Are you missing out on Pension Credit?
If you’re of pension age & on a low income you may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payment to help with heating costs. You need to claim by 21 December.
Contact us to find out if you’re eligible or to refer someone:
http://edinburgh.gov.uk/benefits-grants/advice-shop?documentId=12262&categoryId=20127
Dogs can experience various disorders and health issues because of the noise and unpredictability of fireworks even if they are inside, including anxiety, panic attacks and cardiovascular issues.
If exposed to fireworks displays outside, dogs may experience distress that can lead to agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces and crowds.
This can result in long-term behavioural changes such as trembling, barking, and anxiety when taken outside, even if they previously felt safe.
Owners can keep their dogs safe during firework displays by gradually desensitizing them in advance. Play recordings during positive activities and slowly increase the volume to build their noise resilience.
Other advice includes avoiding walks on bonfire night and using dog body wraps.
Nick Jones said: “Fireworks can be extremely frightening to dogs and exposure to the loud bangs and flashing lights can lead to serious health conditions and disorders, which can unfortunately impact behaviour long term.
“Many owners will be surprised to learn their dog could even develop agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces and crowds if exposed to fireworks.
“In extreme cases, they can get so scared of fireworks and loud displays that they could die of heart attacks.
“This is why it is so important dog owners are educated on how to make the season safer for their beloved pets, including by preparing in advance for displays with desensitising techniques.
“My other advice includes not walking dogs outside if there is a possibility of fireworks, placing cotton wool in their ears, or socks over them and creating a safe, quiet and dark environment for them.”
Six tips to keep a dog safe on fireworks night, according to Nick Jones:
Desensitisation:
Planning for fireworks is essential for dog owners. Desensitisation techniques, like gradually increasing the volume of YouTube fireworks videos while giving treats, can help dogs adapt to the noise. This creates a sense of safety. If your dog struggles during fireworks season, start desensitisation now to help for future events.
Avoid dog walks
Always avoid dog walking during fireworks displays, even if your dog isn’t showing signs of distress. The sudden noises, bangs and flashes could not only cause fear and anxiety but could also make them run away if they are off lead.
DIY ear covers
Consider using inexpensive DIY methods like placing cotton wool under their ears or cutting an old sock to cover their ears to muffle the sounds of loud bangs and minimise distress. This technique may prove difficult on some dogs, so it may be worth investing in proper doggy earmuffs.
Body wrap ThunderShirt
A ThunderShirt is a specific body wrap which provides constant pressure, promoting relaxation. They are a great way to alleviate anxiety during fireworks and help them feel comforted and connected, naturally reducing stress and calming their nervous system.
Dark and soundproof spaces
Create a secure, calm, dark, and soundproof hiding place with blankets and toys to help your dog feel safe. Regularly check on them to ensure they are okay.
Seek professional help:
If no methods are helping and a dog is still showing extreme signs of fear and anxiety, they may need to be taken to a vet or referred to a dog behaviourist ahead of fireworks season for further help.
Wet Wet Wet star Marti Pellow put on a special performance for patients and staff at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
The singer has re-released the band’s hit single Love Is All Around as part of a campaign with ITV’s Lorraine Kelly to raise awareness of breast cancer symptoms and to encourage early detection.
He visited the Beatson this morning, performing in the Beatson Cancer Charity Café on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Gartnavel campus.
Marti also met patients who are undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the Centre’s Radiotherapy Department and Macmillan Day Bed Unit, as well as staff members who support them.
During his performance, he was joined by former Beatson patient, Mairi Milne, 55, from Bridge of Weir, who sings on the track as part of a choir of women who discovered they had breast cancer after watching Lorraine’s chat show.
And he was given a signed copy of a book by former patient Gillian Shirreffs, 54, from the west end of Glasgow, which was written before her breast cancer diagnosis in August 2021. The proceeds of Gillian’s book, Brodie, will go to the Beatson Cancer Charity as her way of giving back for the care she received.
Marti said: “This is a very special place with such a big catchment area for the whole of the west of Scotland for people receiving treatment.
“Since I’ve come in the door I’ve been met with so many smiles and hugs.
“It’s quite poignant for me too because my father was given his diagnosis here and I’ve always driven by and when I look at it it makes me think of my father.
“If there’s anything there that’s not your normal, go and get it checked. There’s a good chance there’s nothing wrong with you but it’s important to be aware and get checked if there are changes.
“The beautiful thing about this is that we are giving the message through the gift of song, and that’s what makes it special and so powerful.”
Lorraine’s Change+Check campaign is now in its sixth year. It encourages women to check their breasts for changes and stresses the importance of seeing a GP if they notice anything unusual.
Last year’s campaign single with Joss Stone, Golden, reached number one in the charts.
Love Is All Around, which was originally released almost 30 years ago, is out now, with proceeds going to Breast Cancer Awareness UK.
Cathy Hutchison, NHSGGC Cancer Consultant Nurse at the Beatson, said: “We were delighted to welcome Marti to the Beatson today, where patients and staff were able to meet him and enjoy a special performance.
“Having someone of his profile highlight the importance of routine checks and screening for breast cancer is invaluable.
“We’re grateful to Marti for coming along and helping to raise awareness of the work we do here at the Beatson.”
The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Adults with Incapacity Amendment Act (the AWI Amendment Act) consultation.
We consider this a valuable opportunity to comment on the proposals and the importance of reform to mental health legislation. It is positive that the proposals align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and incorporate some of the recommendations of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review (SMHLR).
However, whilst we acknowledge the fact that the Scottish Government have stated that this is an initial step towards longer term and larger changes in the law, we do not think that the proposed amendments go far enough to truly introduce positive change for people subject to the Act.
The ALLIANCE have concerns about the amendments approach being taken. Instead, we recommend that the Scottish Government legislate for a rights based system of supported decision making that will replace guardianship and which is in line with the UNCRPD.
We do not believe that the proposed new principles can be fully realised without a new supported decision-making framework that is robustly resourced, implemented and independently scrutinised to support them.
Gas distribution network SGN is continuing its gas network upgrade project in the Lanark Road and Craiglockhart areas of Edinburgh.
Engineers are replacing old metal gas mains and services with new plastic pipes. This essential work will ensure homes and businesses in the local area continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply.
From tomorrow (Monday 21 October), SGN will begin its second phase of the project by installing temporary three way traffic lights at Lanark Road’s junction with Craiglockhart Avenue. The lights will be manually controlled during peak times to help traffic flow.
This phase is expected to last approximately three weeks and cause significant disruption to traffic. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow more time for journeys, especially during peak travel times.
SGN Project Manager Craig Brown said: “This particular location has experienced multiple gas leaks in recent years and by upgrading our pipes now, we can prevent future emergency work which will lead to more disruption overall.
“We’d like to thank local residents, businesses and motorists for your ongoing patience and support during this critical work.”
Chief Constable Jo Farrell congratulated 250 new officers as they marked the end of their training in front of family and loved ones.
Police Scotland’s newest cohort of officers took part in their passing out parade at our headquarters, Tulliallan, today, Friday, 18 October 2024 and now are ready to report for duty in communities across Scotland.
The course was the first to trial non-residential training to enable officers with caring demands and responsibilities to return home each day.
The opportunity to complete the majority of training in a non-residential setting can provide real benefit for those who would otherwise have been unable to consider a role in policing. The trial will be evaluated for future consideration.
Chief Constable Farrell thanked the officers for stepping forward in their commitment to public service. She said: “Policing is a hugely rewarding and demanding vocation, and I congratulate our latest cohort of officers for successfully completing their training.
“I want to thank these officers for making a commitment to public service and for stepping up to help keep Scotland’s communities safe.
“They are now ready to deploy to our communities to discharge their duties in line with Police Scotland’s values of integrity, fairness, respect and a commitment to uphold human rights.
“I thank them for their dedication to deliver an excellent service to the public.”
The recruits passing out comprised of 170 male officers and 80 female officers.
If you are interested in a career with Police Scotland, please visit the recruitment section of our website.
Our Kids Crafts and Games group for ages 3-12 starts it’s new block on the 25th of October!
Taking place every Friday 2-3pm for until the 29th November, with plenty of games and a weekly craft activity. Just £1 a week – to register, email Alison on community@ccchub.online.
CLOSING DATE – 26 OCTOBER
What is happening?
The Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries started in September 2022. In early 2023 and again in April/May 2024 we consulted on proposals for constituency boundaries and names.
We are now consulting on Provisional Proposals for region boundaries and names.
The rules that govern Scottish Parliament region design are
Why is this happening?
Boundaries Scotland undertakes reviews of Scottish Parliament boundaries every 8-12 years to ensure each region or constituency has an equal number of electors.
What Boundaries Scotland says
We now want to hear the views of the public on our proposals, we will reflect on responses to the consultation and make changes where appropriate and where the legislation allows us to do so. We strongly encourage people to make their views heard.
Why your views matter
Your views play a vital role in shaping our boundaries and they also provide important local knowledge to help us improve our proposals.
We are also consulting on our Further Proposals for Scottish Parliament Constituencies. Click here to take part in that consultation.
Give us your views on our Provisional Proposals for Regions
Warning from the self-catering sector that a punishing regulatory framework will simply cost jobs and do nothing to resolve Edinburgh’s housing crisis
A new independent analysis shows short-term lets make a substantial economic impact in Edinburgh while only making up a tiny percentage of the total number of properties in the city.
BiGGAR Economics, a respected Edinburgh-based consultancy, calculated that the city’s short-term let sector generated £154m in GVA and supported 5,580 jobs in 2023, with guests spending more on local goods and services than the average visitor, particularly in hospitality, tourism and retail sectors.
Jointly commissioned by Justice for Scotland’s Self-Catering and STL Solutions, BiGGAR’s report lays out the economic and fiscal impacts of STLs in Edinburgh, its wider sectoral impact supporting business and tourism activity, and also assesses its effect on housing supply.
The report concludes that the share of secondary lets – properties entirety rented out entirely to guests rather than owner occupied – account for just 0.8% of dwellings in Edinburgh. Moreover, the number of long-term empty properties continues to rise, including in the period after licencing was introduced, with the city remaining a hotspot for empty housing.
The study comes as Edinburgh Council consult on their licensing scheme and the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will shortly take oral evidence from stakeholders on the Scottish Government’s STL implementation update report.
The key headlines include:
While it focuses on Edinburgh, the report will undoubtedly be of interest to other local authorities monitoring the impact of their short-term let regulations.
The findings have been shared with Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. The self-catering industry is committed to evidence-based policymaking, ensuring that robust and reliable data underpins public policy affecting the self-catering industry and wider tourism sector.
The industry continues to argue that the Scottish Government’s short-term let regulations have produced unintended consequences for the sector while failing to meet its underlying policy objectives, and Edinburgh’s approach in particular has been beset by three legal setbacks, most recently with the Council’s u-turn on issuing three-month suspensions on licensing applications.
Graeme Blackett, Director of BiGGAR Economics, said: “This independent research has found that the economic impacts of short-term lets will tend to be greater than residential use.
“This is a result of guest spending in the local economy, for example in the hospitality sector. The guest spending supports jobs in the Edinburgh economy, as well as sustaining a greater range of hospitality and other local businesses than would otherwise be the case, contributing to the quality of life for residents.
“The short-term lets sector is contributing at least £154 million to the Edinburgh economy each year. Our research also found that short-term let properties account for only 1.5% of Edinburgh’s housing stock, with secondary lets at only 0.8%, too low a proportion to have a meaningful impact on the local housing market.”
Fiona Campbell, CEO of the ASSC, said: “This major research study verifies that secondary lets are a huge economic driver for the capital, supporting over 5,500 jobs, and providing a much-needed boost to other local tourism and hospitality businesses.
“It outlines a proper holistic assessment of Edinburgh’s unique housing market, showing that secondary lets only account for 0.8% of housing stock. For us, the message is clear: you can’t solve a housing crisis by producing a crisis in Scottish tourism by decimating local businesses.
“Instead, we’ve got to build our way out and tackle the increasing problem of empty homes. We sincerely hope that this independent study can help refocus the policy agenda and inform the ongoing regulatory discussions.”
Iain Muirhead, Co-Founder of STL Solutions, said: “Short-term lets play a crucial role not only in supporting Edinburgh’s thriving tourism industry, which benefits all residents, but also in accommodating hundreds of visitors each year who come for economically important purposes such as work, festivals, and the education sector.
“We hope that local councillors will take this report into consideration when shaping local policies, especially planning regulations, to ensure a balanced approach is achieved. As the report indicates, overly restrictive measures could lead to the emergence of a black market, undermining the objectives of a well-regulated licensing scheme.”
Ralph Averbuch, Spokesman for JfSCC, said: “This report clearly demonstrates that full time Scottish Self-Catering operators have never been the issue. Yet we have been hounded as if killing off this vital part of Scotland’s tourism offering would be a magic cure for decades of government missteps.
“Politicians of all colours felt we were useful scapegoats but this economic analysis pinpoints that the problem is population growth and insufficient affordable house building. This problem will never be resolved by attacking a group which makes up less than 1% of Edinburgh housing.
“What’s needed is bold government action on housebuilding. Politicians have pretended that a crackdown on Scotland’s self-caterers is bold. It’s not. It’s been a master class in misdirection.”
WORLD OSTEOPOROSIS DAY – 20 OCTOBER
A university project, which is raising awareness of the shocking rise of osteoporosis in adults across the UK, is to provide specialist education for care home workers and community champions.
On World Osteoporosis Day (20th October ‘24) Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh announced that it is expanding its vital work to ensure osteoporosis is viewed as a public health priority.
The University team will be encouraging staff from care homes, and people living with the condition, to become better educated about the common bone disease which affects over 3 million people in the UK.
Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. Developing slowly over several years, it’s often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to fracture.
Affecting over 250,000 in Scotland and accounting for around 527,000 fractures per year in the UK, QMU’s Lydia Osteoporosis Project is passionate about raising awareness to help halt the rising numbers of people affected by the condition.
Although it is frequently perceived as a condition primarily affecting postmenopausal women (affecting 1 in 2 women over 50), evidence indicates that osteoporosis affects approximately 1 in 5 men over the age of 50.
Given its often ‘silent’ progression until fractures occur, it frequently evades diagnosis until it reaches an advanced stage.
Dr Karen Matthews, who leads the Lydia Osteoporosis Project at QMU, explained: “Osteoporosis silently undermines bone strength over time. Often, it remains undetected until a simple fall or sudden impact results in a debilitating fracture.
“Typically, individuals with osteoporosis experience fractures in their wrists, hips, or spinal bones. It can even lead to a broken rib or partial spinal bone collapse triggered by a mere cough or sneeze.
“Older people can develop the characteristic stooped posture as their spinal bones weaken and are unable to bear their body weight.”
Due to our increasing aging population, osteoporosis is now increasingly prevalent, with a high incidence of people with the condition living in a care home setting, as well as in the community.
Dr Matthews explained: “It is not always obvious that someone has osteoporosis, as it can essentially be a hidden disease. But it is critical that staff in care homes and health care settings develop a better understanding of the condition so they can prevent any unnecessary bone fractures when moving or handling patients.
“Care homes workers who may be moving people in and out of beds, chairs, wheelchairs etc., or even helping them wash or change, need to be aware of the condition, to avoid handling which may cause people’s weakened bones to fracture accidentally.
“Staff in care homes, healthcare professions and the public can all benefit from improved knowledge about preventing osteoporosis through lifestyle choices, physical activity, and a balanced, bone-healthy diet, as well as how to prevent unnecessary fractures.”
Dr Matthews emphasised: “We cannot underestimate the importance of care home staff when it comes to the care and welfare of our elderly population. We must invest in their education and professional development so they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to give the best care to their residents.
“That’s why Queen Margaret University will be offering a number of free modules as scholarships to individuals working in the care home sector. We want to develop a community of Lydia Osteoporosis Champions who can help to raise awareness of this important condition within the sector.”
The QMU team is also keen to develop champions in the community who can work to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis within the population by promoting good bone health and preventative behaviours such as weight bearing exercise and healthy eating.
Dr Matthews concluded: “Osteoporosis is now such a significant health problem in today’s society that it needs to be viewed and addressed as a public health priority.
“Education and research are key to raising awareness. That’s why we are ensuring it’s taught as part of our undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare professional courses at QMU, and in our PgDip Advancing Care Home Practice (Person-Centred Practice).
“But we also need to reach people who are already in healthcare roles to spread awareness of knowledge across healthcare settings. Partnerships with staff in care homes and other healthcare settings are going to be crucial to our development of Lydia Osteoporosis Champions.
“Ultimately this will improve person-centred care of people living with osteoporosis across our care home sector, and reduce the prevalence of this worrying condition in Scotland and the UK.”
