September 2024 – Page 34 – The NEN

UK to receive earlier flood and drought warnings

Researchers across the UK to use latest tech and major data bank to better predict where devastating floods and droughts will strike
innovators will also pioneer new ways of tackling the worst of extreme weather to halt damage and cut eye-watering cost to the economy
sensors in UK rivers and real time monitoring will gather priceless data that goes towards modelling the potential impact and likely flashpoints

Predicting where future flooding and droughts will strike next in the UK will be made easier under a new project for scientists using the latest tech and real-time data, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has announced.

It will help key bodies, like local authorities and the Environment Agency, to stem the worst of extreme weather’s impact on communities, saving lives, homes, and businesses, and helping to cut the devastating cost of such events to the UK economy, estimated at £740 million a year.

The Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure, led by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and backed by £40 million, will be the first UK-wide network focused on understanding the impact of extreme weather conditions across the country, pinpointing where incidents are likely to occur and planning to limit their impact.

The complexity of Earth’s climate makes forecasting floods and droughts a major challenge, with climate change only further complicating the picture.

Researchers will use the latest technologies including sensors and real time computer monitoring, plus a huge bank of data including river profiles and near real-time monitoring of information including on atmospherics, ground saturation, water movement, abstraction and storage – taken together, this will form a clearer impression of where and when extreme weather will strike.

Floods wreak havoc on communities by destroying homes, public infrastructure, and livelihoods like farming which in turn costs consumers. Similarly, droughts have a major impact on the water supply and UK eco-system, harming wildlife and their natural habitats which rely on regular rainfall.

Researchers will be based at UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology’s offices throughout Great Britain, with further input from researchers in the British Geological Survey, University of Bristol and Imperial College London.

Findings from the project will be shared with key bodies like the Environment Agency to steer the UK response to extreme weather.

It will also act as a hub for researchers to pursue new innovations with discoveries shared across the world and marking the UK as a leader in the field.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said: “Flooding and droughts can devastate UK communities, from leaving people stranded, to destroying homes, gardens, roads and businesses, and even claiming lives.

“With climate change sadly making extreme weather events more common and adding an eye-watering cost to the economy, there is no time to waste in backing our researchers and innovators to ensure we are better prepared for floods and droughts striking.

“This project will help drive that progress, with dedicated teams using the most advanced tech to crunch data gathered from our rivers and paint a clear picture of its likely impact – using the power of science and tech to keep the public safe.”

The new measures build on £5.6 billion of government investment into flooding from 2021 and 2027, with over 100 and coastal risk management projects helping to better protect thousands of people and properties from flooding from the sea, rivers and reservoirs.

The Westminster government will also shortly launch a new Flood Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge the delivery of new flood defences, drainage systems and natural flood management schemes, which will ensure we’re prepared for the future and help grow our economy.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said: “In the case of extreme flooding and drought, preparation and prediction are everything.

“Our new institute will bring together a team of world-leading researchers and the latest technology to ensure our communities, businesses and farms are protected from these devastating events.”

The funding also builds on wider UKRI projects tackling extreme weather in the UK and abroad, including support for businesses to ensure against its risks.

It includes a project sponsored by the NERC linking the frequency and intensity of storms over Northern Europe using mathematical models that enable more accurate pricing of storm-related risks. Meanwhile the Lisflood-FP computer model developed by the University of Bristol has helped over one million Zambian farmers to insure themselves against drought risk through daily rainfall estimates for the continent of Africa.

Another team at Bristol has pioneered the development of high-resolution flood prediction models, which has resulted in Fathom: a spin-out company with an annual turnover of more than £4 million. Its work includes protecting infrastructure valued at over $1 trillion, thanks to improved flood risk management in the UK and across the world.

Executive Chair of NERC, Professor Louise Heathwaite, said: “Earth’s changing climate means the number of extreme floods and droughts will increase in the UK, impacting homes, businesses and services.

!But predicting their location and measuring their intensity and impact needs the sort of scientific advances that this programme will bring to overcome the data and analytical constraints that are currently very challenging.

“The project will transform the way we understand the impact of these events by building a significant bank of data and improving our monitoring capability, and so helping to protect those affected.

“This is an example of how NERC is responding to climate challenges with research and innovation investments that will accelerate the green economy and deliver solutions to national priorities.”

No under 18s in Scotland’s Young Offenders Institutions

All under 18s who were previously detained in YOI Polmont have now been moved into secure care settings. New regulations came into force on 28 August and as of that date, there will be no new admissions of children under 18 to Young Offender Institutions.

Funding of up to £7 million is being made available by the Scottish Government to cover the costs of placements this financial year. This is in addition to £500,000 funding which has been offered to secure accommodation providers to support their preparations for the movement of the children, ensuring their wellbeing and safety is the top priority.

As part of wider work to embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and to Keep the Promise, the 2024 Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act’s provisions aim to improve children’s experiences of the care and justice systems, whether victims, witnesses or children who have caused harm.

Minister for The Promise Natalie Don-Innes said: “We have been moving at pace since the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill received Royal Assent in June to implement this reform and ensure no under 18s will be detained in a Young Offenders Institution from now on, moving to suitable settings such as secure care.

“This move will ensure children in conflict with the law are placed in safe suitable accommodation which will ensure their wellbeing and rehabilitation is at the heart of their care, while also keeping communities safe.

“I value and appreciate the work the providers will undertake to make the young people feel settled. Implementing this reform has been an enormous collaborative effort.

“I am very grateful to the secure accommodation providers, the Scottish Prison Service, Social Work Scotland, Crown Office, Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and the Care Inspectorate.

“The success of their combined effort demonstrates our commitment to ‘Keep the Promise’, further protect children’s rights and keep communities safe.”

St Columba’s: Interested in becoming a compassionate gardener?

If you’ve enjoyed learning about St Columba’s Compassionate Gardeners this month, and would like to get involved and make a real difference to someone through this service, download the volunteer pack, or apply today at:

https://stcolumbashospice.org.uk/…/compassionate-gardener

One in 10 fireplace users at risk of a chimney fire

stacks are left unswept for years

New UK research reveals that nearly one in ten fireplace users leave it years before sweeping their chimneys putting their homes at risk of catching fire. One owner said, “I’m not sure how often I should have it done.”

The findings from HETAS come during the not-for-profit organisation’s Chimney Fire Safety Week (CFSW), an annual, national campaign in partnership with Fire Kills, industry, and Fire and Rescue services to promote positive safety messages to consumers.

In 2023/2024 there were 2,126 chimney fires in England, accounting for 1.5% of the total fires in the country. While chimney fires are steadily decreasing, there are now more than 1.5 million wood burners in the UK, with around 200,000 sold each year. Last year a Midlands fire brigade reported a 240% increase in these types of fires mainly due to people ‘not bothering to have their chimneys swept.’

Industry advice is for chimneys to be swept at least twice a year if you burn wood, and at least once every 12 months if you use smokeless fuels, regardless of what type of chimney you have and even if it is lined. The right fuel should be used, with wood containing 20% or less moisture, and appliances should be installed and regularly maintained correctly.

The new data from HETAS, an independent organisation promoting a cleaner, safer and more sustainable environment, working with Government and industry experts, found that a shocking 41% of owners have never had their appliance serviced. Some owners are ‘doing it myself’ when needed, while others do not believe that their stove needs servicing.

Bruce Allen, CEO of HETAS said: “The best time to get your chimney swept and your appliance maintained is just before the start of the heating season in September, alternatively after your stove has not been used for a prolonged period. 

“This is even more important after the long wet summer we have had, and to remember that stove and chimney maintenance is an essential and responsible part of ownership.”

People are also ‘doing it themselves’ when it comes to sourcing fuel for their wood burner, according to the HETAS findings. A high 63% of those who said that they source their fuel from places outside of retailers, garages, farm shops or social media sites, said they produce their own firewood by cutting down their trees or collecting it from woodland.

Bruce continues: “There are strict government regulations in place (in England) which dictate that wood sold in volumes under 2m³ is ‘Ready To Burn’ certified to ensure that it has a moisture content of 20% or less and that Manufactured Solid Fuels contain less than 2% sulphur content.

“We found that there is still a small percentage of consumers, over one in 10 who still don’t check if their fuel is certified or only check sometimes. This appeared to be the same when assessing what appliance to buy. Over 40% either don’t have or aren’t verifying that their wood burner is a ‘Cleaner Choice’ certified stove which means it burns clean and low carbon fuels and is therefore better for the public and the environment.

“If you’re obtaining fuel from a non-certified source, check that it adheres to the right moisture levels and that any appliance bought since 1st January 2022 complies to Ecodesign regulations.

“When used correctly and with the appropriate fuels and maintenance routine, a solid fuel stove can be an excellent source of heat for the home – one that reduces your risk of a fine, and prevents a build-up of creosote deposits in the flue which can lead to a chimney fire.”

Distant origin of star object from the Galloway Hoard revealed ahead of its first public display

On the 10th anniversary of its discovery, new research and conservation has revealed the West Asian origin of the lidded vessel which contained many of the unique treasures that comprise the Viking-age Galloway Hoard, and which will go on public display for the first time later this month.

On its discovery, the vessel was found wrapped in textiles which in themselves are an extremely rare survival from the burial of the Hoard, around AD900, in Galloway in the southwest of Scotland.

Those textiles have been carefully studied and retained for further analysis with as much as possible preserved in situ on the vessel. This delicate balance of careful conservation work and research has revealed the intricately decorated surface of the vessel for the first time since it was put in the ground over 1000 years ago.

Where the surface of the vessel had previously only been viewed through x-ray scans, laser cleaning has helped to reveal further details of the design, including crowns, fire altars, leopards and tigers.

This remarkable imagery is unusual in western Europe and suggested an association with the iconography of Zoroastrianism, the state religion of the Sasanian Empire, the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th–8th centuries AD. New scientific analysis has confirmed that materials used to make the vessel originated in what is now central Iran.

Dr Martin Goldberg from National Museums Scotland said: “We had suspected from x-ray scanning the vessel that it may have originated somewhere in central or western Asia, but it’s only now that we’ve carefully conserved and analysed it that we can say this is definitively the case.

“It’s further evidence of the cosmopolitan make-up of the Galloway Hoard. We now know that the Viking-age silver that makes up most of the Hoard was melted down from coins and metalwork from early medieval England.

“Some objects, like the lidded vessel, stood out from the rest and the scientific analysis now confirms this. It is incredible to imagine how the vessel made its journey halfway round the known world, from Iran to this distant corner of southwest Scotland.”

Dr Jane Kershaw, an expert on Viking age silver from the University of Oxford, said: “Taking tiny samples from both the vessel body and the niello – the black silver-sulphide inlays that outline the decoration – we assessed the provenance of the silver.

“It was immediately clear that the vessel was unlike any other silver contained in the hoard: instead, the results point to origins in the Sasanian Empire, what is today Iran. Elemental analysis using portable X-ray Fluorescence revealed that the vessel is an alloy of silver and relatively pure copper, which is typical of Sasanian silver, but not contemporary European silver.

” In addition, the isotopes of the lead contained within the silver metal and niello match ore from Iran. We can even go so far as to say that the niello derives from the famous mine of Nakhlak in central Iran. It’s fantastic to have scientific confirmation for the distant origins of this remarkable object.”

The original vessel will go on display for the first time later this month as part of the British Museum’s forthcoming exhibition, Silk Roads (26 Sep 2024 to 23 Feb 2025).

Dr Sue Brunning from the British Museum said: “We’re delighted that visitors to Silk Roads will be the first in the world to see this key object from the Galloway Hoard. Among its remarkable contents were Scotland’s earliest recorded silk, and so it is a highly appropriate inclusion in the exhibition.

“For the first time it will be displayed alongside a similar vessel found in northern Britain and also used as a Viking-age treasure container, but the Galloway vessel is the only one confirmed as originating beyond Europe, in lands far to the east. It was, itself, a long-distance traveller on the Silk Roads’ sprawling networks.”

The Galloway Hoard contains the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland. Buried around the end of the 9th century, the Hoard brings together a stunning variety of objects and materials in one discovery. It was discovered on 1st September 2014 by metal detectorists and excavated by the Dumfries and Galloway Council archaeologist.

It was acquired by National Museums Scotland in 2017 with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and the Scottish Government as well as a major public fundraising campaign.

Since then, it has been undergoing extensive conservation and research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh under the auspices of an AHRC-funded research project, Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard, undertaken in partnership with the University of Glasgow.

While little can be said with certainty about who buried the Galloway Hoard and why, several discoveries from the conservation and research work have offered tantalising hints of the deeper history behind this collection, which probably accumulated over several centuries.

These include a Christian pectoral cross depicting symbols of the four evangelists, the runic inscription of the name ‘Egbert’ on a silver arm ring, and the revelation of a spectacular rock crystal jar decorated with gold filigree bearing the words ‘Bishop Hyguald had me made’. Along with the West Asian origin of the vessel, the many unusual objects in the Galloway Hoard take us well beyond the usual stereotype of Viking raiders.

This Hoard tells us a richer story about complex interactions with neighbours and newcomers, connections with previous generations and the rest of the known world.

An online event, Galloway Hoard: A Decade of Discovery, hosted by Sally Magnusson and featuring several members of the research team, will be held on 11 September, showcasing some of the remarkable discoveries made to date.

The Galloway Hoard will eventually go on long-term display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh with a significant and representative portion of it also displayed long-term at Kirkcudbright Galleries.

Poll reveals vast majority value countryside access

85% said access to the countryside was ‘very important’ (53%) or ‘fairly important’ (32%)
Strong support for countryside access evident across every age group, gender, region and socioeconomic background
85% of Labour voters agree that access to the countryside is important

The vast majority of people in Great Britain believe it’s important to have access to the countryside close to where they live, according to new polling from countryside charity CPRE and YouGov.

85% of those asked responded that access to the countryside was either ‘very important’ (53%) or ‘fairly important’ (32%). Strong support for countryside access was evident across every age group, gender, region and socioeconomic background.

Strikingly, 85% of those who voted Labour in 2019 agreed that access to the countryside was important. The figure for Conservative voters was 91%.

The Westminster government has already begun making decisions that will shape our countryside for generations to come.

We are calling on them to listen to their supporters and make good on their promises to protect the countryside – including the Green Belt – and to take action in CPRE’s core priority areas: planning system reform; affordable housing; the transition to clean energy and the need for joined-up decision making on how we use our finite supply of land.

CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said: ‘The results prove the countryside is deeply important to people, whatever their political beliefs and backgrounds.

‘The countryside is working harder than ever to address the challenges our nation faces but we’ve got to start treating our land as the finite resource that it is.

“We need a strategic, cross-government approach to land use that will help the countryside provide food and energy security, nature restoration, climate change mitigation, health and wellbeing benefits, space for new homes – and space for beauty, too.’

Children living with muscle wasting conditions rally together at charity sport event

On Saturday 24 August 2024 Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport hosted a free sporting event.

The leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions hosted the free event for children aged under 18 living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

Children came together from different parts of Scotland and had the opportunity to try different sporting activities, such as curling, powerchair football, boccia and swimming. The day was a success as they learnt new skills and could meet other children living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition.

Joe Moan, from Forth Valley, attended the charity event with his son who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Joe said: “It’s great to meet up with parents you haven’t seen since the last event.

“These events are confidence building for kids – they get to try new sports that they haven’t tried before. It’s great to watch my son interact with peers and children with a similar range of movement and shared experiences. I would recommend.”

Participants at Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport event 2024 Copyright @MuscularDystrophyUK © Julie Broadfoot

Jacqueline Munro, Head of Regional Support, Outreach, and Information, who attended on the day said: “We believe in the power of community and inspire collaboration across our whole muscle wasting and weakening community.

“Events like this are a brilliant way of bringing people together, from the children taking part in the activities to their parents or carers watching from the side lines. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to Scottish Disability Sport for partnering with us.”

Scottish Disability Sport is the Scottish governing and co-coordinating body of all sports for people of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability.

Joshua Thomson, Events Manager for Scottish Disability Sport said: “The event was a brilliant opportunity to provide sport and physical activity to young people with muscle wasting conditions, allowing them to grow and develop a community.

“Seeing the development of friendships and the joy on the participants’ faces throughout the day has demonstrated the value that events like this can have.

“There were some fantastic skills on show throughout the boccia, curling and swimming sessions.

“Thank you to Muscular Dystrophy UK and to everyone who attended, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope to see these children back at more events in the future.”

Special thanks to Scottish Boccia, Scottish Curling and representatives from the Scottish Swimming for their support on the day.

Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK and how the charity can provide support musculardystrophyuk.org/support

Delivering a ‘wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland’

Swinney to publish Programme for Government on Wednesday

Plans to deliver a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland despite difficult financial challenges will be announced by First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood this week.

The First Minister will this week deliver his first Programme for Government since taking office, laying out how the Scottish Government will focus on improving the lives of the people of Scotland.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Against a challenging financial backdrop this year’s Programme for Government will set out clear actions to deliver real change for the people of Scotland.

“The Prime Minister was clear last week that the UK Budget, to be delivered in October, will be painful, and the reality is that the UK’s finances will inevitably affect the funding available to us here in Scotland. Their decisions mean tough decisions ahead for Scotland.

“Yet despite this the Scottish Government will continue to prioritise action to eradicate child poverty, to grasp the opportunities of delivering net zero and to grow the economy by investing in public services and infrastructure.

“While we will work with the UK Government wherever we can, we will continue to urge them to drop the damaging cuts and set new spending rules that support investment.

“The Scottish Government already has a strong track record of improving lives in challenging circumstances. We have delivered an expansion of funded childcare, record investment in the NHS, renewable energy development, and the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, which are strong foundations for this year’s Programme for Government.

“Even when faced with unprecedented budgetary constraints, our aim will be to improve people’s lives by focusing on clear priorities that make the biggest difference.”

Nature at the heart of Stranraer Oyster Festival

Native oyster season starts on 1^st September
Three day festival – 13-15 September – celebrates Scotland’s last wild, native oyster fishery
New Eco Zone will be a hub for ecological talks and activities
Oyster researchers from Heriot Watt University and the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh will take part

As the native oyster season opens (1^st September), Scotland’s oyster festival has announced a new celebration of nature, right in the heart of the festival site.

Stranraer Oyster Festival, which takes place from 13-15 September, is introducing a new Eco Zone with a nature-based programme of talks and activities. The festival celebrates Scotland’s last wild, native oyster fishery taking place on the waterfront, a short distance from the sustainably managed native oyster beds in Loch Ryan.

The new Eco Zone programme will include a talk by Prof. Bill Sanderson of Heriot Watt University on the Benefits of Loch Ryan’s Oyster Beds, and a talk by Dr. Nicola Stock of Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute on Oyster Microbiomes in Loch Ryan.

Other activities will include wildlife and shoreline ranger led walks by the Solway Coast and Marine Project, touch tanks containing marine wildlife and activities for young people on a marine and ecology theme.

The Eco Zone continues Stranraer Oyster Festival’s growing emphasis on showcasing the importance of the Loch Ryan native oyster beds as one of Scotland’s ecological treasures, as well as an exceptional seafood product.

Allan Jenkins, Event Co-ordinator for Stranraer Development Trust, the community organisation that organises the festival explains: “Since Stranraer Oyster Festival launched in 2017 our understanding of the ecological importance of these oysters has grown.

“Last year we launched an oyster shell recycling scheme to give something back to the loch and the oyster bed. This year we wanted to make environmental activities and experiences a core part of the festival so that visitors to the event can understand just how extraordinary these oysters are.

“This year we are absolutely privileged to have such knowledgeable experts joining us for the festival.”

Professor Bill Sanderson of Heriot Watt University was commissioned by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Environment Team to carry out an oyster stock assessment of Loch Ryan last year, which estimated a population of 23 million native oysters.

He will share information about that assessment and his work on native oysters at a talk during the opening evening of the oyster festival.

He said: “Native oysters are marine biological super heroes. They improve the water by filtering it, they create spaces for other species improving biodiversity, they store carbon and, of course, they’re delicious.

“200 years ago we had oysters everywhere, including here on the Forth. Stranraer and Loch Ryan is an amazing glimpse into the past because oysters were abundant everywhere.

“Importantly, Loch Ryan’s oysters are also a window on the future, because people all over Europe are looking to restore oyster beds. Loch Ryan finds itself in the centre of the oyster restoration world, so I’m absolutely delighted to be taking part in this new initiative at the oyster festival.”

Later this year 10,000 native oysters from Loch Ryan will make their way to the Firth of Forth as part of Restoration Forth – a major marine restoration programme working with communities to restore seagrass habitats and European flat oyster populations in the Firth of Forth.

Stranraer Oyster Festival launched as a community-led regeneration project to ‘change the story of Stranraer’ from a story of economic decline to a story of destination opportunity. With six successful festivals delivered, the event has had a cumulative economic impact of more than £7m for the scenic former ferry port in south west Scotland.

The 2024 festival programme leans strongly into Stranraer’s connection with the water of Loch Ryan, with ecosystem and community regeneration strong themes. The Scottish Shucking Championship is a focal point of the festival, with chefs from across Scotland competing in the ‘Shuck Off’ to become Scottish Champion and win their place in the World Shucking Championships in Ireland in late September.

Culinary inspiration comes in the form of chef demonstrations that reunite two TV chef double acts – BBC’s Spice Kings Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala, and STV’s Hot Wok stars Julie Lin and Jimmy Lee.

They’ll be joined in the festival demo kitchen by Pam Brunton whose multiple award-winning restaurant Inver is the only restaurant in Scotland to receive a Michelin Green Star, which recognises restaurants that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments.

Allan Jenkins added: “People enjoying and eating the oysters at Stranraer Oyster Festival are directly supporting the sustainability of the oyster bed. It sounds counterintuitive, but only 5% of the oysters that are lifted by the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery are ever sold.

“The rest are carefully relaid in dense beds to help encourage native oyster breeding. So, enjoying Loch Ryan native oysters – especially at Stranraer Oyster Festival – is directly helping to fund this important work.”

Stranraer Oyster Festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Major Events Strategic Fund, EventScotland’s National Events Funding Programme and South of Scotland Enterprise. The work of Stranraer Development Trust is also supported by Kilgallioch Community Fund.

Stranraer Oyster Festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September 2024. Early Bird Weekend tickets cost £15, and Day Tickets cost from £6, with concessions available.

For more information details and to book tickets, head to:

www.stranraeroysterfestival.com

National Museums Scotland survey

Help us shape our museums for a greener future

At National Museums Scotland we are working to minimise our impact on climate change and biodiversity loss.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on how we can use our collections and expertise to address these topics through interpretation, events and exhibitions

Complete our short survey – (it’ll take about 6 minutes):

https://online1.snapsurveys.com/w4f4do