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UK development minister visits Turkey-Syria earthquake response

First trip by UK Minister to Turkey since devastating earthquakes to witness first-hand impact of UK aid, helping those affected in Turkey and Syria.
Follows major new UK aid package on 15 February in response to needs on the ground in both Turkey and Syria.
Minister toured a UK-led Field Hospital in Türkoğlu to thank UK medical staff for providing lifesaving care alongside Turkish medics, and met UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syrian Civil Defence) to discuss what is needed in the next stage of the response

As the UK continues to play a leading role in the global response to the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell travelled to southern Turkey yesterday (Sunday 19 February) to see the response first-hand.

He witnessed the work of UK medical and aid teams supporting the Turkish authorities, Syrian organisations, UN and other aid organisations to coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria.

In Türkoğlu he toured a joint MoD-FCDO Field Hospital staffed by UK-Med and MoD personnel with an emergency room and 24/7 operating centre providing lifesaving care and thanked UK medical staff working side-by-side with Turkish medics.

He also met the White Helmets and Syrian Women’s groups as well as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member charity, Care International, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and UN agencies to hear first-hand about their relief efforts in Turkey and Syria and understand what more needs to be done as the crisis moves from rescue to recovery.

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Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said: “We have been working since day one of this terrible earthquake to help coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria and provide life-saving support to those who need it.

“As this evolving situation heads into a new phase from rescue to recovery, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible efforts on the ground at the field hospital, with UK medical teams providing live-saving operations, including to those rescued from under the rubble.

“The British public’s response to the Disasters and Emergency Committee appeal, which has now reached a staggering £88 million, underlines the strong support from the UK for rescue and recovery following this tragic event.

“I have seen and heard today how this extraordinary generosity has enabled British expertise, charities and NGOs to scale up their support and make a real difference to the people of Turkey and Syria.”

The UK match funded the first £5 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake appeal providing immediate life-saving support to hardest-hit areas, thanks to the compassion and generosity of the British public.

The visit follows a further £25 million major UK package of support on 15 February, with the UK responding to needs on the ground in Turkey and in Syria in line with requests from the Turkish authorities, the UN and aid agencies.

The UK also sent a team of 77 search and rescue experts with specialist equipment, as well as four rescue dogs, who worked day and night to help people affected by the earthquake. The UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syria Civil Defence) mobilised a significant search and rescue effort and the UK mobilised an additional £4.3 million to the White Helmets in support of this.

As we move from rescue to recovery, the UK is continuing to send urgent relief supplies to Turkey and Syria such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions.

We are working closely with the UN to maintain the swift delivery of these supplies across the Turkish border into north-west Syria.

Christian Atsu: A statement from Arms Around The Child

“He will live in our memories as one of the kindest, most talented, humble people to enter this world…”

Following the news that the body of Christian Atsu’s body has been recovered in Turkey, Arms Around The Child (AATC) , have today issued a statement:

Christian was an ambassador for the AATC helping to build schools in Senya, Ghana and visited the children and projects several times.

Paying tribute to Christian a spokesman for the charity said yeaterday (SUNDAY FEB 19): “It is with immense pain and disbelief that we have to write these words. We have held onto the hope that Christian would survive and be found in the rubble of the tragic earthquake to hit Turkey and Syria.

Like the many friends, families and people impacted by this disaster, we are still struggling to accept what has happened and feel tremendous sadness at the devastating loss of life. We empathise with all those grieving for their lost ones. Our deepest condolences are with Christian’s family, wife, children and many friends and lives that he touched.

“Christian Atsu was a truly unique and wonderful man, and his legacy will live on through the many hundreds if not thousands of lives he has helped. He will live in our memories as one of the kindest, most talented, humble people to enter this world. A young boy from poverty in Ghana who followed his dreams had an incredibly successful footballing career and used his talent and platform to help others.

“Arms Around The Child were fortunate to have known Christian and will treasure his support for the children we look after, especially the children in Senya Beraku where Christian was building a school in the local community. Christian believed in giving children a brighter future and the opportunity to succeed.

“He never forgot his own roots and didn’t want to see any more children abused, imprisoned, affected by HIV, trafficked or sold. He was determined to use his prominence as a footballer to prevent this. He had also been supporting The Crime Check Foundation in Ghana with their work paying fines for petty crimes which had resulted in incarceration, and helping people reintegrate into society and get back on their feet.

“Christian has been the global ambassador for Arms Around The Child since 2016. During that time, he visited the children at our home in Senya Beraku, Ghana on many occasions. He regularly organised for gifts and football equipment to be sent to the home and developed a very close relationship with the kids.

“In 2018 Christian and Arms Around The Child launched a campaign to build a new school in Senya to benefit orphaned children and the local community. Together Arms Around The Child and Christian organized the Black Star Gala, a special fundraising event at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead, Newcastle, to kickstart the fundraising effort for a new school.

“Whenever Christian visited Senya, the children and the community were always so happy to see him. They would welcome him like a hero, but also like a father, uncle or brother as everyone felt such a close affection for him. He greeted everyone with smiles and hugs, making each individual, child and adult, feel important and that they could dream and succeed in life. Christian loved the children and would always throw his shoes off to play barefoot football with them, something he loved to do whenever he visited.

“The children looked up to him, he showed them that they can have dreams for a better future and that through education, dreams can be achieved. This is why Christian was so passionate about building a school, he believed in education for all, especially as a way to solve problems and give kids a brighter future.

“Christian was the main benefactor of the new school buildings in Senya. He always wanted to know how the children were doing and we would regularly update him on the progress of the school, which after years of building is finally nearing completion.

“On Saturday 4th Feb 2023, just one day before his final game in which he scored a last-minute winning goal, he responded ‘Thank you for the update. I will arrange some money so that we will be able to complete it fast, I am very happy with the progress. Later in the day, he emailed again to say that he would come to open the school in June and bring his Black Star friends.

This was our last correspondence with Christian; as always, he was thinking about the children and what he could do to help others.

Director of one of the homes Christian supported, in Senya, Beraku, Seth Asiedu said: “Our hearts are broken by the news regarding our beloved bro, Christian Atsu. We always felt the impact of his presence and were soaked with joy any time he visited us.

“The happiness he brought to so many will leave a painful void, but we will always remember his kind heart and his beaming, infectious and joyful smile. Thank you Christian, we love you.”

Tony Delahoy: Things Remembered

HOME AT LAST

WE disembarked from the ship and I was surprised to find that we were expected to go through customs. There hadn’t been any such requirement on entering France some years earlier!

Now the war was over normal procedures were back in place. I remember the customs official asking me what was in my kit bag before marking it with a chalked cross.

I next boarded a train to Woking where we were all gathered in a de-mob centre and had to hand over our kit before being issued wiith the various items of civilian clothing. We had to tip out our kit bags onto a bunk bed then go to another hut to get our civvies.

When I returned I discovered that my personal possessions had been ransacked and many items had been stolen. I lost several items that were intended as gifts, including a bush hat that I would have liked to have kept as a memento. This was a shocking episode and a disgraceful way to treat returning comrades.

Every item of kit I had been issued with was listed in my Pay Book and had to be accounted for and returned; any lost or missing items were to be charged or had to be otherwise accounted for.

After five years of active service I hardly expected to be charged for missing items or clothing. I don’t recall whether any any deductions were made, but I wouldn’t have been surprised.

We were also supposed to keep our battledress for as long as one was on the army reserve list.

The issue of civilian clothing consisted of a suit jacket, a pair of trousers and a waistcoat plus a pair of shoes and a trilby hat. Thank you very much and goodbye!

The next part of my journey home was by train to London Bridge station, where I caught a further train to New Cross, which was about a mile from my home.

I was still carrying a large and heavy kit bag; it was now early evening and, being November, quite dark. Outside New Cross station I noticed a night watchman sitting next to a brazier beside some roadworks. I saw that he had a barrow, which I was able to borrow, and I wheeled my kit bag back home to Malpas Road and my wife Helen.

Of course in those days very few people had telephones and there was no way whatever of letting anyone know when I would be coming home. I arrived to find Helen at home with her mother, her mother’s husband Alf and some other relatives, so it was quite a houseful!

It was good to be home at last, but now of course I had to return the barrow!

Time running out to nominate your furry friend in National Cat Awards

Cat lovers have just days left to enter their favourite furry friend into this year’s National Cat Awards. Run by the charity Cats Protection, the annual event celebrates the nation’s most marvellous moggies, with heart-warming tales of devotion, courage and companionship.

Owners now have until noon on Friday 24 February to nominate their cat in one of four categories:

Cat Colleagues – Celebrating cats who bring joy to the workplace or make working from home a pleasure.

Family Fur-ever – Recognising cats that make a family complete, whether they’re a child’s best friend or a comforting sofa buddy.

Moggy Marvels – Jaw-dropping stories of survival, heroism and companionship in the cat world.

Social Star – Paying tribute to cats who spread joy on social media.

Cats Protection’s Chief Executive John May said: “Every year, we’re amazed by the incredible entries we receive to the National Cat Awards, and this year is no different. From hero cats that saved the day to the family moggy who has become a child’s best friend, all the entries show why cats make such wonderful pets.

“With two weeks left before entries close, we’re looking forward to hearing even more stories of moggy brilliance. Owners can nominate their cats in any of the four categories to be in with a chance of winning an award.

“The good news for cat lovers is that you don’t even need to own a cat to get involved. If your favourite feline is a YouTube star or TikTok sensation who helps us all learn about cats and their needs, then you can nominate them in our Social Star category to get them the recognition they deserve.”

Winners will be selected in a public vote and by a panel of judges before being announced during a ceremony at London’s Wilton’s Music Hall on 17 July 2023.

The winner of the National Cat of the Year trophy will inherit the title from Jasper and Willow, who were named joint National Cat of the Year 2022 in recognition of the role they play at St Peter & St James Hospice in Haywards Heath, Sussex.

To nominate your cat, or for further information about the National Cat Awards, visit www.cats.org.uk/national-cat-awards until noon on Friday 24 February.

To find out more about adopting a cat from Cats Protection, visit:

www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

Divino Wine Bar & Restaurant launches Regional Italian Nights

Edinburgh’s gourmet Italian destination begins monthly events by serving up classics from Lombardy

Edinburgh’s restaurant and wine bar Divino Enoteca is known for its modern and creative take on Italian cuisine, and now the eatery is taking that reputation a step further by offering a series of themed, regional dinners to celebrate the country’s variety of incredible flavours.

With menus specially developed by Divino’s head chef Andrea Calistro, the popular restaurant venue will prepare regional menus on two Thursdays each month, with a new region featured every month in a three-course menu with canapés and petit fours for £39, with the option of matching regional wines for an additional £26.

The series will begin by showcasing Lombardy on the 9th and 23rd of February. The northern Italian region encompasses Milan, Lake Como, Bergamo and more with a rich culinary history renowned for its natural bounty.

Full of rich, warming dishes, the menu will offer the perfect cuisine for the cold wintery months – featuring both traditional Lombardian dishes like Ossobuco and Risotto alla Milanese while showcasing the region’s most loved ingredients like polenta, porcini mushrooms, and panettone.

Following February’s Lombardy menu, the following months will continue a journey through northern Italy with Trentino Alto Adige in March, and Veneto in April, before travelling down to the southern regions as we head towards summer.

Divino Regional Menu Schedule

February: Lombardy

March: Trentino Alto Adige

April: Veneto

May: Tuscany

June: Campania

July: Sicily

August: no regional nights scheduled

September: Sardinia

October: Lazio

November: Emilia Romagna

For each event, the regional menu will be available for all bookings throughout the evening, in place of the normal a la carte offering. Diners can choose between meat and vegetarian menus.

Dates and full menu and allergen info will be available in the month leading up to each regional event.

Savings of 20% on guided tours of the UK & Ireland from Rabbie’s

Explore the best of the UK and Ireland on tours departing in February and March

Enjoy 20% off guided tours across the UK and Ireland in February and March from award-winning, small-group tour specialist Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com).

Many miss the spectacular sights and sounds that the winter months have to offer. Plan a new adventure in February and March and discover the underappreciated wonders of the UK and Ireland, such as the Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock on the Isle of Skye and the wild Causeway Route on the coast of Ireland.

Save 20% on tours departing in February and March across UK and Ireland departure points, when using the promo code SAVE20. Highlights include:

Three-day The Isle of Skye

Journey through unforgettable landscapes, charming villages and mighty castles on a roundtrip from Edinburgh. Visit historic Scottish landmarks such as Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and Doune Castle before reaching the mountain pass of Glencoe, famed for its wild beauty.

Be amazed by the incredible Eilean Donan Castle before enjoying a day on the Isle of Skye. On this majestic isle, travel north to the Trotternish Ridge, home to the geological wonders of the Old Man or Stoor and Kilt Rock, or learn of the isle’s legends and clan culture at Dunvegan Castle, the 13^th-century home of Clan MacLeod.

Take in views of Loch Duich and the Five Sisters of Kintail after travelling through Cullin Hills and attempt to spot Britain’s best monster, Nessie, at Loch Ness.

Join Rabbie’s Three-day The Isle of Skye from Edinburgh from £160 per person (was £199 per person), based on a 22 February 2023 departure.

Three-day Discover Northern Ireland

Towering mountains, unforgettable legends and a fascinating history are all waiting to be uncovered in Northern Ireland during this tour which departs from Dublin.

Take in a city tour of Belfast before exploring the majesty of the 19^th-century estate of Mount Stewart and its world-famous gardens. Chart the winding and wild Causeway Coastal Route before stepping foot in the land of titans at Giant’s Causeway – a location where myths and legends and geological fact collide.

Ride on a ferry across the ‘Narrows’ of Strangford Loch and pass into a land of fiction at Castle Ward, also known as Winterfell from Game of Thrones. Follow the holy course of St Patrick to the Down Cathedral before concluding with an incredible drive into the Mourne Mountains.

Join Rabbie’s Three-day 3-day Discover Northern Ireland from Dublin from €272 per person (was €339 per person), based on a 23 February 2023 departure.

For more information about Rabbie’s and its tour offerings, visit www.rabbies.com.

Record year for nominations as charity prepares to recognise first aid heroes across Scotland

St Andrew’s First Aid celebrates its 10^th year of the Scottish First Aid Awards

Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, St Andrew’s First Aid, has received a record number of nominations this year ahead of hosting its 10^th annual Scottish First Aid Awards.

The ceremony, which has grown year on year over the last decade and is now a highly anticipated event in the Scottish calendar, has had more than 65 nominations across the nine categories, which recognise individuals and groups who have demonstrated first aid excellence or helped save a life using first aid.

Lifesavers spanning from Stirling to The Shetland Isles have been submitted for consideration at this year’s event, which will take place at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu on 31^st March.

With first aid heroes as young as six honoured in last year’s awards, the evening celebrates both the incredible nominees and winners, sharing their stories to help inspire Scotland to become a nation of lifesavers.

Brothers Callum and Fraser McAteer, aged just nine and seven, were amongst the winners at the 2022 awards.

Having saved their younger sister Erica (aged two) from choking on a 10p coin, by using back slaps to dislodge the item, the boys were commended for their quick thinking and intervention.

First responders who have saved lives using both physical and mental health first aid will also be recognised. Mental health issues rose sharply during the pandemic, with St Andrew’s First Aid rolling out its mental health first aid training as part of an initiative to help people spot the sings of mental ill health in others and equipping them with the skills and knowledge to step in, in a mental health emergency.

In 2019, Glasgow City Council worker George Duff was awarded for saving the life of a man who was standing at the top of a suspension bridge. George used his mental health first aid training to talk with him for 25 minutes, before persuading him to move to safety.

With nine award categories including Community First Aid Champion, Emergency Services First Aid Hero and Young First Aid Hero, lifesavers across Scotland will be celebrated at the event, attended by more than 400 guests.

Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Each time we host the Scottish First Aid Awards, we are recognising the exceptional bravery and selflessness of individuals from around the country.

“It’s fitting that our 10th year has resulted in a record number of nominations. Throughout the last decade, our nominees and winners have demonstrated how pivotal quick reactions can be in emergency situations and shone a light on the importance of first aid knowledge and skills.

“We look forward to delivering another outstanding event in celebration of those people who choose to put others first, and in doing so, save a life.”

Still Game star, Sanjeev Kohli, will host the ceremony. With live music and entertainment, auctions and more lined up, the event is set to be another huge success.

Tickets are available to purchase through the St Andrew’s First Aid website now: www.firstaid.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/events/scottish-first-aid-awards/

Ending the sale of peat in Scotland

Phasing out use of peat to protect the environment

The sale of peat is set to be banned in Scotland, as part of wider plans to protect peatlands and reduce carbon emissions.

As most extracted peat is used for horticulture, the Scottish Government is looking for views from gardeners and commercial growers.

The government is also asking for views from industry – those who extract peat, those who supply it, garden centres and other users of peat such as the fuel and whisky industries.

The intention is to ban the retail sale of peat for home gardening first, before considering how a wider ban would affect commercial users.

Responses to the consultation will inform plans and timescales for moving away from using peat products in order to protect peatlands from further damage. Their protection and restoration form important components of Scotland’s response to the climate and nature emergencies.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Peatlands are an integral part of our cultural and natural heritage and cover over a third of Scotland’s land area. In good condition, they help mitigate climate change and can support communities with green jobs. In poor condition, though, the benefits are lost and peatlands become a source of carbon emissions.

“Restoring Scotland’s peatlands can help us fight climate change, support biodiversity and provide good, green jobs – often in rural communities. This is why we have invested £250 million to restore 250,000 hectares of peatlands over a 10 year period to 2030.

“Hand in hand with our efforts to restore degraded peatlands, we must also do all we can to protect them. This means we must consider how to stop using peat, whether extracted in Scotland or elsewhere.

“We welcome a wide range of views to this consultation to ensure that we can set dates for ending the sale of peat that are both realistic and ambitious.”

Kirsty Wilson, Herbaceous Supervisor at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Director of Horticulture at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Raoul Curtis-Machin said: “The use of peat by gardeners now needs to be seriously challenged, when healthy non-degraded peat bogs in Scotland are critical in our fight against climate change and are immensely valuable for biodiversity.

“The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is dedicated to plant conservation and stopped using peat more than 20 years ago, with no negative impacts on our world-class horticulture. Materials like milled pine bark and other fibrous woody material have proved to be a successful alternative to peat, even for the most challenging plants such as rhododendrons.”

Find out more: Ending the sale of peat: consultation – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Take part in the consultation: Ending the sale of peat in Scotland – Scottish Government – Citizen Space (consult.gov.scot)

Save on unforgettable cruises with direct flights throughout Europe this year with Scenic

Direct flights available from Scotland airports

Cruise operator Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours is bringing the joys of the world even closer to home for travellers from Scotland in 2023, with direct flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow offered across its range of European sailings (www.scenic.co.uk).

This remarkable deal – which guarantees departures on full-service airlines rather than budget carriers – meaning local holidaymakers are never far from the blooming tulips of the Netherlands. The best of Europe is only a short stop away with Scenic.

Book by 28 February to save up to £2,300 per couple and enjoy a taste of the line’s famous five-star luxury from the off, with FREE business class flights and private door to door transfers.

Highlights for 2023 include:

8 Day Windmills, Tulips and Belgian Delights

Irresistibly joyful, the Netherlands in bloom is a sight to savour. Sailing on a roundtrip from Amsterdam, the first port of call is the dynamic, international city of Rotterdam, the architectural capital of the Netherlands.

If preferrable, guests can decide to instead visit the picturesque town of Kinderdijk, famed for its iconic Dutch windmills. Walk the charming streets of Veere and visit the diamond capital of the world in the beautiful city of Antwerp.

Be transported back in time at the Netherlands Open Air Museum, home to historic houses, farms and windmills, or visit the Gardens of Appeltern, which is home to 200 colourful model gardens. In Amsterdam, conclude your unforgettable voyage with a memorable visit to the Keukenhof Gardens, which is home to over seven million flowering bulbs. This voyage calls in at Dordrecht, Veere, Antwerp, Arnhem and Hoorn. Prices start from £2,435 per person based on a 5 April 2023 departure date.

Scenic’s river cruises are truly all-inclusive, meaning guests can leave their wallet in a safe place and relax, knowing everything is taken care of. Flights, transfers, fine dining experiences, premium branded beverages and once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions are all included in the price.

For more information or to book, call 0808 301 8277, visit www.scenic.co.uk, or contact your local travel agent.

Scottish Labour Party pledge support for deaf children in crucial early years

The National Deaf Children’s Society is delighted the Scottish Labour Party yesterday unanimously passed a motion pledging crucial support to deaf children during their early years.

If deafness is not identified early enough, deaf children may miss out on vital early language development, the opportunity to learn British Sign Language (BSL) from a young age or the chance to have a hearing aid or implant fitted. This can have a lifelong impact on the ability of deaf children to communicate.

The National Deaf Children’s Society wants to ensure no deaf child in Scotland waits more than six weeks from referral to audiology to getting a hearing test, as set out in the current Scottish Quality standards for Paediatric Audiology. However, in some parts of Scotland the average wait time can be a year.

Welcoming the support of the Scottish Labour Party, Mark Ballard, the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Head of Policy and Influencing for Scotland, said: “If we fail to get paediatric audiology services right for deaf children when deafness is first identified we then risk failing deaf children for life.

“Because of the delays some families face, we can end up with the shocking scenario where children who might have benefited from using hearing aids from the very earliest years miss out simply because of delays in testing and treatment.

“Unfortunately, opportunities to learn language in this vital period of development once missed cannot be reversed.”

Scottish Labour councillor Ben Smith (Paisley Northwest, Renfrewshire), who put forward the motion, said: “We were all shocked learn how deaf children were failed by audiology services at NHS Lothian.

“This cannot be allowed to happen again. Waiting times for deaf children to access audiology testing and treatment are still too long. Early support is crucial to help deaf children thrive.

“Scottish Labour is proud to support deaf children and young people in Scotland.”

Mr Ballard added: “Every deaf child should get the high-quality support they need from the earliest years. We need robust quality assurance mechanism to make sure there can be no more scandals like NHS Lothian.

“With the right support deaf children can get best opportunities to develop language skills and should be able to make informed choices around hearing aids, implants and learning BSL.”