A community project which supports local residents in Kirkliston has teamed up with Tesco and food charity FareShare, to receive surplus food and additional items from the supermarket to provide the community with food products for their community fridge.
Established back in 2022, the Waste Not, Want Not in Kirkliston group is an encouraging and positive community project which helps to divert food from being wasted and creating an environmentally friendly way to offer key support for residents across the town.
The group, which is run by volunteers, offers a multitude of services that help deliver educational and sustainable ways for the local community to access food, whether it’s the community gardens where people can grow food or the community fridge which provides breads, baked goods, meat and dairy products supplied very the Tesco Community Food Connection.
Waste Not, Want Not in Kirkliston receives food every week as part of the Community Food Connection surplus food scheme, which involves Tesco stores and food redistribution charity FareShare.
Elizabeth Pemma Ellis-Huddleston, organiser at Waste Not Want Not in Kirkliston, said: “Thanks to the Community Food Connection scheme, we’ve been able to further supply a variety of food items for residents in the local community to enjoy and prepare enjoyable meals with.
“Our community fridge project has been very positively welcomed by our local residents, who are welcome to access all of our services at Waste Not, Want Not, as we are just here to help any and all people who need it.
“We hope that by offering to help anyone and everyone we can, we can also break down the self consciousness about using our community fridge service as well.”
“We’d like to thank Tesco and FareShare for helping us with this project and I wish to extend our thanks to all of our volunteers, some of which actually joined our team after visiting our group themselves. It’s that sense of community spirit that we find incredibly humbling and affirming.”
The Community Food Connection scheme ensures that surplus food from Tesco doesn’t go to waste and is instead provided to charities and community groups, whose volunteer members then distribute it to the public.
Tony McElroy, Corporate Communications and Sustainability Leader at Tesco, said: “Working with community groups and schools, such as Waste Not Want Not in Kirkliston, to help them get the food they need is such an important service for us to offer.
“The dedication they have to their local community is amazing, and we are pleased to do what we can to support.
“We firmly believe no good food should go to waste, which is why we began our Community Food Connection scheme. It enables us to ensure our surplus food is put to good use in communities.”
FareShare is the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste. Two-thirds of the organisations it provides food to, support children and families.
Katie Sadler, Head of FareShare Go, said: “The food that Tesco redistributes through FareShare makes a huge difference to people facing food insecurity across the UK.
“We work with thousands of charities and community groups providing essential support to their communities, and receiving a steady stream of food helps them to feed the people who need it most.”
By providing the surplus food to help communities, it is also aiding the environment by ensuring that the food does not end up as landfill.
Charities and community groups that could benefit from the support of the Community Food Connection scheme can find further information at:
Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at Queens Manor on Queensferry Road to enjoy an Open Day held at the home on Friday 21st June 2024.
Queens Manor hosted a variety of activities throughout the day, including a tasty BBQ prepared by their hospitality team, musical entertainment, pet therapy and even a surprise visit from a local ice cream van, which were enjoyed by everyone who came to the event.
Staff at Queens Manor made everyone feel welcome and were delighted to see different generations having fun together. Visitors enjoyed plenty of refreshments and fun, such as burgers, hot beverages and tasty trifle prepared by the catering team, who were hard at work making sure that a great time was had by all, as well as furry visits from Doc, Frank & Elvis and musical entertainment from Margo the Butterfly singer – it really was a team effort from all!
Resident, Jean Gillies, said, “I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was surrounded by lots of great people, and the refreshments & fun kept flowing into the afternoon. The weather held out until we finished.
“Staff did a great job, not just on the day, but organising the event and getting everyone together. The entertainment was amazing – from the dogs and guineapigs, to the singer and a special shout out to the ice cream man! the van took me back to times I spent with my family at the beach all enjoying 99’s!”
Shannon Cullen, Senior Head of Lifestyle & Enrichment at the home, said: “Staff at Queens Manor are dedicated to making sure that the home is a hub of the local community and residents, and this event, along with all their hard work, has definitely paid off.
“It was a resounding success, with everyone having a great time!”
Queens Manor care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals.
Queens Manor Care Home provides residential care and dementia care for 60 residents from respite care to long term stays.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh has named local creative, Wendy Helliwell, as its new Artist in Residence, taking up the position from August until October.
The Artist in Residence programme is dedicated to supporting the city’s creative community, offering artists a three-month residency with access to a purpose built art studio, nestled within the old India Buildings’ turret of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh – The Unicorn Room.
The hotel issued an open call for artists earlier this year to apply for the rare opportunity to have a free workspace and showcasing opportunities within the iconic Old Town property. After a rigorous selection process, Wendy Helliwell was awarded the latest Artist in Residence position, with applications now open for creatives to apply for the final vacancy this year.
As a visual artist, Wendy takes inspiration from fashion and pop culture in her work. Primarily self-taught, Wendy incorporates multiple materials, such as fashion magazines and clothing, in a sustainable and innovative way, to create unique, three dimensional art forms. Wendy’s passion for creativity and pushing the boundaries is synonymous with the iconic interior design elements of the hotel.
The position will commence in August, during The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where Wendy will be giving discarded Festival materials, such as promotional flyers, a new lease of life to create never before seen art pieces.
These creations will eventually be on sale and displayed on the staircase leading up to the hotel’s stunning Oculus Lounge. This forms part of the valuable offering of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s Artist in Residence initiative – providing artists with a free gallery space within the hotel and the chance to sell their artwork, with all proceeds going directly to the artist.
While Wendy is working on her latest creations in The Unicorn Room, the hotel will be showcasing her work inspired by the music industry, tying in effortlessly to the heritage of the wider Virgin brand. Work on display will include Wendy’s punk-themed “No Lip” piece which has been created using an upcycled 80’s punk leather jacket and Sex Pistols vinyl.
Wendy was first introduced to Virgin Hotels Edinburgh upon the hotel’s opening, when she was selected by bespoke art consultancy, Visto Artwork, to create artwork for the hotel. Pieces previously commissioned include the iconic “Virgin Lips” which was constructed from one pair of jeans and magazine cuttings, located beside the hotel’s concierge.
Mafalda Albuquerque, General Manager at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, said: “This is a really exciting time for Virgin Hotels Edinburgh as we announce Wendy as our new Artist in Residence. Wendy is unbelievably talented, and we’ve already had the privilege of hosting some of her artwork in the hotel.
“Commencing in August, just in time for Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe, this residency will provide Wendy with a special opportunity to capture Edinburgh at its very best. Guests and visitors can book in to meet Wendy and go on an exclusive tour of her studio, to see where the magic unfolds.
“The Artist in Residence programme marks our commitment to supporting the vibrant creative community in Edinburgh. Applications are open for creatives to apply to be our final Artist in Residence of the year and we’re looking forward to seeing the submissions. There has been some incredible talent so far”.
Wendy Helliwell, said:“I couldn’t contain my excitement when I spotted the open-call for Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s Artist in Residence. It has come at such an opportune time and I feel so inspired to create some exciting, new pieces.
“I don’t come from a traditional art background and so to have this opportunity to share my art with the world is truly amazing. I’m looking forward to meeting guests and visitors and taking them on a tour of my new studio space. I can’t wait to get started”.
Applications are now open for aspiring artists who would like to be considered for the next Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s Artist in Residence spot. For more information please email: artist.inresidence@virginhotels.com.
Guests booked in for Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s Afternoon Tea experience in The Oculus Lounge will have the opportunity to not only view Wendy’s masterpieces but also go on a private tour of her studio space.
For reservations for Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s exquisite Afternoon Tea in the stunning Oculus lounge, please email: afternoontea@virginhotels.com
Follow along with Virgin Hotels Edinburgh on social media here:
A celebratory display to mark Bruce McLean’s 80th birthday opens tomorrow (Saturday 29 June) at Modern One in Edinburgh.
Taking over room 20, Bruce McLean: I Want My Crowntraces the Glasgow-born artist’s humorous, provocative and engaging six-decade long inquiry into sculpture. Through works made across a range of media including photography, performance, painting, printmaking, film, and ceramics, the one room display invites you to challenge your thinking about sculpture and expand your ideas of what art can be.
Sparked by childhood curiosity and challenging what he had been taught about sculpture as a student at St Martin’s School of Art in the 1960s, McLean’s artistic career has been characterised by his desire to break the rules. Encompassing both wry satire and an earnest inquiry into the nature of art, his work is known for its intelligence, as much as its humorous and rebellious spirit.
The works in the display question many of our traditional assumptions about what sculpture should be, who it is for, how it is made, and how it is shown. In so doing, McLean is also asking broader questions about the role of art in our everyday lives, and in particular the role of the artist.
An early target of his was the leading British sculptor Henry Moore, who gained international celebrity status in the post-war period of British sculpture.
McLean’s photographic work Fallen Warrior (1969/2011) is an image of the artist ‘falling’ onto a ‘pedestal’, an idea he picks up again in Pose Work for Plinths (1971) in which McLean, as a living sculpture, tries out a number of poses across three plinths, the traditional means of showing sculptural works.
The piece references Moore’s own sculpture Falling Warrior (1956–7), in which a male figure clutching a shield is shown falling, heroically, on the battlefield.
Challenges to hierarchy and status are constant themes of his work. When, aged 27, he was offered a solo exhibition at Tate Gallery, London, he seized on it as an opportunity to make a radically subversive statement about art world systems, conventions, and power structures.
Wryly titling the exhibition King for a Day, it comprised a list of ideas for 1000 prospective artworks, which McLean presented as a one-day ‘retrospective’ in the form of a catalogue.
Multiple copies of this catalogue will be displayed, allowing visitors to pore over McLean’s ‘homages’, ‘studies’, and ‘serial’ works – his parodic take on the contemporary art world’s continual need to define and categorise artworks.
Decades after King for a Day, McLean revisited the theme with I Want My Crown (2013). This video installation, projected large-scale in the gallery, brings the artist into the space and shows him dancing to a 1973 song of the same title by British musician Kevin Coyne as he gestures to a crown sculpture on a shelf above his head.
Another recurrent theme in McLean’s art is that behaviour – both private and public – is a function of the environment around us.
This notion takes centre stage in the architectural projects he has worked on over the years. In 1994, initiated by Glasgow City Council, a brief was set for a redevelopment of Glasgow’s Argyle Street.
McLean’s hyper-real proposal to turn the street into a bustling interactive ‘theatre’ won the competition in 1996, though the project was never realised. Visitors to I Want My Crown can enjoy the paper collages that lay out McLean’s playful vision.
The proposal included an Irn Bru bar, a Tunnocks Tower offering periscope views of the city, and a helium-filled fabric cloud sculpture to shelter those below from the Scottish rain.
Also featured is Constructed Painting (2024), comprised of six paintings made between 1990 and 2014, each stacked and propped against the gallery wall like the components of a large-scale collage.
The paintings reference sculptures by well-known artists of the past and present. Enlarging photocopied images of their sculptures, McLean made cardboard cutouts, their huge scale signalling their overbearing influence on his early work and art school training.
Staging different groupings in his studio, McLean photographed the cutouts, then made paintings after the photographs. The result is a hybrid between sculpture, performance, photography and painting. Testament to McLean’s dynamic creative energy, the configuration of these paintings will change multiple times during the display’s run.
Ever the innovator, McLean continues at 80 to question and expand the meaning and resonance of sculpture, allowing it to remain as vital and relevant for another generation.
Bruce McLeansaid: “I’d like to thank Leila Riszko, Simon Groom, and all the staff at the National Galleries of Scotland for putting together this show with great care, sensitivity and patience. Good work!
“My next project will be Passing a Law Sculpture. The law will be that every 17 year old person in Britain goes to art school for a one year foundation course focusing on drawing in all its many aspects. Everything in the world is drawn before it is created.”
Leila Riszko, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland,said: “We’re really excited about this fantastic opportunity to bring the creative energy of Bruce’s work to the attention and admiration of a new generation.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with him on such a dynamic presentation of his work – as befits a celebratory exhibition in honour of the artist’s 80th birthday!”
Scotland’s European Championships are officially over following a heart-breaking 100th minute defeat at the hands of Hungary.
But while 200,000 Scottish fans will be feeling the hangover of an underwhelming tournament, Euro 2024 continues in Germany and the question is, who are they supporting as their second team for the remainder of the competition?
Betway conducted data through social media tool Brandwatch to determine which teams remaining have received the most positive comments online since Euro 2024 started.
The positive sentimental data can reveal the following for fans in Scotland:
Hosts Germany have 4,792 positive comments, putting them in first place.
Arch-rivals England are in second place with 4,354.
France, Ukraine and Spain complete the top five while Hungary, who knocked Scotland out, are in sixth spot.
The top 10 most popular teams for Euro 2024 in Scotland are as follows:
Rank
Team
Positive Sentimental Data
1
Germany
4,792
2
England
4,354
3
France
1,509
4
Ukraine
1,345
5
Spain
765
6
Hungary
762
7
Portugal
740
8
Switzerland
720
9
Italy
619
10
Denmark
419
ENGLAND? Shurely shome mistake! It’s Austria for me! – Ed.
The City of Edinburgh Council is taking urgent steps to ensure all residents can cast their vote in next Thursday’s UK Parliament General Election.
From today, (28 June), and over the weekend, voters who have yet to receive their postal votes, and will not be at home next week, can go to the City Chambers and have their voting pack re-issued. A polling booth will be set up for those wishing to cast their vote there and then in privacy.
The facility will be open until 5pm today and then from 9am to 5pm tomorrow and Sunday. Voters should come to the City Chambers on the High Street, with photo ID, and a replacement pack can be issued.
The distribution of postal votes nationally has been hit by delays, but the Royal Mail has confirmed that all packs should be delivered today or tomorrow.
We’re prioritising those who will not be at home next week. If you will be at home next week, please be wait for delivery and only contact us early next week if you are still without your pack.
Please contact elections@edinburgh.gov.uk in the first instance or call the helpline on 0131 200 2315. As above we will be open for re-issues Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm and into next week if necessary.
We’ll be putting extra resources into our Customer Team over the weekend to deal with these enquiries.
We’re encouraging everyone else to make their way on foot or by public transport, but Blue Badge holders will be able to park in the City Chambers quadrangle this weekend.
Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said:“I appreciate the concerns of voters on this issue and my absolute priority is to ensure everyone has the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to vote in this General Election.
“That’s why we’ve taken the decision to put in extra resources and open the City Chambers this weekend. Please only attend if you haven’t received your postal vote and you’re going on holiday or won’t be at home next week.
“I’d encourage anyone who has already received their postal vote to return it as soon as possible, through Royal Mail.
“The timing of this election has been challenging as have other circumstances beyond our control, but our teams are working hard to ensure it passes off as smoothly and successfully as possible.”
Presenter set to DJ Scotland’s most fashionable raceday
TV AND RADIO personality Rylan Clark has been announced as the star entertainment for the crowds at one of Scotland’s most glamourous summer events on Friday 9 August.
The Radio 2 DJ and Eurovision commentator will entertain crowds with a memorable DJ set at Musselburgh Racecourse’s Ladies Day.
Rylan said: “I’m so excited to perform for the Ladies Day crowds at Musselburgh Racecourse.
“It’s going to be a glamorous day to celebrate in style with your mates and hopefully I can help to bring the perfect party atmosphere for everyone.”
Video of Rylan chatting about his excitement for the day can be found here:
Aisling Johnston, Head of Marketing at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “Rylan is a real star household name and a lovely person too.
“He’s the perfect mix of glamour, showbiz and humour for Ladies Day and I know that the crowds will go wild for his DJ set. We can’t wait to welcome him to Musselburgh.”
General admission tickets are selling fast, with over half already gone. Adult tickets are currently £55, but act quickly – purchase before July 17th to save £5. After this date, prices will rise to £60.
For the best seats in the house, the VIP Marquee offers racegoers the chance to enjoy the day with a touch of luxury.
Set inside a hand-crafted sailcloth marquee, racegoers can enjoy a unique dining experience, with a private Champagne reception, high-end grazing buffet and an exclusive VIP afterparty for £350 per person.
Following the success of last year’s Style Awards sponsored by Tigerlily Boutique, this year’s “best dressed” top prize includes an invitation to visit Champagne Pommery in France.
Provided by Pommery, the winner will enjoy two nights at four-star hotel accommodation in Reims, £1,500 spending money.
The racecourse is located only six miles from Edinburgh city centre, and less than two miles from the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass. There are direct transport links and a courtesy bus from Wallyford (connecting to Edinburgh) and Newcraighall (connecting to Galashiels) train stations. For those travelling by car, there is free parking available at the venue.
Hannah Smith from Dalkeith wins the Style award.
Ladies Day at Musselburgh Racecourse on Friday 11th August 2023
Picture: Alan Rennie
Gates open at 11:30, with the first race starting at 2:20pm, the last race at 4:50pm, the after-racing party (open to all Ladies Day racegoers) starts at approximately 5.00pm. All race times are provisional and may be subject to change.
Guests can purchase adult tickets now for general admission at £55 per person. Purchase your ticket before 17th July and save £5.00 The next ticket price is £60.00.
Musselburgh is one of Scotland’s most admirable horse racing venues with a history of delivering exceptional race day experiences with stunning surroundings.
For further information on Musselburgh Ladies Day or to purchase tickets, visit:
Chief Constable Jo Farrell paid tribute to response officers during a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority yesterday (Thursday 27 June).
Speaking during the National Police Chiefs’ Council Response Policing Week of Action, the Chief thanked response officers for their bravery, compassions and resilience as the first police contact across countless scenarios and times of crisis.
The Chief said senior officers had been visiting response teams across the country to thank them in person and listen to their experiences.
CC Farrell said: “Response officers work around the clock to serve the public with bravery, compassion and resilience across countless scenarios – no two shifts are the same. Response officers are often the first contact the public has with their police service, and often in moments of crisis and criticality.
“I’ve been clear that it is my duty to support frontline policing and my aim is to bring the frontline to its strongest possible position. I want to record my deep gratitude for our response officers and I know senior officers right across the country are taking time to recognise and thank their teams.”
Chief Constable Farrell provided a wide ranging update on how officers and staff are delivering for the public, including securing important convictions in murder and organised crime cases.
The Chief’s speaking note is below
This week Police Scotland is recognising and celebrating the vital role and contribution of response policing as part of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Response Policing Week of Action.
Response officers work around the clock to serve the public with bravery, compassion and resilience across countless scenarios – no two shifts are the same. Response officers are often the first contact the public has with their police service, and often in moments of crisis and criticality.
I’ve been clear that it is my duty to support frontline policing and my aim is to bring the frontline to its strongest possible position. I want to record my deep gratitude for our response officers and I know senior officers right across the country are taking time to recognise and thank their teams.
My report outlines how officers and staff are delivering for the public every day – investigating crime; securing court outcomes; and seizing illegal drugs.
This summer, policing is also supporting major events, including hugely popular music concerts, sporting events, festivals and a general election. I want to thank the officers and staff who plan and support our proportionate and appropriate policing response to ensure communities can enjoy events safely and participate in the democratic process.
Since appointment, I’ve underlined that as policing tackles threat, harm and risk, we must also focus on prevention and problem solving to support communities, eliminate harm and get on top of demand.
This month, we’re campaigning to reduce road casualties with a focus on wearing seatbelts and we’ve shared powerful testimony from people affected by road traffic collisions. I thank those who bravely shared their experiences in an effort to prevent further harm.
Introducing change that achieves efficiencies and benefits is critical to provide effective service.
We’ve now outlined a national contract to implement body worn video for over 10,000 frontline officers and staff across Scotland, over the next three years.
Motorola Solutions was awarded the contract on the basis of quality and value for money and a range of technical requirements. The new system is anticipated to work smoothly in areas with lower quality network connections, including rural locations, and we are also investing in our network capability to support this.
Body worn video can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system and I have been clear a national roll-out is a priority for me.
We know there is strong public and partner support for body worn video in Scotland and we will continue to explain policing’s use of this important technology, including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations.
The national roll out of body worn video is a complex programme of work. Appointing a supplier is an important step and we are working with Motorola Solutions to ensure that body worn video is embedded effectively for frontline officers and staff as soon as possible and we’ll continue to share details as progress is made.
I have highlighted that innovation and system-wide improvement must be prioritised and accelerated across the criminal justice system and, as we roll out body worn video, we’re working with Motorola Solutions and partners to maximise its benefits to improve efficiencies and experiences for victims.
My report details other work with the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to support better and quicker court outcomes for victims and to provide efficiency and value for the public and I am grateful for their engagement and commitment to those shared goals.
The time it takes for victims to get justice in this system is far too long. Victims and witnesses, including police witnesses, are repeatedly cited to court when they are not giving evidence.
Along with accelerating broader change across the criminal justice system, I want key partners, including the third sector, to help us find a balance around the care, support and monitoring of people suffering with poor mental health that officers are too often picking up.
We receive a mental health related call every three-four minutes on average and each year officers deploy to well over 100,000 mental health related incidents – the equivalent work of between 500 and 600 full time officers.
I’ve asked Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs to lead Police Scotland’s work with partners including the Authority and the Scottish Government and we’ve established a mental health taskforce to drive work in this priority area at pace.
The taskforce will develop and embed referral pathways such as the NHS Mental Health Pathway and Distress Brief Intervention, as well as operational guidance on how to access community triage, so the public get the right response from those best able to give people the help they need and deserve.
The taskforce will also build on training to give our people the knowledge, skills and confidence to support that balance around the care, support and monitoring in our day to day policing.
Of course, policing cannot succeed in this without the support and engagement of partners. There are localised examples of fantastic initiatives such as the Neuk in Perth which I visited in April.
But we need more of this, right across the country.
We want to work with partners to ensure there is the right capability and capacity in the system, while giving officers and staff the knowledge and tools to help people access the best help for them.
Moving on, I want to briefly highlight three events which are further detailed in my report.
I was grateful for the leadership, contribution and support of the Scottish Police Authority and you, Chair, for the first Scottish Biometrics Conference which the Authority and Police Scotland jointly hosted with the Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow in Edinburgh last week.
The event was an important opportunity to continue the necessary public conversation about policing’s ethical use of biometrics data and new technology where it can help us discharge our positive duty to keep people safe.
We welcomed around 50 law enforcement colleagues, mostly from the United States as the Federal Bureau of Investigations hosted a cycle of their National Executive Institute programme for senior officers at Police Scotland Headquarters. Along with other Police Scotland chief officers, I addressed the delegates during this important example of our commitment to sharing learning on an international scale.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to and attended our recruitment open day hosted at our Recruitment and Training Centre at Jackton, in South Lanarkshire. The showcase was well attended and gave members of the public an insight into our varied, rewarding and demanding vocation.
My report also outlines the deployment of over 190 probationary officers to local policing following the completion of their initial training earlier this month.
It is important to say we are recruiting – particularly for police officers and for staff in our contact centres and I would encourage anyone who shares our values, who wants to help us keep people safe and who is interested in a hugely rewarding career to visit the recruitment area of our website.
We have provided an overview of the projected recruitment and officer headcount profile during 2024-25 which will be presented by DCC Speirs later. As Chief Constable, I would just make a few brief comments at this stage.
We know a number of factors, going back to recruitment and training being paused during the pandemic and COP26 and an increase in retirement following pension changes, along with a recruitment pause to ensure we delivered a balanced budget in 2023-24, have contributed to greater volatility in officer numbers than would otherwise be the case.
Police Scotland’s retention rate is in line with other large police services.
So far in 2024, as with previous years, we continue to see the majority of officers leave for retirement. Although our retention rate is good, I do recognise policing is a demanding job and I’m focused on improving the experiences of officers and staff.
As I mentioned earlier, I want to bring the frontline of policing to its strongest possible position. The context of that strength goes beyond an overall officer headcount and it is important we continue to maximise experienced officers performing frontline, operational policing for our communities.
At the same time, following the Scottish Budget announcement, I outlined our plans to restart officer recruitment in March and further intakes planned during 2024-25 total over 1300 officers, the highest number Police Scotland has recruited during a year.
As part of this, we’re introducing a non-residential course operated from Jackton which, as well as increasing our recruitment capacity, recognises the barriers a residential training programme can present for potential candidates.
In summary, increasing officer numbers is a focus and we’re testing innovative approaches to maximise our probationer training capacity, while at the same time pressing change that strengthens the frontline by redirecting resources or delivering efficiencies.
Lastly, my report details changes to leadership responsibilities within the Force Executive following the appointments of Stuart Houston, Catriona Paton and Mark Sutherland as Assistant Chief Constables.
Our refreshed Force Executive has a shared focus to evolve our service so policing can live within our means and to ensure we support our fantastic officers and staff, to deliver the best for our communities.
UKHSA is working with partners to investigate a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreak
As of 25 June, there have been a further 19 cases associated with the recent outbreak of STEC O145 since the last update a week ago, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 275 in the UK.
All currently confirmed cases had symptom onset dates before 4 June. Although case reporting rates are declining, we expect to see more cases linked to this outbreak as further samples are referred to us from NHS laboratories and whole genome sequencing is conducted.
Confirmed case totals:
182 in England
58 in Scotland
31 in Wales
4 in Northern Ireland (evidence suggests that they acquired their infection in England)
Based on information from 249 cases to date, 49% were admitted to hospital.
Through surveillance, UKHSA has identified 2 individuals in England who died within 28 days of infection with the STEC outbreak strain.
Based on the information available from health service clinicians one of these deaths is likely linked to their STEC infection. Both individuals had underlying medical conditions. The deaths occurred in May.
Amy Douglas, Incident Director at UKHSA, said: “We’re pleased that fewer cases have been reported, however we still expect to see a few more cases linked to this outbreak as further samples are referred to us for testing.
“Symptoms of infections with STEC include severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever. While diarrhoea and vomiting can have a range of causes, there are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk and the risk of infecting others.
“Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using disinfectants to clean surfaces will help stop any further spread of infection. If you are unwell, you should not prepare food for others while unwell and avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these settings. Do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped.
“If you are concerned about your symptoms, follow NHS.UK guidance on when to seek help and the steps you can take to avoid further spread to family and friends.”
Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA said: “Earlier this month, we confirmed that several sandwich manufacturers had taken precautionary action to withdraw and recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls after food chain and epidemiological links enabled us to narrow down a wide range of foods to a type of lettuce used in sandwich products as the likely cause of the outbreak.
“This remains a complex investigation and we continue to work with the relevant businesses and the local authorities to ensure necessary steps are being taken to protect consumers.
“Although we are confident in the likely source of the outbreak being linked to lettuce, work continues to confirm this and identify the root cause of the outbreak with the growers, suppliers and manufacturers so that actions can be taken to prevent a re-occurrence.”
A 34-year-old man has been jailed for multiple violent offences against women and girls.
John McKechnie was sentenced to a total of 8 years at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, 27 June, 2024. His sentencing includes two years already served in prison.
The offences included rape, domestic offending, and possession of incident images of children.
His offending took place between 2015 and 2022 and took place in the West Lothian area. He had previously been convicted of the offences following a trial on Wednesday, 22 May, 2024.
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “John McKechnie is a violent and predatory individual who will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.
“I commend the strength of the victims for coming forward and hope the sentence will bring some comfort as they try to move forward.
“Sexual abuse of any kind has no place in our society and any reports made to Police Scotland will be robustly investigated.
“We encourage anyone with concerns about a child at risk of abuse, or a potential victim, to contact police immediately.”
An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson said: “By downloading indecent images and videos of children, offenders such as McKechnie help fuel the demand for this devastating material.
“The trauma suffered by children who have been sexually abused can profoundly impact their lives long into adulthood if they do not receive the support they need.
“Any adult concerned about a child’s safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or on 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via childline.org.uk.”
