The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) meets (via Zoom) on Thursday, 29 September at 7pm. (The screen facility will open at 18.50.)
The Agenda:
1. Andrew Field; Head of Community Empowerment and Engagement, City of Edinburgh Council:
– Community partnership planning; some thoughts on the way ahead.
2. David White; Primary Care Strategic Lead, Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership:
– The Winter Programme vaccine roll-out;
– Developments in GP service provision in the city.
3. Steve Kerr, EACC Chair.
– Preview of the EACC AGM on 24 November;
– Nominations to the EACC Members Board.
The Members Board emerges from the review of the EACC Constitution in February this year. It will work to guide EACC direction on policy issues and will look to bridge the interests of all Community Councils in a more participative, flexible and creative way than hitherto. But to do so, of course, the EACC will need your Community Council support and involvement.
In the round, then, the agenda for 29 September is a very relevant one at this time. I hope you can join us.
The meeting is open to members of the public as observers, but participation is restricted to the delegated EACC representatives of Edinburgh Community Councils. Please bring this message to the attention of your representative who will carry your Community Council vote at the 24 November AGM.
(The meeting may be recorded. Please note that by joining the meeting you are giving your consent in that regard.)
Students are being provided with helpful tips on how to enjoy the thrills of Freshers Week without blowing all the student finance.
The cash-saving experts atNetVoucherCodes.co.uk have explored money-saving ways to prepare for this new chapter of life.
It’s an exciting time for young people, exams are finished, they may have moved to a different city and now they get to broaden their horizons in the next stage of life.
But being a new student comes at a high price, from partying with friends, to learning how to manage finances in a weekly food shop.
Mitch Barnes, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “We wanted to offer undergraduates a peace of mind when preparing for the costly side of moving to university.
“Freshers is a time where the memories you make will last a lifetime, but we are also aware of the extortionate costs this period of fun can lead to.
“From creating a budget folder to learning how to spend less in a nightclub, there’s plenty of helpful tips to save the extra cash.”
Here areNetVoucherCodes’s top tips to enjoy freshers on a budget:
Get all the freebies
Most campuses will hold a ‘freshers fair’ for new students to find out about a variety of interests and to sign up for exclusive offers. But it also is a place to get items for free such as tote bags, pens and even shot glasses. It’s essentially a freebie fair, so get out the goodie bag and have a look around!
Pre-drinks to save cash
Bar hopping, dress-up club nights and pub crawls, all can break the bank in just a few days. It’s becoming more common to pre-drink beforehand with your friends and play some fun drinking games such as ‘Ring of Fire’ and ‘Never Have I Ever’.
Happy hour deals
It’s a great way to snap up a deal, 2 for 1 drinks, or happy hour £5.50 cocktails for two hours in the evening. Have a look for the bars across the city to find out who are offering the best deals.
Become a savvy supermarket shopper
Become a bargain hunter by looking out for brilliant deals, such as the yellow reduced labels every evening to make a late dinner, as well as shopping around at different supermarkets to compare the prices. It’ll help get the weekly food shop from £40 down to £20.
Student discount apps
Sign up for every app possible to get discounts from 10% to 50% on clothes, gadgets and even a free fast-food meal.
Create a budget folder
It’s easy to want to go and splash the student loan on anything and everything, but in the long run you don’t want to get to November and run out of cash. Get out coloured pens and label each folder from food shop to nights out to new clothes every month – it will all be worth it.
Invest in a student railcard
Whether you’re heading home every weekend or once in a blue moon, getting a student railcard will help save hundreds in the long run. The scheme typically saves around a third of transport costs and is particularly useful as petrol prices are at an all-time high.
Banking pots
Online banking can help tremendously to save on all the new expenses which you’ll be introduced to after going to university. Dividing the money into different pots and labelling each one can help you to learn how to save and prevent overspending.
Food discount codes
There’s plenty of student offers on takeaways to help knock off half the price, all you may need is a student discount app and some ID and the deal is yours. Have a look at discount codes onfast food delivery services.
Look for a part time job early
It’s not a priority for a lot of students, as the party side is usually at the forefront. However, the earlier you look for a part-time job the quicker you can save and make the most out of university life. Perhaps before moving in, get applying so that interviews can be lined up as the earliest opportunity.
Stock up early
A food shop becomes a big deal at university, it becomes part of your daily routine and that’s why it’s essential to stock up on cupboard foods early. Get bulk buying pasta, noodles and the big packs of toilet roll, so that you can save on the extra pennies every week.
Cheaper workouts
New city, new gym. Explore the different workout spaces near your university to see how they compare in price and facilities. Sometimes, university gyms may be more expensive compared to one down the road, so make sure to have a look.
Free streaming services
The amount of streaming services available increases by the minute. Most offer free trials to allow new members to join for a limited time before paying a monthly fee. During the freshers fair, there may be spokespeople for the streaming companies offering free trials which can last over six months, so make sure to keep an eye out.
Hold off the taxis
The temptation to get a taxi anywhere can break the bank, so have a look at walking, getting the bus or even a tram if your city has one. It’s important though to stay safe when walking back at night, so make sure to either walk with a group of friends or compare different taxi prices.
Don’t go into the overdraft
For lots of students it seems like an easy way to cover the expenses, but it’s extremely risky to go into your overdraft as it can impact the next month of trying to save money. If it’s a last minute resort, try not to make it a regular pattern otherwise it can get extremely expensive down the road.
To find out more about how to save during freshers week, head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk
People across Scotland are invited to take part in a National Moment of Reflection to mark the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and reflect on her life and legacy.
The National Moment of Reflection will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September, the night before the State Funeral, and will be marked by a one-minute silence across the UK.
The silence can be marked privately at home, with friends and family or at locally arranged events and vigils. Community groups, clubs and other organisations across Scotland are also encouraged to take part.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney will lead a moment of reflection outside the Scottish Government’s St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, alongside other Ministers.
The First Minister is travelling to London on Sunday ahead of The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen on Monday morning. and will observe the National Moment of Reflection there.
The Books of Condolence for Her Majesty The Queen are still available to sign.
If you’re over 65, and have been invited for your vaccination at a time or place that is inconvenient to you, please contact the National Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 to rearrange at one of our 20 other vaccination clinics across the Lothians.
Collective grief and shared loss, the psychology of national mourning
Following the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many people will be grieving and feeling loss. Psychologists from the British Psychological Society (BPS) have explained the psychology behind collective grief and national mourning, and how to cope if the death of the Queen triggers emotion and grief for you.
Professor Nichola Rooney, a chartered member of the BPS, explains the idea of collective grief, but also that we will all experience it slightly differently: “Collective grief is how we describe the reaction of a group of people (usually a nation, region or community) who experience the death of a significant figure from that nation/community or experience multiple deaths.
“While many will mourn individually, what we are witnessing so clearly in the media is the expression of collective grief. For many of us the death of Queen Elizabeth II has been the first time grief had been so widely displayed and discussed at a national level, with the numerous events and rituals and constant media coverage.
“It’s important to remember however that while grief is universal and is a normal response to loss that we will all experience during our lifetime, while there are some acknowledged similar experiences and reactions to loss, grief is unique to all of us. It is determined by our relationship with the deceased, to the meaning of their loss and how it effects our life.”
As well as collective grief, for many they may be experiencing, ‘re-grief’, with the death of the Queen and the media coverage triggering grief and emotions for loved ones lost, no matter how long ago they passed.
“Talking about dying is not something that we do very well in Western cultures, so this collective grief can often be difficult to deal with,” says Professor Rooney. “It can feel overwhelming and it can also trigger feelings about our own losses and experiences of grief and exacerbate existing psychological distress.
“For some people who lost loved ones during the pandemic there may be some feelings of resentment that the death of the monarch has involved so many memorials and opportunities to express grief. During the pandemic these rituals were denied to the grieving and our unprocessed collective grief from the pandemic, has undoubtedly been touched. But for all of us, the death of Queen Elizabeth and the huge media coverage can trigger grief for loved ones who have died, no matter how long ago.
“While this is a difficult time for many, there can actually be some benefits to seeing others mourn a loss in such an open way. It can give us permission to revisit our own experiences and to express our own grief again. We can find comfort through our connection to others with the same lived experience.”
If you are struggling following the death of a loved one, or increased anxiety/feelings of loss following the Queen’s death, the following places can serve as sources of support:
Cruse Bereavement Care – offers face-to-face, telephone, email and online support for anyone who has experienced a loss.
Child Bereavement UK – provides support for anyone who has lost a child, and for children themselves who are bereaved.
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information after the theft of a campervan in the Murrayfield area.
The blue Volkswagen California van, registration VMS 321 was reported stolen from outside a property on Succoth Gardens around 2am on Thursday, 15 September.
Entry was gained to the property and the keys removed before the vehicle was taken and driven away. The campervan remains outstanding.
Detective Sergeant Craig McMillan said: “Our enquiries into this incident are ongoing and I would urge anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area or who believes they have seen the campervan is asked to get in touch.
“You can pass on information by calling 101, quoting reference 0225 of 15 September.”
The funeral service for Her Majesty The Queen will be broadcast live on a big screen in Holyrood Park in front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The ceremony, which is taking place at Westminster Abbey in London, is scheduled to begin at 11:00am on Monday 19 September.
The City of Edinburgh Council is inviting residents and visitors to attend and pay their final respects to Her Majesty. Entry is free and un-ticketed.
The screening will be of the BBC’s full coverage from 8:00am until 5:00pm.
Lord Lieutenant Cllr Robert Aldridge (below) will be representing the City of Edinburgh at the state funeral.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “This screening represents an opportunity for us all to come together and pay our final respects to The Queen. We all share in the nation’s, and indeed the world’s, grief at the loss of our longest serving monarch. As Her Majesty’s funeral takes place in London, we’re proud to be joining in with screenings and services in towns and cities across the United Kingdom.
“I can think of no more fitting venue for Monday’s screening – in The Queen’s own park on the doorstep of her beloved Palace of Holyroodhouse – and I hope people of all ages will take this opportunity to say their final farewell to Her Majesty.
“Here in Edinburgh, we can take immense pride in the role our city played in the ceremonial events to mark The Queen’s passing and I want to thank the many Council colleagues, partners and volunteers, who each played such a big part in delivering them so gracefully and flawlessly. And to the people of Edinburgh for turning out in their thousands to pay their respects.
“I have no doubt these past few days will be remembered for how brightly Scotland’s capital shone as an example of respect, pride, and professionalism to the world.”
The screening will take place outdoors, so we are advising those wishing to attend to plan ahead, dress for the weather, and bring plenty of water.
Toilet facilities will be available however there will be no seats, so we advise bringing blankets or chairs.
Extra litter bins will be in place and BBQs will not be permitted.
Please note that Queen’s Drive will be closed to general traffic. Disabled parking will be available in Broad Pavement car park on a first come, first served basis.
The travelling public should follow Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams to stay informed about their services on the day of the funeral.
