I would like to send my personal thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have been supporting Cats Protection since 2018.
During that time, funds raised by players have enabled us to help and care for around 10,000 cats and kittens in our adoption centres across England, Scotland and Wales, while they await their forever homes.
In addition, they have also helped us provide cat behaviour expertise to our cat care volunteers and staff and adopters; run our Paws to Listen grief support service to help bereaved cat owners; and speak up for cats to help create positive change for cat welfare via our advocacy work.
Thank you to all the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for your ongoing support. Together we create a better world for cats.
Anyone wishing to adopt a cat or support Cats Protection, or seeking advice on cat welfare, can find out more at www.cats.org.uk
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will welcome President Biden to Belfast this week
Prime Minister will take part in a number of events to commemorate the anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in the coming days.
He will welcome President Biden to Belfast on Tuesday – the President’s first visit to Northern Ireland since taking office.
The UK will host a Northern Ireland Investment Summit later this year to encourage inward investment and growth.
The Prime Minister will welcome President Biden to Belfast this week as the people of Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK prepare to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
President Biden will arrive in the UK on Tuesday evening, where the Prime Minister will meet him off Air Force One. The President will then undertake a programme of engagements including a meeting with the Prime Minister.
On Wednesday 19th April the Prime Minister will travel to Belfast again to address Queen’s University’s ‘Agreement 25’ conference and host a special Gala Dinner to commemorate the anniversary.
Monday marks a quarter of a century since the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was signed, transforming the political and economic of Northern Ireland, and serving as a framework for peace and prosperity.
The United States greatly supported the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement process and has played a pivotal role in boosting prosperity in Northern Ireland over the last 25 years. The Prime Minister will use President Biden’s visit and his engagements with business leaders and others in Belfast to celebrate Northern Ireland’s successes and encourage further long-term investment.
The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign investment into Northern Ireland, putting £1.5 billion into its economy over the last decade and creating 13,000 jobs. This includes tech giants such as Microsoft establishing themselves there. Around 1,000 US-owned businesses operate in Northern Ireland and in 2022 businesses in Northern Ireland exported goods worth over £1 billion to the United States.
In the last few months the economic links between the US and Northern Ireland have grown further, with companies like semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed announcing a major R&D partnership with Queen’s University Belfast. Wolfspeed is based in North Carolina, a US state the UK signed a state-level trade agreement with in July last year.
As part of the Prime Minister’s ambition to bring more inward investment into Northern Ireland’s thriving economy, he will announce that the UK will host a Northern Ireland Investment Summit in September this year.
The Summit will connect international investors with Northern Ireland businesses, showcasing the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. The Summit will profile Northern Ireland’s innovation and technological strengths, with a special focus on financial & professional services, life & health sciences, technology, green manufacturing and the creative services.
Bolstered by its place within the UK, Northern Ireland has a diverse and thriving economy. Northern Ireland received almost £20bn in inward investment in 2020, with companies from around the world recognising its growth potential, talent and expertise. Belfast is the biggest hub for technology companies in the UK after London and Northern Ireland is home to more than 100 cyber security companies.
The UK Government is also supporting growth in Northern Ireland through investment in infrastructure and education to foster Northern Irish talent and expertise. The UK Government provides around £15 billion a year to Northern Ireland and through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund we are providing new community and neighbourhood infrastructure and improving facilities for families in every council in Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister said: “The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was an incredible moment in our nation’s history. It was a powerfully rare example of people doing the previously unthinkable to create a better future for Northern Ireland.
“It is that promise of a better future that we offered to everyone in Northern Ireland that I will be thinking of first and foremost over the coming days. It is my responsibility as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to ensure we are making good on that promise.
“Northern Ireland – like the rest of the UK – is teeming with opportunities, talent and ingenuity. The biggest thing we can do to improve people’s standard of living and secure a prosperous and thriving Northern Ireland, is economic growth. That’s something I’m relentlessly focused on delivering.”
The Northern Ireland Investment Summit will be led by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and Invest Northern Ireland. It will take place on 12th and 13th September 2023 in Belfast.
The event is a key part of the UK’s overall programme to mark the remarkable progress in Northern Ireland over the last quarter century and will support our vision for a prosperous 25 years ahead.
Disabled people are being urged to find out if they are eligible for Scottish Government disability benefits as part of a new campaign to increase benefit take-up.
The nationwide campaign aims to raise awareness about financial support available to help with the extra costs that disabled children and adults may face.
Child Disability Payment provides financial support to help families and carers with the extra costs of caring for a disabled child or young person or a child or young person with a long-term health condition. Adult Disability Payment is available to people aged between 16 and state pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or a terminal illness.
These benefits are administered by Social Security Scotland and replace the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children, DLA and Personal Independence Payment.
People already getting disability benefits from DWP will see their award transfer automatically and they do not need to apply separately.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Being disabled or having a long-term health condition can come with a variety of extra costs, such as paying more for accessible transport. We want to make sure that disabled children and adults get all the extra financial support they are entitled to, to ease the impact of those costs.
“This campaign is not just about raising awareness but also has an important role to play in helping to remove any stigma that people may be worried about when applying for social security. We believe social security is a human right. It is here for any of us should we need it and we want to make sure people are accessing what they are due.
“This is the first time that we are proactively promoting disability benefits as part of a national advertising campaign, including adverts on TV. We are not aware of the UK Government running a campaign on the equivalent UK benefits for over 30-years. I want to actively encourage people to check if they are eligible for Child and Adult Disability Payments and make sure they get extra financial support to help them live full and independent lives.”
The campaign features Piper, 9, who has Down’s Syndrome. Her mum Caroline Milburn, says disability benefits have helped cover extra costs as well as give Piper opportunities she’d never have had without them.
Caroline, from Edinburgh, said: “Piper is such a unique character. When she was born we were told she wouldn’t walk until she was around six, but she was walking at two. She’s so determined and knows her own mind. If she wants to do something she’ll do it.
“Disability benefit allowed me to buy her a sensory swing and a tablet that gives her access to games that help her learn. She just thinks she’s having fun but the games have taught her so much. She plays them with her five-year-old brother sitting beside her and he learns with her.
“Child Disability Payment helps cover the costs of buying Piper new clothes and duvets as she is always chewing holes in them It also allows me to send her to holiday clubs. She loves them and they’re really good for her, but they cost about £40 a week.
“Piper is such an amazing girl and she makes everyone’s lives better. Without disability benefits we’d not have been able to give her all the experiences and opportunities she’s had to learn and connect with the world.”
As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have mental health problems, we would like to congratulate Humza Yousaf on becoming First Minister.
It was however disappointing that the issue of mental health featured little in the SNP leadership campaign, but now that he is in office, we would urge Mr Yousaf to focus on this vital matter.
As many will be aware, we were already experiencing a mental health emergency in Scotland, even before Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis took hold. These have worsened an already devastating situation for many children and young people, resulting in a perfect storm of challenges as demand soars.
There is no health without mental health, and already overstretched budgets are having to stretch even further to keep pace with escalating inflation. In the face of a mental health tsunami, we would urge the Scottish Government to prioritise spending on services, reversing the freeze on this year’s mental health budget and boosting the workforce.
With the resultant personal cost to those concerned and their families, as well as to the economy overall, we need to invest more, not less, in our mental health services, ensuring that our children and young people receive the high-quality care they need when they need it.
Gordon Ramsay OBE has matched a £15,000 fundraising drive by diners at his Edinburgh restaurants to donate a total of £31,392 to Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland.
It has now been revealed the diner donations, combined with the proceeds from Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger’s launch day, amounted to an incredible £15,642. SBH Scotland Honorary Patron and long-standing supporter of the charity, Gordon Ramsay OBE, then matched the funds raised to give the charity an extra special funds boost.
The funds raised will help SBH Scotland provide vital support to over 4,000 children, young people and adults across Scotland who are affected by the lifelong, complex conditions of spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.
A spokesperson for Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants said: “We are very proud of the special relationship we have built with SBH Scotland, and it has been amazing to see such enthusiasm from kind-hearted diners in Edinburgh and beyond to support the GReat Donate.
“We’d like to thoroughly thank everyone who visited Street Burger and Bread Street Kitchen during the festive season and added that voluntary donation onto their bill. This small gesture will have a big impact as every £1 raised will ensure the charity can continue to provide their life-changing services.”
Gordon Ramsay became SBH Scotland’s first ever Honorary Patron back in 2003 when he met the organisation’s Chairperson, Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, at the Great North Run. For nearly 20 years, he has continued to support SBH Scotland through charitable donations and appearances.
Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, Chairperson of SBH Scotland, said: “Gordon and Tana Ramsay have been great friends to SBH Scotland for nearly two decades and we couldn’t be more thankful to them and the restaurant teams for their continued support.
“Funds raised are crucial for the dedicated support we can provide now and for the next 12 months. We heavily rely on fundraising to reach our annual targets and with a goal of over £1million pounds to raise throughout 2023, we’re calling on the generosity of businesses and the general public to ensure we can continue to provide vital services including 1-2-1 support in homes and hospitals, health check clinics and support groups to those affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Scotland.
“Whether you’re a restaurant or café who would consider adding a £1 voluntary donation to diner’s bills, or if you’d like to get your staff teams or friends together to Kiltwalk or take on our infamous Zipslide the Clyde challenge in September 2023, every pound raised will go a long way in making a positive difference to the lives of thousands of families.”
To support SBH Scotland or to find out more about other events happening throughout the year, call 03455 211 600, email fundraising@sbhscotland.org.uk or visit
DOUGLAS Ross says it is “absurd” for Nicola Sturgeon to claim her decision to stand down as SNP leader isn’t linked to the arrest of her husband.
The leader of the Conservatives in Scotland spoke out as it emerged a camper van had been seized by cops leading the financial probe into Peter Murrell.
Speaking during Camilla Tominey Today on GBNews, Mr Ross hit out at Ms Sturgeon’s explanation behind her reasons to leave her role as SNP leader.
He said: “For her to somehow suggest and continue to suggest it had nothing to do with this ongoing inquiry I think is frankly absurd.
“We’ve now seen the incredible sight of someone who has just been First Minister inside a house when the police came to arrest her husband. Now, obviously, that’s an ongoing live police inquiry and I can’t go much further into it but we have all seen the house being taped off.
“And now we have the incredible story of a camper van being removed from Nicola Sturgeon’s mother in law’s house. It continues to be an incredible story and one that is deeply damaging for Scotland.”
Commenting on what he’d like to see happen next he said: “I think the most important thing is we get to the bottom of this inquiry. It has now been going on for I think, 18 months, almost two years. I think people want answers.”
Mr Ross also hit out at the SNP’s record ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Hollyrood parliament. He said: “I think devolution has been a good thing in terms of bringing powers closer to the people of Scotland. It’s part of the reason I represent people in the Scottish Parliament.
“But for many remote and rural areas, Holyrood now seems as distant as Westminster ever was. So I want to see a Scottish Parliament actually deliver for people and representatives of all of Scotland and at the moment that’s not happening with the centralising SNP government.”
Mr Ross also praised the job Rishi Sunak had done since becoming PM. He said: “I think he’s doing a great job and I think we’ve seen a more progressive Conservative Party which is building more and more support because the public can see a Prime Minister who’s quietly getting things done.
He’s doing many things that commentators and other politicians felt would not be achievable. They have been delivered by the Prime Minister because he’s determined. He works with people across the political spectrum to get results. And we’ve seen that in a number of different areas. And I am very delighted that the Prime Minister is doing a great job across the board.”
Meanwhile Mr Ross also addressed criticism he has received for encouraging Scottish voters to vote Labour. “I always encourage Scottish people to vote Conservative,” he said. “But what I’m trying to say is that there are many seats across Scotland where the main challengers are SNP MPs and that people want to move on from the decade of tradition that we have under Nicola Sturgeon.
“And I think for many people, that’s an option they’re looking at because come the next Holyrood election some people will have been in charge for almost two decades. And no one can say Scotland’s in a better place as a result of that.”
I had not wanted to attend any of the reunions in the post war period until the 50th anniversary of D-Day in 1994. This proved to be a most memorable event and I have returned to Normandy almost every year since.
In 1996 I also attended a reunion of the 55th Anti Tank Regiment accompanied by my son Paul. There I met several of my old comrades; each one with great pleasure. I attended several further reunions in Bury St Edmunds until, due to the advancing years of it’s members, the organising association was disbanded.
Tony Delahoy is pictured above at his investiture as a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur on 15th October 2015. The presentation was made on board the French warship FNS Aquitaine, which was docked at Leith.
‘Bold new measures’ to combat rising levels of youth vaping to be announced this week
A new ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ – backed by £3 million of government funding – to be formed to enforce rules on vaping and tackle illegal sales of vapes to under-18s
Call for Evidence also launched to identify opportunities to stop children vaping
The UK Government is expected to unveil tough new measures to combat the illegal sale of vapes to under-18s as part of its plans to reduce smoking and tackle youth vaping in England.
In his speech at Policy Exchange on Tuesday 11 April, Health Minister Neil O’Brien is expected to announce a new ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ – backed by £3 million of government funding – to enforce the rules on vaping and tackle illicit vapes and underage sales.
Working across the country, the enforcement squad led by Trading Standards will share knowledge and intelligence across regional networks and local authorities.
It will undertake specific projects such as test purchasing in convenience stores and vape shops. It will also produce guidance to help build regulatory compliance, and will have the power to remove illegal products from shops and at our borders.
The minister is also expected to announce the launch of a Call for Evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes, while ensuring they remain available as a quit aid for adult smokers.
It will explore topical issues such as the marketing and promotion of vapes and the environmental impact of disposable products.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien said: “Smoking kills, so our priority is to prevent people smoking, and support them to quit. We remain committed to our ambition to be smokefree by 2030.
“However, while vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking for adults, we are concerned about the rise in youth vaping, particularly the increasing use of disposable vaping products.
“The new illicit vapes enforcement squad will work across the country and clamp down on those businesses who sell vapes to children – which is illegal – and get them hooked on nicotine. Our Call for Evidence will also allow us to get a firm understanding of the steps we can take to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes.”
Smoking prevalence in England in 2021 was 13.0%, the lowest on record, thanks to measures such as doubling duty on cigarettes since 2010 and continued funding to local stop smoking services. In 2021-22, £68 million of funding from the public health grant was spent on stop smoking services by local authorities, and nearly 100,000 people quit with the support of a stop smoking service.
In addition, £35 million was committed to the NHS last year so that all smokers admitted to hospital will be offered NHS-funded tobacco treatment services.
Latest figures from leading vet charity, PDSA, reveal that more than nine out of 10 pet owners surveyed have never received any pet first aid training.
Three quarters of those surveyed (75%) wouldn’t know how to perform CPR on their pet, highlighting a worrying number of owners feeling unequipped to deal with an animal-related medical emergency, such as a seizure, heatstroke or road traffic accident.
PDSA, which provides vital treatment to pets in need, is encouraging owners to brush up on basic skills that could prove crucial. The charity’s expert vets have also created a free pet first aid guide to provide owners with vital knowledge that could help save their pet’s life.
A survey conducted by the charity also found that 80% of owners don’t own a pet first aid kit, and many feel uninformed when it comes to managing common illnesses or injuries affecting their furry family members.
For example, almost three quarters (74%) of those surveyed confessed they wouldn’t know or would be unsure what to do if their pet was having a seizure. While almost half (46%) didn’t know or weren’t sure how to help their pet if they were suffering from heatstroke. And over half (52%) would feel clueless or would be not sure what steps to take if their furry companion broke a bone.
However, it seems owners are keen to gain these necessary skills, with almost two thirds (67%) of those surveyed agreeing they should have a basic understanding of pet first aid.
PDSA’s handy first aid guide offers actionable tips around how to spot and provide first aid for injuries such as broken bones or bleeding wounds. It also suggests simple ways to prevent an emergency from happening, including keeping toxic human food and medications out of paws’ reach, as well as how to be prepared if your pet does become unwell or injured.
PDSA Vet, Lynne James, said: “The figures highlight the extent of the skills gap when it comes to basic pet first aid skills. However, owners often don’t realise how important first aid training is until they need it, which can sometimes be too late.
“As with humans, taking the right actions in the first few minutes following an emergency before seeking veterinary attention can make a huge difference on the outcome of the situation. The good news is that while it may seem like a big task, there are practical tips that owners can learn, which will help them treat and potentially save the lives of their pets.
“I’d encourage anyone who doesn’t feel confident providing treatment to their furry friend in an emergency to download our pet first aid guide, which includes a host of resources that could prove vital.
“Many of us may also be concerned about the cost of living at the moment, and the price of unexpected treatment will only add further strain to pet owner’s pockets. Aside from lifesaving tips on treating pets in an urgent situation, our guide also offers lots of simple advice that can help to avoid an incident happening in the first place, and requiring more costly treatment down the line.”
When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.
If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert
You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.
If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.
It is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving or riding.
If you cannot receive emergency alerts
If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.
Emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.
If you’re deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted
If you have a vision or hearing impairment, audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert.
