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Scottish Government launches lung cancer detection campaign

A new Detect Cancer Early (DCE) campaign is encouraging people to contact their GP if they have a new or different persistent cough or unusual breathlessness for three weeks or more in an effort to return to pre-pandemic cancer detection levels.

These could be the early signs of lung cancer – and it’s important to get checked, especially if you’re over 40. While lung cancer is the most common cancer in Scotland, with around 5,500 new cases diagnosed every year, more people than ever are surviving the disease. This is down to improved treatments and more people being diagnosed earlier.

The campaign has been developed in response to Public Health Scotland’s data that show around 25% fewer lung cancers are being diagnosed now compared to pre-COVID-19. This, coupled with the fear of a potential cancer diagnosis continues to stop people acting early, when there are more treatment options available and the chance of survival is higher. The campaign, entitled ‘Settling In’, aims to empower people to take responsibility for getting any potential symptoms checked.

Since the launch of our £43m Detect Cancer Early Programme the proportion of lung cancer diagnoses at the earliest stage have increased by 43%, and by 57% in the most deprived areas of Scotland.

Launching the campaign, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “More people are surviving cancer than ever before, but we know that fear of cancer is putting people off getting checked or attending screening, when invited.

“Don’t ignore early cancer signs and symptoms, and certainly don’t delay getting checked. NHS Scotland remains open during COVID-19 and your GP practice is still there for you – getting checked early is a hugely important step in finding out if you, or your loved one, needs urgent medical help.

“While it’s probably nothing to worry about, a quicker diagnosis can mean less worry. If cancer is confirmed, more treatment options are available if it’s found early.”

Co-chair of Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group Lorna Porteous said: “If you have a sign or symptom that might be due to lung cancer, please don’t delay contacting your GP practice.

“During the pandemic appointments may be done by either telephone or video so when you do get in touch, please give as much information as you can. You will be asked to come in for a face-to-face appointment if we need to examine you or do some tests – measures are in place to ensure your safety.”

Top professional snooker referee, Leo Scullion, today backed the call for people worried about potential lung cancer symptoms to get checked without delay, as someone who survived the disease after seeing his GP about a persistent cough.

Leo, 63, originally from Glasgow but treated in Ayrshire, was diagnosed in July 2014 and started treatment in September 2014 which involved chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Following a period of recovery, Leo returned to the snooker circuit in 2017.

He was told his cancer was in remission in December 2019, five years after diagnosis – the same year he reached the pinnacle of his career, officiating his first World Championship final.

Leo said: “I was aware I was coughing, but it became noticeable to those around me. I was in China for a tournament and put it down to the smog at that time, and the fact I was a smoker.

“I did have other symptoms which I now know were warning signs. I was waking up in the middle of the night with terrible sweats, and by the time I came back home, I was feeling pretty horrible. Looking back, I think I knew there was something more going on, your body just tells you.

“As soon as the results came back, I just remember saying ‘is it terminal?’ At that point my GP reassured me that there was plenty they could do.

“When I was at the sharp end and I needed help, the NHS was there for me. If you’re worried about any unusual changes to your health, or worried about someone close to you, go and get checked. It really is that simple. The sooner they can find out what is wrong, the better. I’m very grateful I went when I did. There were times when I wondered whether I’d be back refereeing. To be back working at a professional level, and to have my health, is tremendous.

“There is life after a diagnosis, and I intend to cause havoc for the rest of it!”

Plans submitted for MacMillan Hub

Richard Murphy Architects have submitted plans for the MacMillan Hub, the new civic centre for Pennywell & Muirhouse.

The development will see the creation of a Nursery & early years centre, forest kindergarten unit, library & skills hub, 6 homes for social rent, plus extension & reconfiguration of existing North Edinburgh Arts Centre, providing café/bar, box office, theatre & 14 studio spaces.

Richard Murphy Architects explain: “This project has two clients and four distinct user groups. North Edinburgh Arts, a charity operating from a purpose designed building containing cafe, studios theatre etc. and a large early learning centre for nursery school age children, a branch library and eight apartments. These last three elements have the City of Edinburgh Council as client.

“The overall project has seized on the idea of synergy between the library, early learning centre and the arts building so that users of each are encouraged to use all of the facilities with the thresholds between each section deliberately blurred. Indeed, there is a common entrance and foyer facing onto the recently created Macmillan Square.

“The arts centre is to be reorganised so that the cafe sits at the front and becomes a social hub for the entire building. A diagonal sightline connects it to the garden and all of the ground floor with new and existing studios etc. More offices are provided on the upper floor.

“The library is a single double height space with books at the lower level and a skills base above. It shares a staff room with the early learning centre and offices with the arts centre. Large double height windows facing on to the square give views to the left of the arts centre and to the right of the library. The cafe is expected to colonise the entrance area outside in summer.

“The early learning centre consists of six classrooms and a baby’s centre on two floors. The building is organised around a circular cloistered courtyard to give as much space as possible to arrivals and departures. Multipurpose spaces are available to both the early learning centre and the community in the evening.

“Eight apartments on the second and third floors mark the corner between Muirhouse Crescent and Macmillan Square and are accessed from the north elevation. Their living spaces all face south.”

Further details here: : https://bit.ly/3c2XEvY

Planning Application No. 17/00314/PPP relating to Phase 4 (Block 4) of the Pennywell Muirhouse Civic Centre for a mixed use development comprising a nursery (class 10), library and skills hub (class 10), arts centre (class 10), flatted dwellings (sui generis), landscaping, access, parking, drainage and other associated development.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey said: “The new building is an important part of the £200million regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse that’s already seen significant investment by the Council and its partners, including Scottish Government to build new Council houses and affordable homes build a community with strong local facilities.

“Jointly led by the Council and North Edinburgh Arts, this is a great example of community empowerment showing how great value can be added to an area. It supports our landmark priorities as a Council to end poverty in Edinburgh by 2030, as well as enhancing wellbeing and equality for our residents.

“Key aspects include the new local library which we hope will act as a community living room, reaching out to everyone. The new building also creates the opportunity to work closely with the new nursery. To have as much interaction with the children, parents and staff as possible – providing tailored events and sessions especially for those using and working in the nursery.”

Council Depute Leader, Cammy Day said: “The North Edinburgh Regeneration project is a major success story for the area, for the city and for Scotland and it’s so exciting to see this final element hitting a major milestone.

“This joint project with North Edinburgh Arts will create a unique facility at the heart of the community. The new Early Learning and Childcare Centre will provide quality and accessible early years spaces for local children.

“This will allow us to meet our commitments to making early years provision more flexible, to fit family needs, and deliver 1,140 hours a year of free early learning and childcare for all three- and four-year olds and eligible two-year olds.

“As part of the wider regeneration of this area we’re delivering 1,000 affordable homes as part of our pledge to build 20,000 affordable new homes in the city by 2027, which will make a substantial difference for people seeking safe, permanent homes in Scotland’s Capital.”

Chair of NEA, Lesley Hinds, said: “This new capital project will allow the organisation to flourish, alongside Council provision, and bring a first-class facility to Macmillan Square.

“NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and has been a trusted community anchor providing emergency food and support throughout the COVID lockdown. Completing the Community Asset Transfer is a big step on this exciting journey. The enthusiasm shown by our community has kept us going through some difficult times and we’re looking forward to building on this support to bring a truly inspirational place to the heart of Muirhouse.”

The new library will give an opportunity to create joint activities with the other services – providing summer activities, expanding bookbug and storytime sessions, to creating more adult learning opportunities. In addition, the local library will be a trusted and welcoming community space, a place people feel comfortable using as individuals or as a connected group: a place of connection.

The community hub will offer young people a place to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, a safe and inspiring place for local families and children, and a place where older people will feel part of a connected and supportive community.

This accessible, welcoming and much needed community space uses environment-friendly build and innovative design techniques. The re-developed and extended venue reflects current community aspirations, whilst being flexible enough to respond to future changes in demand.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic NEA offered over 35 hours of creative workshops each week, most with a family focus, alongside a wide range of other events from singing groups to circus skills workshops, exhibitions, community theatre, film clubs, and festival events.

The venue is also home to Muirhouse Link Up, the Pennywell Pantry, North Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Centre, and the Tinderbox Orchestra, all working to serve the most disadvantaged children, families and individuals in the North Edinburgh area. The extended NEA will also provide extra office space and facilities for community organisations.

Treasured Islands: Orkney is voted Scotland’s best island

Orkney, with its neolithic sites and panoramic views, has been named the best Scottish island, according to a survey from Which?.

While Scotland’s waters are home to approximately 800 islands, Which? Travel readers rated only 14, highlighting how undiscovered and uninhabited many of them still are. And of the 14 that received enough visitors to be ranked in the survey, 10 received an impressive visitor score of 80 per cent or more.

Orkney – with its 70 or so islands off the northeastern coast of the country – took the top spot in the table with visitors awarding it a score of 88 per cent.

The island was the only one in the survey to receive five stars for its tourist attractions, with visitors speaking highly of its many prehistoric sites and archaeology – some of the most frequently cited highlights included the Italian Church, Skara Brae, and the “spectacular” Ring of Brodgar.

Orkney was also praised for its “beautiful” scenery and friendly locals, while others cited its remoteness as its main attraction – one reader was particularly impressed by the “miles and miles of secluded sandy beaches with no-one in sight”.

In second place was Shetland, with a score of 86 per cent. Of its 100 or so islands, only 16 are inhabited, which could go some way to explaining its five-star rating for peace and quiet.

This, combined with the fact it is closer to the Arctic Circle than it is to London, might lead some to think it could be difficult to reach – but the island was given four stars for ease of travel. It also received four stars for scenery, tourist attractions and shopping, meaning most travellers will be well catered to.

Harris, Islay and Mull each received a visitor score of 85 per cent, putting them in joint third place.

Harris received five stars for both its beaches and its scenery, as well as for peace and quiet, making it the perfect destination for anyone looking to escape to the great outdoors. Visitors can also head to Tarbert where they can buy their own Harris tweed, handwoven from local wool and reflecting the colours of the landscape, for a memento to remember the stunning views by.

Islay, known for its distillery tours and whisky tasting, also received five stars for peace and quiet, as well as four stars for its food and drink – not just for its whisky though, with fishing another mainstay of the island, meaning visitors can enjoy fresh seafood or fish and chips from many of the island’s restaurants.

While Mull only scored three stars for tourist attractions, food and drink, and shopping, its main attraction is its five-star scenery, made up of white-sand bays fringed with wildflower-rich grassland, and pink granite skerries scattered across the sea.

Visitors can soak up the view from the top of Ben More, Mull’s only Munro, head to Tobermory with its picturesque painted houses, or visit one of the island’s imposing castles.

Only one island in the survey received a score that dipped below 70 per cent, largely down to it being seen as a stepping stone between North and South Uist. Benbecula received a visitor score of 67 per cent, but still received four stars for its beaches and its peace and quiet.

While it only received three stars for scenery, visitors still spoke warmly of its beaches and landscape, with its wildlife and birdwatching being praised by a number of those in the survey.

Many of Scotland’s islands, including Orkney, are currently under Level 1 coronavirus restrictions. This means visitors can freely travel to the islands (unless they are in a Level 3 area in Scotland, or under other tiered restrictions across the rest of the UK).

Almost all hospitality, shopping, visitor attractions and holiday accommodation are allowed to open and operate under Level 1 restrictions. However, anyone planning to visit one of the islands should check the restrictions in place at the time they are due to travel, and only book with a provider that will allow them to rebook or cancel for a refund if they cannot travel as a result of government restrictions.

The Scottish government is also encouraging anyone planning on travelling to one of Scotland’s islands to take a coronavirus test before they do to reduce the risk of the virus being brought into island communities.

Visitors are recommended to get tested three days before travelling and then again on the day of departure.

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said: “After more than a year of restrictions that have seen most of us confined to our homes, many of us will be craving a holiday featuring beautiful scenery, grand landscapes, and the peace and quiet to soak it all in. The Scottish islands have all of this in abundance, making many of them a brilliant choice for a UK holiday this summer.

“You’ll need to pack for all seasons, and be prepared for a bit of travelling to get there – but when you do, you’ll be glad you made the effort. Just be sure to book with an accommodation provider that will allow you to freely change or cancel your booking at short notice, should coronavirus restrictions change and prevent you from travelling as planned.”

£3 million fund to help tourism industry rebuild

Tourism organisations will be able to apply for funding to promote key visitor destinations in a responsible and sustainable way, helping the sector to recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Administered by VisitScotland, the £3 million Destination and Sector Marketing Fund will support eligible groups develop strong visitor marketing campaigns that position Scotland as a year-round destination to the UK and Irish markets.

The fund opens for applications on 1 June and will be split into three tiers, focusing on city, regional and national tourism groups. It is part of the £25 million investment in the tourism sector and will help deliver the post-Covid recovery programme developed by the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG) and the Scottish Tourism Recovery Task Force.

Tourism Minister Ivan McKee said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult year for our tourism and hospitality sectors but, as we begin to reopen the economy and domestic travel resumes, this new fund will help to promote some of Scotland’s most scenic beauty spots to our closest markets.

“The fund stems from the work of the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce and demonstrates our commitment to getting the sector firmly back on its feet again – a commitment backed by £25 million investment. Scotland is one of the world’s most iconic destinations and we must work together to deliver a sustainable recovery.”

Director of Industry & Destination Development at Visit Scotland and Chair of STERG Riddell Graham, said: “The Destination and Sector Marketing Fund has been designed to help accelerate the recovery of Scottish tourism in the immediate to medium term by focusing on the domestic market.

“By using the latest insights, groups across Scotland will develop and promote visitor experiences both sustainably and responsibly to help stimulate demand in the domestic market all year-round.

“VisitScotland is focused on the recovery of the industry, building a destination and visitor experience which allows tourism and events to flourish now and in the future. We’ll continue to work with, and support, businesses to ensure we rebuild this vital part of Scotland’s economy.”

Destination and Sector Marketing Fund guidance

The Fund will be split into three tiers: City Region Award Programme (with awards on offer between £50k and £100k); Regional Destination Organisations and Pan Scotland Sector Groups (with awards between £40k and £80k); and Local Destination Organisations, Marketing Groups and non-Pan Scotland Sector Groups (with awards between £10k and £20k).

Safety signage on Portobello beach

Police Scotland is working with The City of Edinburgh Council and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to help make Portobello Beach safer for all.

At the end of March the Council installed new numbered signs at Portobello Beach on top of the marker posts at the far end of the existing beach groyne structures.

A jointly produced information video of the signs is now being released as part of the projects continuing efforts.

The signs provide an immediate and visually prominent location reference, not just to members of the public but also to attending emergency services, lifeboats, coastguard rescue teams and search & rescue helicopters.

Numbered 1 to 6, these signs are plotted on all emergency service, call and mapping systems:

Marker 1 – Pipe Lane

Marker 2 – Bath Street

Marker 3 – Bellfield Street

Marker 4 – John Street

Marker 5 – Bedford Terrace

Marker 6 – End of promenade at Joppa Road.

Police will continue working with partners as the year continues at Portobello.

In a beach or coastal emergency, please dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Star of West Lothian nursery wins Bookbug Hero Award

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has announced that the recipient of the 2021 Bookbug Hero Award is Kylie Watt, Nursery Practitioner at Longridge Nursery, West Lothian.

Nominated by her colleagues, Kylie has been recognised for dedicating her working career of over 20 years to children and early years education.

The Bookbug Hero Award was announced during Bookbug Week, an annual celebration of Scotland’s national book-gifting programme and Song and Rhyme Sessions.

This year’s theme is Bookbug’s Big Splash, and events include: a brilliant story and craft and session from Bookbug Week illustrator Helen Kellock, and an online Splish Splash Bookbug Session (this will open in a new window)via Facebook. The full programme can be viewed here, and events will be available to watch on demand.

Bookbug has been central to the nursery’s inclusive and nurturing approach as they returned after a prolonged lockdown due to COVID-19.

Kylie’s work helped transition the children back into the nursery environment and also helped make parents feel involved and valued. She delivered reading sessions in small groups, using books to introduce and consolidate learning objectives such as exploring and recognising rhyme, counting syllables in words, letter recognition, story sequences and retelling the story.

The stories also linked in with health and wellbeing, supporting children in their return to nursery. Kylie’s sessions explored emotions and feelings to enable children to express their own during a difficult transitional period of settling into the new routine of COVID-19 nursery life.

Kylie has been praised for using Bookbug as a consistent point of involvement and contact for parents, to build a bridge between the home and nursery setting. She has equipped the parents with information on how to use Bookbug Bags well and spend quality reading and bonding time with their children. She also maintained online communication with parents during the pandemic.

The nursery also uses a self-developed book-borrowing scheme, which became more important than ever with the closure of libraries during the pandemic. Kylie has provided parents with resources so they are able to explore and address many issues with their children that they may have been anxious about or lacked the knowledge or skills to discuss at a stage appropriate level.

These resources supported the parent-child bond by dealing with events cooperatively and holistically in a method that a child can comprehend. Kylie also fostered a nursery bedtime read initiative as an addition to the Bookbug Explorer Bag gifting.

The Bookbug Hero Award is run in association with Walker Books and seeks to honour someone working with Bookbug who has used the programme to make a real difference to the lives of the young children, families and the communities they work with. As the winner of the Bookbug Hero Award, Kylie will receive a bundle of picture books worth £500 from Walker Books.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Congratulations to Kylie Watt on winning the 2021 Bookbug Hero Award. In an especially difficult year, Kylie has gone above and beyond to support the children of Longridge Nursery, their parents and her colleagues.

“It is wonderful to hear how Bookbug has been used to assist transition back into the nursery, and how a strong reading culture has supported the young people’s health and wellbeing. Our thanks to Walker Books for sponsoring this important award.”

Kylie Watt said: “I am so proud to be announced as the winner of the Bookbug Hero Award. It was a lovely surprise that my colleagues and parents from Longridge Nursery Class nominated me and gave me recognition for doing a job that I love.

“The award confirms that what I am doing to promote literacy development within our early year’s setting is having a positive impact on our families and children.

“Bookbug Explorer Bags have been an important part of promoting a love of books and the book bags have really helped us on our literacy journey because they give all children the opportunity to access high quality children’s literature and literacy resources.”

Kayleigh Brand, parent, said: “Mrs Watt is an amazing member of staff at Longridge Nursery. She is loved by both the children she helps and teaches, and also by the parents. She always goes above and beyond for the kids, making sure they get every opportunity to practice in multiple activities, such as the Bookbug Bags and big book reading packs they get weekly.

“She also makes sure the parents are aware of what is going on, even in these difficult times. Mrs Watt is an amazing asset to the nursery and deserves to be rewarded or all of her hard work!”

Miss Harte, staff at Longridge Nursery said: “Kylie is fabulous. Her commitment to ensuring each child gets a pack of stories at the Bookbug event and each week with her lending library is second to none.

“When it’s Book Week Scotland, she always comes up with a new and inventive way to engage the children with stories and makes it exciting for the staff team to be involved.”

Jane Winterbotham, Publishing Director at Walker Books, said: “We’re thrilled to be a part of the Bookbug Hero Award, helping to recognise the individuals who go above and beyond to support their community and engender a lifelong love of stories.

“Huge congratulations to Kylie for this well-deserved recognition of her skills and passion!”

The panel for the Bookbug Hero Award included:

Scottish Book Trust staff
Chae Strathie, Children’s author
Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, Honorary Fellow, University of Dundee Founder of connected Baby
Neil Mathers, Chief Executive, Children’s University Scotland
Udita Banerjee, Head of Visibility and Inclusion at Families Outside
Myra Mains, Bookbug Co-ordinator and Bookbug Hero Award Winner 2020

Those highly commended for the Bookbug Hero Award included:

David Murray, Mobile Library Driver at South Ayrshire Libraries (South Ayrshire)

David impacted every baby and toddler in South Ayrshire as he volunteered to deliver the Bookbug Bags throughout lockdown. David’s initiative and willingness to help meant South Ayrshire was able to meet its commitment to deliver Bookbug Bags to every child throughout lockdown.

Shona Macmillan and Lindy Cameron Saunders, Development Officer and Gaelic Development Officer at Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Western Isles)

Shona and Lindy have gone above and beyond what was expected of them delivering English and Gaelic Bookbug Sessions to families living in rural areas on the Isle of Lewis. Mairi Graham, parent said: “Shona and Lindy’s sessions were a lifesaver for us during lockdown, having just had a newborn, it was a great activity to keep both a baby and two year entertained.”

Nina Greenoak, Bookbug Session Leader Volunteer (West Dunbartonshire)

Nina is a mum who at the start of lockdown set up a Bookbug Zoom Facebook group delivering Bookbug Sessions to a community of over 270 families on a weekly basis. Nina’s enthusiasm and encouragement provided invaluable support to families with songs, stories and rhymes for them to enjoy together at home.

The shortlist for the Bookbug Hero Award included:

Julia Lawrie Morrison, Bookbug Session Leader Volunteer at The Childlike Reader (Aberdeenshire)
Joolz Christie, Library Assistant at Dingwall Library (Highland)
Diane Ireland, Customer Services Advisor at Windmill Library (Fife)
Debbie Smilies, Community Early Years Practitioner at Highland Council (Highland)
Teresa Argent, Early Years Officer at Bowhouse Early Learning Centre (Falkirk)
Nikki Kirkwood, Senior Early Years officer at Easter Carmuirs School (Falkirk

Skye loch is one of Britain’s seven natural wonders

A Skye beauty spot, Loch Coruisk in the Cuillins, has been named as one of the seven natural wonders of the UK according to the Royal Geographical Society in partnership with outdoor brand Merrell.

Mary-Ann Ochota, TV presenter and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) said: “One of the few positives to come out of the pandemic is the opportunity many of us have had to explore the natural wonders on our doorsteps. And hopefully this summer will offer even more chances to explore new places in the UK.

“This list will have a couple of sites that might be familiar, but there’s also likely to be some hidden gems that you might never have heard of. These seven locations are really extraordinary – I think most of us would be amazed to learn that they’re right here in our own country.”

The survey found less than half of Scottish adults have heard of the Skye landmark.

The Skye beauty spot was joined on the list by Wastwater (Lake District), Dovedale (Peak District) (above), the Needles (Isle of Wight), the Jurassic Coast (Dorset), Pistyll Rhaeadr (Wales) and the Giant’s Causeway (Northern Ireland).

Not part of the job: 550 Police assaults in Edinburgh last year

More than 1,000 assaults on officers and staff included coronavirus related context during 2020-21, according to latest analysis by Police Scotland.

The 1,087 reports were identified by searching cases for keywords relating to coronavirus such as ‘spit’, ‘cough’ and ‘Covid’.

The figure contributed to a total of 6,942 recorded assaults on officers and staff, 413 more than the year before, an increase of 6.3% year on year.

Reported assaults are also up 18% on the five year average, continuing a long-term trend of increasing assaults against the police.

There were 550 assaults in Edinburgh (E division) with a further 402 in Lothian and Borders (J), but specific Covid-related numbers are unavailable. The highest number of assaults recorded was in Greater Glasgow, where 1577 assaults were recorded, of which 336 were Covid-related.

Deputy Chief Constable, People and Professionalism, Fiona Taylor said: “Officers and staff stepped-forward to help combat the spread of the virus, conducting in excess of 120,000 interactions with members of the public to explain rapidly changing guidance, encourage everyone to do the right thing and enforce the law where required.

“I am grateful to the vast majority of people who responded with remarkable co-operation and support for their police service.

“Officers and staff work with dedication and a commitment to helping people and violence and abuse against them is utterly deplorable and unacceptable. It is not simply part of the job and will not be tolerated.”

Police Scotland has brought additional focus to tackling the concerning issue of violence and abuse against officers and staff under the Your Safety Matters initiative, led by DCC Taylor.

The initiative, in which staff associations and unions are represented, contributed to the development of the Chief Constable’s Assault Pledge, backed by the Lord Advocate and the Cabinet Secretary of Justice.

The pledge was launched in August 2020 and promised to provide appropriate support to colleagues where violence occurs, as well as calling on wider society and the public to support policing.

During the last year, Police Scotland has established an enhanced Operational Safety Training programme which increases the annual refresher course from one day to two days and introduces new techniques and de-escalation tactics.

New guidance for officers and staff has also been published to support better reporting of health and safety incidents and assaults.

DCC Taylor said: “Tackling the concerning trend of increasing assaults on officers and staff is a priority for Police Scotland.

“It causes physical and psychological harm to dedicated public servants. There is also a cost to the public purse through days lost to ill-health or personal injury claims.

“We will continue to work to better understand how we prevent violence and abuse against officers and staff, what impact it has on our colleagues, and how we can better support them to do their job.”

Police Scotland recently asked for public views on armed police officers using Body Worn Video cameras to record certain incidents. Almost 9,000 people took part in that survey and the majority thought the use of BWV would increase trust and confidence in the police and make them feel safer.

This positive response means we will now equip our armed police officers with body worn video cameras this year. In addition, we expect to start a national consultation with the public in the summer about providing BWV cameras to more officers and staff right across Scotland.

We have improved our infrastructure to support more take-up of existing Taser provision and are engaging with partners and elected representatives about plans to increase the numbers of Specially Trained Officers equipped with this important safety kit.

Focus on the critical issue of officer and staff safety will continue in 2021-22 and further details will be released as progress is made.

Exposed 2021

Edinburgh College Graduate Photography Exhibition to make a welcome return

Edinburgh College HND Photography students will showcase their unique talents in an exhibition culminating their two years of training in Professional photography.

Exposed 2021 is taking place at Edinburgh’s Out of The Blue Drill Hall from Wednesday 2 to Thursday 10 June 2021, excluding Sunday (6 June).

Entry to the exhibition is free of charge and there is no need to book. COVID-19 health and safety will be in place to keep those in attendance safe.

The College’s Photography department has been running its annual exhibition show since the mid-1990s, and this year 70 students from the HND and BA courses will be showing over 150 images covering a variety of genres including photojournalism, documentary, fashion, advertising and the environment.

Unfortunately, last year all end of year shows had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, and so students who graduated then were not able to show their work. Now they will have the opportunity to show it by exhibiting alongside this year’s HND students.

The exhibition will be a celebration of Scottish Photography and the achievements of Edinburgh College students and it will be biggest student graduate photography show held in the country.

The youngest of this year’s exhibition cohort, George Norris, is 19 years of age, while the eldest, Lorna Fleming, is 67, with all ages represented in-between. The HND is a practical course which encourages students to work on live client briefs to strict deadlines, so preparing them for the world of work.

Graham McGirk HND Photography course leader said: “Having this platform to physically show their work is a big deal, after students have worked under such incredibly difficult circumstances over the last 18 months.

“This is the first step back to normality and we’re really looking forward to seeing the work hanging up at the Drill Hall and hope people will enjoy coming to see it.”

Jon Lee BA Photography course leader said: “The quality of work this year has been outstanding and we’re confident this show will be our best yet.

“It will be a superb showcase for our students and we look forward to seeing them flourish in their future careers.”

HND student Lorna Fleming, 67, from near Kelso said, “Completing the HND in Photography has proved to me that it is indeed true that you are never too old to learn.

“Photography has changed since I was a junior member of my local camera club aged 16 and at times I have struggled with technology but being part of a wide age range has been a brilliant experience.”

HND student George Norris, 19, from Musselburgh, said: “It’s been difficult with the challenges covid has brought, but I’m really proud of my achievements and I’m feeling positive about the future. I hope to take my education further in photography by entering the BA degree course.”

The BA degree in Professional Photography is unique in Scotland as it is accredited by the British Institute of Professional Photography as well as endorsed by the Association of Photographers.

More information and updates on the Exposed 21 exhibition can be found on Facebook.

The College’s annual Glow Festival, taking place from 7-18 June, will also feature work from across all of the creative courses run by Edinburgh College when it goes live on 7 June.

Fountainbridge regeneration ‘on the way’

7N Architects are delighted that our proposals for Edinburgh City Council’s flagship regeneration project at Fountainbridge have taken another major step forward with Cruden Homes and Buccleuch Property confirmed as preferred developers for the site.

The project will deliver a vibrant, liveable, neighbourhood that will reinvigorate the canalside and will include new affordable and private homes, commercial, social enterprise and community spaces alongside a new 1,000 sq ft office building for early-stage tech companies to ‘scale up’.

It’s been a long road since the community workshops that we facilitated in 2013, but we are excited that the original community vision will now be delivered.