £100 million over the next 10 years.
It has also launched grants for schools to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicles chargepoints, making it easier for drivers to make the switch.
A record £8.3 billion has also been pledged over the next 10 years for road resurfacing, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding, to improve the condition of British roads and speed up journey times.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “We’re very pleased to see the government responding to our calls for clearer guidance on yellow box junctions with their consultation on the misuse of these measures.
“It’s also extremely positive to see progress made on the installation of noise cameras, after 6-in-10 drivers (58%) told us they would be in favour of these measures last year. Excessive noise pollution is not only extremely frustrating, it could also have a really serious impact on residents’ health and lives, and until this point there’s been very little anyone can do about it.
“We’re keen to see if this new technology goes some way towards resolving the issue and hope it can be rolled out quickly and efficiently.”
If you are looking to reach and engage with over 10,000 people in the North Edinburgh area, then register to participate in the festival.
We have 80 stalls this year and they are fast selling out!
You can be a group, charity, organisation or individual selling arts and crafts. From gardeners to third sector, from armed forces to housing associations; from free food to glitter tattoos, we will have it all.
Stalls cost £50 – marquee, table and 2 chairs will be provided. To register complete this online form:
Like-for-like benefit to support seamless transition
Plans for a Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, a new benefit to provide continued support to around 66,000 adults with a disability or long-term health condition, have been unveiled.
Under new proposals, eligible people who receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) through the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions would have their award transferred automatically to the new Scottish benefit. They would then have the opportunity to apply for Adult Disability Payment if they choose.
Legislation to create the ‘closed’ benefit – for existing recipients of the Disability Living Allowance that it supersedes – will be laid in the Scottish Parliament this year.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I’m pleased that we can progress plans to bring forward legislation to create a Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance and give people the opportunity to remain on this benefit for as long as they are eligible.
“Once transferred, people can continue to be paid Scottish Adult Disability Allowance or apply for our flagship Adult Disability Payment if they prefer.
“Around 137,000 people are now receiving our Adult Disability Payment and it has provided almost £462 million to disabled people since it was launched in 2022.”
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance will be a ‘closed’ benefit, available only to those whose awards are transferred onto it and not open to new applicants – who should instead apply for Adult Disability Payment.
Under these proposals, eligible people who receive Disability Living Allowance through the UK Department for Work and Pensions would have their award transferred automatically to the Scottish payment.
The National Galleries of Scotland is delighted to announce the acquisition of Encounter (1959), by world-renowned Surrealist artist Remedios Varo (1908-1963). Extremely rare and sought-after, this is the first painting by Varo to enter a public collection in Europe. Encounter is on display and free to view at Modern One.
The work was acquired in time to mark the centenary of the publication in Paris of André Breton’s Manifesto of Surrealism in 1924, which effectively launched the movement. A significant and exciting acquisition for the people of Scotland, Varo only completed about 100 paintings in her lifetime, with most in public collections in Mexico. Only able to dedicate herself fully to creating art in the last decade of her life,Encounter was produced in 1959, at the height of Varo’s career.
The concept of the encounter – especially the chance encounter – was a subject favoured by the Surrealists for its mysterious potential.
In this striking composition, a seated figure carefully lifts the lid on a tiny casket to find her own eyes staring back at her. Several similar boxes sit on the shelves in the background, suggesting that there are more “selves” to be discovered.
Many of the figures that Varo painted resemble the artist herself, and this work is believed to be a self-portrait.
Varo said of the work: “This poor woman, full of curiosity and expectation as she opened the little coffer, encounters her own self; in the background, on the shelves, there are more little coffers, and who knows whether on opening them she will find something new.”
Born in Girona, Catalonia, in north-east Spain, Remedios Varo was a Surrealist painter and poet. Her father, an engineer, recognised her artistic talent from a young age and encouraged her to copy his technical drawings, which would influence her compositions for the rest of her life.
She was one of the first female students to attend the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid, where she enrolled at the age of 15, and later received her diploma as an art teacher. In 1935, after moving to Paris, Varo encountered artists engaging with Surrealist concepts, and was later introduced to the poet and founder of the Surrealist movement, André Breton.
After fleeing Nazi-occupied France in 1941, Varo settled in Mexico, where she was one of a small but important group of Surrealist poets, painters and photographers. These artists include Kati Horna and Leonora Carrington, with whom she forged a creative alliance but also an enduring, life-long friendship.
Using a combination of chance and planned techniques, Varo produced work that was influenced by science and the occult in equal measure. The resulting images are as mysterious as they are technically brilliant, often depicting enchanted domestic scenes and strange encounters with otherworldly beings.
Playing with the magical and spiritual potential of interior spaces, Varo sought power in ordinary rooms — in dusty corridors, and creaking doorways — transforming them into fantasy realms that overflow with possibility.
In the last ten years, the National Galleries of Scotland has made efforts to acquire major works of art by female artists.
This latest unique acquisition will help to expand the collection and give a more comprehensive view of Surrealism as a diverse, international movement, rather than one simply centred in Paris.
Other recent acquisitions include major artworks by Leonora Carrington, Dorothea Tanning and more recently, archival material related to Edith Rimmington.
Simon Groom, Director of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “We’re thrilled to have acquired this incredibly rare and important painting by Remedios Varo. Her career as a full-time artist lasted little more than a decade.
“She worked slowly and meticulously, completing only about a hundred paintings, many of which are now in museum collections in Mexico and the USA. They are breathtaking gems which one seldom sees outside books.
“There’s not a single painting by her in a public collection outside the Americas. Or rather that was the case until now. Moreover, Encounter is a key work in her oeuvre, a self-portrait which deals with self-discovery and identity.
“It cements the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection of Surrealist art as one of the very finest in the world.”
Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund, said: “Artist Remedios Varo’s haunting painting, ‘Encounter’ into the Scottish National Galleries’ collection will captivate visitors from Scotland and across the UK.
“This painting is a key addition to Scottish National Galleries’ growing collection of major works by women artists. I’m delighted that Art Fund has been able to support this important Surrealist work to enter the permanent collection, thanks to our generous donors and National Art Pass members.”
The acquisition was made possible thanks to the Walton Fund, along with support from Art Fund and the Wendi Norris Gallery, San Francisco.
The innovative service celebrates a pivotal achievement in advancing patient access to clinical trials
Make 2nds Count, a pioneering charity dedicated to raising awareness and funding research for secondary breast cancer, is proud to announce that – championed by a generous grant from Breast Cancer charity Walk the Walk – their Patient Trials Advocate (PTA) service has so far supported 500 secondary breast cancer patients across the UK, marking a significant milestone and pivotal achievement in advancing patient access to clinical trials.
In a noteworthy collaboration, the Walk the Walk charity – organiser of the iconic MoonWalk London and MoonWalk Scotland fundraising events – has donated £79,434 to the PTA service, which was originally launched in 2021. These funds will be used to finance the full initiative for the next 9 months to a year, demonstrating the collective effort to make a meaningful impact in the lives of secondary breast cancer patients.
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said:“I am really delighted to share the news of the recent grant which Walk the Walk has awarded to Make 2nds Count.
“This funding will specifically contribute towards the charity’s ground-breaking Patient Trials Advocate Service. This much-needed service is designed to bring together women with breast cancer, who might not otherwise have had access to clinical trials, and for many of whom this is the last resort of treatment.
“By collaborating, charities can make such a huge difference to so many people, and we are incredibly proud to be supporting Make 2nds Count and what they achieve in raising awareness and funding research for secondary breast cancer.
“Whilst Walk the Walk supports its own campaigns, grants like this one are very exciting and wonderful to share with Walk the Walk’s fundraisers – I cannot thank these generous and wonderful people enough!”
Make 2nds Count’s PTA service is the first of its kind in the UK, offering fresh hope to patients by connecting them with clinical trials that have the potential to improve outcomes and extend life.
Since its pilot launch in 2021, the PTA service has provided support to over 500 patients, with a remarkable 100% endorsement from those who have experienced the initiative. Furthermore, 95% of patients expressed their willingness to engage in discussions with their clinicians about the possibility of accessing clinical trials.
Patient Trial Advocate, Senior Research Nurse Vivienne Wilson, expressed her enthusiasm for the service, stating, “I’ve been working with Make 2nds Count for over two years now, and I think this service really is one of a kind.
“I enjoy the opportunity to talk to many secondary breast cancer patients, sharing my knowledge with regards to available trials and guiding them to explore their options.”
One such patient is Margaret Irvine, who was diagnosed 8 years ago with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer after an original diagnosis of primary breast cancer 9 years before that.
Margaret – who is a trained District Nurse and has worked in the community throughout her career -says:“The worst part of being diagnosed was telling my close family – any negative changes are always hard to deal with.
“Finding information is never easy as most of it is very negative or outdated when beginning to research, but I tried my best and the unit I originally attended for treatment was very supportive. As my treatment progressed, I became aware of Make 2nds Count and I started talking to people about the PTA Service.
“Access to the service has given me new hope and support, as well as a new way of opening discussions with my treatment team and allowing myself and others as patients to have more control of the journey we are on. This is the main reason I decided to share my experience with others too.”
Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic, advanced, or stage IV breast cancer, claims the lives of 1000 women in the UK each month and is currently affecting 61,000 people, yet it remains a relatively unknown and underrepresented area of research.
The PTA service, which covers the UK with dedicated nurses based in Edinburgh, the Borders, and the Highlands, provides patients with personalised support and information. Patients undergo an initial one-to-one, hour-long phone consultation with specialist nurses who offer guidance on clinical trials, address queries, and assist in searching for suitable trials.
The ultimate goal is to empower patients to discuss clinical trials as a viable part of their treatment pathway.
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk adds: “We could not do any of the special work we do without everyone’s help, so sign up now at www.walkthewalk.org for The MoonWalk London on Saturday 18 May and join this incredible fun-filled ‘Fiesta’ of a night.
“A night which brings people together all putting one foot in front of another to reach their own personal goal of walking a Half or Full Marathon through the night, whilst helping others. Come and see for yourself, it really is breath-taking!”
Make 2nds Count is dedicated to continuing its mission, ensuring that every patient with secondary breast cancer has the knowledge and opportunity to explore clinical trials as an integral part of their treatment journey.
If you are a secondary breast cancer patient who may be interested in clinical trials and the PTA service, please visit our website:
