As the fates of several horses hang in the balance at Ayr following the multiple injuries and falls at the Scottish Grand National festival, Animal Rising have condemned the racing industry and its continued use of horses for entertainment and profit.
Rose Patterson of Animal Rising, who was arrested in 2023 for her attempts to bring the Epsom horse races to a halt, commented: “This race was nothing short of carnage.
“The sheer number of horses falling, injured or violently whipped was shocking – this is inexcusable. Over the last week, the racing industry has exposed its grim reality to the viewing public. This cruelty won’t end until racing is halted for good.
“We cannot call ourselves a nation of animal lovers while turning a blind eye to the violence of racing. This industry exploits horses for profit, masking cruelty behind tradition. Until no more horses die for sport, we will keep demanding change.”
Campaigners from Animal Rising were arrested in 2023 after entering the racetrack at Ayr, just a few hours after the death of horse Oscar Elite. The group had attempted to enter the tracks earlier to put the races to a halt to avoid any horse deaths.
Multiple trials are due to take place later this year following the 118 arrests at 2023 Grand National at Aintree, with defendants charged with causing a public nuisance. On Friday 4th April, Animal Rising campaigners also attended a plea hearing regarding the disruption of the Epsom races in 2023, facing charges of public nuisance.
The Scottish Government will take steps to ensure Scotland is as “resilient as we can possibly be” in the face of global economic uncertainty, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Responding to the events of the last few weeks, the First Minister has called for a UK Government response that reflects the fact that “the world is changing around us”.
First Minister John Swinney said: “I know that this is a time of great uncertainty for people, that many families and businesses are worried about what global events will mean for their finances. That is why I want us to be united and creative in our response, to ensure that we are as resilient as we can possibly be.
“My view is that UK response should include removing the self-imposed economic straitjacket of the Chancellor’s fiscal rules and reversing the job – and growth – destroying increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions. The world is changing around us and quite simply, the UK government needs to change too.
“It should include closer alignment with the European Union. If trade barriers are being constructed across the Atlantic, they must be swept away in the Channel and North Sea.
“And it should include investment in Scotland’s green industrial future. If British Steel is to be nationalised to protect it, then so too should Grangemouth.
“If a supercomputer is to be built in the London-Oxford-Cambridge triangle, then the cancelled supercomputer for Edinburgh should be restored.
If carbon capture and storage is to proceed on Tyneside and Merseyside, it should be given an immediate green light for the north-east of Scotland too.
“This is what it means to get serious about Scotland’s economic future. Given the scale of the threat, anything less is not good enough.”
Scottish SecretaryIan Murray MP said: “The SNP were told a decade ago that the Grangemouth refinery would close. They and the Tories did nothing. 3 years ago they could have intervened but nothing.
“Labour win in July and suddenly the SNP want to pass blame. Total charlatans. If they truly cared they’d have done something, anything – but ZERO.
Parliament recalled to introduce emergency powers that will allow the Government to protect the Scunthorpe site
Unique action to gives the best chance of safeguarding steelmaking, protecting jobs, national security and supply chains.
This strategic decision aims to secure domestic steel production for nationally important projects like airports, rail and housing and deliver growth at part of the Plan for Change.
Steelmaking is set to continue in Scunthorpe following urgent action by the UK Government.
The Prime Minister requested the recall of Parliament to vote on emergency legislation to prevent the blast furnaces being shut down.
The move will maximise the chances of securing domestic steel production – a crucial national capability which was at risk of collapse under the site’s current ownership. This is a very specific intervention taken in exceptional circumstances.
British Steel’s owners Jingye confirmed their intention to close the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe immediately, despite months of negotiations in good faith and a generous offer of co-investment from the UK government of £500 million.
If the blast furnaces were to be immediately switched off, this would put at severe risk the future of steelmaking at this unique site.
The legislation will give the Government the power to direct the company’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnace running.
In the meantime, the Government has instructed the company’s UK management to continue the running of the plant to ensure the furnaces keep burning. This legislation means that anyone employed at the plant who takes steps to keep it running, against the orders of the Chinese ownership, can be reinstated if sacked for doing so.
Steel is vital for both the UK’s national security and manufacturing, and crucial for the Government’s mission to build 1.5 million new homes in the UK as part of its Plan for Change, with construction projects requiring millions of tonnes of steel.
Given global economic instability, it is crucial that manufacturing is protected at home. That’s why the Government took action earlier this week to support the car industry by easing the path to the EV mandate and deliver a £30 million package to support the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which is expected to support 5,000 jobs and boost the economy by £5 billion.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We will always do what is necessary to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad. We are doing what previous governments have failed to, acting in the national interest to help secure UK steelmaking for the future.
“We negotiated with British Steel’s owners in good faith ever since coming to office. We made a generous offer of support to the company and I am deeply disappointed that we have been forced to take these measures, but Jingye have not been forthright throughout this process, and left us no choice but to act.
“We’re in a new and changing world where it’s never been more important to support our security and build our resilience, so that we can have strength abroad and renewal at home, and that’s what this government has done.”
A Bill was voted on by MPs on Saturday 12 April to ensure continuity of production at the Scunthorpe site – avoiding the danger and cost of allowing it to stop.
Funding for the site will come from the Government’s £2.5bn steel fund, to help rebuild the industry over the next five years.
Ecclesiastical Insurance is encouraging churches to take steps to prevent being a victim of theft as they welcome visitors over the Easter period.
With Easter considered the most important date in the Christian calendar, churches up and down the country will be hosting services and events., bringing together congregations and the wider community.
However, with the extra footfall, there is concern about opportunistic thieves potentially stealing cash and priceless items in the process.
Churches have long been targeted by thieves, often for lead and copper from church roofs, and earlier this year Ecclesiastical revealed more than £500,000 worth of silver was stolen from church premises in 2024.
In February St Andrews Church in Little Steeping, Lincolnshire had paintings removed by thieves, while police are looking for a man caught on CCTV stealing from St Gregory’s Church in Northampton in late March.
As a leading insurer of churches, specialist insurer Ecclesiastical is urging churches to take steps to protect themselves to avoid being a victim during this important time of year.
Helen Richards, church operations director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Theft from church buildings can have a heartbreaking impact, both on the volunteers and congregation who worship at the church – even more so during such an important time for Christians and the church.
“Sadly we’re seeing more incidents where churches are being targeted, with items such as silver, cash, statues, artwork, furniture and even paving stones being stolen. Thankfully there are steps churches can take to help protect themselves, including storing valuables in a high-quality modern safe in a secure area of the church when they’re not in use, or storing items off-site where suitable alternative security arrangements can be made and with the approval of church insurers.
“We want churches to be open to welcome their communities, congregations and potential visitors – especially during Easter – but we must all be aware of the risks. It is critically important that churches follow our risk management advice to protect themselves. Our team of experts is on hand to support customers and can be contacted on 0345 777 3322.”
Ecclesiastical’s risk management team has developed guidance as part of its call to review existing security arrangements and help churches protect themselves from potential break ins. The advice includes:
Consider installing electronic security protections in the church, such as intruder alarms or remote video surveillance systems, linked to a monitoring centre
Make sure any safes are high-quality and modern with a Euro rating between 0 and 7 and that they are permanently fixed to a wall or floor to make them more difficult to remove
Ensure items are recorded in the church inventory and security marked using a forensic marking solution, such as SmartWater, which will assist recovery if stolen
Keep portable valuable items in a secure area, the safe where practical, or a locked vestry or similar area when not in use
Where this is not possible consider keeping items at the home of a church member (which would be covered by the church’s insurance policy with Ecclesiastical)
Encourage the local community to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity as thieves may complete reconnaissance prior to a theft
For any church customers concerned about potential theft, Ecclesiastical’s risk advice line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on 0345 600 7531 or they can e-mail risk.advice@ecclesiastical.com.
Strokes are serious and time-sensitive medical emergencies that require immediate attention. Knowing how to quickly recognise the signs can be crucial in saving a life. That’s where the FAST method comes in – an easy-to-remember acronym to help you spot the signs of a stroke.
Strokes can strike anyone, regardless of age or gender. Remember, every minute counts when it comes to strokes.
Stay informed, share this knowledge with your loved ones, and help spread awareness
Would you like to join our veg bag membership scheme in 2025?
This is Year 3 of our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Veg Bags scheme and we are hoping to provide food for up to 160 households in North Edinburgh.
This year’s CSA will run for 25 weeks (six-and-a-half months), every Thursday from June 5th to Nov 20th.
As well as getting your share of fresh farm veg, you can also choose to add mushrooms from @rhyze.mushrooms, bread from @grantongardenbakery and organic free range eggs from Croft Farm in Penicuik.
Returning members from 2024, and folk who are already on our waitlist have already been contacted via email – so if that’s you, please check your inbox and spam folder and respond before the 22nd April.
As we are increasing membership numbers this year, we are open to new expressions of interest from North Edinburgh residents.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please go to our website for all the details
We’re delighted to be part of this year’s Folk Film Gathering, and to be hosting the opening event featuring a Surprise Film curated by our NEA Film Selection Group.
The Folk Film Gathering is an annual film festival that showcases community minded stories on screen. In partnership with Transgressive North and Cameo Cinema, we are hosting the first two screenings of the festival.
Visit our website to find out more & book your FREE tickets:
Back by popular demand, LifeCare Edinburgh to re-run free Power of Attorney info event to help local people simplify the future
Thinking about what would happen in the future if our, or our loved ones, faculties deteriorated can be stressful and worrying. How would someone manage our affairs, access our accounts to set up the right care for us, or pay the bills? Without the right processes in place, an already very emotional situation can be made worse with often very serious consequences.
Local charity, LifeCare Edinburgh understands how daunting and complex these situations can be and will next month host a free information giving event to help debunk the complexities and help people put the right practical support in place to ensure someone trusted can quickly make decisions on behalf of a loved one if they’re not able, or no longer able, to make them themselves.
Power of Attorney is a legal document where someone – while they still have mental capacity – nominates a trusted friend or relative to look after their affairs if they later lost capacity in the event of an emergency, illness or accident. It is not limited to people who are older or unwell, everyone needs to consider setting up a Power of Attorney at any stage of life to avoid any future complications. For example, due to having a stroke, serious accident or dementia.
Delivered in partnership with experts from Lindsay’s Legal Services team, LifeCare initially held this successful event last year designed to help simplify matters for local people. This first event was so well attended that the organisers are bringing it back to meet demand. One attendee noted:
“LifeCare’s informative Power of Attorney talk spurred me on to have the difficult conversations with my mother that we had both been avoiding, resulting in her setting up a will and PoA. Future planning felt like an act of love and respect; it also inspired me to start planning for myself. Thank you.”
Sarah van Putten, Chief Executive of LifeCare said: “Unfortunately at LifeCare we are well aware of how stressful life can be when people don’t have the right documents in place. No one can predict when they may face an unforeseen illness, accident or other debilitating event that may render them incapacitated.
“As one of Edinburgh’s leading charities providing practical care support we know how emotional these situations can be at the best of times but we also know how much worse they can be when family members and loved ones are locked out of helping access the support for the people they care for.
“Relatives can’t just walk into a bank and access your money, even if it is to pay for your care. Unless you’ve a Power of Attorney, loved ones would need to apply through court, which can be long and costly.
“We understand that thinking about the future can be upsetting and frightening. We’re thrilled to bring back our free and informal information giving event delivered in partnership with Lindsays; there will be no jargon and there will be plenty of time for questions and discussions and an opportunity to discuss any concerns with legal experts for free.”
LifeCare’s ‘What is Power of Attorney’ event, delivered in partnership with Lindsay’s, will take place at 3pm on Wednesday 21st May in the charity’s fully accessible community café, CafeLife at 2 Cheyne Street, EH4 1JB.
Free tea and coffee will be available along with the opportunity to find out more about LifeCare’s vital services for older people and the community overall.
The event is free to attend but those interested are encouraged to register their interest on Eventbrite https://shorturl.at/ypqMO or by calling the friendly team on 0131 343 0940.
We have two weeks of FREE Chi Gung sessions coming up! Wednesday 16th & 23rd April 11am-12pm come along and try out Chi Gung with Tamsin.
These two classes will focus on boosting our energy, becoming softer and more flexible, and transforming any internal or emotional difficulties using the smile.
We will perform them sitting (or standing if you feel strong enough), at a gentle pace and with an easy concentration.
