The College, which welcomed its first students in January, was set up in collaboration with Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) to offer students from around the world a new route to studying at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).
It provides successful applicants with teaching in areas such as English language, academic purpose, and subject knowledge skills – which gives them access to existing ENU courses.
More than 200 people have begun their studies at ENUIC this year, with more expected to arrive in the coming months. ENUIC students are fully integrated into Edinburgh Napier campus life from day one, with access to support services and facilities.
The official opening ceremony was held at Merchiston on Tuesday [9 July], with ENUIC students joining representatives from ENU and OIEG to cut the ribbon at the College’s base.
Speaking at the event, June Boyle, ENU Chair of Court, said: “I am very proud of Edinburgh Napier’s impressive history of global engagement and the role internationalisation plays in our future strategy.
“Having the International College based here at Merchiston, our most central campus and the birthplace of our namesake mathematician John Napier, highlights how integrated our International College students are from their very first day with us.
“Our international students make a significant contribution to the vibrancy of our campuses, and we are committed to supporting their success and enhancing their experience.
“It is my strong belief that the International College will further promote this diversity and enrich the Edinburgh Napier experience for all our community members, present and future.”
Lil Bremermann-Richard, OIEG Group Chief Executive Officer, said:“We were delighted to celebrate the inauguration of the International College at Edinburgh Napier University. Together we have now welcomed three cohorts of international students, expanding learning opportunities for students, while also helping enhance the University’s global presence.
“At Oxford International we take pride in and are committed to delivering a seamless recruitment and learning experience for students, with quality and student outcomes being our priority.
“We are excited to see our students learn, grow and flourish and we hope that our programmes will provide a transformative and rewarding experience for them, as they have done for thousands of students before them.”
Last year, the NSPCC’s Helpline made over 230 referrals to a local agency or service in Scotland where concerns about a child being left home alone or unsupervised was mentioned.
This summer holiday, the NSPCC is signposting parents and carers to advice on the charity’s website around leaving children home alone.
The NSPCC Helpline has made twice as many referrals in the last year to local authorities in Scotland about children being left home alone or unsupervised.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, the service, which provides help and advice for adults with concerns about the wellbeing of a child, sent 238 referrals to local authorities in Scotland following contacts about the issue. This is compared to 110 referrals during the previous 12 months.
Last year, the Helpline received 7,802 contacts about the subject from adults from across the UK, compared to 4,717 contacts between 2022 to 2023.
The increase in the number of contacts on this issue to the Helpline and the referrals made could be due to a number of factors, including a recent NSPCC Helpline marketing campaign, increased service capacity and greater public awareness about the risks of leaving children home alone.
More than half of these contacts (51%) on children being left home alone were deemed serious enough for the NSPCC Helpline to make a referral to a local agency or service with a view to further action being taken.
With schools in Scotland currently closed for the summer holiday, many adults might feel unsure about whether their child is ready to be left unsupervised or have concerns about another child being left alone.
For many parents, July and August can be particularly difficult as they are forced to balance the competing pressures of work and childcare. These challenges are likely to be even more acute this year as the cost-of-living crisis continues, forcing some parents and carers to work increased hours or take part-time jobs.
One adult contacted the Helpline with a concern about their neighbour, saying: “It’s two little girls I’m worried about, they must be about four and six; they’re left home alone quite a lot and that means they’re unsupervised with the family’s dogs.
“I’ve knocked a few times to see if they’re ok and they always say, ‘daddy will be back soon’ but it’s usually hours later when one of the parents comes back.”
There is no legal age limit for leaving children home alone, but the NSPCC would not recommend leaving any child under the age of 12 at home unsupervised, especially for extended periods of time.
A child who expresses concern about being left alone should never be without a parent or carer and for those young people who do feel comfortable, it is vital they are left with contact numbers for a parent, carer or trusted adult. Long periods of being unsupervised can lead to children feeling afraid or neglected.
One young person aged 14 told Childline: “I’m sick of being left on my own, mum expects me to just look after myself.
“There isn’t always food I can cook, I can’t go and see my friends or do anything fun, but she can.”
Should leaving a child alone be the only option for an adult, then the NSPCC’s website has tips for parents to help ensure the young person feels safe, as well as a quiz to assess if a child is ready to be left unsupervised.
Kam Thandi, Head of the NSPCC’s Helpline said: “It can be hard for parents and carers to know the right age to leave their child home alone as every child is different, and the first time being left unsupervised will differ for every family.
“It is vital that both the child and adult feel comfortable with any decision that is taken, and that if a young person is to be left home alone, they know how to contact a trusted adult and what to do in an emergency.
“For anyone who may need advice or is concerned about a child who might be at risk, our Helpline service can support you and the NSPCC website has a range of tips.”
Justified Sinner 200 celebrates 200 years since the publication of The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by influential Scottish novelist James Hogg.
A series of six innovative, multidisciplinary events will unfold throughout the festival; Perambulations of a Justified Sinner; New Myths; Extraordinary Trash: A Theatre Essay; Justified Sinner Book Club; Cut Up the Justified Sinner; and a special Close Read.
The series features an original score by Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, a bespoke tour of the city narrated by Louise Welsh, a state-of-the-art app, and much more.
Justified Sinner 200 is supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund, and by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown.
From an original score composed by Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite and narration by iconic author Louise Welsh, to a pop-up choir and state of the art app that transforms the streets of Edinburgh into an interactive story, Justified Sinner 200 is a groundbreaking series of multidisciplinary events taking place as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2024.
More than a little meta, the series is the brainchild of new Festival Director Jenny Niven and celebrates 200 years since the publication of James Hogg’s seminal work The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner. Comprising six events it explores this established and influential text through new lenses thanks to the very best from the worlds of AI, theatre, technology, music, philosophy and literature.
Jenny Niven, Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said:“The Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner is a Scottish classic, a brilliant and deeply unsettling gothic novel that reads as vividly as if it was just written.
“There are so many things to reinvestigate from a 21st century perspective. It’s about moral absolutism, and the dangers of a fundamentalist ideology; it also describes these incredible tensions between a supposedly rational Enlightenment Scotland and one steeped in a supernatural past, and it’s full of outrage and paranoia.
“As a piece of fiction it is hugely progressive, playful and experimental and so of course I wanted to work with writers and theatre makers whose own approach reflects exactly those things.
“I think we’ve really done this book justice on its 200th anniversary and it’s a great example of one of the many ways I’d like to take the Book Festival forward, creating a new story of Scottish creativity while celebrating our incredible heritage.”
Part of the Festival’s 2024 Future Tense themed programme, and made possible thanks to Scottish Government EXPO funding, and support from Sir Ewan and Lady Brown, Justified Sinner 200 puts the theme of acting with impunity centre stage, and into sharp relief in relation to current global events and discourse.
Comprising Perambulations of a Justified Sinner (from 12 August); Extraordinary Trash: A Theatre Essay (18 August); Justified Sinner Book Club (19 August); New Myths (20 August); Cut Up the Justified Sinner (21 August); and a special Close Read event (23 August) it is not to be missed this summer.
Perambulations of a Justified Sinner is an innovative digital piece that unfolds through the streets and closes of the capital’s Old Town and into the palms of audiences’ hands via their smartphone (for those who need it, these can be provided by the Festival).
Featuring eight filmed scenes with a screenplay and directed by renowned playwright and director Ben Harrison, this immersive audio video journey is narrated by award winning author Louise Welsh.
Bringing pivotal moments from the original novel alive in her very own words, Louise’s dulcet tones will be accompanied by an original score composed by none other than Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai.
The walking app will be launched by a special event on 12 August during which audiences can witness the reenactment of the novel’s famous tennis scene at the EFI, as well as contributions from Ben Harrison and narrator Louise Welsh.
New Myths: The Public Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner uses leading lights in the folk music and storytelling scene to reimagine the novel in contemporary times.
When Gillian Tod leaves the cult she’s grown up in, she finds that it’s not so easy – because they own her digital image, and can use AI to make it say and do anything they want. Drawing on everything from Scottish folk history, modern feminist identity and Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger, this event features storyteller Kirsty Logan, folksinger Kirsty Law and harpist Esther Swift in an unexpected and bewitching performance.
Produced in association with the National Theatre of Scotland, Extraordinary Trash: A Theatre Essay is a funny and provocative meditation on adaptation, authenticity, and Scottishness.
Playwright Pamela Carter and director Stewart Laing have returned to archival material from their 2013 theatre production of Hogg’s novel, Paul Bright’s Confessions of a Justified Sinner, in the hope of making history. Featuring actor and film director Adura Onashile as ‘The Archivist’, audiences can expect a suitably meta-interpretation that is part-lecture, part-documentary, part-theatre. Warning: May contain truths!
Justified Sinner Book Club does what it says on the tin, courtesy of a panel luminaries including Ian Rankin, Ever Dundas, and David Greig, chaired by Jenny Niven, who will unpack this historic text and explore why it still has relevance today.
And Cut Up the Justified Sinner, hosted by queer disabled author Ever Dundas, will see this 200-year-old text rearranged to create something entirely new via interactive, experimental workshops. Audiences can also enjoy a specially-commissioned piece on the novel from writer Helen McClory in the August edition of Gutter, Scotland’s leading literary journal.
And finally, an Edinburgh International Book Festival tradition, Close Read events delve deep into individual texts. For Justified Sinner 200, poet and novelist James Robertson will take this intriguing and unforgettable book apart live for audiences.
Future Tense is the first Edinburgh International Book Festival programme from Director Jenny Niven and will unfold for the first time at the Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Starmer prepares for The King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 17 July
New laws will prioritise growth, the Government’s overarching mission for the year ahead
Legislative programme will support delivery of the Government’s first steps and missions to rebuild Britain
Focus on improving the prosperity of the country and living standards of working people
The Government will use its mandate for change to put economic growth at the heart of its legislative agenda as it prepares for The King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday (17 July).
Departments are working on more than 35 bills to deliver an ambitious parliamentary session that will be built on a bedrock of economic security, to enable growth that will improve the prosperity of our country and the living standards of working people.
Legislation will include a bill to enforce tough new spending rules, designed to ensure economic growth, while avoiding the chaos which left families with spiralling bills and wreaked misery on people’s lives.
To ensure nobody can play fast and loose with the public finances ever again, this new bill will strengthen the role of the Office of Budget Responsibility, meaning significant fiscal announcements must be properly scrutinised and that taxpayers’ money is respected.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our work is urgent. There is no time to waste. We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we will need to rebuild our country for the long-term – and our ambitious, fully costed agenda is the downpayment on that change.
“From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbo charge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK.
“The task of national renewal will not be easy, and this is just the down payment on our plans for the next five years, but the legislation set out at the King’s Speech will build on the momentum of our first days in office and make a difference to the lives of working people.”
‘His Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech’ will build on the momentum of the Government’s first week in office which saw the Prime Minister and his ministerial team roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Legislation to enact announcements made this week, including the launch of a National Wealth Fund to drive investment into the UK, to a new Mission Control tasked with turbocharging UK to clean power by 2030, to opening the recruitment of a new border security command, show that the Government is getting on with the job.
The package of bills will focus on growing the economy through ‘turbocharging’ building of houses and infrastructure, better transport, more jobs and securing clean energy – helping to make every part of the country better off.
As part of the Government’s plans to empower regions to deliver change for their communities, new legislation will also help to create wealth in every community and hand the power back to local leaders who know what is best for their areas.
Walking like a Tortoise, a mixed media, walking art exhibition
Edinburgh Central Library, 7 – 9 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EG. Foyer and Display Case on Main Stairs
1 August – 30 September
(10am – 8pm Monday to Wednesday; 10am – 5pm Thursday to Saturday)
‘Walking like a Tortoise’ is a range of art work based on a series of walks around Granton on the northern edge of Scotland’s capital city.
Using maps of the area from 1870 to the present day, Tamsin Grainger skirted the urban and coastal landscapes of Granton, looking into hidden corners, seeing from unlikely angles and meeting those who live and work there.
Through photography, words, video, textiles and found materials, she asks how the act of slow walking can develop a sense of belonging somewhere, and how mindful noticing of the area on foot, promotes appreciation of and connection to what is home.
Tamsin’s been walking around Granton for 14 years now, alone and with other members of the community, and has become interested in the alterations that people and the climate have wrought.
Although places transform all the time, the built-up environment and natural spaces of Granton have recently been changing at an exceptionally rapid pace and still are: the harbour is now a no-go area; streets and stations have been given new names and functions; and views have disappeared.
Slowly wandering the boundary and making artwork has stimulated a deeper understanding of local history and heritage, but how much of this will soon have vanished? Is Granton disappearing and being replaced by the Edinburgh Waterfront?
By visiting the exhibition, you are invited to consider: ‘What are the invisible boundaries which define us?’ ‘What happens if the exact edges of our living space change? Is it important to you that things stay the same or do you welcome transformation?’ ‘Do you feel part of the decision-making processes which precipitate such changes?’ and, ‘Is there a link between a sense of who you are and feeling that you belong somewhere?’
Tamsin Grainger is a walking artist who has lived in Granton for 15 years and has extensive experience in the Community Arts in Edinburgh.
She was Dance Artist in Residence for the City of Edinburgh, and is currently the Granton Waterfront Heritage Programme Development Worker.
This exhibition was first shown at the Granton:hub in 2023.
NHS Lothian has become one of the first health board in Scotland to trial a new physio clinic app to unlock faster, personalised treatment for patients.
The new platform – called Flok Health – provides same-day access to automated, responsive video appointments with an AI physiotherapist via a smartphone app.
Flok is the first platform of its kind to have been approved by the Care Quality Commission as a registered healthcare provider, creating a brand new treatment pathway for physiotherapy patients.
Alison MacDonald, Executive Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “Technological developments such as Flok have the potential to substantially improve the care and journey for some people with back pain by complimenting the range of healthcare services available.
“We’re looking forward to continuing working with Flok to further understand and explore the potential for how we could integrate such technology with our current therapy provision.”
As part of a series of three-month pilot studies between May and December 2023, over 1000 NHS staff who were suffering from back pain self-referred to Flok’s AI physiotherapy clinic to receive treatment.
An initial video assessment was held with each of the staff members from NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and an AI physiotherapist to evaluate their symptoms and ensure Flok could safely provide the right treatment for their condition.
Once approved for treatment, patients had a weekly AI video appointment with their digital physio, which could be accessed at a time that suited them from the comfort of their own home.
During these appointments, the AI physiotherapist was able to prescribe exercises and pain management techniques, monitor each patient’s symptoms, and adjust their treatment in real-time.
The majority of patients were initially prescribed six treatment appointments with Flok’s AI physio. After these weekly appointments had been completed, patients were given unlimited access to personalised sessions for several months, during which they could focus on preventative care and reducing the risk of recurrent issues, in line with their needs.
Nearly all (97%) of the patients who self-referred to Flok within Lothian received an automated triage outcome. More than nine out of 10 (92%) were immediately approved for AI physio and given access to an appointment that same day. A handful (5%) were automatically referred to another NHS service, including NHS 111 or their GP).
The remaining three per cent of patients were given an additional assessment via telehealth appointment with a member of Flok’s clinical team. All but one of these individuals were then cleared to receive treatment with the AI physio, with the remaining patient successfully referred to an alternative service for urgent care.
In the latest service evaluation, all of the patients who took part in the survey said their experience with Flok had been at least equivalent to seeing a human physiotherapist, with nearly six in 10 (57%) of patients saying they thought the AI physio experience was better than the traditional alternative.
The digital service was also effective, with more than four in five participants (86%) reporting that their symptoms had improved during treatment with the Flok platform.
Finn Stevenson, Co-Founder and CEO at Flok Health, said: “Around 11 million people suffer from back pain in the UK and 20% of us will visit our GP with a musculoskeletal problem each year. But it’s getting harder and harder for patients to access the physiotherapy they need.
“Creating faster, more convenient access to physiotherapy services is vital to tackling this crisis. Harnessing new technologies, like AI, can help us unlock individualised treatment for thousands of patients, while reducing pressure on NHS services and freeing up capacity for treating those in need of in-person care.
“We’re proud to be leading the charge on this at Flok. It has been incredible to see the positive impact that AI physiotherapy can have throughout our initial trials with NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We’re excited to be working closely with the NHS to develop this new technology and create a new care model for on-demand personalised treatment at population scale.”
Tennis fever may be over but as the world hots up for the next big sporting occasion, Paris 2024, Edinburgh Leisure is encouraging kids to go for gold this summer with their own mini-games challenge.
Featuring a variety of kids and family summer activities including AquaDash, Clip n’ Climb, soft play, Come & Try Coaching sessions, Holiday Camp & Coaching programme, racquet sports and more, kids are being encouraged to try as many activities as possible to complete a Game Card, which will be entered into a prize draw for some amazing prizes.
Go for Gold Game cards can be picked up from any participating Edinburgh Leisure venue. Each game card has a 5 x 5 grid of activities. Once an activity is completed, children will receive a bespoke gold sticker to fill their card. After completing at least one activity from each column, the finished card can be submitted at any participating venue to enter a prize draw.
The prize draw will take place during the week commencing 19 August.
*There will be three winners who can choose from a choice of:
Soft play membership for one month for up to 2 children
Clip ‘n Climb for 2 children or 1 adult and 1 child
Aquadash for 2
1-1 35-minute dive lesson with European Junior Athlete
Angela McGowan, Edinburgh Leisure’s Coaching Programme Manager said: “Few of us will ever be Olympians, but we know that keeping active is good for everyone and our Go For Gold summer mini games is Edinburgh Leisure’s way of encouraging kids to get the active habit in a fun and sociable way during the summer holidays, while encouraging kids to achieve their own medal.”
The Go For Gold promotion will run at most Edinburgh Leisure venues from 15 July – 11 August 2024.
David Lammy is visiting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to progress diplomatic efforts for long-term peace and security in the region
Foreign Secretary calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a rapid increase of humanitarian aid into Gaza on first Middle East visit.
In meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, David Lammy makes the urgent case for a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
The Foreign Secretary announces £5.5m to UK-Med to support their ongoing work to provide humanitarian assistance and medical treatment to those in Gaza.
David Lammy visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories yesterday [Sunday, 14 July] on his first trip to the Middle East since becoming Foreign Secretary.
He focused on the UK’s diplomatic role in helping to bring the conflict in Gaza to an end and making progress towards long-term peace and security in the Middle East.
He raised the urgent need for a ceasefire agreed by both sides, which includes the release of all hostages and a rapid increase of aid into Gaza.
The Foreign Secretary also announced that the UK will provide another £5.5m this year to UK-Med to fund their life-saving work in Gaza.
UK-Med is a frontline medical aid charity who send experienced humanitarian medics, including those working in the NHS, to crisis-hit regions to deliver life and limb-saving health care.
This funding will be used to support the ongoing work of their field hospitals and the emergency department at Nasser Hospital. It will allow medics, including those from the UK, to continue carrying out vital work to treat thousands more patients suffering from acute respiratory illnesses, infections, and explosive fragmentation trauma cases.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said: “The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. This war must end now, with an immediate ceasefire, complied with by both sides. The fighting has got to stop, the hostages still cruelly detained by Hamas terrorists need to be released immediately and aid must be allowed in to reach the people of Gaza without restrictions.
“I am meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to stress the UK’s ambition and commitment to play its full diplomatic role in securing a ceasefire deal and creating the space for a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
“The world needs a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
“Central to this is to see an end to expanding illegal Israeli settlements and rising settler violence in the West Bank. Here, in what should be a crucial part of a Palestinian state, alongside Gaza and East Jerusalem, we need to see a reformed and empowered Palestinian Authority.”
In Israel, the Foreign Secretary held high-level talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog to reiterate the need to end the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.
Mr Lammy met with hostage families with links to the UK whose loved ones have been murdered or taken by Hamas.
Highlighting more than 680 tonnes of UK aid in the region and waiting to enter Gaza, including medicines, shelters and hygiene kits, the Foreign Secretary pushed the desperate need to rapidly increase aid into Gaza.
In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Foreign Secretary welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to delivering reform and reiterate the UK’s support to PM Mustafa and his government.
The UK has provided £10 million in aid to support the Palestinian Authority this financial year through the World Bank. The funding will provide vital support for key services, for example through the payment of salaries for 8,200 doctors, nurses and other health workers over two months.
In meetings with President Abbas and Prime Minister Mustafa, he highlighted his commitment to recognising a Palestinian state as an undeniable right of the Palestinian people, and as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
He also called out settlements in the West Bank as illegal and harmful to a two-state solution on visit to a Palestinian community.
Do you remember we had an Easter Drawing competition? Well we were so impressed by ALL your eye-catching, creative and imaginative entries that we decided to have a SUMMER DRAWING COMPETITION!
We want to know what summer means to you? Ice cream? Football at the park? Swimming? Movies? Daydreaming in the garden? Trips to the seaside? Sunny sandpits? Waterfights? Fun times with your family and friends? Long walks with the dog?
Looking forward to seeing all your entries pouring in from Monday onwards!
PLEASE ASK FOR YOUR ENTRY SHEET AT THE DESK or bring in your drawing from home but remember to add your name, phone number and age on the back! :0)
Rats are not just a nuisance; they can cause significant damage to your property and pose health risks to you and your family.
Home expert Neil Mckenzie from Halton Stairlifts understands the importance of maintaining a safe and comfortable home environment. One effective way to keep rats at bay is by using natural repellents, including certain plants.
Here’s how you can protect your home from rats using natural methods:
Why Rats are a Problem
Rats are notorious for gnawing on electrical wires, insulation, and structural elements of your home. They can also contaminate food and spread diseases. Preventing an infestation is much easier and safer than dealing with one after it has occurred.
Plants that Repel Rats
Certain plants have natural properties that repel rats. Incorporating these plants into your garden and around your home can be an effective and eco-friendly way to deter these pests.
Mint: Rats dislike the strong scent of mint. Planting peppermint or spearmint around your home can help keep them away. You can also use dried mint leaves or essential oil in areas where rats are a problem.
Lavender: Known for its pleasant aroma to humans, lavender is disliked by rats. Plant it in your garden or use dried lavender sachets inside your home.
Daffodils: These beautiful flowers are toxic to rats and other rodents. Planting daffodils around the perimeter of your property can act as a natural deterrent.
Garlic: The strong smell of garlic is another scent that rats find unpleasant. Planting garlic in your garden or placing cloves in areas where rats are a problem can be effective.
Catnip: While catnip attracts cats, it deters rats. Planting catnip in your garden can create a natural rat repellent.
Additional Tips to Keep Rats Away
In addition to planting natural repellents, here are some additional tips to keep rats out of your property:
Seal Entry Points: Inspect your home for any gaps, cracks, or holes that rats could use to enter. Seal these entry points with steel wool, caulk, or metal mesh.
Keep Your Home Clean: Ensure your home, especially the kitchen, is clean and free of food crumbs. Store food in airtight containers to avoid attracting rats.
Remove Clutter: Rats love to hide in cluttered areas. Keep your home and garden tidy to reduce potential hiding spots.
Regular Maintenance: Regularly check for signs of rat activity, such as droppings or gnaw marks, and take immediate action if you notice any.
Proper Waste Management: Keep rubbish bins tightly sealed and dispose regularly to avoid attracting rats to your property.
Neil Mckenzie, home & garden expert from Halton Stairlifts says: “Keeping rats out of your property is crucial for maintaining a safe and healthy home environment.
“By using natural repellents like mint, lavender, daffodils, garlic, and catnip, along with following good maintenance practices, you can effectively deter rats. At Halton Stairlifts, we believe in the importance of proactive home care.”
