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Rehabilitation support available to Covid-19 patients in Edinburgh and Lothians

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has praised Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s work to reform the way people with lung conditions access rehabilitation and support.

Covid-19 is expected to lead to a dramatic increase in the numbers of people managing what will possibly be long-term lung conditions and needing support for rehab and recovery.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland have been working with NHS Lothian to make rehabilitation support to accessible to patients who are recovering from Covid-19.

A total of 2,807 people in NHS Lothian have been confirmed as having Covid-19 since that start of the outbreak.

As of 16 June, 131 patients were in NHS Lothian hospitals with Covid-19, 193 patients with suspected Covid-19 and 6 patients in Intensive Care.

3,929 patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, who have previously required hospital treatment, have now been discharged from hospital since the start of the outbreak, with the most serious cases having longer term conditions.

A full list of measures put into place by NHS Lothian and CHSS Scotland is included below.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “I am pleased that NHS Lothian have put a range of measures in place to support survivors who have had severe cases of Covid-19.

“Having rehabilitation support in place for patients is crucial for their recovery and quality of life after having Coronavirus.

“The Covid-19 pandemic will have an impact on NHS Scotland for years to come, with increased waiting times for treatments.

“Prevention and recovery will be more important than ever for keeping people in Scotland healthy.

“I have called on SNP Ministers to develop a national Covid-19 rehab strategy to support people who will have long term health conditions from contracting Covid-19.”

Measures put into place by NHS Lothian and CHSS

Establishment of a comprehensive rehabilitation and support pathway for survivors of severe COVID across all three Lothian acute sites.

An Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) discusses all cases weekly, and agrees personalised requirements for physiotherapy, dietetics, Occupational Therapy (OT), and Speech and Language Therapist (SLT).

In addition, all patients have psychological review and support.

Case management is coordinated by an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) trained nurse, who uses previously established pathways to liaise with relevant health-social care hubs, GPs, pharmacy, and other community based services in relation to anticipatory discharge planning and support post discharge.

Rehabilitation services at Astley Ainslie Hospital (AAH) join the weekly Multidisciplinary Team and where appropriate review patients and transfer them at an appropriate time to the AAH.

NHS Lothian are also working with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) to liaise with their community staff (who are linked with the Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for respiratory).

NHS Lothian are producing a patient/family information resource for COVID survivors in collaboration with CHSS (funded in part by the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation).

There has also been a community advice line resource set up by therapists in Edinburgh which allows patients to access community services such as pulmonary rehabilitation’.

Rainy Days: poor will pay for Coronavirus ‘for many years to come’

Lower-income households are twice as likely as high-income households to have increased their use of consumer credit during the crisis, leaving them particularly exposed to the ongoing economic crisis, according to a major new Resolution Foundation report published today.

Rainy Days, published in partnership with the Standard Life Foundation, examines the distribution of wealth across Britain in the run-up to the crisis, and how the crisis is having different impacts on the balance sheets of richer and poorer households.

The report shows that those most at risk in the crisis have the weakest private savings safety net to fall back on, while the crisis itself is exposing Britain’s wealth gaps, and the ability of low-wealth households to weather the economic storm.

A typical worker in a shut-down sector of the economy – and therefore most at risk of unemployment – had average savings of just £1,900, far less than the average savings (£4,700) of someone who has been able to work from home during the crisis.

These workers are most worried about making ends meet if they lost their main income source for a month (24 per cent are worried, compared to 17 per cent among those working from home).

Looking at the impact of the crisis on households across the income distribution, the report finds that lower-income households are far more likely to run down their savings and turn to high-interest credit.

Among the second poorest fifth of households, one-in-three (32 per cent) are saving less than usual, compared to one-in-six (17 per cent) who have increased their savings. One in four of these households have increased their use of consumer credit – most commonly credit cards which carry high interest rates – during the crisis.

In contrast, just one-in-eight high-income households have increased their use of consumer credit, while one-in-three (34 per cent) are seeing their savings increase significantly as their spending falls.

These very different experiences of this crisis reflect both how focused its negative effects have been on lower-income families, and the big wealth gaps across Britain before the crisis struck.

The report shows that the wealth gap between the richest and poorest tenth of households grew by more than £370,000 (in real terms) between 2006-08 and 2016-18 to reach £1.4million.

Wealth gaps across the country have also grown, with London and the South East accounting for 38 per cent of all wealth in 2016-18, up from 32 per cent in 2006-08.

The Foundation adds that while wealth inequality has not increased in recent years, it remains almost twice as high as income inequality.

Rainy days shows that the lack of a private savings safety net, for so many low-income households in particular, could pose significant challenges as the Government phases out its emergency support for family incomes.

It highlights the need for both a stronger social security safety net, and for policy makers to do more to tackle very large wealth gaps once Britain emerges from the crisis.

George Bangham, Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Pre-coronavirus Britain was marked by soaring wealth and damaging wealth gaps between households.

“These wealth divides have been exposed by the crisis. While higher-income households have built up their savings, many lower-income households have run theirs down and had to turn to high-interest credit.

“The impact of coronavirus crisis will be with families for many years to come. That’s why it’s important for the Government to both strengthen the social security safety net via Universal Credit, and assist more low and middle-income households in building up their private safety nets by boosting their savings.”

Mubin Haq, CEO at the Standard Life Foundation, said: “Today’s report highlights how vital wealth is to our living standards. Not only does it help reduce costs, especially housing, but savings and assets provide an important buffer when income drops.

“Millions are now facing an income drop and in need of that buffer. Savings are not a nice to have, they are a must have.

“The growing jobs crisis and the tapering of furlough and self-employment support brings this to the fore. People who lose their jobs or have a drop in their income, and have been unable to build up their savings, are being pushed into borrowing. Those on the lowest incomes will have less choice and more likely to be reliant on high-cost credit.

“The Government needs to move quickly to make further reforms to boost incomes so people are protected from the financial crisis created by the pandemic. In the longer term the Government needs to think of ways everyone has a greater share of the wealth generated in the UK.”

Rainy-Days

Windrush: What we need most now is action, says Priti Patel

Home Secretary Priti Patel has launched a Cross-Government Working Group to address challenges faced by the Windrush generation and their descendants.

As part of the ongoing efforts to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation, Home Secretary Priti Patel has today (Monday 22 June) launched the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group.

The Group, co-chaired by the Home Secretary and Bishop Derek Webley, brings together stakeholders and community leaders with senior representatives from a number of government departments to address the challenges faced by the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Progress is being made to right the wrongs, with more payments made every week under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

However, there is much more to do. This Group will play an important role in ensuring the Government upholds its commitment to the Windrush generation.

The purpose of the Group is to:

Provide strategic input into the Home Office’s response to the Wendy Williams Lessons Learned Review
Support the design and delivery of practical solutions to address the wider challenges that disproportionately affect people from Black and wider BAME backgrounds. This will include programmes on education, work and health
Advise on the design and delivery of the Windrush Schemes Community Fund

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “This group is crucial to delivering on our promise to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation and it is right that we advance these issues in a constructive, sensitive and responsible way.

“We know that the best way to make sure we reach all those affected is by listening to them and hearing their voices, including how best to address the wider challenges that disproportionately affect those from BAME backgrounds.

“From issues affecting education, work and health, this group will support Government to deliver practical solutions as well as advising on the design of the Windrush Community Fund scheme and response to the Wendy Williams review.

“What we need most now is action and I am excited to work in partnership with this group who themselves hold valuable experience within the community and are driven to bring the ultimate change that we all want to achieve, which is making a difference to people’s lives.“

Bishop Derek Webley, co-chair of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group said: “It’s an honour to be able to serve members of the Windrush generation who have served this country with dignity and pride, and helped to build this country over many years.

“This Working Group recognises that the work we’re doing can’t be done without the voices of the community, and we will work with them and the government in finding a way forward that would meet the satisfaction of the Windrush community.”

Group members include stakeholders and community leaders representing the affected communities, including Bishop Joe Aldred from Churches Together in England; Paulette Simpson, Executive Director of the Voice; Blondel Cluff, Chief Executive of the West India Committee and Kunle Olulode, Director of Voice4Change England. All members bring a balance of experience in community engagement and specific sector expertise.

Members also will include representation at a senior level from a number of government departments, including No10, the Home Office, the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Member of the Group, Duwayne Brooks OBE said: “The Windrush generation were treated terribly by successive governments and it is time this is put right.

“I am pleased that the government is committed to righting these wrongs and I am looking forward to working with the Home Secretary and others to ensure all those affected come forward to claim the compensation they deserve and get the support they need to move on.”

Blondel Cluff CBE, who is also a member on the Group said: “We are at a seminal moment as a nation and as such I welcome the invitation to serve on the Cross-Government Windrush Group, particularly given the evident ‘buy in’ across government.

“I trust that together we shall make tangible, positive, and sustainable progress on this critical matter.”

The Home Office, as requested by Wendy Williams, is carefully considering the Lessons Learned Review. The Home Secretary has agreed to respond in full by the end of September and has also committed to provide an update to Parliament before summer recess.

The Group will play an important role in assisting with the Home Office’s response by providing insight and guidance, as well as help to ensure that the lessons from the Windrush review are shared across government.

As announced by the Home Secretary in March, the Home Office will shortly launch a separate £500k Windrush Scheme Community Fund for grassroots organisations, to help improve uptake and awareness of the schemes supporting those who were directly affected.

This includes the Windrush Scheme, which has so far provided over 12,000 people with documentation confirming their status. One of the first tasks for the Group will be to work with stakeholders to co-design and deliver this Fund.

To ensure that all those affected are reached, the Home Office is also launching a £750k targeted advertising campaign, using a range of channels, such as adverts and social media, to make sure those most affected around the UK are aware of the support available to them and know how to apply. The Government will work closely with stakeholders to ensure our campaign encourages as many people as possible to apply.

Grassroots activity, including recruiting community ambassadors nationally and in priority areas to encourage and support applications among their networks, is also being undertaken. More details on this activity will be announced in due course.

Black communities and wider minority ethnic communities still face injustices, and the Government is dedicated to tackling this, including by launching a cross-governmental commission into racial inequality.

The Windrush Cross-Government Working Group will also have an instrumental role to play in this work, and in ensuring we address the wider challenges that disproportionately affect people from black and wider minority ethnic backgrounds. The Working Group will meet quarterly for the duration of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, which is currently open until April 2023. The date will be kept under review.

The Group will complement the Race Equality Commission, which is being set up by Number 10 and will sit separately to this group.

For more information on the measures put in place to support the Windrush generation, please see our factsheet: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/05/13/wind/

Letters: Help prevent a kitten crisis

Dear Editor

Cats Protection is asking cat owners to help prevent a kitten crisis this year.

Due to fewer vets doing neutering during Covid-19, the charity estimates as many as 84,000 extra kittens could be born this summer.

This is why we are urging people to keep their unneutered cats indoors, and also unneutered males and females and siblings apart, until vet practices can become fully operational and resume neutering.

Cats Protection has produced an infographic with useful tips on how to stop cats becoming pregnant: www.cats.org.uk/neutering-your-cat

The charity can also support owners on limited incomes with the costs of neutering when vet practices are fully operational again. Call Cats Protection’s Neutering Line on 03000 12 12 12 (option 2) or visit the charity’s website at www.cats.org.uk/neutering

A survey of 1,000 cat owners has highlighted many are unaware of the importance of neutering and the consequences for not neutering cats at the earliest opportunity. Seventy seven per cent were unaware that a female cat can become pregnant from four months old and 86 per cent didn’t know that an unneutered female cat can have as many as 18 kittens in a year.

Our fear is that many kittens born will be left on the streets. Cats Protection is full up with cats and, owing to Covid-19, is unable to admit many more except in emergencies.

We hope your readers can help do their bit and help to prevent a kitten crisis.

Yours faithfully

Sarah Reid

Acting Head of Neutering, Cats Protection

Win free doughnuts for a year!

Your favourite signature Original Glazed doughnuts will be available for UK nationwide delivery* with the launch of its latest additions: Krispy Kreme Celebrations – an indulgent doughnut decorating kit, and Say It With Krispy Kreme, a hand-piped half dozen, personalised with a message of your choice.

Krispy Kreme is inviting people across the nation to get creative with their signature original glazed doughnuts. From 22nd June, Krispy Kreme fans can begin placing orders to treat themselves or send the perfect gift to loved ones.

The arrival of the Krispy Kreme Creations kit allows fans to indulge their fantasies of becoming a doughnut chef while Say It With Krispy Kreme adds a personal touch when gifting to a loved one whether you want to customize with a name or meaningful message.

From birthdays to baby showers, anniversaries to make-shift graduations, with a personalised hand-piped box of Original Glazed doughnuts, whatever you want to say, say it with Krispy Kreme.

The launch of UK nationwide delivery with the Krispy Kreme Creation kits and hand-piped half dozens means doughnut lovers across the country can now order signature Original Glazed doughnuts straight to their door by contactless delivery.

Thanks to the expansion of the doughnut brand’s delivery service, you can now enjoy the infamous Original Glazed from the comfort of home and garden.

Krispy Kreme’s beautiful bespoke hand-piped half dozens are the perfect gift for friends and family. Right now more than ever, everyone deserves a little treat and what better way to put a smile on someone’s face and tell a loved one you’re missing them with the gift of sweet treats.

Complete with everything you need to make the doughnut of your dreams, the Krispy Kreme Creations kit, comes with four Original Glazed doughnuts, chocolatey and caramel icings and a selection of indulgent toppings including cookie crumb, lotus biscoff biscuit crumb, chocolate & honeycomb pieces and white chocolate, the perfect activity for a joy-filled afternoon.

To celebrate the launch of UK nationwide delivery, one lucky customer who places either a Say It With Krispy Kreme or Krispy Kreme Creations order on the 22^nd June for a kit of hand-piped half dozen, will win free doughnuts for a year.

Following the prize draw on Tuesday 23^rd June, the winner will receive a pre-loaded gift card as part of their doughnut delivery**.

Krispy Kreme Creations kits will be on sale for £14.95 and Say It With Krispy Kreme hand-piped half dozen boxes will be on sale for £10.95. Both available from 22^nd June with a £3.95 delivery fee; with first delivery day available from 30^th June.

More information can be found at https://www.krispykreme.co.uk/.

*excluding Scottish Highlands & Islands **T&Cs apply

Transport Convener: We’re responding to the city’s desire to walk, cycle and wheel

Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes writes of council plans to make walking, cycling and wheeling safer and easier during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond:

One positive aspect of these last few, trying months is the city’s clear desire to get walking and cycling.

Not only has our own analysis shown pedestrian and cyclist numbers rocketing, but since launching the interactive Commonplace map we’ve received thousands of ideas for making it easier and safer to get around the city by foot, bike or wheelchair.

It’s clear there’s work to do – and we’re responding. Every suggestion, from removing guardrails on narrow pavements to pedestrianising streets, to speed reduction or pop-up cycle lanes, is extremely valuable.

This process is a very complex one and our teams are working flat-out to assess and consider responses, as well as linking them to those actions already identified across the city.

From inception to delivery, each scheme’s timescales can vary significantly, and we must target the projects that deliver the greatest benefits. For this reason, we won’t be able to undertake every suggestion, but each one gives us an invaluable insight into the kind of city people want to see post-COVID and we’re taking this on board.

We’re already delivering initiatives at a more ambitious rate than any other Scottish local authority.

In the last week we have installed more than 5km of pop-up cycle lanes leading to Edinburgh’s two main hospitals, adding to some road closures to help people walk, cycle and wheel to their local greenspaces and amenities.

These changes follow engagement with communities, mobility and active travel groups and local councillors. They’ve had a great response so far. We’re continuing to listen to the people that use them, tweaking the designs where necessary.

As we begin to tentatively emerge from lockdown, we must get the city moving. Before long, businesses will begin reopening and this will have a real impact on the way we move around Edinburgh. We want cafes, bars and restaurants, shops and other services to thrive, once they’re able to reopen, while also protecting people’s safety as Scottish Government advice on physical distancing remains.

We’re already preparing for this. From this week we will begin implementing several, major interventions in the city centre to help create a safer environment, encouraging people to spend time on foot or bike as restrictions ease.

These include footway widening and the introduction of bus, cycle and taxi gates on East Princes Street and South St David Street, reducing traffic volumes and aiding cycling and public transport, and the partial closure of Waverley Bridge.

This kind of real, tangible change, supported by similar, forthcoming measures across the city’s local high streets, will help us to move to the next phase of eased restrictions.

Reintroducing parking enforcement next week is crucial if these measures are to have the desired effect. By minimising often dangerous obstructions from our streets, we will be able to create and maintain spaces for people. What’s more, encouraging turnover of parking spaces means a higher and more varied footfall on our shopping streets.

Much of the work we are undertaking is to create quick, temporary changes to help people travel safely as we adjust to these exceptional circumstances. Emphasising clean, sustainable transport and people-focused spaces, where fewer cars result in less air pollution, supports our long-term city goals of a carbon neutral future where air quality is improved and healthy, and where walking, cycling and wheeling is the norm. We will get through this together and, if we are to make the right decisions now, we can harness these positive outcomes as we emerge from this crisis.

Find out more about Spaces for People on the Council website.

Concerns over falling numbers of pupils with Additional Support Needs in positive destinations

Commenting on the Scottish Government’s latest statistics for leaver destinations, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition – an alliance of leading independent and third sector service providers – said:

“We are deeply concerned about falling level of those school leavers with additional support needs (ASN) such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems in positive destinations. This includes further education, higher education, employment and training.

“While 87.9 per cent of those school leavers with ASN were in positive destinations in 2018/19, this is a drop on 2017/18 when the figures was 88.4 per cent. For those with no ASN the figures are 95.1 per cent and 95.3 per cent respectively.

“The attainment gap between those school leavers with ASN and those with no ASN has increased from 6.9 per cent for 2017/18 to 7.2 per cent in 2018/19.

“It is deeply disappointing to see a fall in the number of school leavers with ASN in positive destinations and to note that this gap is growing when compared with those with no ASN. There is also a clear gap between the number of those with ASN who are unemployed (10.2 per cent), compared with those with no ASN (3.9 percent).

“As the impact of COVID-19 becomes more evident we anticipate this gap growing and it is crucial that resourcing is targeted at those individuals with ASN to give them the best possible opportunities, both in the classroom and beyond.

“The statistics come hot on the heels of recent evidence that the attainment gap between those school leavers with ASN and those with no ASN has increased from 7.3 per cent for 2017/18 to 7.6 per cent in 2018/19 for those with at least one pass at National 4, and from 21.8 per cent to 22.4 per cent for those with at least one pass at National 5. It has dropped from 31.9 per cent to 31.2 per cent for those with at least one pass at Higher.

“It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need in order to give them the best possible start in life, to close the educational attainment gap and give them the best opportunities possible beyond the classroom.

“This is clearly challenging in an environment of austerity, however, the cost to society in the long term if adequate resourcing is not provided will far outweigh any potential savings made today.”

Travel influencers should stick to low-cost staycations, says expert

Travel influencers and social media celebrities have been urged to stop promoting expensive holidays abroad, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.
The influencer marketing industry is predicted to be worth over $15 billion by 2022, with the fastest-growing platforms being TikTok and Instagram.
The average person still exceeds climate change targets by 7.8 tonnes of CO2 each year, while the tourism industry accounts for 8% of global warming.
Celebrities must take responsibility for influencing where fans go on holiday and must champion climate change to avoid hypocriticism, expert says.

Social media influencers must place more emphasis on promoting affordable staycations in place of extravagant holidays abroad to help curb climate change, experts advise.

According to EU recommendations, the maximum amount of CO2 that can be generated per person from flying is 0.6 tonnes. However, the average person currently generates 8.4 tonnes of carbon emissions each year – exceeding the target level 14 times over.

Air travel is detrimental to the environment now more than ever as the number of airline passengers worldwide has doubled over the past two decades. This needs to be curbed, as each additional metric ton of CO2 shrinks the Arctic summer sea ice cover by 32 square feet.

Ketti Wilhelm, Founder of TiltedMap, is in favour of staycations being promoted online to reshape the way we perceive travelling abroad, saying: “All the uncertainty brought by Covid-19 makes this travel season a perfect time to try staying closer to home.

“Coronavirus will remind people to travel more thoughtfully – this means commuting and excess business trips, but also that nagging obligation of the Instagram era to always be going further away, to more exotic destinations – even if only for a short trip.”

Dr Andrew Welfle from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester, believes that influencers who promote holidays abroad without mention of climate change are hypocritical.

He says: “Aviation from its early days has been a glamorous way to travel, and many millions of pounds are now spent on promoting tourism to destinations where it is only practical to get to via air travel.

“Seeing celebrities and influencers enjoying destinations via TV, film and social media channels provides a further ‘pull’ factor that makes aviation travel even more attractive. Celebrities therefore have a level of responsibility in influencing tourism.

“In addition, celebrities who champion environmental issues such as climate change and then go on to extensively fly, risk undermining their environmental messaging – something not lost on the public.”

As well as on social media, this championing must be mirrored at political level in order to be effective, said Dr Welfle. “There is a greater role our UK politicians can play in promoting many of the UK’s great holiday destinations.

“This would bring jobs and money to UK holiday destinations and at the same time reduce the UK’s contribution to aviation emissions.”

This commentary comes as a new political pollution study reveals that EU and US leaders are still set to exceed climate change recommendations by a staggering 230 tonnes of CO2, despite a drop in emissions resulting from Covid-19 travel bans.

Letter: Support for Fathers

Dear Editor,

Looking after a child can be a challenge for all parents at times but even more so in the current situation with measures put in place to contain the Coronavirus.

The lack of respite from children’s needs or relationship strains will be taking their toll on many parents; some will have lost their jobs and be experiencing financial difficulties and there will be those who have suffered illness and bereavement.

These pressures and anxieties will be intensified by the fact that families are having to cope without access to their usual support networks.

This month, as we mark Father’s Day and International Father’s Mental Health Day, we want to send a message to dads that there is help out there and, if you are finding things difficult or you feel you are struggling to cope, it is so important that you reach out for support. Looking after your mental health is vital for your own wellbeing, as well as your child’s.

Earlier this year, NSPCC Scotland teamed up with the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee to launch the All of Us campaign to let families know where and how they can get advice and support.

The different organisations involved in the campaign are working together to gain insight into how they can best support families and protect children across Edinburgh.

Our NSPCC Helpline counsellors are here for fathers whatever their worry. For parenting advice and support contact the helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or on 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm.

To find out more about the campaign and about available local support visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus

CARLA MALSEED,

NSPCC Scotland campaigns manager,

on behalf of the All of Us campaign being run with Edinburgh Child Protection Committee

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Further details of Ed Film Fest At Home released

Edinburgh International Film Festival and Curzon Home Cinema are delighted to announce Clemency, written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu and starring Alfre Woodard, and Capital in the 21st Century, directed by Justin Pemberton and based on the bestselling book by Thomas Piketty, as the latest additions to the ED FILM FEST at Home programme presented by EIFF and CHC.

As announced last week, the ambitious programme also features such acclaimed titles as Last and First Men with Tilda Swinton, Ron Howard’s Rebuilding Paradise and the latest film from the Dardenne brothers, Young Ahmed.

A Q&A with director Thomas Clay and the cast of Fanny Lye Deliver’d – Maxine Peake, Charles Dance, Tanya Reynolds and Freddie Fox – will take place at 8.30pm on Monday, 29 June with further events to be announced in due course.

A brand-new film will be presented each day of the 12-day festival, with films playing for between 2 and 12 days, each priced at £9.99.

Full schedule of films is available to browse here.

Full line-up and dates for EDFILMFEST AT HOME include:

CLEMENCY (24 June – 5 July) written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu and starring Alfre Woodard. This award-winning feature focuses on a prison warden Bernadine Williams who confronts the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is now sanctioned to kill. Chinonye first had the idea for Clemency after Troy Davis’ execution in a state prison in 2011 and spent 4 years researching for the film.

CAPITAL IN THE 21ST CENTURY (3 – 5 July) directed by Justin Pemberton and based on the best-selling and one of the most powerful books of our time, written by French economist Thomas Piketty. This UK premiere is an eye-opening journey through wealth and power that breaks the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, shining a new light on the world around us and its growing inequalities.

REBUILDING PARADISE (29 June – 5 July) directed by Ron Howard. The UK premiere of the moving documentary, by Hollywood director Ron Howard, that chronicles the post-fire lives of the residents of Paradise, California, which was 95% razed to the ground by the so-called ‘Camp Fire’ of November 2018.

FANNY LYE DELIVER’D (24 June – 5 July) directed by Thomas Clay and starring Maxine Peake, Charles Dance, Freddie Fox and Tanya Reynolds. Set in Shropshire in 1657, this folk horror/thriller concerns a young woman living a remote, rural, puritan existence with her older husband and young son, until the arrival of a young couple on the run who introduce Fanny Lye to a world of possibilities…

PERFUMES (LES PARFUMS) (1 – 2 July) directed by Grégory Magne, starring Emmanuelle Devos, Gustave Kervern, Sergi Lopez, Grégory Montel. The UK premiere of this French comedy drama set in the ‘nose’ (nez) business. A once-famous ‘nez’ (in the perfume world) sells her extraordinary olfactory facility to any company that’s prepared to pay for it. She’s a selfish diva, but one that might just have a shot at redemption through her relationship with her new chauffeur, a man with many troubles of his own.

SAINT FRANCES (25 – 27 June) directed by Alex Thompson and written by and starring Kelly O’Sullivan. The UK premiere of this US comedy drama which sees Bridget, 34, aimless and accidentally pregnant, decide to have an abortion. Needing a job, she gets one (by luck rather than design) she’s not really very well suited to – that of nanny, to the precocious Frances.

THE TRAITOR (28 June – 5 July) directed by Marco Bellocchio and starring Pierfrancesco Favino. A masterful telling of the real-life story of Tommaso Buscetta, the main informant in the ‘Maxi’ (Sicilian Mafia) Trial in Palermo in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

A WHITE, WHITE DAY (27 – 29 June) directed by Hlynur Palmason and starring Ingvar Sigurdsson. Icelandic drama about a recently retired policeman who becomes obsessed that his recently-deceased wife was having an affair. His growing obsession starts to threaten the well-being of the rest of his family.

LAST AND FIRST MEN (3 – 5 July) directed by Jóhann Jóhannsson and narrated by Tilda Swinton. The UK premiere of the late, great composer’s directorial debut, a stunning audio-visual, science-fiction essay on human mortality and the end of all things. Loosely based on the 1930 Olaf Stapledon novel of the same name, Tilda Swinton voices a human from its 18th distinct evolution from some two billion years in the future (the Last Men), reaching back to the First Men (us) for help, as the end of time approaches.

YOUNG AHMED (25 June – 2 July) directed and written by Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne. After taking to heart an extremist interpretation of the Qu’ran, a Belgian teenager hatches a plan to kill his teacher.

ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH (25 June – 5 July) directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky and Nicolas de Pencier, narrated by Alicia Vikander. This stunning documentary, filmed in 20 countries across 6 continents, documents the impact the human race has had on Planet Earth to illuminate the question: have we entered a new geological epoch?

VOLCANO (26 June – 5 July) directed by Roman Bondarchuk. Lukas, a translator working for the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) gets stranded in the middle of nowhere in southern Ukraine. Life, and the people, are nothing like Lukas has ever imagined before, and getting out of there is his only priority. But warming to his strange new hosts, perhaps there’s more going on here than first meets the eye.

LITTLE GIRL (2 – 4 July) directed by Sebastian Lifshitz, UK premiere. Sasha, 7, a little girl living in the Northeast of France, was assigned male at birth. The film details, with extraordinary sensitivity, Sasha and her very supportive family’s seemingly endless quest for her to be recognised as a girl by the school she loves.

ED FILM FEST AT HOME runs 24 June – 5 July 2020.