Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace two electric bikes which were stolen from the South Queensferry area.
A green Cube Cross 500 and a purple Scott Sub Active 10 were stolen from a secured garage between Tuesday 1 and Friday 4 February 2022.
Anyone who may have seen these bikes since they were stolen, or has information on their current whereabouts, is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 2661 of 4 February 2022 or anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Living with Covid doesn’t mean ignoring it, says BMA ahead of PM announcement
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson says his latest “living with Covid” recovery plan will return people’s freedom as he prepares to scrap the legal duty to self-isolate in England.
The prime minister will meet the Cabinet later this morning before updating parliament on his plans this afternoon.
Mr Johnson said the end to restrictions would “mark a moment of pride as we begin to learn to live with Covid” – despite serious concerns being expressed by health professionals.
Health organisations have warned that Johnson’s determination to sweep away Covid regulations are premature.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ‘FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE’?
Responding to calls from NHS leaders for free Covid tests and self-isolation rules to continue ahead of the UK Government’s Living With Covid Strategy announcement today, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “It’s clear that we will have to learn to adjust to the reality of Covid-19.
“However, the BMA agrees with NHS leaders that living with Covid doesn’t mean ignoring its continued harm to many, and must not result in removing protections to some of the most vulnerable in our society.
“Scrapping all restrictions and allowing the infection to spread in an unmonitored and unfettered manner would be damaging to the health of millions, including for those who go on to suffer Long Covid symptoms.
“Without access to free testing for the public or a legal requirement for the sick to self-isolate, protecting others from illness and surveillance of the disease and its prevalence vanishes; we won’t know where outbreaks are happening, whether they are circulating among more vulnerable populations, and this means local public health teams will be lacking key information to be able to respond effectively to Covid outbreaks in their local areas.
“Charging for tests will only discourage people from checking if they have Covid, especially if their symptoms are mild enough for them to continue socialising and mixing with others.
“Currently, case rates remain exceptionally high. When Plan B measures were introduced in December, there were 7,373 patients in hospital in the UK. While rates are now falling, the latest figure sits at 11,721. The ONS also estimates that around 1 in 20 people in England were infected last week, and there continues to be significant work absence due to Covid.
“The decision to remove all restrictions is not based on current evidence and is premature. It clearly hasn’t been guided by data or done in consultation with the healthcare profession.
“As the BMA has previously warned, Covid poses a serious risk to public health as well as NHS capacity if cases are allowed to spread rapidly again. Living with Covid-19 doesn’t mean ignoring it. As well as keeping free testing and self-isolation measures, it’s vital that the ONS infection survey carries on, and that local authorities are supported to contain outbreaks with necessary restrictions.
“This is particularly important for protecting the vulnerable, and Government must ensure that these groups are allowed to live as normal a life as possible as the pandemic subsides. This means giving them access to free FFP2/3 masks where required so they can protect themselves, and providing healthcare professionals with clear, clinical guidance to advise them and other patients in the community.
“Healthcare settings are places which people attend to get better not to get sick, so it would be totally wrong to remove the protections in healthcare settings that currently exist, such as mask wearing, without discussion with healthcare workers and without evidence to support it.
“Only yesterday, the World Health Organisation released updated guidance for contact tracing and quarantine, saying in its report that any interruption or shortening of these measures will increase the risk of onward transmission.
“Of course, we all want to see a time when measures are no longer needed. However, relaxing them must be done sensibly, based on data, and gradually, in consultation with the profession, and not at the cost of public health or our already-stretched NHS.”
Leaving it up to individuals and employers to decide on isolation periods will place health care staff and patients at risk, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
the government is expected to confirm plans to end the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive COVID-19 test, in a move described as signalling the end of the pandemic.
But the pandemic is far from over for health care staff, and the lack of clarity and guidance on isolation rules going forwards could put our members and their patients at risk.
By “passing the buck” to nursing staff and employers to decide when to work if staff fall sick with COVID-19, the government is leaving the way open to increased infection rates and yet more pressure on an already overworked NHS.
The RCN is calling for the government to produce a specific plan for nursing staff working in health and social care which supports them when unwell.
RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “Ending the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test is a big leap in the dark. The government has yet to present any scientific evidence to support its plan.
“The public messaging around this is very mixed and unclear: with any other highly infectious disease you would be expected – and supported – to stay away from work if you caught it, yet with COVID-19 we’re being told you should learn to live with it. This doesn’t add up.
“Health and social care isn’t like other sectors – staff treat some of the most vulnerable in society whose wellbeing, and their own, mustn’t be put at risk.”
The RCN also stresses that nursing staff must continue to have access to free lateral flow tests for their and their patients’ sake amid reports they could be scrapped.
Despite advice and warnings from a range of health professionals the Prime Minister seems determined to take the gamble and sweep away Covid regulations, however, and whatever is decided in England will have an impact on public health in the other nations of the UK.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce the Scottish Government’s response tomorrow.
43% of organisations won’t carry out risk assessments for home workers
EcoOnline, a technology platform for safer workplaces, has revealed the findings from a Hybrid Working Study it conducted in December 2021.
Surveying health & safety professionals from 447 companies, the study suggests half of employers may need to reassess their health and safety provision (protection of health, safety & wellbeing) for hybrid workers. Worryingly, the data reveals that only one in two firms (52%) are providing safety training for staff based partly at home.
Against the context of a shifting societal attitude towards the workplace, and a sharp increase in hybrid working models, these figures highlight how businesses must act now to adequately protect workforces in a more fluid and remote office environment.
This means organisations will have to adapt their approach to accommodate for each individual. For most organisations this home-working and hybrid model will mean a comprehensive risk assessment.
However, while nearly six out of ten firms are planning on carrying out new risk assessments for their hybrid team, there’s a substantial minority (43%) who don’t plan to do so.
Looking at how these assessments will be conducted, one in two will ask employees to fill out a risk-assessment form, while 37% will continue to use their current approaches along with an in-office assessment. A tiny minority (4%) will send health and safety professionals to their colleagues’ homes for an in-person review, and 3% will conduct online video assessments with managers or a H&S practitioner.
There are some gaps between the self-risk assessment provision and subsequent training. As you’d expect, almost all companies are asking about workplace ergonomics (97%) in the risk assessment, but only 14% plan to provide training in correct posture and workstation set-up.
The research found that, when it came to risk assessment, 84% highlighted stress (e.g. from overwork or isolation). While approaching nine out of ten claim managing stress will be covered in the learning sessions, only 10% say their company training covers avoiding isolation specifically and just 2% report that it will look at managing workload and scheduling breaks. However, some training programmes exploring stress or remote communications could well incorporate topics such as isolation and workload management.
Positively, 85% coach colleagues on remote communications. Common topics within the home risk assessment are electrical safety (81%), trip hazards (71%) and fire safety (71%) alongside heating and ventilation (61%).
Ready or not
According to the results of the study, hybrid working is here to stay, yet only one in three are very confident their organisation is fully prepared for the management challenges hybrid working demands. However, only 4% said they were very unconfident that their leadership was ready for the new hybrid world.
Shrinking offices
29% of companies have already decided they’re reducing their office space provision, and 25% have this option on the table. Just under half (47%) are keeping their office estate as it is.
Workplace split
85% of companies expect to have some hybrid workers, with a third (31%) saying that over half of their teams will be hybrid. Despite the media conversation, presuming the prevalence of this mode of working, 15% of organisations will have no hybrid workers and around one in five will have less than 10% of their team splitting their time between home and work.
This shows a rapid change in working practices when we compare how most companies operated pre-pandemic: a third (36%) had no hybrid workers at all and four in ten had under 10% of their team working in this way.
When we examine the exact split between home and work there’s quite a variance. In just over half of organisations (57%), the home office split will vary by agreement with line managers or depending on business needs, rather than follow a regular pattern.
Not for all
17% of companies had declined requests for hybrid working, mainly due to space or home set up. Other reasons cited for having turned down hybrid working requests included isolation, back pain and mental health & wellbeing concerns.
Commenting on the study, Dr Catherine Jordan, Health & Safety Product Specialist, EcoOnline said, “Employers need to remember that their duty of care for their people’s health, safety and wellbeing extends to the at-home part of their working lives. Managing the blend of home and office working requires planning and communication. Risk assessment is an important precursor to any new working arrangement, but it is only one consideration in the successful management of worker safety, health and wellbeing.”
She added, “While the experience of the past two years has been seminal, it will only partly prepare workers and organisations for the changes now underway. Those businesses most likely to thrive in a hybrid working future will have; risk assessed the implications of a hybrid work model and the suitability of individuals’ homes for extended working, provided the right equipment and provided training in the planned approach, updated procedures and guidance to managing the safety, health & welfare of all in the new and changing world of work.
447 companies participated in the research, and most of the respondents were health and safety professionals.
Ahead of the cinema release of video game adaptation Uncharted in the UK, new data has found the best video game movie, revealing Pokémon’s ‘Detective Pikachu’ to be a favourite across the globe.
Pokémon’s ‘Detective Pikachu’ scored the best video game adaptation with scores 53/100 on Metacritic and 68% via Rotten Tomatoes
Second is ‘Rampage’ seeing a box office of £350 million, Critic scores of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes and an IMDB rating of 6.1/10
‘Warcraft’ in third, this video game movie was the highest earner at the box office with £376 million
Gaming experts SolitaireBliss, analysed 34 video games made into movies looking at both critic and viewer ratings and box office income adjusted for inflation to find the most popular video game movie.
First is ‘Detective Pikachu’ from the Pokémon franchise. Released in 2019, the adventure game could be played on Nintendo, where players accompany Pikachu to solve mysteries. Starring Ryan Reynolds in the movie, the film took in £348 million at the box office, making it the third highest-earning video game movie adaptation.
The film received a Metacritic score of 53/100, and the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of all films in the list, at 68%.
‘Rampage’ is the second highest in the list, after placing second at the box office with £350 million. The video game was first created in 1986, made originally as an arcade game, and players control three monsters with aims to survive against the military. The movie claimed Hollywood stars Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris to play the lead roles.
The Third most successful movie based on a game is ‘Warcraft’. Starring Paula Patton and Dominic Cooper, the film scored 28% on Rotten Tomatoes and 32/100 on Metacritic, but ranked highly after being the highest earner at box office with £376 million. Warcraft is built up around five core games in the franchise, where opposing players order virtual armies to battle against each other.
The action-adventure game adaptation with Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley, ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’, ranked fourth in the listing with an average score of 51 in the viewer and critic score, the movie made more than £317 million at box office when it was released in 2010.
Released in February 2020, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ takes fifth place in the ranking. The movie featuring Jim Carrey received an IMDB score of 6.5/10 and 63% via Rotten Tomatoes. The series follows Sonic battling a mad scientist.
Sixth most popular is ‘Tomb Raider’ released in 2018, the film took in almost £225 million at the box office. ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’, the first instalment of this series of movies in 2001, placed eighth in the list. The game ‘Tomb Raider’ is an action-adventure which follows Lara Croft travelling the globe for lost artefacts, involving puzzle solving and fighting enemies.
The Resident Evil series with Kaya Scodelario placed twice in the top ten with ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ ranking seventh in the list, and ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’ in ninth. The Franchise is a survival horror series which includes zombies and puzzle solving.
Tenth in the list is the fighting, action-adventure game adaptation ‘Mortal Kombat’, the video game movie received a Metacritic score of 60/100 and IMDB rating of 6.1/10.
Most Popular Video Game Movie
Rank
Movie Title
1
Detective Pikachu
2
Rampage
3
Warcraft
4
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
5
Sonic the Hedgehog
6
Tomb Raider
7
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
8
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
9
Resident Evil: Afterlife
10
Mortal Kombat
Commenting on their findings, a spokesperson from SolitaireBliss said, “With the release of the new video game movie adaptation, Uncharted, it’s fascinating to see how viewers and professional critics score the movies based on games, and comparing that with how each film performed at the box office.
“Movies based on video games have the advantage of a set of fans already familiar with the brand, and likely keen to see it. However, it can be a double-edged sword as those same fans are likely to have strong opinions and high expectations. This data shows that plenty of video game films have made good money, but many have struggled to impress fans and critics.”
This study was conducted by SolitaireBliss, which provides an online gaming service allowing users to play a wide array of card games and challenges.
It’s National Nestbox Week (14 – 21 February) and Barratt Developments Scotland is encouraging the nation to get involved with bird conservation from their very own gardens.
Garden birds need a safe place to raise their chicks, and it’s both fun and easy for residents to open up their gardens and give them a home for the season. Britain is in need of more nestboxes to help support bird populations, and National Nestbox Week aims to raise awareness of how quick and easy it is to play an important part.
To coincide with the week, Barratt has created an online nestbox quiz for homeowners to learn more about their feathered friends and how to make their own gardens wildlife-friendly for nature’s neighbours. Those taking the quiz are in with a chance of winning up to £100 in RSPB vouchers.
It comes as part of Barratt Developments Scotland’s, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, commitment to supporting wildlife on developments and celebrating its national partnership with the RSPB.
Each entrant to the quiz will be able to learn more about a range of birds as they’re asked to match common species to the homes that suit their needs.
Estelle Sykes, Sales Director at Barratt Development Scotland, said: “We always try to give nature a home at our developments, creating new habitats as part of our long-term partnership with the RSPB.
“Alongside National Nestbox Week, hopefully this quiz can help get all generations involved in learning more about wildlife and nature.”
National Nestbox Week is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology and aims to encourage more people to help the birds by putting up nestboxes.
Anyone wishing to take part in the housebuilder’s digital bird quiz has until Monday 28 February 2022 to enter the prize draw.
With six prizes up for grabs in the form of RSPB vouchers, homeowners can make their garden inviting for birds, in addition to other wildlife such as hedgehogs, bees and butterflies.
When looking to place a nestbox in a garden, it’s important to find a sheltered, shady location, preferably facing north through east to south-east to avoid prevailing winds and strong direct sunlight. Nestboxes also need to be kept out of reach of cats and other predators.
There are many ways that residents in the country can help the birds in their garden, such as providing a regular supply of clean water by using a bird bath, providing nestboxes and putting the right bird seed out including flaked maize and sunflower hearts.
Environmental campaigners and trade unionists have called for MPs to back the creation of an Offshore Training Scheme, as a key solution to removing barriers for oil and gas workers transferring into renewables.
The idea is backed by offshore workers and MSPs from all parties expressed support for an Offshore Training Passport when it was debated in the Scottish Parliament in October 2021.
The Skills and Post-16 Education Bill is making its way through the UK Parliament, with the final vote to take place tomorrow – Monday 21st February. Caroline Lucas MP has tabled three amendments which would require the UK Government to publish a strategy for the creation of an Offshore Training Scheme within a year. Other parties are being urged to back these amendments.
A 2021 survey of 610 offshore workers by Friends of the Earth Scotland, Platform and Greenpeace UK found 97% of workers said they were concerned about training costs. On average, each worker paid £1800 every year to maintain the qualifications required to work in offshore oil and gas. For any worker looking to move into renewables, they are expected to duplicate much of their existing training, at even greater cost.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Just Transition Campaigner Ryan Morrison said: “The skills and experience of offshore workers are vital to enable a rapid shift to renewable energy, but workers cannot be expected to fork out thousands of pounds from their own pocket to duplicate qualifications they already have.
“It is time for MPs to listen to these workers by creating a regulated training passport to ensure a just transition for offshore workers. They have a golden opportunity to do exactly that this week by supporting these amendments.”
94% of workers surveyed supported an Offshore Training Passport to standardise training in the offshore energy industry, removing duplication where possible and significantly reducing the burden of costs faced by often self-employed workers. The amendments put forward by Caroline Lucas would achieve the demands of workers in the industry.
RMT Regional Officer, Jake Molloy said: “The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. The Trade Unions have been banging this particular drum since the oil and gas downturn of 2014 and the industry and their standards bodies have collectively failed the workforce.
“We need an intervention now; we need the political will and support of MPs across the country to address the injustice of having to pay for work, which is the situation faced by thousands of UK workers! All of the talk about a “Just” transition will continue to be nothing more than ‘talk’ if MPs fail to support this initiative.”
+++ Workers case study (Jack is a pseudonym) +++
Jack*, 39, has worked in the industry for 12 years. He works as a LOLER Focal Point for rigs, having worked his way up from being a trainee rigger.
Jack said: “The companies used to pay for your training costs. So you’d have to cover your first lot of training yourself but after that, once you were established with a company, they would pay for your training because they want you to work for them.
“Now it’s very different. You’ve got to cover all these costs yourself, and they need redoing every couple of years so you’re in this constant cycle, and often the courses do overlap. And some of these agencies are making you pay for your own Personal Protective Equipment that you need to work on an oil rig.
“I have thought about working in renewables, but that’d be thousands of pounds you’d have to pay to work in both industries. It’d just be too much, it costs an absolute fortune just to stay in one sector.
“I was paid off last year, so my certificates lapsed. I ended up having to pay £3,000 for training to only get four months of work.
“Shelling out all this money does cause stress, and it does have an impact on your family and your living costs. There’s lots of people worrying about how they’re going to pay the mortgage. I know people who’ve packed it in altogether because working offshore is just too expensive.”
CAMPERVAN converters in East Lothian have racked up more than one million YouTube views on its informative and tutorial videos from enthusiasts around the world.
Since uploading its first video to the platform in 2017, VW accredited Jerba Campervans has accumulated a cult-like following, with more than 5,000 subscribers to the channel, from as far afield as Mexico and Thailand.
With more than 56,000 hours of watch time – equating to 6.5 years – the content ranges from product reviews, workshop videos, campervan tours and tips and tricks, sparking an interest from Jerba owners and keen campervanners alike.
All content is curated by the 14 strong team, who all share part ownership of the employee-owned firm and all take their turns on camera.
In addition to the firm’s popularity on YouTube, a Jerba Owners’ group has garnered more than 740 dedicated members who share images of their Jerba campervans alongside tips and product recommendations.
Domhnall Dods is an active member of the Jerba Owners’ group and a regular viewer of the YouTube channel.
He said: “The YouTube channel and community group are a fantastic point of reference for all who want more information about Jerba vans or to get hints and tips from other owners about living with a camper van.
“The Jerba Owners’ group was started by the Jerba community and it’s a friendly and helpful space for people to ask questions and share information. It’s particularly good as all the advice is tailored to Jerba vans rather than generic campervans.”
Domhnall, 55, bought his first Jerba Campervan in 2012, before selling it on in order to purchase a second van which he uses for regular trips with his wife and 15-year-old son.
He added: “I’m already on my third VW camper and third Jerba campervan, and it is my pride and joy. As a family, we take regular trips to meet up with friends across the UK and Ireland and we travel to France every year.
“When deciding what features we wanted for our second van, the YouTube channel came in really handy. We were thinking about getting a diesel hob, which we hadn’t had before so it was great to be able to refer to the videos to see how it worked ahead of buying.”
“The personal rapport Jerba has with its customers has, in my experience, always been second to none, and the YouTube channel, with its informative and helpful videos is an extension of that service.”
Jerba Campervans founded in 2005, specialise in converting Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Models and is officially recognised by Volkswagen as a converter of the model. In 2015, Jerba Campervans gained a patent for their unique pop-up roof, which they add to all of their Volkswagen conversions.
The conversion company continues to keep their customers and staff at the heart of their business.
Morrisons has launched a range of vegan pastries, available in store now at its Market Street bakery counters across the UK.
Prices start at just 75p per sausage roll, making the Morrisons offerings more affordable than other established options on the high street.
The range has been getting an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with customers commenting “Morrisons you have my heart”, “Oh my! I didn’t know how much I’d missed cheese and bacon turnovers until I saw this!” and “THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE”.
With over one million people pledging to go vegan since 2014, and over 600,000 sign ups to Veganuary in 2022, the range is ideal for anyone that’s looking for their pastry snack fill – without the meat.
The new range includes:
No Sausage Rolls, 2 pack – £1.50
No Steak Slices, 2 pack – £2.00
No Bacon & Cheeze Turnover – £1.20
Vegan Pasties, 2 pack – £3.00
Mark Pearson, Pie Shop Buying Manager at Morrisons said: “We’re always looking to add new and exciting products to our Pie Shop range.
“Customers are looking to expand their eating habits with a heavier focus on plant based and meat free alternatives and for this, the new vegan range of pastries are ideal. We’re excited to offer these meat-free options that taste as delicious as the originals.”
The pastries are available from Morrisons Market Street Pie Shop counters nationwide now.
Beware of scams when looking for love online, especially if someone quickly declares strong feelings for you.
Take a moment to #Stop and #Challenge whether the person is who they say they are by reverse image searching their profile picture (possible on the search bar of some image searching engines).
In the first half of 2021 alone, over £15 million was lost to romance scams. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Take Five to Stop Fraud and the Online Dating Association share how to spot the warning signs and keep your savings – as well your heart – safe.
TRUE LOVE OR FAKE PROFILE?
Criminals use information found on social media to create fake identities to target people with scams. They go to great lengths to build fake profiles, often stealing photos. Once fraudsters connect with you on dating sites, social media or gaming platforms, they’ll try to establish a relationship quickly. Many use the promise of buying a house together or getting married to trick you into falling in love with them.
Want to know how to spot a fake profile? Do your research first. You can check if the person you’re talking to is really who they say they are by reverse image searching their profile picture (possible on the search bar of some image search engines).
‘MONEY’ AT FIRST SIGHT?
After gaining your trust and convincing you that you’re in a genuine relationship, criminals then try and persuade you to send them money. Online daters should be aware of the actions fraudsters will use to manipulate them into parting with their money as unfortunately this is becoming more common. 38% of people who dated someone they met online said they were asked for money -. The average amount of money people were asked for was £345, although some were asked for more than £1,000.
Of those that were asked to give or lend money by someone they met online, over half (57 per cent) did so – putting them at risk of falling for a romance scam.
The three most common reasons people were asked for money were:
Claiming they need money for an emergency (37%)
To cover transport costs to visit you if they’re overseas (36%)
To help them make an investment (29%)
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR MONEY
If you’re ever asked for cash from someone you’ve never met in person then alarm bells should start ringing – it could be a scam.Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign and the Online Dating Association is advising people how to stay safe from romance scams when dating online:
Be suspicious of any requests for money from someone you have never met in person, particularly if you have only recently met online.
Speak to your family or friends to get advice and share experiences. Friends and family can watch for any change in behaviour.
Profile photos may not be genuine, so you should make sure to do your research first. You can do this by uploading a picture of the person you’re talking to into your search engine to check that profile photos are not associated with another name. Performing a reverse image search can find photos that have been taken from somewhere, or someone, else.
Stay on the dating sites messaging service until you’re confident the person is who they say they are and ensure meetings in person take place in a public place. Online dating platforms have moderation and reporting processes in place to protect daters and remove scammers.
Contact your bank straight away if you think you may have fallen for a romance scam, notify Action Fraud and let the platform on which you met the scammer know about the incident
DODGY DATE?
Criminals are heartlessly targeting people online to trick them into handing over their money as a sign of love.
Stop, and take the time to think about the person behind the profile, get to know your date, and don’t send money to someone you’ve only met online.
Here’s some warning signs to watch out for that your date could be a scammer:
You’ve met someone online and they declare strong feelings for you after a few conversations
They suggest moving the conversation away from the dating website or social media to a more private channel such as email, phone or instant messaging
Their profile on the internet dating website or their social media page isn’t consistent with what they tell you
There are spelling and grammar mistakes, inconsistencies in their stories and they make claims such as their camera isn’t working
They refuse to video call/meet you in person
They get angry or try and rush you if you insist on staying on the dating site or ask to meet face to face.
Photos generally tend to be stolen from other people: check by doing a reverse image search and uploading a picture of the person you’re talking to into your search engine
You’re asked to send money to someone you have not met face-to-face, either through bank/money transfer or through the purchase of gift cards or presents such as phones and laptops. You may even be asked to provide them with access to your bank account or card
Upon questioning your friend or family member, they may become very secretive about their relationship or provide excuses for why their online partner has not video called or met them in person. They might become hostile or angry, and withdraw from conversation when you ask any questions about their partner
For more advice on how to stay safe from scams, visit the Take Five to Stop Fraud website and the Online Dating Association set of resources.
Charity calls for support to help more children affected by conflict
Mary’s Meals has launched an appeal to provide more school meals for desperately hungry children in South Sudan – the country with the world’s highest rate of children out of education.
Learning across South Sudan has been drastically hindered by years of violence and upheaval, with survival often taking priority over children attending school. Internal displacement, deep poverty and hunger mean that life for families is a real struggle.
Over 70% (2.2 million) of primary school aged children are not in education, with girls more likely to miss school.[1]
More than half (55%) of people have insufficient food intake.[2]
A third (31.3%) of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition.[3]
Mary’s Meals is already feeding around 70,000 hungry children every school day in South Sudan. Now, the charity founded in a shed in Argyll, is appealing for support to reach even more hungry children with a nutritious meal at school.
Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “Our nutritious meals are giving children in South Sudan the energy to learn, hope for a better future and some respite from the immense difficulty of everyday life.
“Mary’s Meals is one of very few organisations delivering desperately needed food to schools in this country. We are already feeding around 70,000 children every school day – and we are determined to reach even more little ones with our life-changing meals. To do this, we need your support.”
Mary’s Meals provides school meals for children living in some of the world’s poorest countries – including Malawi, Haiti, Ethiopia, Syria and Yemen. The promise of a daily meal attracts hungry children to the classroom, where they receive an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty.
In South Sudan, the charity works in partnership with local organisations, Diocese of Rumbek and Mary Help Association, to serve maize and beans to pupils at 114 schools in the Warrap and Lakes States regions, where thousands of people have fled to seeking refuge.
Moses, who works for Mary’s Meals’ partner Diocese of Rumbek, says: “Many schools were destroyed by the conflict. I have visited new primary schools that have been built far away from the towns, in make-shift sheds and under trees.
“I was there when we took the food to these communities. Words are not enough to describe the happiness of the children. They jumped with joy – dancing, singing and shouting. They were so eager to learn and attendance at the schools is rising because of the promise of a good meal.”
Abak and Aping’s story
Sisters Abak and Aping enrolled at school last year when Mary’s Meals set up a school feeding programme.
Aping (12) is in primary two. She says: “The only food we get in a day is from Mary’s Meals. That is what made us join the school since we don’t have food at home.”
The girls live with their grandmother. She is weak and ageing, but she does her best to provide modest shelter and love for the two girls who help tend a very small patch of land growing vegetables. When they are lucky enough to get a small harvest, they sell what they have to buy soap and salt.
To donate to the Mary’s Meals South Sudan Appeal, please visit:
