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HMRC issues scam warning to tax credits customers

HMRC has issued a warning to tax credits customers, who are renewing their tax credits claims, to be alert to scammers trying to steal their information

Tax credit claimants should be on their guard against fraudsters, as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) warns of the latest tactics being employed by scammers.

HMRC has issued a new alert, providing details of a number of new scams reported that aim to trick people into handing over money or personal information. Criminals use deadlines – like the tax credits renewal deadline on 31 July – to target their victims and the department is warning around 1.5 million tax credits customers to be alert to scams that mimic government communications to make them appear genuine.

Typical scam examples include:

emails or texts claiming an individual’s details aren’t up to date and that they risk losing out on payments that are due to them
emails or texts claiming that a direct debit payment hasn’t ‘gone through’
phone calls threatening arrest if people don’t immediately pay fake tax owed
claims that the victim’s national insurance number has been used in fraud
emails or texts offering spurious tax rebates or bogus grants or support

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Tax scams come in many forms and we’re urging customers to be alert to the tactics used by fraudsters and never to let yourselves be rushed.

“If someone contacts you saying they’re from HMRC and asks you to give personal information or urgently transfer money, be on your guard. Search ‘HMRC scams’ advice on GOV.UK to find out how to report scams and help us fight these crimes.

“Scam messages can be convincing, and individuals may be pressured into make rushed decisions. HMRC will NEVER ring anyone out of the blue making threats or asking them to transfer money.”

Visit GOV.UK for information on how to report a scam or suspicious activity.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre, HMRC was the third most spoofed government body in 2022, behind the NHS and TV Licensing. HMRC is also urging tax credits customers to be alert to misleading websites or adverts asking them to pay for government services which are free, often by charging for a connection to HMRC helplines.

HMRC is currently sending out tax credits renewal packs to customers and is reminding anyone who has not received theirs to wait until after 15 June before contacting HMRC.

Customers can renew their tax credits for free via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. Help and support is available on GOV.UK to help renew tax credits claim.

HMRC has a video explaining how tax credits customers can use the HMRC app to view, manage and update their details:

By the end of 2024, tax credits will be replaced by Universal Credit. Customers who receive tax credits will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) telling them when to claim Universal Credit.

It is important that customers claim by the deadline shown in the letter to continue receiving financial support as their tax credits will end even if they decide not to claim Universal Credit.

The government is offering Help for Households. Check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support individuals could be eligible for.

HMRC is also warning people not to share their HMRC login details with anyone else. Someone using these could steal from the account owner or make a fraudulent claim in their name and leave customers having to pay back the full value of any fraudulent repayment claim made on their behalf.

Find out more about renewing tax credits claims.

National Volunteers Week: Edinburgh Leisure

National Volunteer Week starts tomorrow (Thursday). Stephen Hughes, Volunteer Development Manager, tells us why National Volunteer Week is an important celebration for Edinburgh Leisure:

“This week is National Volunteer Week, celebrating the tremendous impact volunteers have on communities around the UK. Volunteers’ Week is a UK wide campaign that takes place from 1-7 June every year. The Volunteers’ Week campaign started in 1984 making this the 39th year.

Edinburgh Leisure is proud to be supported by 113 volunteers who run or support 91 Active Communities sessions each week. We thank all our volunteers for the continued support and effort they put into volunteering with us.

“Volunteers are crucial to helping Edinburgh Leisure achieve outcomes such as improving physical and mental health while making more people more active.

“Without them, our Active Communities programme would not be the same. I would also like to thank our volunteer managers who play an integral role to provide an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our volunteers.

“In my new role working with volunteers, I am excited to bring the volunteer celebration event back for the first time since 2019. It will take place later in the month at Norton Park Conference Centre.

“The volunteer celebration is a fantastic opportunity to bring our community of volunteers together to thank them for their hard work, hear about the positive impact their volunteering has on Active Communities participants and provide a space for volunteers to spend time together to talk about their experiences.

“If you would like to find out more about volunteering opportunities with Edinburgh Leisure, we’d love to hear from you. There are lots of ways to get involved. However, you choose to donate your time, you’ll be making a difference to local people’s lives.”

Find out more: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/work-with-us/become-a-volunteer

Making Thyme: Men Only Group

TUESDAYS in JUNE from 1 – 3pm at GRANTON COMMUNTIY GARDEN

Calling all LOCAL men living in Muirhouse, Drylaw, Pilton, Granton, Royston and Wardieburn!!!

Join Jules from PCHP on Tuesdays 1-3pm at Granton Community Garden; 10 Wardieburn Road EH5 1LY for an informal outdoor cooking club where we’ll learn easy one pot recipes, share experiences and stories, and learn new skills!

Our first session starts on Tuesday the 6th of June and will run for 4 consecutive weeks.

If you’re interested please sign up using the QR code on the poster or follow this link: https://forms.office.com/e/Hv1ndsM5LZ

A WhatsApp broadcast list will be set up for those who have registered and Jules will contact the group ahead of the first session with details.

Any questions, please feel free to get in touch with Jules:

Email: julesryan@pchp.org.uk

Mobile: 07517 109319

Look forward to see you at the garden 1pm on Tuesday the 6th of June!

#menssupport

#menwhocook

#community

West Pilton Park development meeting

GET INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING EXCITING NEW PLANS FOR LOCAL GREEN SPACE

West Pilton Park Development Meeting

Tuesday 13^th June, 5.30 – 7pm at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

West Pilton Park has received significant funding for development. We need your help to guide issues such as paths & access, play & leisure, nature & wildlife, and security.

Come along, get involved, and help guide the development of your local greenspace.

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

West Pilton Parklife

West Pilton and West Granton Community Council

Scotland’s demands for energy transition linked to social and environmental harm, new report reveals

Campaigners have called on the Scottish Government to develop a strategy to limit the demand for materials required in the transition away from fossil fuels.

This comes as a new report is released today (31 May) which highlights the widespread human rights abuses and environmental destruction being caused by mining for the minerals that are being used in the energy transition in Scotland.

The report ‘Unearthing Injustice’, commissioned by Friends of the Earth Scotland, looks at the harm being caused by lithium mining, which is used in batteries in electric vehicles, and steel, which is needed for wind turbines. The demand for these materials is going to increase significantly with the growing energy transition.

The risk that serious and extensive harm will be done through material extraction is currently being ignored by Scottish policy makers. This lack of concern about material extraction also jeopardises Scotland’s ability to meet its climate commitments. Uncertain supply of materials needed to build the energy infrastructure means that there is a risk that Scotland’s renewable energy system cannot be delivered as required in Scottish Government plans.

The report found:
– The social and environmental impacts of mining of transition minerals are extensive, from human rights abuses and unsafe labour conditions to carbon intensive extraction techniques, water pollution and biodiversity loss
– Demand for lithium is expected to increase by between 13 and 50 times from 2020 to 2040
– There could be lithium shortages as soon as 2025, with only 1% of lithium recycled currently
– In Scotland, 82% of lithium consumption is for electric vehicle batteries
– There is 1 million tonnes of steel in Scotland’s current offshore wind developments – this will increase to 14 million tonnes by 2050
– Steel production generates 7% of global carbon emissions
– The only way to limit the impact of these materials to sustainable levels is to minimise the need for them

Reducing the demand for lithium and steel can be achieved through measures like changing transport systems so we need fewer cars, and improving reuse and recycling of materials so they can be used more than once. If Scotland’s fossil fuel cars are replaced with more buses, lithium requirements could be reduced by 32% compared with like for like replacement.

The Scottish Government’s draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan includes plans for decarbonising Scotland’s transport network but fails to consider where the lithium needed to do this will come from.

Mining is associated with conflict because exploitation of mineral resources impacts upon nearby communities. It is an extremely energy intensive process and generates large amounts of toxic waste. Mining companies are failing to meet their minimum responsibilities to protect human life and the environment, leading to extensive and serious impacts globally.

The report found that lithium used in Scottish products is most likely to come from Chile and Australia, where Indigenous communities have come into conflict with mining companies. Steel used in Scottish wind turbines is likely to include significant amounts of iron ore from Brazil, where there have been two major tailing dam disasters in the last decade. A 2019 disaster in Minas Gerais killed at least 244 people.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Transitioning away from fossil fuels is vital for a livable planet, but we must not create another crisis in doing so.

“Materials like lithium and steel are essential for renewables and electric vehicles, but we can’t ignore the serious harm being caused by their extraction.

“We want to see a Scotland which takes no more resources than it needs and, when resources are taken, it’s done in a way which isn’t harming communities or nature anywhere in the world.

“The overall demand for materials must be reduced by moving Scotland to a circular economy, where materials are reused and recycled rather than being thrown away after one use, and by focusing on public services rather than private ones.

“We simply cannot replace all our current petrol and diesel cars with electric cars like for like – we need better public transport, so we don’t need as many cars overall. Scotland could take advantage of the large supply of scrap steel available from within our borders and our low carbon electricity grid to produce some of the greenest steel in the world.

“The Scottish Government urgently needs to create a resource justice strategy to make sure Scotland’s material use is fair and sustainable as soon as possible.”

Andy Whitmore, co-chair of London Mining Network, said: “From the deserts of the Atacama to coke ovens in Nova Scotia, our research exposes the human rights and environmental concerns that lie behind the supply chains for minerals associated with the energy transition.

“As governments focus on perceived scarcity there is not enough attention being paid to addressing those abuses, which a commitment to globally fair transition should entail. Proper supply chain due diligence would protect the environment, the rights of workers and of impacted communities, including free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous peoples.”

Jake Simms, co-author of the report, said: “Our research demonstrates the urgent need for a resource justice strategy that delivers justice to workers and communities globally impacted by mineral extraction, processing and manufacturing.

“A resource justice strategy must both drive supply chain justice and minimise mineral demand. Delivering supply chain justice means establishing a publicly owned energy company, enforcing strict due diligence standards and a reparative trade policy that ensures communities impacted by extraction are fairly compensated.”

Unearthing-Injustice-1 Download

A Perfect Day: North Edinburgh Community Festival

MORE THAN 8000 PEOPLE ATTEND COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

North Edinburgh Community Festival held its 2^nd festival this year on Saturday 13^th May with a record number of people attending this scorching day!

Not only were the numbers high on the thermostat but also for the amount of attendees. Over 8000 people attended the festival at West Pilton Park which is becoming THE community festival to attend in Edinburgh.

The festival provides a fun, free, family day out for new and existing residents to enjoy – promoting opportunities, creativity, enhancing community cohesion, reducing social isolation and celebrating the diversity of the area.

The Festival took place for the first time in May 2022 with an attendance of 6000 people and this year we hit the 8000 attendance mark.

This year, we had over 80 locally based organisations and community groups offering stalls, activities and workshops.

There was interactions available on most stalls like Draw your dream home, hair braiding, face painting and glitter tattoos.

North Edinburgh Arts provided the arts element with creative sessions, dance, park rangers, and HAT HAT HAT Theatre Performances with Imaginate, Edinburgh’s International Childrens Festival and the young people from Forthview Primary School.

Around the park, the festival was bustling with all sorts of family friendly activities such as

Busking Bike Street Science with Edinburgh Science Festival
Granton and Muirhouse Mobile Library
Horses with EdinEqui Centre
Parkour climbing frame with Access Parkour
Rugby with Inverleith Rugby Club and football with Spartans Community Football Academy
Assault Course with the British Army and Obstacle Course with the Royal Navy

One of our core aims is to provide as much free food as possible. This year with thanks to RRT (Rapid Relief Team) we gave away 1500 burgers, Kings Church Street Café handing out over 1000 cups of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, free chocolate bars from Mackies of Scotland and over 1000 packets of Scottish Porridge Oats from Hamlyns of Scotland.

There was also free pizza from The Space at Broomhouse in collaboration with Ooni Pizza ovens, as well as many stalls like Pilton Equalities Project and DCLM Scotland handing out free food, baked goods and juices.

There were a few more food vans who sold food for £5 or less including Scranvan, who sold over 1000 hotdogs, The Chick Kings, Project Esperanza and Lolas selling tea, coffee and waffles.

A large communal stretch marquee took centre place in the park as a gathering space for people to eat, drink, relax and enjoy the festival as well as providing much needed shade!

Lyndon Cane, the Rapid Relief Team’s Local Team Leader in Edinburgh, said: “The Rapid Relief Team was delighted to support the North Edinburgh Community Festival in what was a fantastic event for the local community.

“With the support of our exceptional volunteers from the Davidsons Mains and South Queensferry area, we prepared over 1,500 burgers free of charge during the Festival as part of our shared values for reducing social isolation and enhancing community cohesion.

“Preparing nutritious food forms part of the Rapid Relief Team’s wider charitable mission which puts compassion into action. We work with emergency services, charities, NGOs and many more organisations to help those in need, including through our hot food provision and delivering thousands of bespoke Food Boxes to vulnerable families and children.

“We look forward to seeing the Festival go from strength to strength, with the 2024 event promising the build on the success of this year’s Festival!”

We had two stages this year – the main park stage as well as the Green Room stage located inside the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.

Performances included Ama-zing Harmonies, Rai Williams, The Mockingjays and Laurent, all performers and young people are from local groups and schools. Pulse of Place led the parade to the park, then it was time for Fischy Music and a sing-along.

Organised by local charity Low Income Families Together (LIFT), the Festival parade brought together around 250 local families and young people to parade from the Muirhouse Millennium Centre to the Park to launch the Festival. The theme this year was Disney – and what a splendid array of costumes on show as well as hundreds of Mickey Mouse ears!

This festival is a much needed community gathering in North Edinburgh and we could not have put on such a fantastic day without all the organisations, charities, volunteers, young people and individuals who helped pull this all together, and of course a massive thank you to everyone who attended!

Also our sponsors are most important because without them we really couldn’t have supplied anything to put the festival on.

Thank you to CEC Local Cultural Festivals and Events Fund, Police Scotland, National Lottery Awards for All, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, Muirhouse Housing Association, Edinburgh College, Scotmid, Nancy Massie Trust, Forth Neighbourhood Network, Mcleod Trust and Manor Housing.

Next years festival will take place on Saturday 11^th May 2024, 12 .-530pm, West Pilton Park.

2023 Feedback:

“I just want to pass on my kindest regards and a big “thank you” too, you and your team for everything you all did for us at your Community Festival. Your team were there for us, throughout the day. I have received nothing but very encouraging comments from all of my team. A most enjoyable, very busy fantastic day for all. (Amazing community spirit).”

“It was a beautiful day and we truly enjoyed performing, watching other performances, and visiting stalls.”

“Thank you so much for having us at the festival today. Was a fab day and really enjoyed meeting so many people”

“I just wanted to say thanks so much for having the Book Festival as part of your festival on Saturday. We had such a great time and our writers group really enjoyed performing their stories to families. The book bags I brought down were gone in a matter of minutes – I’ll know for next time to bring 1000 rather than 100! “

Social Media:

Instagram – northedinfest,

Facebook – northedinburghfest,

Twitter – northedinfest

Two-thirds of Scottish SMEs report skills shortages continue to impact business success

67% of Scotland’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) owners and managers have reported that skills shortages are impacting their business growth and profitability, according to new research by Censuswide, on behalf of The Open University (OU) in Scotland.

For businesses with 10-49 employees, this rocketed to 83%.

The survey, completed by 200 owners and senior managers of Scottish SMEs, identified people management (25%), finance (24%), digital technologies (22%) and project management (20%) as the top areas in which respondents were experiencing skills shortages.

Environmental concerns and their impact on business growth are also front and centre for Scottish SMEs, with 85% of organisations planning to invest in ‘green’ staff training. Priority training areas included developing innovative and sustainable ways of doing things (37%), making their business more sustainable (36%) and renewable energy (32%).

The survey also highlighted a lack of awareness among SMEs of the access they have to Scottish Government-funded employee training support. Less than a third of businesses had heard of the Scottish Funding Council Upskilling Fund (31%) and the Part-Time Fee Grant (29%).

32% of businesses surveyed also knew about the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF), which offers SMEs access to £5,000 of free and flexible online training with the OU in Scotland, supported by the Scottish Funding Council. However, more positively, 75% of respondents would be likely to consider accessing funds in the next 12 months.

David Allen – Partnerships Manager for Open University.

David Allen, Senior Partnerships Manager, The Open University in Scotland, said: “Despite two-thirds of businesses overwhelmingly reporting skill shortages, current financial and economic pressures mean training budgets are often squeezed at the expense of skills development.

“This does not need to be the case. Through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, SMEs can access fully funded high quality, flexible online training that addresses many of the core skills shortages facing them.

“Two-thirds of SMEs surveyed were unfamiliar with the available Scottish Government funded support. This is a core reason why the Open University in Scotland is determined to raise awareness of initiatives such as FWDF.

“A positive outcome of our research is 75% of business owners surveyed are now likely to consider accessing Scottish Government-funded training in the next 12 months. It’s an opportunity for the taking.”

The survey findings also align with the experience of the Scottish charity Health in Mind, which recently undertook a training programme in partnership with the OU, utilising FWDF support.

Flora Henderson, Alliance Manager, Health in Mind commented: “The cost-of-living crisis, as well as the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in a tremendous increase in demand for our services. At the same time, staff are affected by workload and a continued impact on staff absence levels.

“It was a priority to continue to offer genuinely valuable development opportunities, intended to help staff feel supported to grow and develop in their role. The FWDF has allowed scarce resources to have more impact and encouraged wider participation than would otherwise be possible.”

For more information on the OU’s flexible online training and the Flexible Workforce Development Fund visit: https://www.open.ac.uk/business/fwdf

303,000 children are receiving £25 weekly Scottish Child Payment

The Scottish Child Payment is now being received by the families of more than 300,000 children and young people, according to official statistics.

New figures published yesterday show that 303,000 children were receiving the payment at the end of March.

The total amount of the benefit paid out since its February 2021 launch now stands at £248.6 million.

Scottish Child Payment was extended to include all eligible children until their 16^th birthday and increased to £25 per child per week in November last year.

First Minister Humza Yousaf, who yesterday visited Castlebrae High School to hear how the Scottish Child Payment is making a difference to families, said: “The game-changing Scottish Child Payment is designed to tackle child poverty head-on and lift families out of poverty.

“Families in Scotland are able to benefit from five family payments delivered by the Scottish Government which could be worth more than £10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six and over £20,000 by the time an eligible child turns 16.

“I am pleased at the take up of the Payment but we still want to get that money to all of those eligible. I would encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible to find out more and apply.”

Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical missions for the Scottish Government and it will continue to tackle child poverty via its second child poverty delivery plan for 2022-26, Best Start Bright Futures.

Earlier this month the First Minister convened a cross-party anti-poverty summit to listen to the views of people with lived experience of poverty, the third sector, academics, campaigners and other interested parties.

The First Minister added: “The Scottish Child Payment is one of an ambitious range of actions to support families immediately and in the long term.”

Polly Jones, Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, said: “Everyone in Scotland should be able to afford the essentials but we know that more families are struggling than ever before.

“We have long called for the Scottish Child Payment to be increased and extended to all children up to 16 and so it’s very encouraging to see the positive impact this is making, reaching more families and getting more cash into the pockets of people who need support the most.”

Open Farm Sunday

SUNDAY 11th JUNE

On Sunday 11^th June, farmers across the country will once again open their gates for a national celebration of farming and all it delivers, inviting the public to join them and discover where their food comes from.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday is farming’s annual open day and has been the go-to event in the calendar since 2006, offering a wonderful opportunity for visitors to get closer to farming and the people that make it happen.

Each event is unique, each farm is different and every farmer too, but what they all share is a passion for farming, amazing expertise, and a commitment to caring for the countryside.

Some farms have been passed down through the generations, others are managed by those who have chosen farming as their career; each has its own special story to tell and LEAF Open Farm Sunday is the ideal chance to come and hear it. Farmers may have a host of activities planned such as guided farm walks and nature trails, bug hunts and soil pits, tractor and trailer rides, displays of modern, high tech farm machinery and more!

Come and meet the farmers, their families and other industry professionals, discover first-hand how farmers support our wellbeing through their care of the environment, the sustainable production of our food and how they manage the countryside to help work towards net zero and mitigating climate change.

Together they manage valuable resources like water and soil, and habitats for wildlife to thrive. Discover all that goes into producing the food we eat and the many other ways that farmers contribute to our daily lives.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday is a fantastic experience for all ages – visit www.farmsunday.org to find a farm opening near you.

New 3D printing technique ready to advance manufacturing

‘You can 3D print one material through another, as if it were invisible’

Scientists have developed an advanced technique for 3D printing that is set to revolutionise the manufacturing industry.

The group, led by Dr Jose Marques-Hueso from the Institute of Sensors, Signals & Systems at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, has created a new method of 3D printing that uses near-infrared (NIR) light to create complex structures containing multiple materials and colours.

They achieved this by modifying a well-established 3D printing process known as stereolithography to push the boundaries of multi-material integration. A conventional 3D printer would normally apply a blue or UV laser to a liquid resin that is then selectively solidified, layer by layer, to build a desired object. But a major drawback of this approach has been the limitations in intermixing materials.

What is different about this latest project is that the scientists use a NIR light source capable of printing at far greater depths into the resin vat, and without the need to print in layers.

The findings hold tremendous opportunities for industry, particularly those that rely on specialist parts such as in health and electrical sectors.

Dr Marques-Hueso explains: “The novelty of our new method, which has never been done before, is to use the NIR invisibility windows of materials to print at a depth of over 5 cm, whereas the conventional technology has a depth limit of around 0.1 mm. This means that you can print with one material and later add a second material, solidifying it at any position of the 3D space, and not only on top of the outer surfaces.

“For example, we can print a hollow cube that is mostly sealed on all sides. We can then come back later and print an object, made from an entirely different material, inside this box, because the NIR laser will penetrate through the previous material as if it were invisible, because in fact it is completely transparent at the NIR.”

Dr. Adilet Zhakeyev, a PhD researcher at Heriot-Watt University who has worked on the project for nearly three years, adds: “Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology was already able to intermix materials, but FDM has a low resolution, where the layers are visible, while light-based technologies, such as stereolithography, can provide smooth samples with resolutions under five micrometres.”

The scientists say a key component of their project has been the development of engineered resins that contain nanoparticles exhibiting the phenomenon of optical upconversion. These nanoparticles absorb the NIR photons and transform them into blue photons, which solidify the resin.

This phenomenon is ‘non-linear’, meaning it can obtain the blue photons mostly at the focus of the laser, and not on the way through it. For this reason, the NIR can penetrate deep into the material as if it were transparent and solidify only the material within.

Their new 3D printing method allows multiple materials with different properties to be printed in the same sample, for example flexible elastomers and rigid acrylic, useful for many businesses such as shoe production.

The technique opens a myriad of new possibilities, such as 3D printing objects inside cavities, restoration of broken objects, and even in-situ bioprinting through skin.

“In the same research project, we had previously developed a resin that can be selectively copper-plated,” continues Dr Marques-Hueso.

“Combining both technologies, we can now 3D print with two different resins and selectively cover just one of them in copper by using a simple plating solution bath. This way, we can create integrated circuitry in 3D, which is very useful for the electronics industry.”

Despite this technology offering an exciting glimpse into the future, the costs are surprisingly low.

Dr Marques-Hueso said: “A clear advantage of this technique is that the full machine can be built for less than £400. Some other advanced technologies that use lasers, such as Two-Photon Polymerisation (2PP), require expensive ultrafast lasers in the order of tens of thousands of pounds, but this is not our case because our specialist materials allow the use of inexpensive lasers.

“Now that we have results to support our claims, we hope to partner with businesses and develop this technology further.”

The project, entitled Multimaterial Stereolithography by Crosslinking through Luminescence Excitation, has received £280,000 of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Its findings have been published in the journals Applied Materials Today.