Social Bite’s first pop-up food venture will focus on custard and desserts
Social Bite customers will be able to pay it forward and donate towards the charity’s work providing food, homes, jobs and support to people affected by homelessness
Social Bite is the third vendor to be announced for the market’s opening in Granton later this year
Social Bite joins British Street Food Champions Choola, and the legendary Buffalo Truck with more to be announced
Leading homelessness charity Social Bite today announced their dessert pop-up as the newest addition to an exciting line up of local food businesses at The Pitt, Granton. The partnership between Social Bite and The Pitt will bring sweet treats to customers.
Social Bite’s first pop-up will celebrate all things custard, with delicious desserts including crumble made with seasonal fruit and a choice of toppings served with hot or cold fresh custard. Social Bite will be a permanent trader and exclusive provider of desserts for visitors to the popular street food market at its new home in Granton.
Whilst Social Bite has a history of coffee shops in Edinburgh city centre, the charity is no stranger to the Granton Waterfront. The Pitt is located opposite Social Bite’s village, which opened in 2018 and has since supported 100 people out of homelessness.
The Pitt, owned and operated by not-for-profit community interest company, Granton Project CIC, is on a mission to create positive change in North Edinburgh and will open year-round this winter.
Mel Swan, Commercial Operations Director at Social Bite, said:“We’re excited to bring the Social Bite brand and our new dessert concept to The Pitt. There’s a lot of synergy between us – as well as our love of good food, we share their ethos of creating a supportive, community environment where people can flourish.
“They’ve welcomed us an established business with a new idea. We chose custard because it’s great hot, cold or frozen, and it works on its own, baked in a dessert, or as a side. We’ve got loads of great ideas that we can’t wait to bring to The Pitt’s devoted foodies, whether you pop along for pudding or want to pay it forward.”
Hal Prescott, Chief Executive of The Pitt, said:“With a number of exciting traders already confirmed, it’s amazing to welcome Social Bite, such a well-established social enterprise, to the project.
“They’ve already made such a huge contribution to end homelessness and we firmly believe that this innovative collaboration will make a significant impact.
“And how exciting to have Britain’s first dedicated custard stall at The Pitt on the shores of Granton!”
A new campaign challenging people to Rethink Dementia has been launched by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA.
To help address the stigma around the illness, people are being encouraged to continue doing everyday activities with friends or relatives diagnosed with dementia.
Research shows that making this effort to include people in social activities can help them stay well for longer as well as alleviate symptoms such as depression, anxiety and apathy.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “When a friend or relative is diagnosed with dementia it’s natural not to know what to do. It can be an upsetting and daunting time, but it’s important for all of us to play a supportive role in helping our friends and family.
“One of the key elements in the Rethink Dementia campaign is asking us to think differently about a dementia diagnosis. There are many practical steps we can take to help the people closest to us to lead fulfilling lives and stay well for longer.”
COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Counsellor Paul Kelly said: “This new campaign is a clear call to us all to think differently about dementia and those with a diagnosis.
“It highlights very clearly the simple ways that we can support people with dementia to stay connected to their local communities.”
Dr Tom Russ, an NHS Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist and Researcher at The University of Edinburgh said: “Over the past 20 years I’ve engaged with hundreds of people who have been diagnosed with dementia, and often they will withdraw from social activities, which can have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing.
“For anyone with friends or relatives who have been diagnosed with dementia, it’s vital to stay in touch to help them maintain their usual social activities, or even try something new together.”
It’s time to #RethinkDementia. If a friend or relative has been diagnosed with dementia, staying in contact, including them in social activities, and doing many of the things you’ve always done, can help them stay well for longer.
Researchers at the University of Dundee to receive a government funding boost to continue their vital work for a further 5 years
Vital work by Dundee-based cell biology researchers, who have already developed a drug to treat skin cancer and attracted £60 million in private investment, to continue thanks to further government backing
Almost £30 million in government funding could potentially unlock new treatments for conditions, from motor neurone disease to Crohn’s, by supporting research into how signals are transmitted within the body’s cells.
Science and Technology Secretary will announce funding at the Universities UK conference as he sets out his vision for harnessing the power of higher education to boost innovation and economic growth across the country.
Dundee-based researchers with a track record of devising treatments for deadly diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s – whose work has crowded in £60 million in investment to date – are receiving further backing from the government to continue their vital work for a further 5 years, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle will announce today (Thursday 5 September).
Currently, the 200-strong scientific community of staff and students based at the University of Dundee are using cutting-edge technology and biochemistry to explore how signals transmitted within the body’s cells are disrupted.
Working closely with industry, Dundee’s unit has been a fundamental part of the development and clinical approval of over 40 drugs that are now widely used to treat patients, attracting almost £60 million in private investment.
It is just one example cementing Scotland’s place at the forefront of the UK government’s plans to make Britain a powerhouse for life sciences that attracts international investment and drives forward the deployment of discoveries that grow the economy, create prosperity across the country and improve lives and public services.
Improving our understanding of the processes within cells could be the key to unlocking the scientific basis of innovative treatments for a range of diseases – from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to Crohn’s and coeliac disease. Their work has already delivered a drug that is now widely used to treat skin cancer.
The new funding comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary addressing higher education representatives at the Universities UK conference at the University of Reading, where he will reflect on his personal experience in higher education and will give his full-throated backing to the sector as a vehicle for much-needed economic growth.
He will also outline his vision for DSIT, and the crucial role universities can play in this, harnessing discoveries and innovations for novel therapies and technologies, like those developed in Dundee, that could transform patients’ lives and drive economic growth.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “I went to university later in life than most, but when I did it changed everything for me. It was the first time in my life that people saw potential in me that I never knew I had, and gave me the support and focus I needed to build something from it.
“The value of our universities, to the economy and to the whole of society, cannot be overstated.
“As we embark on a decade of national renewal, the higher education sector has a profound role to play in every piece of work we’ll need to do, to build a Britain that delivers for working people: from seizing the potential of clean energy to rebuilding the NHS. I will always champion our universities.
“They are society’s most powerful engines for innovation, aspiration, economic growth and the creation of better lives for all – which is why investing in their work, like this £30m in funding, is so important.”
Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “The work at the University of Dundee, which we are announcing support for today, is proof of how deep expertise, effective links with industry, and the power of curiosity can deliver meaningful improvements to people’s lives, while also driving economic growth across the UK.
“This funding puts the unit on track to strive for still more health breakthroughs, that could help more patients live longer and healthier lives.”
Working with other companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, the team was central to developing a drug now widely used to treat melanoma, and a promising new drug for Parkinson’s disease is in clinical trials as a result of the team’s globally recognise work, investigating the condition to discover potential causes and treatments.
Universities are vital to the government’s mission to boost our economy and transform healthcare services with world-class science and research. They are at the heart of our research strengths, underpinning key sectors including life sciences.
Backing university-based researchers, like the team at the University of Dundee, will ensure that they can continue unlocking the technologies and therapies that could be life-changing to patients, and which drive economic growth and productivity.
Professor Dario Alessi, Director of the MRC PPU said: “We are incredibly grateful for the long-term support that our Unit has received from the MRC over the last 34 years.
“This has enabled our researchers to tackle the most important questions and greatly contributed to our understanding of how derailment of biological pathways causes human diseases including neurodegeneration, diabetes, cancer, and immune dysfunction.
“Our mission for the next 5 years will be to work with leading research centres, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies to translate our discoveries into clinical progress and accelerate drug discovery.
“Whilst doing this research we aim to provide our staff with a unique training opportunity working in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment paying attention to improving culture and development best practices.”
Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said: “The MRC are proud to be investing for a further 5 years in the exceptional research of the MRC PPU in Dundee.
They are leaders in conducting rigorous fundamental research and then working with industry to translate those breakthroughs for patient benefit. The MRC PPU have an outstanding culture of collaboration and sharing their leading research expertise, products and techniques with the wider scientific community.”
Eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, improving public services and protecting the planet will be the top priorities of the Scottish Government, First Minister John Swinney has pledged.
Outlining his first Programme for Government (PfG) as First Minister, Mr Swinney set out how the Scottish Government will deliver commitments that are ‘affordable, impactful and deliverable’.
The First Minister highlighted that child poverty is his ‘first and foremost’ priority and that he will reform support for whole family services to make them ‘easy to access, well-connected and responsive to families’ needs.’
Key announcements include:
the expansion of Fairer Future Partnerships ensuring services work to help families by maximising their incomes – supporting parents back into work and improving their wellbeing
ensuring the NHS has the resources it needs, today and in the years to come, freeing up 210,000 outpatient appointments and delivering around 20,000 extra orthopaedic, ophthalmology and general surgery procedures annually in Scotland’s new National Treatment Centres
making Scotland more attractive for investment and promoting home-grown entrepreneurs and innovators
delivering faster planning decisions for renewable energy schemes, protecting the planet by speeding up the transition to net zero
The First Minister said: “This Programme for Government will ensure that the people of Scotland have every opportunity to live well, thrive, and see promise in their future.
“This year’s commitments are affordable, impactful and deliverable. Together, they reflect my optimism that out of every challenge, we gain an invaluable opportunity to adjust our course, to interrogate our priorities and to renew our partnerships.
“I have been clear about the financial limitations surrounding this Programme for Government due to UK Government spending decisions. In the face of these significant challenges, it is critical that we direct available funding towards our four priorities – eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, improving our public services and protecting the planet.”
In his statement, the First Minister added: “No child should have their opportunities, their development, their health and wellbeing, and their future curtailed by the material wealth of their family. Not ever, and certainly not, in a modern, prosperous society like Scotland.
“This is not only the moral compass of my Government, it is the greatest investment in our country’s future that we can possibly make.”
Reacting to the Programme for Government, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “It’s good that the First Minister talked about his strong commitment to ending the injustice of child poverty in our wealthy nation.
“But before today’s Programme for Government more than 100 of our members came together calling for action like boosting the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, affordable housing, and the delivery of stronger social security through a Minimum Income Guarantee. Many of these calls were not progressed within today’s Programme for Government.
“The First Minister was right to highlight the importance of welfare advice services that help people get the support they’re entitled to through social security. While a continued commitment to invest in the third sector is positive, the Scottish Government need to be clear as to how they will deliver long-standing promises for fair funding for the community and voluntary organisations that deliver that advice.
“He talked about affordable childcare and extra support to help people into work – but these commitments need to be matched with adequate investment. The Poverty and Inequality Commission have been clear that existing interventions are not at the scale necessary to deliver the change needed to meet our child poverty targets.
“He talked about closing the attainment gap in schools. But the latest figures show that children from poorer backgrounds are still being held back by poorer educational outcomes, so we need to hear what the Scottish Government is going to do differently.
“We welcome the fact that a Community Wealth Building Bill will be introduced into Parliament. But we need to make sure that it puts the voices of people in poverty at its heart, and starts to build new local economies that place wellbeing at their heart, and start to lessen Scotland’s unjust inequalities of wealth and power.
“We’re very disappointed that there will be no Human Rights Bill for Scotland. Poverty is a breach of people’s human rights, and we need to make sure they have the power to hold public bodies to account when their rights aren’t respected. The delay to this Bill will make it more difficult for the Scottish Government to deliver on their core mission of eradicating child poverty.
“We are a country that believes in justice and compassion. People in Scotland want our political leaders to unlock our country’s vast wealth, build better budgets that give people the means to build a better future, and to create a true wellbeing economy that supports fair work, and a just transition to the net zero future that we urgently need.”
Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Agesaid: “In the context of tightening budgets it is vital we look for innovative ways to help the growing number of older people in poverty in Scotland.
“Now, more than ever, we need a comprehensive and coherent strategy to tackle the terrifying rate of poverty in later life. Without it, it is likely the 150,000 older people across the nation who are in financial hardship will continue to struggle to afford even a very basic quality of life.
“Poverty at any age is extremely damaging to both mental and physical wellbeing. Through our work across Scotland, we have spoken to older people affected who shared with us what the cost of living has been like. We heard from those using foodbanks, and others waiting until the cold became ‘unbearable’ before using the heating at night.
“This cannot continue. If the Scottish Government wants to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow old, it is essential they introduce a long-term strategy to address pensioner poverty. Older people on low income are facing a bleak winter, they urgently need to see action on the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackle poverty.”
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs officer, said: “It’s heartening to see the First Minister’s explicit focus on the early years in his Programme for Government.
“In a challenging context, we need strategic leadership and coordination to ensure that money is spent where the evidence tells us it will make the biggest difference to babies, children, families and communities.
“Eradicating child poverty and Keeping the Promise can only be delivered by making the very best support available to families in the earliest years, to prevent unnecessary suffering to children and enable them to thrive.
“Delivering the Government’s ambitious vision for children requires cultural, structural and legislative change. A critical first step must be urgent reform of the Children’s Hearing System to protect the distinct needs and rights of babies who come into the care system.
“Getting it right for our most vulnerable citizens must become Scotland’s number one investment priority.”
“We welcome the continued commitment to provide an additional £100m in funding for Culture and will work with the Scottish Government on the effective allocation of that funding, to the benefit of culture and creativity in Scotland.
“We also welcome today’s confirmation of £6.6m, originally committed to Creative Scotland by the Scottish Government at the start of this financial year, reinstating budget removed in the previous year.
“We continue to see unprecedented levels of demand for the Open Fund for Individuals and will process the high volume of applications we have received. With the budget now confirmed, we will work to re-open this fund.
“We are sure today’s confirmation of the release of this funding will be welcomed by the creative community of Scotland.”
DAMNING GRENFELL TOWER INQUIRY REPORT PULLS NO PUNCHES
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has published its second and final report into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower in the early hours of 14 June 2017.
The publication of the Phase 2 report marks the end of a process that began on 15 June 2017 when then Prime Minister Theresa May announced a public inquiry to examine the disaster with a view to ensuring that a similar disaster could never occur again. The fire at Grenfell Tower was the worst residential fire in the UK since the Second World War and resulted in the deaths of 72 people.
The Phase 1 report was published on 30 October 2019 and focused on the events of 14 June 2017: how the fire started, how it escaped from the flat where it had begun and how it spread over the whole building with tragic consequences.
Phase 2 of the Inquiry examined the underlying causes of the fire to identify where mistakes were made and how Grenfell Tower came to be in a condition which allowed the fire to spread in the way identified by Phase 1. It also investigated the response of the authorities to the emergency.
Introducing the report, Inquiry Chairman the Rt Hon Sir Martin Moore-Bick explained that the second part of the investigations had taken longer than originally hoped because, as those investigations progressed, the Inquiry uncovered many more matters of concern than had previously been expected:
The Inquiry report finds that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable “and that those who lived in Grenfell Tower were badly failed over a number of years by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of its occupants.”
Sir Martin said: “They include the government, the Tenant Management Organisation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, those who manufactured and supplied the materials used in the refurbishment, those who certified their suitability for use on high-rise residential buildings, the architect, Studio E, the principal contractor, Rydon Maintenance Ltd, and some of its sub-contractors, in particular, Harley Curtain Wall Ltd and its successor Harley Facades Ltd, some of the consultants, in particular the fire engineer, Exova Warringtonfire Ltd, the local authority’s building control department and the London Fire Brigade,”
Sir Martin went on to explain that while not all of them bear the same degree of responsibility for the eventual disaster, “all contributed to it in one way or another, in most cases through incompetence but in some cases through dishonesty and greed.”
Panel member and architect Thouria Istephan, who spent nearly 30 years as an architect before joining the Inquiry in 2020, said: “Our report identifies what we think is needed to make sure that the legacy of Grenfell is real and brings about lasting change.
“Our recommendations place new burdens and responsibilities on people and organisations. I make no apologies for that: put simply, if you work in the construction industry and you do not feel the weight of the responsibility you have for keeping people safe – you are in the wrong job.”
Former housing association chief executive Ali Akbor OBE, who joined the Inquiry as a Panel Member in 2020, said: ““I hope that our report acts as a reminder to the clients of future building projects – including social housing providers – that they have a responsibility to the users of their buildings to ensure that safety is not sacrificed to the demands of speed and cost.
Mr Akbor concluded: “We cannot in a few words here today do full justice to the totality of our report. What is needed is for those with responsibility for building safety – in my sector as in Thouria’s – to read the report, to reflect on it, and to treat Grenfell as a touchstone in all that they do in the future. To act with professionalism, with competence, and to put people first.”
Recommendations put forward by the Inquiry panel include:
● bringing responsibility for all aspects of fire safety under one government Department; ● the appointment of a construction regulator to oversee all aspects of the construction industry; ● the establishment of a body of professional fire engineers, properly regulated and with protected status and the introduction of mandatory fire safety strategies for higher-risk buildings; ● a licensing scheme for contractors wishing to undertake the construction or refurbishment of higher-risk buildings; ● the regulation and mandatory accreditation of fire risk assessors; ● the establishment of a College of Fire and Rescue to provide practical, educational and managerial training to fire and rescue services.the introduction of a requirement for the government to maintain a publicly accessible record of recommendations made by select committees, coroners and public inquiries, describing the steps taken in response or its reasons for declining to implement them.
The Panel expressed its gratitude to all those who had supported the Inquiry through giving evidence and providing statements to assist its investigations, in particular the bereaved, survivors and residents of Grenfell Tower.
Grenfell Tower Inquiry opened on 14 September 2017. During the course of its investigations it disclosed over 300,000 documents to 646 Core Participants, obtained over 1500 witness statements and sat for more than 300 days, most of which were devoted to taking evidence from a wide range of factual and expert witnesses.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement in the House of Commons on Grenfell Tower Inquiry final report:
Mr Speaker, this morning Sir Martin Moore-Bick published the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
And I am sure the whole House will join me in thanking him, the members of the Inquiry and his whole team for their dedicated work.
Mr Speaker, I want to speak directly to the bereaved families, the survivors, and those in the immediate Grenfell community…
Some of whom are with us in the gallery today.
Sir Martin concluded this morning – I’m afraid there is no way of repeating this that won’t be painful – “the simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidableand that those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways” by, as the report lays out in full, just about every institution responsible for ensuring their safety.
Mr Speaker, in the face of an injustice so painful. So deserving of anger
Words begin to lose their meaning.
Seven years – still waiting
For the justice you deserve.
I want to say very clearly, on behalf of the country: you have been let down so badly before, during and in the aftermath of this tragedy.
And while Sir Martin sets out a catalogue of appalling industry failures, for which there must now be full accountability, he also finds – and I quote – “decades of failure by central government.”
He concludes that “In the years between the fire at Knowsley Heights in 1991 and the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017there were many opportunities for the government to identify the risks posed by the use of combustible cladding panels and insulation…
And he concludes – and I quote – “By 2016 the department was well aware of those risks, but failed to act on what it knew.”
Further, he finds that “The department itself was poorly run” and “the government’s deregulatory agenda dominated the department’s thinking to such an extent that even matters affecting the safety of life were ignored, delayed or disregarded”.
So Mr Speaker, I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to each and every one of you and indeed to all the families affected by this tragedy. It should never have happened.
The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty to protect you and your loved ones: the people we are here to serve. And I am deeply sorry.
I also want to express my admiration for the strength it must have taken to relive those events when giving your evidence to this Inquiry.
And indeed, to see written down today the circumstances that led to the deaths of your loved ones.
After all you have been through, you may feel you are always just one step away from another betrayal.
I get that – and I know I cannot change that with just words today.
But what I can say is that I listened carefully to one of the members of the inquiry Ali Akbor who said this morning: “What is needed is for those with responsibility for building safety to reflect and to treat Grenfell as a touchstone in all that they do in the future.”
Mr Speaker, I consider myself responsible for building safety. And that is exactly what I will do. And what I will demand of this government.
Mr. Speaker, today is a long-awaited day of truth – but it must now lead to a day of justice.Justice for the victims and families of Grenfell.
But also a moment to reflect on the state of social justice in our country and a chance for this Government of Service to turn the page.
Because this tragedy poses fundamental questions about the kind of country we are.
A country where the voices of working class people and those of colour have been repeatedly ignored and dismissed.
A country where tenants of a social housing block in one of the richest parts of the land are treated like second class citizens.
Shamefully dismissed – in the words of one survivor – as people with needs and problems… Not respected as citizens, as people who contribute to Britain, who are part of Britain, who belong in Britain.
And Mr Speaker, unbelievably this continued even after the tragedy.
Sir Martin highlights…and I quote – “Certain aspects of the response demonstrated a marked lack of respect for human decency and dignity and left many of those immediately affected feeling abandoned by authority and utterly helpless.”
Mr Speaker, that alone should make anyone who feels any affinity towards justice bristle with anger. But Sir Martin continues. He finds – and these are his words – “systematic dishonesty on the part of those who made and sold the rainscreen cladding panels and insulation products”
And he goes on to say: “They engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing process, misrepresent test data and mislead the market.”
Sir Martin also cites – “A complete failure on the part of the Local Authority Building Control over a number of years to take basic steps to ensure that the certificates it issued were technically accurate.”
He finds that the work of the Building Research Establishment “..was marred by unprofessional conduct, inadequate practices a lack of effective oversight, poor reporting and a lack of scientific rigour.” And that the Tenant Management Organisation “must also bear a share of the blame”
Its only fire safety assessor “had misrepresented his experience and qualifications (some of which he had invented) and was ill-qualified to carry out fire risk assessments on buildings of the size and complexity of Grenfell Tower.”
He also finds – “a chronic lack of effective management and leadership” on behalf of the London Fire Brigade” With tragic consequences on the night of the fire.
Mr Speaker, in the light of such findings it is imperative that there is full accountability, including through the Criminal Justice process, and that this happens as swiftly as possible.
So I can tell the House today that this government will write to all companies found by the Inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts.
And, of course, we will support the Met Police and the prosecutors as they complete their investigations.
But, Mr Speaker, it is vital that as we respond to this report today we do not do or say anything that could compromise any future prosecution.
Because the greatest injustice of all would be for the victims and all those affected not to get the justice they deserve.
Mr Speaker, there must also be much more radical action to stop something like this from ever happening again.
Because one of the most extraordinary qualities of the Grenfell community is their determination to look forward.
They are not only fighting for justice for themselves, they are fighting to ensure no other community suffers as they have done.
Mr Speaker, some important reforms have been made over the last seven years.
Reforms we supported in Opposition.
Including banning combustible cladding.
New oversight of building control.
A new safety regime for all residential buildings over 18 metres.
New legal requirements on social landlords.
Making sure Fire and Rescue Services are trained and equipped to handle large scale incidents. including moving from “stay put” to “get out” when needed.
And we are now addressing the recommendation from Sir Martin’s first report: to introduce a new Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan policy for anyone whose ability to evacuate could be compromised and funding this for those renting in social housing.
Mr Speaker, we will look at all 58 of Sir Martin’s recommendations in detail.
There will be a debate on the floor of this House.
We will respond in full to the Inquiry’s recommendations within six months.
And we will update Parliament annually on our progress against every commitment we make.
But there are some things I can say right now. There are still buildings today with unsafe cladding. And the speed at which this is being addressed is far, far too slow.
We only have to look at the fire in Dagenham last week. A building that was still in the process of having its cladding removed. So this must be a moment of change.
We will take the necessary steps to speed this up.
We are willing to force freeholders to assess their buildings and enter remediation schemes within set timetables with a legal requirement to force action if that is what it takes to tackle industry intransigence.
And we will set out further steps on remediation this Autumn.
We will also reform the construction products industry that made this fatal cladding so homes are made of safe materials and those who compromise that safety will face the consequences.
We will ensure that tenants and their leaseholders can never again be ignored. And that Social landlords are held to account for the decency and safety of their homes.
And as this government tackles the most acute housing crisis in living memory, building one and a half million new homes across the country, we will ensure these homes are safe, secure, and built to the highest standards.
Places of security, health and wellbeing that serve the needs of residents and their wider communities. Because a safe and decent home is a human right and a basic expectation and the provision of that right, should never be undermined by the reckless pursuit of greed.
One of the tragedies of Grenfell is that this was – and is – a community that nurtured so much of what we want from housing.
People who had made the Tower their home. And were entitled to a place of safety and security not a death-trap. And yet time and again they were ignored.
Mr Speaker, two weeks ago I made a private visit to Grenfell Tower. I laid a wreath at the Memorial Wall and affirmed the government’s commitment to the work of the Memorial Commission. Delivering a permanent memorial on the site through a process led by the Grenfell community.
As I walked down that narrow staircase from the 23rd floor and looked at walls burned by 1000-degree heat I got just a sense of how utterly, utterly terrifying it must have been.
And as I saw examples of the cladding on the outside of the building, and listened to descriptions of the catastrophic and completely avoidable failures of that fatal refurbishment.
I felt just a sense of the anger that now rises through that building. And it left me a with a profound and very personal determination. To make the legacy of Grenfell Tower one of the defining changes to our country that I want to make as Prime Minister.
To the families, the survivors, and the immediate community We will support you now and always, especially those who were children. In the memory of your loved ones we will deliver a generational shift in the safety and quality of housing for everyone in this country.
And in the memory of Grenfell, we will change our country. Not just a change in policy and regulation – although that must of course take place – but a profound shift in culture and behaviour.
A rebalancing of power that gives voice and respect to every citizen, whoever they are, wherever they live.
And Mr Speaker, we will bring the full power of government to bear on this task.
Because that is the responsibility of service.
And the duty we owe to the memory of every single one of the 72.
And in that spirit, I commend this statement to the House.
A STATEMENT FROM THE METROPOLITAN POLICE:
GRENFELL UNITED CAMPAIGNERS SAID:
FOR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED AND A COMMUNITY THAT WAS IGNORED FOR FAR TOO LONG, LET’S HOPE THIS REPORT IS JUST THE BEGINNING IN THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE. THIS STORY IS FAR FROM OVER.
Officers conducting enquiries to locate missing woman Khasha Smith began searching in an area off Calder Road in Edinburgh today (Wednesday, 4 September, 2024).
The work includes specialist search trained officers as part of the investigation to locate Khasha who went missing almost a year ago, aged 35.
Extensive enquiries have been carried out but Khasha is still a missing person. We are continuing to support her family throughout this time.
Khasha was last seen to be safe and well on Tuesday, 10 October, 2023. She has never gone missing before.She is around 5ft, of slim build, with blue eyes and long, blonde hair.
She also has tattoos, one which is visible on her right wrist and says ‘Forever’.
Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “We continue to follow up several lines of enquiry and are working to find answers for Khasha’s family.
“As with every missing person inquiry, all aspects of Khasha’s life have been, and continue to be, explored. We know she would never miss events such as her daughter’s birthday and Christmas, and we have to consider the possibility that she may have come to harm.
“We are constantly evaluating and exploring all the information we have and remain open minded. We are doing everything we can to find her.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 3915 of 5 January 2024.
Students complete ‘European first’ build of innovative bamboo structure The design could be used to create sustainable large span roofs in future
A project to build Europe’s first bamboo-timber composite gridshell at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) has been successfully completed.
The 9×8 metre structure was put up in just four days by a team of 31 visiting students from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) in an engineering lab at ENU’s Merchiston campus.
The team used cutting-edge design and construction methods, including augmented reality technology to visualise the plans in real time.
Project leaders hope to now replicate it at a larger scale, allowing researchers to investigate the use of bamboo-timber gridshells as a sustainable building design, and to train construction professionals.
Known for their structural efficiency and aesthetic appeal, gridshells are curved, shell-like structures made from an interconnected grid pattern.
Experts believe their design – which makes the most of bamboo’s strengths as a sustainable building material – could be used to create large-span roofs.
This latest effort follows the construction of a similar structure in China by a team of ENU students last year.
Professor Johnson Zhang, Head of international for Edinburgh Napier’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, led the project.He said: “The construction has gone really well. The last time we did something like this in China it took a month – so it has taken a huge effort to get it all done in four days.
“We were delighted to welcome the students to Edinburgh for the project. They have all learned a lot from the process, as have we.
“Using the technology allowed us to monitor the construction, so we could make changes and corrections in real time during the build. It has huge potential in the industry.
“It’s the first time something like this has been done in Europe, and we’re hoping to create an even bigger gridshell here in future.
“We first demonstrated the idea behind bamboo-timber gridshells at COP26 in Glasgow, and this is another step in the journey to realise its potential.”
As well as ENU and THEi, the project backed by the Construction Industry Council of Hong Kong and the British Council, alongside partners: Built Environment – Smarter Transformation, Xylotek – Advanced Timber, Glenalmond Timber, and Intelligent Wood Systems.
A group of academics from the Department of Architecture of Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (IMUST) also came to Edinburgh to support the construction.
The finished structure was shown off during a closing ceremony for visiting partners at Merchiston. Plans are underway to develop bamboo-timber gridshell technology further at Edinburgh Napier University.
A staggering 68% of adults in Edinburgh either don’t have a Will or have one that’s out-of-date, a national Will-writing charity has revealed.
Will Aid’s poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 people across the country, found 57% in the city haven’t made a Will, and 11% admitted theirs did not reflect their current wishes.
Nationally, the figures showed 56% of people haven’t made a Will, with a further 11% whose Will is out of date.
Financial pressures seem to be holding people back – with 21% citing the cost of instructing a solicitor as the reason they haven’t sorted a Will.
Other reasons included believing they had nothing worth leaving (27%), never finding the time (18.5%), feeling uncomfortable talking about death (16%) and concerns about the process being too complicated (16%).
Nationally, the average time since people last updated their Wills is six years, with nearly 20% admitting they’ve never updated theirs.
Only a third (34%) of those surveyed have updated their Will in the past three years.
Parents with children over 18 last updated their Wills an average of seven and a half years ago, while those with under 18s averaged four and a half years.
Peter de Vena Franks, Will Aid Campaign Director, said: “Making a Will is a final loving act for those you care about. It provides a clear plan and guidance for your family after you’re gone.
“We know thinking about death is uncomfortable and considering your final wishes can be daunting, but not having one can lead to confusion and distress among family members and beneficiaries, at an already upsetting time.
“The statistics on outdated Wills are worrying, because circumstances change, and it’s crucial to keep your documents up to date to ensure they reflect your current situation.
“Having a Will is essential for ensuring your wishes are respected and providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones and keeping that document up to date is vital, especially when circumstances in your life change.
“Common reasons for updating your Will might include the death of a relative, divorce or separation, having children or gaining stepchildren. We advise you to regularly review your Will to make sure it still outlines your wishes.
“Will Aid is the perfect opportunity to have your Will professionally drawn up or to have it updated, while supporting charities that help some of the most vulnerable people in the UK and abroad.
“Getting your Will drafted by a solicitor is the safest way to ensure it is done correctly and legally.
“This year, you can finally tick that task off your to-do list by securing an appointment with a participating Will Aid solicitor – it can be an in-person meeting if there is a participating firm near you, otherwise you will be offered firms that can do it remotely, so wherever you are in the UK, you can get your affairs in order through Will Aid this year.
“It’s a straightforward and easy process, allowing you to secure your family’s future while supporting to important causes.”
The annual Will Aid campaign sees solicitors across the UK volunteering their time to write Wills throughout November.
Will Aid is a partnership between the legal profession and seven of the UK’s best-loved charities.
The initiative, which has been running for more than 30 years, sees participating solicitors waive their fee for writing basic Wills every November.
Instead, they invite clients to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid – a suggested £100 for a single basic Will and £180 for a pair of basic ‘mirror’ Wills.
Appointments are available from September 2, and you can sign up by visiting www.willaid.org.uk
Donations to the campaign are shared by Will Aid’s partner charities, which operate both here in the UK and around the world.
For more information on Will Aid and how to get involved visit:
