Category: North Edinburgh News

Three-legged cheetah bounds back to health with the support of West Lothian Zoo

FIVE SISTERS ZOO CELEBRATES THE FELINE MAKING A FULL RECOVERY AFTER ADOPTING THE UNWANTED INJURED CHEETAH

West-Lothian-based Five Sisters Zoo, has announced that Ashanti the three-legged-cheetah has made a full recovery after her life-changing amputation surgery.

As the fastest land animal on earth, the cheetah reaches speeds of more than 100 kmph. So, when the crippling and complicated ankle break rendered four-year-old Ashanti lame, it was devastating for the beautiful big cat and her keepers.

When Ashanti’s previous zoo found itself having to close, it struggled to find another zoo to take her on as a result of her complicated leg fracture and its failure to heal despite surgery by the zoo’s vet. Despite this and knowing she would need significant care and treatment, the family-owned Five Sisters Zoo – renowned for its work and care for endangered animals – welcomed Ashanti into their care in March 2022.

Despite a further two surgeries to try return her leg to normal function, the specialist vet team reluctantly had to make the difficult decision to amputate her right hind leg. Now, six months on, the extraordinary cheetah has fully recovered and is now bounding around her habitat at the West Calder Zoo.

Brian Curran, owner of Five Sisters Zoo, said: “It was an incredibly difficult decision; it gave us all sleepless nights.

“When she first arrived at Five Sisters Zoo, Ashanti would cope with running around with the other cheetahs and didn’t appear to let the old injury slow her down too much. However, after lots of playing and running in their new large enclosure, Ashanti would periodically become quite lame and tired and would need a course of pain relief medication.

“Despite two further specialist surgical operations at the zoo to try to improve matters, we knew this wasn’t going to be sustainable or fair long-term, so our specialist veterinary team made the difficult decision to amputate her leg.

“After a successful operation and within just a few weeks of the surgery, Ashanti was clearly happier and much more contented which made us feel like we made the correct decision.”

Romain Pizzi FRCVS, Head of Veterinary Services for Five Sisters and President of the British Veterinary Association’s Scottish branch, said: “Ashanti’s injury was a complicated one, with a difficult break in her right hind ankle that had not healed when she arrived at the zoo.

“Despite our performing a further two operations at Five Sisters Zoo to try and return her leg back to a more normal function, she was not coping well, and was prone to injuring the leg easily.  After much deliberation, we decided to amputate her leg and are so pleased with her recovery.

“Ashanti actually translates to ‘gratitude’, and while she might run away when she sees me now as I’m the one who operated on her, I hope she is, in fact, grateful and happy to be back on her (three healthy) feet!

“We can’t wait to see Ashanti continue to thrive and put a smile on everyone’s face for many more years to come at Five Sisters Zoo.”

Ashanti’s carers welcome guests and visitors to Five Sisters Zoo to view her full recovery for themselves.

For more information or to plan your visit, please go to: https://fivesisterszoo.co.uk.

Charity calls for ‘Sepsis Savvy’ on World Sepsis Day

  • Today is World Sepsis Day, and September is sepsis awareness month
  • The UK Sepsis Trust is asking you to protect your readers from a condition that kills 48,000 people in the UK each year
  • Readers could also win £250 in Love2shop vouchers by playing and leaving feedback on the charity’s ‘Sepsis Savvy’ game 

The UK Sepsis Trust needs your help to get people ‘Sepsis Savvy’ today on 13th September 2023 (World Sepsis Day).

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs.

It occurs when the body’s immune system – which normally helps to protect us and fight infection – goes into overdrive. It can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and sometimes death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly.

It affects a staggering 245,000 people in the UK each year – with 48,000 people losing their lives to sepsis-related illnesses. That’s 5 people dying every hour!

UK Sepsis Trust Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels said: “This World Sepsis Day we are asking the public to spend five minutes reviewing our ‘Sepsis Savvy’ resources which were created in partnership with Iceland Foods and the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation.

“By watching a short video on the signs and symptoms of sepsis, and then testing your knowledge with a game, you could equip yourself with potentially life-saving information.”

These resources are available at sepsistrust.org/savvy and there is also the chance to win up to £250 in Love2shop vouchers for anyone who provides feedback after playing the game. 

Affordable homes completions at 23 year high

The number of affordable homes completions in the past year is the highest annual figure since 2000, the latest quarterly statistics show.

Almost 11,000 affordable homes were delivered in the year to end June 2023. These homes ensure further progress towards achieving the Scottish Government’s target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with 70% of these for social rent and 10% in rural and island communities.

Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “I am pleased that the number of affordable homes completed in the latest year is the highest annual figure since 2000, supporting almost 11,000 households to have an affordable place to live.

“The combined challenges caused by a hard Brexit and economic mismanagement by the UK government have triggered various issues including the rising cost of construction supplies and workforce challenges.

“The housing sector has done incredible work to deliver homes in these circumstances and we will continue working with partners to mitigate these impacts. We are also making £3.5 billion available in this parliamentary term, towards the delivery of more affordable and social homes.

“Despite the challenges, since 2007, Scotland has seen over 40% more affordable homes delivered per head of population than in England, and over 70% more than in Wales. We have already delivered 13,354 homes towards our next target of 110,000 affordable homes in Scotland by 2032.”

Recycle your tech for a good cause


Edinburgh residents are being encouraged to hand in their unwanted laptops and other tech to be refurbished & repaired for reuse as well as being passed on to people who suffer who digital poverty.

The Council has partnered with the Edinburgh Remakery, an award-winning social enterprise committed to diverting waste from landfill and promoting a culture of repair and reuse, to help to make this happen.

Three tech donation centres have been set up at the following locations: 

  • 13 Sept – 16 Oct : Central Library
  • 17 Oct – 20 Nov : Wester Hailes Library
  • 21 Nov – 13 Dec : South East Locality Office

So far, the Edinburgh Remakery has helped more than 400 people out of digital poverty by donating tech to them through their Tech Gifting Programme.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The idea is to make it as easy as possible for anyone to pass on their unwanted technology instead of throwing it away.

“An estimated 24 million old smartphones are kept as ‘spares’ in homes across the UK in cupboards or drawers so I’d encourage everyone across the city to have a clear out where you can and donate your old phones or other tech items to those on low incomes who really need them.

“This project is also about tackling electronic waste, which is one of the fastest-growing and most polluting waste streams in the UK.”

Chief Executive Officer the Edinburgh Remakery Elaine Brown said: “We are delighted that our tech Donation Boxes will be hosted in the three libraries. 

!The impact your donations will make cannot be underestimated.  Together we can contribute to the city’s ambitious net zero targets, ensure that tech can get a new lease of life and prevent valuable, finite resources going to landfill. 

“In addition, we will be able to give the gift of connectivity to people in our community experiencing digital poverty. Together we can Waste less and Live More!” 

Through their activities, the Edinburgh Remakery estimated that they saved 83,087kg (CO2e) in CO2 emissions in 2022 – equivalent to 100 million smartphones being fully charged, or 1,400 trees grown for 10 years.

What you can donate:

  • Laptops and Macbooks
  • Tablets and iPads
  • Smart phones
  • DSLR cameras
  • General cables
  • Chargers
  • Headphones
  • Routers
  • Smart watches
  • Peripherals, such as keyboards, webcams, and mice.

Further information 

Lammermuir Festival faces future challenge head-on as Creative Scotland turns it down for funding

Lammermuir Festival has been turned down by Creative Scotland’s Open Fund for funding towards this year’s festival.

Over a period of 40 weeks the festival lodged three applications having been strongly encouraged by Creative Scotland officials to re-apply twice. 

Each application was strongly recommended for funding by the Music Department at Creative Scotland, particularly as a key part of a network of festivals across the country including East Neuk, Paxton, Cumnock Tryst and St Magnus.

Each application has been turned down by assessment panels, the last notification being on 22 August, just 16 days before the 2023 festival opened.

Statement on the future of the Lammermuir Festival from the Chair and Trustees:

The Chair and Trustees of the Lammermuir Festival are appalled and saddened at the lack of investment in the 2023 festival by Creative Scotland. The Times described the Lammermuir Festival as “an indispensable part of Scotland’s musical culture”.

It has indisputably been a huge success over the past 14 years, giving pleasure to audiences from East Lothian and further afield, transformative experiences for people young and old through our community engagement, and presenting Scottish and international performers with worldwide reputations in beautiful and intimate settings across the county. 

Presenting the Festival in its current form has relied on a strong, supportive audience; our loyal Friends, Benefactors, sponsors and other generous funders; and investment from public funds, mainly Creative Scotland but also contributions from EventScotland and East Lothian Council. 

In previous years ticket revenues, private sector funders and public support have contributed about one third each of the cost of the Festival enabling us to keep ticket prices at a level to allow the widest audience to attend the performances.

If Creative Scotland had invested the sum requested in 2023 it would have represented 23% of the Festival budget. This is crucial investment in an area of Scotland which does not have regular high-quality cultural events drawing audiences to the area. In 2022 the Lammermuir Festival generated £780,000 of economic benefit for East Lothian (Source: MKA Economics, November 2022).

Public support has in addition allowed children and young people from across the county to discover and develop musical skills and benefit socially from participation in music. Most recently this brought almost 700 people together in our community opera and engagement work, giving them the experience of every aspect of production as well as performing.

This year Creative Scotland has declined to support the festival despite having encouraged us to re-apply twice over the last nine months.

Reasons given were first: prioritising applications with activity earlier in the year; second: Fair Work; third: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. This third application was refused on a criterion which the Music Department assessor judged to be fully met. We are urgently seeking clarification on how this could be. 

The artistic ambition and quality of the festival has been consistently recognised in Music Department assessments.

In particular there has been no recognition that what has emerged is effectively a decision by Creative Scotland to give no priority to a festival as significant as Lammermuir, despite its record of achievement and its obvious appeal to audiences and performers; and no attempt is made to justify this. 

This flies in the face of the expressions of support for culture in Scotland, and in particular for festivals, that have been made in recent days by the First Minister, Neil Gray and Angus Robertson.

To deliver this year’s Festival as planned – with what is already being acclaimed as an outstanding artistic programme – we shall be obliged to use a significant proportion of our reserves which we have judiciously built up over many years. 

Thankfully on this one occasion we were in a position to do this, allowing audiences to once again enjoy beautiful music in beautiful places as in previous festivals, and meet our commitment to artists.

Without Creative Scotland support the Lammermuir Festival’s future is under threat.

We urge Creative Scotland to reconsider their decision and secure the future of Lammermuir Festival. In order to make plans and commitments for 2024 and beyond we need the financial stability which Creative Scotland has provided over the past 13 years. 

We are determined to save the Lammermuir Festival for the future.

From the Chair and trustees of Lammermuir Festival

Out of the Blue helps support Edinburgh’s unpaid carers through the arts

  • The Creative Carers programme returns to Out of the Blue this Autumn
  • Now in its second year, the Creative Carers programme of arts workshops supports over 40 people each year with a programme of free arts workshops
  • The programme is a collaboration between Out of the Blue and VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian)

This September sees the launch of the Creative Carers programme at Out of the Blue Drill Hall. First set up in 2022, Out of the Blue will be working with several resident arts organisations to deliver a series of free creative classes for unpaid carers. The classes will take place over two months this Autumn at Out of the Blue Drill Hall and Abbeymount Studios.

The project is being delivered in partnership with local charity VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian) to help reach unpaid carers.

According to VOCAL’s most recent carer survey, 79% report an impact on their mental wellbeing after beginning caring and 48% don’t believe they have a good balance between caring and other things in their life.

To help combat these challenges, the project aims to offer unpaid carers a number of creative and inspiring workshops that carers can enjoy to take time away from their caring role, try something new and connect with others.

The free creative workshops include aerial dance, pottery, dressmaking, jewellery, printmaking and drama. The workshops are open for beginners as well as those who have some prior experience. The workshops will take place at Out of the Blue Drill Hall at 32-36 Dalmeny St and at Abbeymount Studios at the top of Easter Road.

These are:

● Aerial skills with All or Nothing
● Pottery with Edinburgh Ceramics Workshop
● Jewellery with Precious Metals Workshop
● Dressmaking with Remode Collective
● Printmaking with Out of the Blueprint

The project has been funded through the Scottish Government’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund which aims to support community based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing within the adult population.

Feedback from 2022 suggests that carers enjoyed the chance to engage with other activities offered through the classes (which they would not have done otherwise) and enjoyed the social element.

Some also suggested that they didn’t have time to pursue their own hobbies so they valued the chance to be creative alongside others in a similar caring role.

Feedback from participants in 2022:

● “It helped to focus on the course for a couple of hours and put the everyday stresses to the back of my mind.”
● “Felt as if I could achieve something for myself and be creative for a change.”
● “Felt very positive and excited to be doing something so different.”
● “There was a level of companionship, not just the common situation of being carers but also a shared interest.”

Out of the Blue Project Manager, Johnny Gailey, says: “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to run the Creative Carers programme again this Autumn.

“The feedback from last year’s participants was really positive – carers really valued having time to themselves away from their caring responsibilities and the chance to be creative.

“There’s estimated to be over 80,000 unpaid carers in the Lothian area so hopefully individuals who find themselves in a caring role and who think they would benefit from the programme might find out about the free programme and get in touch to sign up.”

VOCAL’s Chief Executive, Rosemary McLoughlin said: “Many carers face barriers to taking a break from caring, which is why thinking creatively and offering flexible options to short breaks across the city is so important.

“Building on the success of last year’s programme, we hope this partnership with Out of the Blue will support carers to take a much-needed break and have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.”

The Creative Carers project takes place at the Drill Hall and Abbeymount Studios from early October. If you’re an unpaid carer and are interested in taking part please visit the VOCAL WeeBreaks website where you’ll be able to find out more.

Scottish Mosques raise money with Islamic Relief for Morocco

Islamic Relief UK launches nationwide Mosque collection this Friday (15th September) to raise money for Morocco earthquake survivors

Aid agency, Islamic Relief UK, has announced nationwide Mosque collections on Friday 15th September to raise funds for vital, life-saving aid for the survivors of the devastating earthquake in Morocco.

It is expected that this will be the charity’s largest ever Friday Mosque collection.

Participating Scottish Mosques are:

  1. Masjid Al Hikmah (Glasgow) – 15th
  2. Alloa Mosque (Aberdeen) – 15th
  3. Blackhall Mosque (Edinburgh) – 15th
  4. Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre – 15th 

The earthquake hit Morocco on 8th September at 11.11pm in the High Atlas region. 2,100 people have already been reported to have been killed with the death toll likely to rise as rescue teams continue to search for survivors.

Some villages have been completely flattened and residents are using whatever equipment they can find as they struggle to help their neighbours.

Blocked roads are preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded, and while officials are scrambling to clear debris, rescue and relief efforts are difficult amid the mountainous terrain, risk of landslides, and large distances.

Islamic Relief’s team on the ground is supporting local organisations to provide relief to survivors, including food, shelter and other items. The aid agency has also launched an appeal to raise £10 million to help with relief efforts, which Friday’s collection will go a long way to help reach.

Tufail Hussain, director, Islamic Relief UK comments: “The news of the earthquake in Morocco was devastating to hear, knowing that so many lives would be lost or ruined by this natural disaster.  Islamic Relief teams were quickly deployed to Morocco to work with local partners.

“However, none of what we do in the field would be possible without the amazing generosity of our donors and the community. In times of crisis you can always count on the Muslim community to pull together to help the less fortunate.”

Crime rates rise in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Q1 Performance Data published

The total number of crimes taking place within the Capital has risen, as Police Scotland makes hard choices to maintain effective policing within the funding available:

The Q1 Management of Information data was published on Thursday, 7 September, covering the period of April to June 2023. This shows that during this time that the total number of recorded criminal incidents has risen from 7,081, to 7,136.

While serious assaults have fallen from 80, to 69, and there have also been seven fewer attempted murders, there have been three murders recorded within the division – two more than the same period last year.

While there has been an increase in the number of robberies recorded, the detection rate for these offences has also risen, with 19 more incidents solved.

Sexual crime has also risen, with an additional 32 incidents reported, including two more reports of rape or assault with intent to rape. Indecent and sexual assaults have, however, decreased from 143, to 119.

In addition, the detection rate for sexual crime has also increased by over nine percentage points.

Another area that has seen a rise in reported offending is acquisitive crime, which is up from 3,806, to 3,946.

However, the total number of housebreaking, including attempted break-ins has fallen from 293, to 249. Motor vehicle crime has also reduced from 586 reports, to 514.

The city has also seen a significant reduction in the number of road casualties, which have more than halved, when compared with the same period of 2022.

In total there have been zero fatalities – three fewer than last year, as well as 26 fewer serious injury collisions and 67 fewer slight injury collisions.

Overall motoring offences have also fallen from 2,380, to 2,232.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: “I acknowledge and accept that the current quarterly data, which shows a rise in recorded crime for the Capital, may be of concern to our communities and I want to reiterate my commitment to ensuring we dedicate our policing resources appropriately to address developing crime trends and provide the best level of service we can to the public.

“However, as T/Deputy Chief Constable Speirs has stated, Police Scotland is facing sustained levels of demand, with over 600,000 calls received from the public in the first quarter of 2023 and over 420,000 incidents recorded.

“This, coupled with the reduction in personnel numbers and budget restraints, means the service must make hard choices and Edinburgh is not immune to this. We must look closely at the resource we have and how it can be best utilised to address developing crime trends and support the needs of Edinburgh’s public.

“The public have an important role to play in helping us shape policing priorities by taking our Your Police Survey which is available on the Police Scotland website at www.scotland.police.uk.”

The 2023-24 Quarter 1 Performance Report was presented at the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee yesterday.

The report and associated Management Information is available here.

Auditor General: Access to mental health services ‘slow and complicated’

Accessing adult mental health services in Scotland remains slow and complicated for many people. In particular, ethnic minority groups, people living in rural areas and those in poverty all face additional barriers.

There have been big funding increases for services since 2017, but a lack of data makes it hard for the Scottish Government to see the impact of that spending. Waiting times for psychological therapies have improved. But ministers do not measure the quality of wider mental healthcare services, or whether they are improving people’s health.

The mental healthcare system is fragmented. The Scottish Government, NHS boards, councils, Integration Joint Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and the third sector are all involved in funding, planning or providing services. This makes accountability complex. And it causes complications and delays in developing care focused on the needs of individuals.

The Scottish Government plans to increase its Mental Health Directorate budget by 25 per cent and ensure that ten per cent of the front-line NHS budget is spent on mental health by 2026.

They have also committed to giving all GP practices access to community based mental health and wellbeing services. These commitments are essential to improving access to services and relieving pressure on the mental health workforce. But ministers’ plans are not on track.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government needs much more information to understand the difference its investment in mental health services is making, from specialist services to community-based support.

“That planning must include moving beyond using waiting times as the sole measure of whether services are improving the lives of those in need. And it needs to include a costed delivery plan for the care that people can expect in their communities.”

Ronnie Hinds, Interim Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils and Integration Joint Boards have a vital role to play in improving the availability
and quality of data needed to plan services and get the right levels of staffing in place.

“They also need urgently to develop shared goals and targets to improve how housing, welfare and other services work together in order to address and prevent the root causes of poor mental health.”

nr_230913_adult_mental_healthDownload

The Larky Belters all set to take on Edinburgh Kiltwalk for SSAFA

An eleven-strong team based in and around Larkhall, South Lancashire is set to step off for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity on the last Kiltwalk of the 2023 season.

Wearing their finest red SSAFA T-shirts and striking red tartankilts, the team – led by former WO2 Karen Macdonald – will make their colourful way around Edinburgh on September 17.

It is not, however, Karen’s – or the Larky Belters’ – first Kiltwalk. Karen organised a smaller team for last year’s Kiltwalk and has expanded her fundraising team for 2023, which comprises her, another Karen, Fliss, Jen, Caterina, Fiona, Rosie, Sharon, Claire, Debbie, and Lisa.

Karen enjoyed a long and varied career in the Army, which she joined in 1989 with WRAC (Women’s Royal Army Corps, which became the Adjutant-General Corps in 2002).

Leaving in 2004, she served in – deep breath – the MoD, 4 Signal Group Germany, Headquarters Northern Ireland (where she was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service), 1st Battalion Queen’s Lancashire Regiment, 7 Parachute Regiment, the Army Training Regiment, and finished with 1st Bn The Highlanders in Edinburgh. She completed three operational tours in Bosnia.

Now a civil servant, Karen has been a fitness fan since joining the Army, and says: “I spend many Sundays putting in the miles encouraging others to join as feel walking is good for the soul and head space especially during these difficult times.”

“The atmosphere is tremendous, and you get to talk to so many people on the way round from all walks of life supporting their chosen charities.

“For us it’s SSAFA, which we support so proudly. The charity – it’s the UK’s oldest tri-service charity – does amazing by supporting serving military personnel and their families, older veterans, those who might need some help with their mental wellbeing, as well as its transitional mentoring for service leavers.

“All of these aspects are so important to individuals and their families, and really, it’s like SSAFA’s part of your family, always there to support you.”

The Larky Belters enthusiasm for and belief in SSAFA is perhaps all the more remarkable as Karen is the only member of this year’s team with personal military service.

Karen concludes: “So, if you see us on the 17th in Edinburgh, give us a wave and if you can’t make it to the Kiltwalk, then drop us a donation so that SSAFA can carry on its life-changing and sometimes life-saving work, just as it has since 1885.”

Donations can be made to the Larky Belters at justgiving.com/fundraising/karen-macdonald.

For more information, visit ssafa.org.uk.