Valentine’s Day reminds us to celebrate the people we love (writes KIMBERLEY MACKAY, Partner in Private Client at Ralph Sayer). We buy cards, plan dinners and choose gifts but perhaps the most meaningful gesture we can make doesn’t come in a box or a bouquet. It’s making or updating your will.
It’s not the romantic sentiment you’d expect to see this month but if you think about it, your will is truly a love letter to the people who matter most. It’s how you care for them when you’re no longer here, ensuring they’re looked after, protected and spared unnecessary stress.
At Ralph Sayer, we work with families at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We see what happens when someone has planned, and sadly, what happens when they haven’t.
When a will is clear and up to date, families can focus on grieving, supporting one another and remembering their loved one. When it’s missing or unclear, that same time is spent navigating legal uncertainty, untangling financial confusion and, sometimes, facing painful disagreements.
A will isn’t necessarily complicated. At its heart, it’s a legal document that sets out your wishes. It names your executors who are the people you trust to manage your affairs, specifies who should inherit your assets and, if you have children, ensures guardians are appointed to care for them.
Without a valid will in place, the law determines how your estate is distributed and the outcome may not reflect your wishes. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, and even children in certain circumstances could receive nothing. For married couples, the succession rules set out what your spouse will inherit, but this may not be sufficient and can result in a complicated and unintended division of assets.
Major life events often prompt people to think about their wills such as buying a home, getting married, the birth of a child, a divorce or the loss of a loved one. These are moments when our priorities shift and our responsibilities change.
If you own property, your will ensures it passes to the right people. If you’re in a relationship but not married, a will is essential. While married couples have some automatic legal protections unmarried partners do not.
If you have children from different relationships, blended families or specific wishes about sentimental items, a will provides protection for your loved ones. This is your opportunity to pass on family heirlooms to the people who will treasure them.
Your will is also where you can express your values in a tangible way. Perhaps there’s a charity close to your heart, or a cause you’ve supported throughout your life. Your will allows you to continue that legacy.
People often delay writing a will because they imagine it’s complicated, expensive or time-consuming but it doesn’t have to be any of those things.
The future is uncertain, but one thing we can control is how prepared we are for whatever comes next.
This Valentine’s Day, alongside the chocolates and flowers, consider giving your family clarity, security and the knowledge that they’ll be taken care of. Putting a will in place is one of the most practical acts of care we can offer the people we love. It won’t arrive wrapped in ribbon, but its value far outlasts any gift you could buy.
Action to protect the environment and marine waters
The sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic in Scotland will be banned from 11 August 2027 under regulations published today.
Wet wipes containing plastic are a common and persistent source of marine litter and can break down into microplastics over time, harming the natural environment.
The move is part of wider action to protect Scotland’s environment and marine waters and includes a transition period for businesses to help them prepare.
The measures will include exemptions for medical and industrial uses as well as business-to-business sales. Members of the public who require specific wet wipes containing plastic for medical or healthcare reasons will also be able to request these from a pharmacy.
A ban will be introduced in all four nations of the UK following a UK-wide consultation in 2023, which found overwhelming public support for the proposals, with over 93% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing to the move.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Wet wipes containing plastic are an unnecessary single-use item, for which more environmentally friendly alternatives already exist.
“As with all single-use items, it is vital they are disposed of correctly, otherwise they become a problematic source of marine litter and a threat to the health of our environment and wildlife.
“This ban delivers on an important commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and builds on previous actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic-stemmed cotton buds, plastic straws, cutlery and single use vapes.
“These policies are all proof of the progress we are making towards protecting our environment and creating a more circular economy. In addition, we will continue to call on the UK Government to address issues such as misleading claims on product packaging which can lead to incorrect disposal of items such as wet wipes.”
Scottish Water Chief Executive, Alex Plant, said: “This ban will help us tackle one of the biggest challenges we face – responding to and clearing around 35,000 blockages every year in our sewers, at a cost of about £10 million, largely due to wet wipes wrongly flushed down toilets.
“Scottish Water’s Nature Calls campaign has led the way in making the case for a ban – and encourages everyone to bin wet wipes and stick to the 3Ps – flushing only pee, poo and toilet paper.
“We are also calling on the UK Government for mandatory responsible ‘do not flush’ labelling for all bathroom products that risk being wrongly disposed of to sewers, and an end to misleading environmental claims on packaging to reduce customer confusion and reinforce the correct disposal option.
“This issue is reserved and the critical next step to reduce blockages further and prevent environmental harm.”
Around 10.15pm on Thursday, 12 February, 2026, the body of a man was found near Cockburnspath, East Lothian.
Formal identification is yet to take place, however, the family of Gary Hill, 56, who was reported missing from the area on Monday, 9 February, 2026, has been informed.
The death is being treated as unexplained but is not believed to be suspicious.
A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
NATIONAL GALLERIES LARGEST EVER PRINT ACQUISITION BY A LIVING ARTIST
Peter Doig, Morning Paramin Display at Modern One. Photo Credit Paul Watt
Peter Doig| Morning, Paramin
National Galleries Scotland: Modern One, Belford Road, Edinburgh
Open from 14 February
FREE
The National Galleries of Scotland is excited to announce a landmark acquisition of 67 prints by Scottish artist Peter Doig, alongside a commitment that one edition of all future prints made by the artist will also join the national collection.
This is the first time that the National Galleries of Scotland has secured not only an artist’s entire print collection to date, but all prints to be created in the future.
This monumental addition to Scotland’s national collection celebrates Doig’s personal connection to Scotland, as well as his status as a leading artist of his generation. To mark this significant acquisition a selection of prints will go on display for free at National Galleries Scotland: Modern One in Edinburgh from 14 February 2026. Visitors will be able to explore works relating to Morning, Paramin a 2016 book made in collaboration between Doig and the St Lucian poet Derek Walcott.
Peter Doig is a contemporary painter known for his dreamlike landscapes that blur observation and memory, referencing personal experiences, popular culture, and art history alike. Born in Edinburgh in 1959, Doig moved to Canada as a child, and since 2002 has lived and worked in Trinidad. In 2021, Doig relocated his main studio to London, which is now his principal residence.
His breakthrough as a painter was in 1990, while the artist was studying towards a master’s degree at Chelsea School of Art. His inventive style, sensuous colour palette and suggestive imagery set him apart from the conceptualism which then dominated much of contemporary art. Today, Doig is rightly credited with having reinvigorated the medium of painting internationally.
The National Galleries of Scotland has been working in partnership with the Contemporary Art Society (CAS) since 2018 to enable this gift from Doig through the CAS Great Works scheme, supported by the Sfumato Foundation.
The ambition of the Great Works scheme is to ensure that major artworks, which might otherwise be inaccessible to gallery audiences, are able to enter public collections during the lifetime of the artist. Doig is one of the most highly regarded painters working anywhere in the world, and it is only thanks to this partnership with CAS that the acquisition is possible.
A key consideration of the Great Works scheme is the relationship of the artist to the location of the gallery receiving the acquisition, giving artists a lasting presence in a place that is of particular significance to them. This acquisition will provide a unique resource for anyone wanting to research Doig and will mean that Scotland’s national collection will represent the artist across his whole career.
Doig has also generously agreed not only to donate all of his printed work to date, but to give one edition of all future prints too. This incredibly unique agreement ensures that Scotland’s national collection will hold the most comprehensive representation of the artist’s graphic work anywhere in the world.
The prints Doig makes are an essential element of his practice. Working out many of the details of his paintings in print, he is a tireless innovator and image maker across both mediums. The artist has made prints from the very beginning of his career, and continues to do so now, having just installed all the equipment he needs in his London studio. As well as being one of the most powerful painters stylistically, Doig is also a master print maker, employing a number of techniques that makes his prints as interesting and evocative as his paintings.
While the display at Modern One is only a portion of the works that will be added to the national collection, it gives a fascinating insight into the artist’s work.
The one room display explores Doig’s time in Trinidad, where he worked for many years. During this time, he became friends with the St Lucian poet Derek Walcott (1930 – 2017) and the 28 etchings exhibited at Modern One form a lasting expression of this friendship. Morning, Paramin, a book of poems written by Walcott in direct response to Doig’s paintings, was published in 2016.
Walcott describes both the paintings and Doig’s complex relationship with place in his poems. There is an empathy between the two men: “because Art can make us love two countries with one heart, not separately either, but blent”.
The prints selected by Doig for the book are in turn a response to the poems. They suggest a process of looking again, of re-examination, of a reflection on grief and loss, as well as a sense of place and atmosphere. They stand as a memorial to an intimate, creative friendship and a dialogue between painter and poet.
This unprecedented donation facilitated by CAS further develops the National Galleries of Scotland’s long-standing relationship with the artist. A major retrospective of Doig’s work was held at National Galleries Scotland: National in 2013. The exhibition surveyed Doig’s paintings and works on paper following the artist’s move to Trinidad, placing particular emphasis on the artist’s approach to serial motifs and recurring imagery.
At the time Doig said: ‘I left Scotland as a child as many of my generation did; however I know Edinburgh, the city where I was born, through many visits as a child and youth. To be able to exhibit my paintings in the magnificent rooms of the National Galleries is a great great honour.”
In 2021 the National Galleries of Scotland also acquired an important early oil painting, At the Edge of Town 1986-8, thanks to the Acceptance in Lieu scheme. Making this recent and significant acquisition of Doig’s prints all the more meaningful for the collection and the artist.
Peter Doig said: “I am delighted and deeply grateful that the National Galleries of Scotland will be the custodians of my prints.”
Simon Groom, Director of International & National Partnerships at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “Peter Doig is one of the most consistently inventive artists working anywhere in the world today.
“The works reveal a transforming vision of the world, steeped in a sense of beauty and mystery, rich in their imaginative suggestion yet remaining grounded in the real. This remains as true of his prints, which have been an essential element of his practice from the very beginning of his career.
“We are indebted to Peter and the Contemporary Art Society for their generosity and great vision, in enabling the National Galleries of Scotland to represent Scotland’s greatest contemporary artist across his whole career, and to create an internationally unique resource that will be accessible for exhibition, loan and study now and for future generations.”
Caroline Douglas, Director, Contemporary Art Society, said: “It is absolutely wonderful to see the first group of prints from this remarkable, groundbreaking gift of work go on display in Edinburgh.
“Peter Doig is one of the most important artists working anywhere in the world today and print making lies at the core of his practice. We are delighted that National Galleries Scotland: Modern in Edinburgh will be the home to this remarkable body of work, which will be a resource for artists, scholars and art lovers forever more.”
EDINBURGH’S rugby fans can enjoy a fresh take on a classic Scottish serve this Six Nations, as two of the city’s leading independent drinks producers expand their collaborative ‘hauf and hauf’ offering.
Following a successful festive launch, Wemyss Family Spirits and Stewart Brewing are rolling out their innovative whisky and beer pairings to an expanded list of pubs across the capital – timed to coincide with the 2026 Six Nations Rugby Championship.
The partnership, which has revived the time-honoured half-and-half tradition, now introduces an exclusive ‘hauf and hauf’ serve to mark the Six Nations, offering fans a great way to back Scotland with a traditional Scottish pairing.
The initiative celebrates not only Scotland’s sporting passion, but also its rich drinks heritage, with the two family-run businesses showcasing their shared commitment to quality, flavour and community.
William Wemyss, Co-Founder of Wemyss Family Spirits, said: “The Six Nations is the perfect moment to bring people together over great food, drink and sport.
“Building on our hauf and hauf collaboration with Stewart Brewing, this partnership is about celebrating Scotland through carefully paired flavours, giving fans an enjoyable and responsible way to mark match days during the Six Nations
“It’s about putting a fun, flavour-led spin on a beloved Scottish ritual, one that encourages people to slow down and savour the experience.”
Fans are encouraged to enjoy a classic Scottish hauf and hauf – pairing a Stewart Brewing beer with a Wemyss Family Spirits whisky – as a simple and sociable way to back Scotland on matchdays.
To get Scottish supporters started, we’ve pulled together our favourite pairings which we think best reflects the character of our national side.
Stewart’s 80/- with Wemyss Spice King
A modern take on a classic Scottish serve. Stewart’s 80/- is one of Scotland’s most recognisable beers, making it a natural choice for fans backing the home side, while Spice King adds warmth and depth for those choosing to enjoy a dram alongside the match.
Edinburgh Black with Wemyss Peat Chimney
A richer, more full-bodied pairing inspired by the capital, home of Scottish Rugby. The smooth roast character of Edinburgh Black complements the gentle smoke of Peat Chimney, offering a robust but balanced option for match days at participating pubs across the city.
The hauf and hauf collaboration is now available at a growing list of pubs, including:
Teuchters, William Street
Whighams Wine Cellars, Hope Street
Athletic Arms (Diggers), Angle Park Terrace
O’Connors, Broughton Road
Jeremiah’s Taproom, Elm Row
Mathers Bar, Queensferry Street
Ye Olde Inn, Main Street
No. 1 High Street, High Street
56 North, West Crosscauseway
The Ensign Ewart, Lawnmarket
The Bow Bar, Victoria Street
The Black Cat, Rose Street
The Cambridge Bar, Young Street
Jo Stewart, Co-founder of Stewart Brewing, said: “We’re passionate about bringing people together in pubs, and there’s no better excuse than the Six Nations.
“By matching some of our most-loved brews with Wemyss Family Spirits’ distinctive malts, we’re creating a uniquely Scottish way to toast each nation, with a dash of humour and a whole lot of flavour.”
The initiative marks a continued commitment by both businesses to support Scotland’s vibrant pub trade, boost independent hospitality and bring heritage drinks traditions to a new generation.
Both Wemyss Family Spirits and Stewart Brewing remain proudly family-run, fiercely independent and dedicated to producing characterful drinks that celebrate craft and community.
With the Calcutta Cup clash against England fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get behind Scotland and show your support. Join fellow fans in Edinburgh pubs, soak up the Murrayfield atmosphere, and enjoy a hauf and hauf ahead of the big match.
The Six Nations ‘hauf and hauf’ serve will be available in participating venues from February 2nd, 2026.
~ Warning not to ignore subtle stroke signs just because they are uncommon ~
A stroke survivor is warning others to watch out for unusual symptoms after joining a study funded by the British Heart Foundation.
Gordon Robb had a stroke involving a bleed in his brain, but his only symptom was finding that written words suddenly looked as if they were in a foreign language.
The 63-year-old is now taking the drug clopidogrel, as part of a clinical trial run by researchers at the University of Edinburgh. This study will examine if clopidogrel or aspirin, which are ‘antiplatelet’ drugs that reduce the risk of blood clotting, can prevent future strokes, heart attacks and premature deaths in people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke – a stroke caused by a bleed in the brain.
Gordon only discovered his stroke had happened after his cousin, whose husband had died from a stroke a few weeks earlier, insisted he go to hospital.
Having first thought his sudden inability to read was caused by tiredness, he now describes himself as an ‘extremely lucky man’. He had none of the more commonly known symptoms of a stroke, such as problems with his face, arm, speech, eyes or balance.
Difficulty recognising written words on its own, without any other symptoms, affects fewer than one per cent of people at the time of their stroke, say researchers.
A few months on, Gordon’s symptoms are improving, although it now takes him half an hour to read a chapter instead of his previous 10 minutes, and more recently he has noticed he occasionally can’t find the right word during a conversation.
Gordon said: “I am incredibly lucky, and quite honestly felt like a fraud in the stroke ward because I was no different to how I am normally, except that I suddenly could not read words.
“A group of student doctors in neurology who were brought to see me even said they would have struggled to diagnose that I had had a stroke.
“I knew some of the classic signs of a stroke like facial weakness, being unable to raise my arms or speech issues, but had none of these.
“It just shows the importance of paying attention to unusual symptoms, even if they aren’t ones you have heard of before. If I hadn’t gone to the hospital, and quickly received treatment, I could have been walking around with a ticking time-bomb in my head.”
The stroke survivor, from Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, had only been to hospital once in his life previously. A keen cyclist and runner, who had climbed to base camp at Mount Everest two years ago, he felt in perfect health.
So when, on September 27 last year, he checked his emails and could not read them, he put it down to tiredness.
Gordon, the former vice-president of a biotech company, said: “I was in the garden, went in to have a cup of tea, listen to some music and check my emails on my phone – and it was like they were in a foreign language.
“I could see them clearly, and see who they were from, but the words meant nothing to me.
“I just assumed I was tired because I had been up late the night before. When friends were then messaging me about the Ryder Cup that evening and I couldn’t see the messages, I just gave myself an early night.”
The following evening, when he was unable to read the instructions on a cash machine to withdraw money, he resolved to go to see his GP the next day.
However, when he told his cousin – whose husband had died from a sudden stroke just three weeks earlier – she drove straight to his house and insisted on taking him to A&E. There, doctors told him he had had a haemorrhagic stroke.
Approximately 15 per cent of strokes are haemorrhagic. The majority of strokes are ischaemic strokes, caused by a blocked artery.
While in hospital, Gordon signed up to a study being led by Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman at the University of Edinburgh, which is called ASPIRING (Antiplatelet Secondary Prevention International Randomised study after INtracerebral haemorrhaGe).
The international study is recruiting people who have had a stroke due to bleeding in the brain, also known as a haemorrhagic stroke. Study participants in the UK will be given ‘antiplatelet’ medicines like clopidogrel or aspirin, which reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack by preventing cells in the bloodstream, called platelets, from sticking together and forming a blood clot.
Antiplatelet medicines are not routinely prescribed for people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke, because of safety concerns that they may increase the risk of bleeding. But a small study called RESTART, led by the University of Edinburgh and also funded by the British Heart Foundation, found aspirin and clopidogrel are safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.
In this new larger study, researchers in the UK now aim to understand if clopidogrel or aspirin can reduce the likelihood of having future strokes, heart attacks and other clotting and bleeding problems in people who have survived a haemorrhagic stroke.
Major clotting or bleeding problems occur in around one in 10 haemorrhagic stroke survivors every year.
Professor Salman said: “It has been hard to overcome the instinctive fear that if people have had a haemorrhagic stroke, taking aspirin or a drug like it might cause more bleeding. So we were very relieved when our research showed such drugs to be safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.
“The ASPIRING study will gather further evidence to establish if aspirin and clopidogrel can help lower the risk of future strokes and heart attacks, and potentially save the lives of people like Gordon who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.
“I believe there is a huge amount more to be done to help these people, whose lives have been turned upside down and who may be concerned about the future.”
Gordon is one of more than 4,000 people worldwide set to join the study, which is also funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Research Foundation – Flanders and the Medical Research Future Fund in Australia.
The study was endorsed by the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF) multinational clinical trials initiative.
Gordon said: “Being involved in this trial provides some reassurance, that this drug may reduce my risk of another stroke.
“But it is also great to know that being involved could help improve treatment for people like me in the future, and relieve the pressure on the health system.
“I feel extremely lucky that I did not have more long-term effects from my stroke, and that I have had the chance to try to help improve treatments.”
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, the British Heart Foundation’s clinical director, said: “Facial weakness, arm or leg weakness and speech problems are well-known signs you or your loved one may be having a stroke, but there are some lesser-known symptoms like being unable to recognise the written word.
“If you have a symptom that you feel is not right, however strange or unusual, it is really important to seek help. Every minute matters if you may be having a stroke or other medical emergency.
“We know stroke survivors often fear having another stroke and how disabling this could be. That is why the BHF is funding clinical trials like ASPIRING, which will test whether prescribing antiplatelet drugs could protect more people.”
The ASPIRING study is recruiting people from England, Wales and Scotland who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.
Volunteers can check their eligibility, depending on the hospital where they received treatment, and express interest by visiting www.ASPIRING.ed.ac.uk
Hundreds of school leaders will benefit from extra training opportunities to further develop their leadership skills, helping to improve job satisfaction and bring benefits to the schools where they work.
The Scottish Government is contributing £400,000 to the Head Teacher Leadership Academy (HTLA), run by Columba 1400, with the Hunter Foundation matching this with an additional £400,000.
The total investment will enable up to 280 school leaders to strengthen their own development and enhance outcomes for pupils, staff and communities. The HTLA focuses on how school heads see themselves as social leaders.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth met with head teachers and deputy head teachers who have taken part in the HTLA during a visit to Royal High School in Barnton, where she formerly taught.
Ms Gilruth said: “As a former teacher, I have seen first-hand the pivotal role that head teachers and deputy heads have at the heart of schools and across the wider community.
“They help drive up standards in classrooms, and this has resulted in clear improvements in attainment nationally and better futures for children and young people. They also provide invaluable support to teachers and staff in their schools, improving the working environment and ensuring everyone feels valued and able to be at their best in the classroom.
“The Head Teacher Leadership Academies are a proven success and I know that participation will ensure heads and deputy heads will get the time and support to reflect on their values and strengthen leadership, enabling them to create lasting change in their schools and communities.
“This investment is part of the Scottish Government’s wider support for the teaching profession, which also includes the recently-launched ‘Teaching Makes People’ recruitment campaign.”
Sir Tom Hunter said: “School leaders are the secret sauce to Scotland’s future, enabling the next generation to flourish and that’s precisely why we should invest in their values based leadership.
“The results are phenomenal and that’s why I’d like to see every head and deputy head teacher in Scotland go through the Columba 1400 Head Teacher Leadership Academies.”
Marie Clare Tully, Chief Executive of Columba 1400, said: “This investment allows us to reach even more Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers across Scotland.
“It is a privilege to be alongside school leaders as they pause, reflect and reconnect with their values. We see each and every day how this experience contributes to creating the conditions for cultural change through values-based leadership.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for their re-investment and to The Hunter Foundation for their continued support and their belief in what is possible.”
Columba 1400 is a Scottish charity founded in 1997 and opened in 2000, dedicated to helping young people, especially those from tough realities, and the key adults in their lives discover their leadership potential through values-based leadership academies.
The Head Teachers’ Leadership Academyequips senior professionals in education with the confidence, resilience, and skills they need to create lasting change in their school and communities.
“Music gave me my life back” says Carol Topper, a South Lanarkshire mum, who says singing and dancing transformed her life with dementia following an early diagnosis, showing how shared activities like music can keep people socially connected and living well for longer
Carol Topper and broadcaster Sally Magnusson MBE, join the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket to share advice on how Scots can do simple things to make a difference in helping relatives and friends living with dementia.
Following evidence that social contact can help alleviate some symptoms commonly associated with dementia and help someone stay well for longer, the campaign encourages friends and relatives to support their loved ones by staying in contact and doing the things they’ve always done together.
Whether it’s enjoying music together, popping in for a cup of tea, visiting the shops or going for a walk, every Scot can play their part in helping someone with dementia stay well for longer.
The campaign launch celebrates the power of music in helping people living with dementia feel positive, and stay socially connected, active and part of their community.
Carol Topper, a 59-year-old former hairdresser and office administrator, and Playlist for Life Lived Experience Ambassador from South Lanarkshire says music and dancing transformed her life since diagnosis.
Carol joined Tom Arthur, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Playlist for Life founder, Sally Magnusson, and former Miss Scotland contestant, fourth-year medical student and Playlist for Life ambassador, Abigail Thomson, at Glasgow’s iconic and dementia-friendly venue, the Old Fruitmarket, to mark the campaign.
Carol, who was diagnosed with onset vascular dementia in 2016, explained : “When I was diagnosed at 50, I went into a depression. I didn’t want to see anyone or leave the couch. Then I found Playlist for Life through my local Help Point in Carluke, and it changed everything.
“Now, when I put on my playlist, I’m not thinking about dementia, I’m singing, I’m dancing, I’m me again. And it’s a great activity to enjoy with my friends and family. Music is dear to my heart, and it’s helped me live the best life I can with dementia.
“My favourite song has to be ‘Amazed’ by Lonestar as it was mine and my husband Malcolm’s wedding song.”
“A dementia diagnosis can feel overwhelming for families and friends. But simple acts of kindness really do matter. Staying connected and continuing to enjoy everyday activities together can help people live well for longer.
“This year’s Rethink Dementia campaign celebrates the power of music to spark memories, lift moods and bring people together, something every Scot can help make happen. I am delighted that we have been able to relaunch this campaign, alongside our continued efforts to improve the dementia experience through our 10-year Dementia Strategy.”
Councillor Kelly from COSLA, said: “The Rethink dementia campaign is a key deliverable for COSLA and the Scottish Government’s strategy ‘Dementia in Scotland – Everyone’s Story’.
“This campaign highlights the importance of encouraging people living with dementia to stay socially connected. It reminds us all of the difference we can make to support friends or loved ones living with a dementia diagnosis by maintaining contact and doing the things we’ve always done with them”
Sally Magnusson MBE, founder of Playlist for Life, said moments like Carol’s are at the heart of why the charity exists: “I founded Playlist for Life after caring for my mother, and seeing first-hand how music could transform her days. Since then, I have witnessed countless moments where a familiar song lights up a face, sparks a conversation or rekindles joy”.
“It’s great to see the Scottish Government championing this message. Personally meaningful music and the connections it encourages are marvellous ways of restoring a sense of self and well-being. They really do help people to live well with dementia for longer.”
Challenging the myth that higher social spending is incompatible with economic success, new IPPR Scotland analysis confirms that many European countries with high spending on social protection measures such as benefits, childcare and training, also sustain highly productive, innovative and dynamic economies.
Researchers found that countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland spend much more on social protection per person than the UK and Scotland and have also had far superior economic and social outcomes sustained over the long run.
The UK has had lower GDP per capita throughout this past decade. Scotland’s GDP per capita, meanwhile, has been very close to the UK’s, and well below that of the 10 countries that the researchers focussed on.
This research demonstrates that high spending on social protection does more than just place a safety net for the economically disadvantaged; it helps economies to become more productive. For example:
Higher unemployment benefits give people the security and support to retrain, upskill and re-enter the workforce in a job that matches their skills, interests and expertise.
Measures like generous childcare investment enable high employment rates for women.
High spending on social protection can also encourage entrepreneurial risk-taking and help facilitate economic change.
The research shows that high-spending countries also perform well across a range of international indices of competitiveness and innovation. For instance, all the high social spending countries achieve a ranking in the top 25 nations in the 2024 Global Innovation Index, with six appearing in the top 10. Switzerland and Sweden fill the top two places.
Ahead of this year’s election, IPPR Scotland is urging the Scottish government to take learn from these countries and lead a renewed drive to build a national consensus on economic development. The next government should also examine ways in which spending can shift towards areas such as employability, childcare, and labour market support, that directly address both social and economic objectives.
IPPR Scotland director Stephen Boyd said:“The experience of other countries shows – unambiguously – that it is possible to create a virtuous cycle between high social protection spending and economic dynamism.
“Scotland’s political parties should bear this in mind when developing manifestos and engaging in debate around this year’s election. The next Scottish government can and must build a new policy agenda. By focusing on areas like employability and childcare, we can tackle social challenges and boost the economy at the same time.”
Reacting to the report,Professor Patricia Findlay, Scottish Centre for Employment Research, Strathclyde University, said: “This report is a timely reminder that there are no necessary trade-offs between economic growth and high social protection spending – and the many wider social benefits from the latter.
“The report carefully avoids a suggestion of causation between social spending and economic growth, though a positive causal relationship has some intuitive plausibility. The challenge, of course, is in the transition – what should Scotland do now to move from a vicious circle of low relative social spending and stagnant growth to a more virtuous circle present in other successful economies?
“There is no silver bullet, but the recommendations of investing in collective design of economic strategy, more active labour market policies and, crucially, stronger structures of social partnership and dialogue, would represent important steps towards better longer-term outcomes.”
