A new partnership approach will be embedded across the education and skills system to ensure employers and government are working together to deliver training opportunities for the new green jobs of the future.
Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation recognises the critical importance of providing the current and future workforce with lifetime access to learning new skills, upskilling and retraining as part of plans to unlock Scotland’s economic potential.
The strategy sets out how public, private and third sector partnerships can work together to help make Scotland’s workforce more agile and support employers to invest in emerging economic opportunities.
This work is designed to help build a fairer and more equal society by ensuring economic transformation tackles inequality and drives up working standards and improves pay.
Actions include:
working collaboratively with employers and unions to increase investment in upskilling and retraining to better meet the needs of employers and employees in Scotland’s transition to net zero
supporting and incentivising employees, and their employers, to invest in skills and training throughout their working lives
expanding Scotland’s available talent pool, at all skills levels, to give employers the skills pipeline they need to take advantage of opportunities
implementing the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to align Scotland’s skills system with business needs to reach net zero
implementing the next phase of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy and launching a new skills guarantee for workers in carbon intensive industries
developing proposals for a national digital academy to open up access to a range of subjects for all learners
Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The next decade will be decisive for Scotland’s economy and a key part of achieving our enormous economic potential will be investing in one of our greatest economic assets – our people.
“We want to build on the success of our Young Person’s Guarantee, Future Skills Action Plan and our investment in the Green Jobs Workforce Academy to create a skills system that offers lifetime access to new skills and retraining.
“A collaborative approach across all sectors will support our commitment to lifelong learning to ensure people across Scotland can access the tools they need for the jobs of the future and to participate in the labour market. This will also support employers to access incentives to invest in emerging economic opportunities which has the potential to lead to new jobs, new skills, and new ideas.”
The City of Edinburgh Council-led regeneration of Meadowbank has reached another major milestone this week as Councillors agreed to appoint a development partner for the next stage of the project.
Approved at the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday following a competitive procurement process, the £1.045million contract will be awarded to the Edinburgh Meadowbank Group, to be referred to as EDMB, a consortium comprising of John Graham Holdings, Panacea Property Development and Miller Homes.
They will progress design and pre-construction works by early 2023 ahead of the start of construction work on site.
The ambition for the development of Meadowbank is to create one of the Capital’s greenest neighbourhoods by incorporating low-car, low-carbon infrastructure with energy efficient homes.
The regeneration will deliver around 600 new mixed tenure homes for sale and rent, at least 35% of which will be affordable with a number being fully wheelchair adapted.
Positioned on the site adjacent to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre off London Road, it will also include space for a range of commercial and community uses on the ground floor including the proposed location for a GP Surgery.
High quality public realm and landscaping, focusing on the industrial and sporting heritage will provide new active travel routes through to Restalrig, while protecting and enhancing the existing trees and environment.
During the pre-development period, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including developing detailed designs and agreeing a net zero carbon energy solution for the site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
The Meadowbank masterplan for the site was approved in October 2020 following an extensive programme of community consultation.
Regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Meadowbank Sounding Board – a group consisting of local representatives, councillors, and council officers – which continues to review progress and ensure the site continues to best meet the community’s and council’s priorities.
A wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered. These will include seven new apprenticeship positions and fourteen new job opportunities; site visits for local schools over the course of the development; employability support events; community enhancement projects, including donations of up to £100,000 to community groups; and all employees and sub-contractors will be paid the Real Living Wage.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said: “Strong and extensive scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ve discussed this at committee today and agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.
“We now want to deliver more affordable housing and space for retail businesses, while we hope to provide a much-needed GP surgery provision to benefit everyone within the local community.
“It’s great that these homes are located a short distance from the city centre and will be both cost effective to heat alongside some that will be wheelchair accessible. With the Meadowbank masterplan also having been awarded a ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation we know that development will be setting standards for sustainable design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality green features so I look forward to seeing the results of this stage of the development and what EDMB can bring to that.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said: “Seeing another stage of our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting, especially as it will provide so many homes for the city, contributing to our ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
“This development and wider neighbourhood, shaped by the local community, will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city.
“Through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this contract, we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offering opportunities for local school leavers and children to be part of the vision for Meadowbank.”
Trade unions and the TUC have written to the Chancellor calling on him to use his spring statement to introduce ‘emergency support’ in response to the conflict in Ukraine.
This includes measures to support Ukrainian refugees, ensure that sanctions are effective, and protect UK families from the impact of rising energy prices.
The TUC has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, expressed its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and called on governments to pursue all diplomatic efforts towards peace.
The letter from the TUC and unions says that the Chancellor must now step up with new financial measures to both support the Ukrainian people, and respond to the impact of the conflict on the cost-of-living crisis in the UK.
The letter calls on the Chancellor to:
Ensure that sanctions are effective by increasing enforcement funding for measures in the economic crime bill that would crack down on money-laundering in the UK; and consider a 100 per cent windfall tax on the profits of companies still invested in Russian state enterprises.
Provide safe routes to the UK for those fleeing the conflict, and scrap legislation plans that would close the door on all people fleeing war and threats to their lives.
Fund wider humanitarian assistance for displaced people, including essential medical supplies.
Protect working families against further energy price rises as a result of the crisis, by giving grants rather than loans to recued energy bill, increasing the warm homes discount, increasing universal credit, and accelerating a home energy efficiency retrofit programme.
The letter also calls on the government to ensure that those working in supply chains are protected from disruption, including by considering the use of a short-time working scheme.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Trade unions condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine. We know that working people in Ukraine, Russia and across Europe want peace. The UK government must pursue all diplomatic efforts to achieve that goal.
“The Chancellor must use his spring statement to act too. That means ensuring that sanctions are more effective, with funding to crack down on money-laundering in the UK. And he should fund greater humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians, including safe passage for those fleeing the war.
“Working people in the UK will need protection from even steeper hikes in gas bills from the conflict. The Chancellor should introduce grants to help with energy prices, roll out an emergency programme of home insulation, and fund it with a windfall tax on excess energy profits.”
“The government must provide safe routes to the UK for those escaping conflict. And ministers should scrap their Nationality and Borders Bill, which will close the door to people fleeing war and threats to their lives.”
Full text of the letter to the Chancellor:
Dear Chancellor
Protecting working people from the impact of the invasion of Ukraine
The trade union movement is united in its condemnation of Russia’s illegal invasion of a sovereign nation. Our solidarity is with the working people of Ukraine. Working people always suffer in conflict and the pursuit of peace is a fundamental trade union value, an essential condition to secure safety, social justice and workers’ and human rights.
The UK government must now take further action to support and strengthen international efforts to impose significant and effective sanctions on Russia and to support all diplomatic efforts towards peace. And it must play its part in supporting humanitarian assistance for forcibly displaced people and welcoming refugees seeking to come to the UK.
The government must also ensure that it takes every step possible to protect working people here at home from the impact of the conflict and measures taken in response to this. We urge you to use your forthcoming budget to act. We call on you to:
Target sanctions on wealthy elites linked to the Russian government – and ensure they are effective. We welcome the proposed register of overseas owners of UK property through the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, but this needs to be backed up by sufficient powers and funding for Companies House to enforce.
Fund humanitarian assistance for displaced people, and welcome refugees to the UK. The new Ukrainian visa proposals are inadequate and fall well short of what is needed. Limiting asylum to Ukrainian immediate family members of those already settled in the UK will not reassure Ukrainians fleeing war and bloodshed that they will be able to seek sanctuary in our country. The government must establish a safe route, so all Ukrainian families, who through no fault of their own have been forced from their homes, can easily apply for a humanitarian visa to travel to the UK. The Nationality and Borders Bill must be scrapped. Thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war may try to find sanctuary in the UK. If the Bill is passed many of these Ukrainians, along with others around the world fleeing conflict, threats to their lives and seeking safety may find themselves treated as criminals and deported, instead of being offered sanctuary.
Protect working families against rising gas prices, by raising funds through a windfall tax on energy profits and a new tax on profits made by UK companies invested in Russian state businesses. The current energy price crisis is hitting workers hard, and prices are likely to rise further. Government should implement existing TUC calls for:
Support for households in the form of a grant, not a loan (replacing the energy price rebate proposed by the government).
An increase in the warm homes discount, and a permanent increase in Universal Credit.
Rapid implementation of an accelerated and expanded domestic home retrofit programme, delivered by local councils who are best placed to deliver fast
Funding for these measures by the implementation of a windfall tax on north sea oil and gas companies.
An immediate increase in the national minimum wage to at least £10 an hour and a strategy to protect pay across the economy, including public services.
In addition, the government should consider implementing a new 100 per cent tax on additional profits made by UK based companies from their shareholdings in Russian state-backed enterprises that have profited from the gas price crisis. For example, this includes profits made by oil companies Shell and Vitol from their shareholdings in oil and gas fields in Russia in joint ventures with state-controlled companies Rosneft and Gazprom.
Protect jobs in supply chains now and build future supply chain resilience. Forcompanies sourcing parts and supplies from Russia, sanctions could have a significant impact. To protect jobs, the UK government should:
Re-introduce the furlough scheme or a permanent short-time working scheme in order to allow companies to protect jobs while they seek to shift their supply chains.
Begin an urgent programme to provide investment support to help companies to invest in UK supply chains and jobs.
Trade union leaders would be happy to meet you to discuss these issues, and the steps we must take now to support working people in Ukraine and in the UK,
Yours sincerely
Frances O’Grady, General Secretary, TUC
Sue Ferns, President, TUC
Christina McAnea, General Secretary, UNISON
Sharon Graham, General Secretary, Unite
Gary Smith, General Secretary GMB
Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretaries, NEU
Paddy Lilis, General Secretary, Usdaw
Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT
Dave Ward, General Secretary, CWU
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, PCS
Mike Clancy, General Secretary, Prospect
Ged Nichols, General Secretary, Accord
Ukraine: what you can do to help
Everyone wants to do their bit to support those who have been forced to flee their homes because of the invasion. Here is how you can help.
Financial donations
If you want to donate money, there are a number of charities providing humanitarian relief in Ukraine.
The UK Government will match public donations to this appeal pound-for-pound up to £25 million.
Make your donation safely
There are lots of organisations across the UK and internationally who have launched appeals, and you may wish to donate through these organisations instead. There are some simple steps you can take to ensure your money is safe and being used effectively:
Most charities with an income of £5,000 or more must be registered, which means they are regulated by The Charity Commission
Make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information
If in doubt, ask the charity or organisation for more information
Donating essential supplies
One of the best ways to help is by donating cash through trusted charities and aid organisations, rather than donating goods. Cash can be transferred quickly to areas where it is needed and individuals and aid organisations can use it to buy what is most needed. Unsolicited donations of goods, although well-meant, can obstruct supply chains and delay more urgent life-saving assistance from getting through.
Organisations across the UK are gathering essential supplies, such as clothes, first aid and sanitary products. Many charities and community groups will have lists of items they need.
Charities with experience of responding to disasters are best placed to reach victims on the ground.
Apply to be a sponsor
The government will be launching a new sponsorship scheme to make sure that Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes have a route to safety.
The scheme will match people, charities, businesses and community groups to Ukrainians who do not have family ties to the UK.
The UK Government, Ukrainian Government and others have been sharing messages of support on social media using the hashtag #StandForUkraine
Take care what you share! There is a lot of false information about the conflict circulating online – this is often called misinformation and disinformation. You can do your part to stop the spread:
Ask yourself – does this look right? Does this sound right? Does this information come from a source I recognise?
The SHARE checklist can help you decide if information can be trusted, before you interact with or share it on your social media channels
Cyber security
The National Cyber Security Centre is not aware of any specific cyber threats to the UK in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However we strongly encourage organisations and citizens to follow NCSC guidance on steps to take when the cyber threat is heightened.
Visit the Cyber Aware website where you find practical steps and tools to help keep you, your family or business more secure online.
All children in Ukraine – at least 7.5 million under 18-year-olds – are in danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress and displacement, following the escalation in conflict.
As a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), we’ve joined forces with 14 leading aid charities to help children and families in Ukraine survive war.
Help us reach children by donating to our #Ukraine appeal today.
We’re on the border of Romania and Ukraine giving supplies to children and families in need.
We’re distributing warm clothes and blankets as temperatures plunge below freezing, providing cash and vouchers to help families pay for food, accommodation and medicines, and also offering vital mental health and education support to children whose lives have been torn apart.
You can help us reach more children and keep them safe.
As the popular TV series returns, online accommodation platform Scottish Hostels has shared a selection of delectable properties close to drama’s filming locations
From Glencoe to Craigh na Dun, fans of the series will be able to explore the great Scottish outdoors close to the destinations they recognise from their favourite show
Combining fascinating history, dramatic scenery and plenty of space, there’s never been a better time to enjoy the romance of Scotland
With the hotly anticipated arrival of the next season of Outlander just around the corner, online accommodation platform Scottish Hostels is encouraging fans of the historic drama to come and visit some of the series’ most beautiful filming locations.
From the wildly romantic ‘great outdoors’ of Glencoe to charming Inverness, lovers of the original Diana Gabaldon novels and the TV series the hugely successful books inspired can wander in the footsteps of dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser and his leading lady Claire Beauchamp Randall.
With 75 unique and charming accommodation options on their books, the Scottish Hostels team pride themselves on welcoming visitors to the amazing places its members call home, and holidaymakers will be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a place to bed down close to Outlander’s scene-stealing destinations.
By choosing to stay in an independently owned hostel, hosts will be on hand to point guests in the direction of filming spots and places where you can recreate your own “outlandish” moments – no time-travel required!
Glencoe
Outlander fans will instantly recognise the dramatic scenery from the opening credits of their favourite show, the historic mountain range of Glencoe.
Set in its own grounds at the foot of this striking mountain range, Glencoe Independent Hostel is perfectly located for adventurers wanting to explore the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.
Discover the majestic mountains, glens, forests and waterfalls, a magnificent playground for those who love the great outdoors. Guests have the choice between private and family rooms, and there are two cozy self-contained Bothies (cottages) and three log cabins perfect for a romantic getaway.
Craigh na Dun
In a pivotal scene upon which the whole Outlander saga is centred, Claire travels back in time when she visits the ancient stone circle at Craigh na Dun.
And while the magical monument doesn’t exist in real life, fans of the show can still enjoy the picturesque scenery of Kinloch Rannoch in Perthshire, where it was filmed. The 200-year-old farmstead of Comrie Croft is the closest to this beautiful part of the Southern Highlands.
Conveniently located within an hour’s drive from both Edinburgh and Glasgow, it offers a variety of glamping, eco-camping and hostel options within its grounds.
Guests can explore the striking local landscape on foot or on two wheels, with an onsite bike centre inviting visitors to enjoy a gentle family route or adrenalin-fuelled mountain bike adventure.
Also in Perthshire, the gardens of Castle Drummond make for a beautiful day out as they stood in for the French castle of Versailles on the show.
Inverness
While Claire’s story begins in Inverness in the 1940s, those scenes were actually shot in a small village called Falkland.
However, thanks to its convenient location close to the famous Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield and Fort George, the real Inverness is well worth a visit regardless – not least because of its magnificent Castle.
Inverness Hostel offers a modern and luxurious accommodation option close to all the action. All of the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms and the property is located within easy reach of numerous golf courses, The Highland Wildlife Park, Urquhart Castle and the mystical Loch Ness.
Lallybroch
The 15th-century Midhope Castle served as the exterior for Jamie’s home Lallybroch, also called Broch Tuarach on the show, and is located in the hamlet of Abercorn on the Hopetoun estate, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
The newly opened Dolphin Inn is within easy reach of the Scottish capital and its transport links, and has a stylish retro design throughout. Guests can choose from twin, double (two ensuite) and a family / group room.
Located close to the coast in Dunbar, the hostel is only a short walk from the beaches, harbours, High Street and railway station / bus stops.
This hostel is also ideally positioned to visit the filming locations that appeared as Wentworth Prison (Linlithgow Palace in real life) and Dysart Harbour, which stood in for the French Town of Le Havre, on the show.
Five hundred households, both private and council-owned, living in mixed tenure properties across the Wester Hailes area are to benefit from energy efficient upgrades and revitalised buildings.
This follows an extensive large-scale common repairs and maintenance works programme to renovate 66 low-rise blocks in the first year due to complete by summer this year (2022).
The programme will now be rolled out across the city to help accelerate energy efficiency fabric maintenance and repairs in mixed tenure blocks to benefit more tenants. This is due to the success of the pilot to date in engaging with private owners – with scheme decisions to progress being made in 75% of minority council-owned blocks – and securing sizable energy efficiency grant support through the Scottish Government Energy Efficient Scotland, Area Based Scheme.
Councillors have also agreed to extend the Council’s Scheme of Assistance (SoA). This will, as part of the MTIS, offer enhanced debt repayment terms* to help all private owner occupiers meet their repairs and maintenance responsibilities and allow them to consider more options for funding their share of the cost of works within all Council-led capital improvement, mixed tenure property projects.
Works being carried out on behalf of all owners across the current MTIS pilot includes repairs and replacement of roofing, guttering, drying room facades, installation of external wall and attic insulation, together with the maintenance and decoration of communal stairwell spaces.
This MTIS pilot is aiming to carry this out in 181 mixed tenure blocks in Murrayburn, Hailesland and Dumbryden over a three-year period to the benefit of all residents and tenants, improving the aesthetics, energy efficiency, safety and security and the overall value of properties in the long term.
Cllr Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said:“Bringing all our housing stock up to a good condition, making homes energy efficient, warm and affordable to heat is very important, both for tenants and for owners in these blocks.
“Council officers have worked hard to support private owners throughout this MTIS pilot. As a result, we’re helping owner occupiers meet their share of the energy efficiency improvement works by supporting them to access up to £15,500 each in Energy Efficient Scotland (EES) funding. Supporting private owner occupiers with enhanced re-payment terms will help too, and this is now being extended to others in a similar situation.
“The mixed tenure improvement service continues to be an incredibly successful as a pilot, and I’m so pleased that we are expanding this programme as it will play a crucial role in dealing with the legacy issues caused by right to buy. We can now invest in many more homes making much needed improvements to homes and blocks across the city.”
Cllr Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice Convener, said:“We have a long way to go as part of this three-year programme to improve 181 blocks but this has been a great start.
“In this pilot’s first year we will have improved the standard of living and conditions of a huge number of people in Wester Hailes. The buildings that we’ve completed so far look fantastic and really lift the look and feel of these neighbourhoods.
“We hope once the programme has been completed across all of Murrayburn, Hailesland and Dumbryden, the communities will feel a real sense of pride in their homes which fit in so much better with the new build developments close by.
“We have strong ambitions as a Council and as a city to become a sustainable and net zero Capital by 2030. Housing is a huge factor in getting there and getting our existing housing stock better insulated and energy efficient will be key – which in turn will help to keep people warmer while helping to reduce energy bills.”
* extending the period for payment plans with the Council for owner occupiers to up to 15 years and a reduction in the interest rate from 6% to 4%.
An international artist has created a striking new mural to promote breastfeeding in Inverclyde.
Sam Bates, better known as Smug or Smug0ne on Instagram, is the creative influence behind the artwork which has transformed the gable end of a block of flats on Nicolson Street in Greenock.
The mural was a collaborative project between the Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Infant Feeding Team and funded by the Scottish Government’s through its ‘Programme for Government’ with support from Oak Tree Housing Association, which owns the building.
The idea is around normalising breastfeeding to encourage more local mums and expectant parents to breastfeed and continue to improve breastfeeding rates.
Catriona MacLean, Inverclyde HSCP health visitor and infant feeding coordinator, said: “The immense health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby make it a public health priority.
“Breastfeeding rates in Inverclyde remain low, however, providing excellent information and support during pregnancy and immediately following birth can smooth the breastfeeding journey.
“Inverclyde has welcomed with open arms the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Scheme with business and facilities continuing to sign up and this beautiful new piece of public art will support a whole area-wide approach to supporting families.”
The HSCP team approached internationally-acclaimed artist Smug, who has already created popular murals in Glasgow and has been commissioned for projects in Australia, after seeing his works on social media platform Instagram where he has more than 200,000 followers.
Smug said: “Catriona originally reached out to me to pitch the idea and the whole concept behind it is thanks to her.She wanted something different so we did some brainstorming and came up with the mythical vibe.“
The mural, which has been created despite four named storms and heavy snowfall in recent weeks, is a tasteful and striking portrayal of a mum feeding her baby to help promote the benefits of breastfeeding.
Councillor Lynne Quinn, Inverclyde’s women’s champion, said: “This incredible artwork will have a positive impact on mums and expectant mums but also the wider community by highlighting that breastfeeding is normal. And what’s more environmentally-friendly than breastfeeding?
“I’ve seen first-hand the great work of the local Infant Feeding Team do in our community and they deserve huge credit for coming up with this brilliant idea and securing the services of such an acclaimed artist who has done a magnificent job.”
Councillor Robert Moran, Inverclyde’s health and social care convener, said: “This is a fantastic example of partnership working to highlight the very important issue of how perfectly normal breastfeeding is to not only reassure and encourage any mums and expectant mums out there who have reservations but also to educate the wider general public about breastfeeding.
“Huge credit to our HSCP Infant Feeding Team, Smug and Oak Tree for making this idea a reality and I’m sure this terrific mural will help to encourage many mums and expectant mums out there to think about breastfeeding and seek expert help and advice from our excellent staff to support them to do that.”
The project was made possible thanks to the support of Oak Tree Housing Association who helped identify a suitable, highly-visible building and gave permission to use the side of the block of flats near Greenock Town Centre.
Hazel Aitken, Oak Tree housing manager, said: “Oak Tree Housing Association were delighted to have the opportunity to become involved in this project and play a part in promoting such a positive message in this unique way.
“There has always been strong partnership working between the association and HSCP and we were happy to help.”
The project was also supported by neighbouring store The Range, which sectioned off parking spaces to allow the artist to work and provided some materials and space to store them.
The Inverclyde Infant Feeding Team hold a drop-in support group at The Waterwheel restaurant in Port Glasgow every Tuesday from 11am-12.30pm where all expectant and breastfeeding/breastmilk feeding families are welcome.
Closer to home, a new breastfeeding group started in Granton this week:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Every parent or guardian has their own style of child-rearing, but ultimately every family has the same goal, which is to raise a healthy and happy child.
With a little intention and the right tools, we can do a lot to help our little ones thrive as good eaters!
Here we explore some of the ways you can encourage your child to adopt healthy eating habits:
Reward and punishment
We have all been there; we just want our little people to eat something! But parents and carers should carefully consider the use of food as a reward or punishment.
Children have a natural ability to regulate their eating and using foods as a reward or punishment can undermine healthy eating habits, as it encourages them to eat when they are not hungry.
Why not offer children non-edible objects or experiences as rewards, rather than food? For example, you could offer stickers or a trip to the park, as an alternative treat. Also don’t underestimate the power of verbal praise!
‘Clean your plate’
Pressuring children to ‘clean their plate’ may work in the short term, but it doesn’t promote long term healthy eating. It can also lead to a distaste for those nutritious foods they are being forced to eat.
Instead, help a child to feel supported, safe, and relaxed at the dinner table, by creating positive interactions with food. When a child feels safe, they are much more likely to want to eat and try new foods!
Offering choice
As parents, we can’t give our kids complete control over food, but we can guide them on making healthy choices.
For young children, you may give them to 2 or 3 options to choose from e.g., ‘would you like either toast or cereal for breakfast?’. Guided choices can be helpful as they enable a child to feel like they have their say and a degree of control, without feeling overwhelmed.
Eating is so messy!
Unfortunately, as much as we hate the mess, letting your kids get messy with food can be a big positive in relation to their eating habits.
Being messy with food, gives children the opportunity to learn about new foods using all their senses. Children who feel safe to touch, squash and play with their food become more familiar with the food and are more likely to snack on this later.
Maybe consider if you can embrace the mess at mealtimes, or alternatively consider dedicated ‘food playtime’.
We hope this article has given you some ‘food for thought’ about your food parenting behaviours.
Scheme turns used aluminium and plastic pods into new products such as beverage cans and furniture –
1.2bn beverage pods bought in the UK in 2021, up 32% compared to pre-pandemic levels –
Morrisons has become the first supermarket to offer its customers a way to recycle coffee pods through a partnership with the recycling scheme Podback.
Over the coming weeks, Morrisons customers will be able to pick up free Podback Collect+recycling bags from its customer service desks.**
The Podback bags can be filled with used coffee pods at home, then taken to one of 6,500 Collect+ delivered by Yodel drop off points around the UK***. All postage back to Podback is free of charge.
Through the Podback scheme, used aluminium pods are turned into aluminium ingots for new products – such as beverage cans, and used plastic coffee pods are turned into other plastic items – such as furniture. The used coffee grounds also go through anaerobic digestion – to produce a combination of biogas and soil improver.
Podback is the first coffee pod recycling scheme of its kind in the UK, and was set up by Nestle and Jacobs Douwe Egberts UK. Current participating brands include Nespresso, Tassimo, L’OR, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Cru Kafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee.
Sales of coffee pods have increased by 32% from pre-pandemic levels, as more people have worked from home. It is estimated that 1.2bn pods were bought in the UK in 2021, making Podback even more important as an easier route for customers to recycle their pods*.
Rick Hindley, Executive Director at Podback, said: “Podback provides consumers all over the UK with an easy way to recycle their coffee pods, no matter what brand they are buying.
“Morrisons is the first supermarket to become a supporter of the Podback scheme, as well as provide bags in store. This is a great step forward and progress towards ensuring recycling coffee pods becomes second nature. Our goal is to ensure every pod enjoyed is recycled and working with retailers, like Morrisons, is crucial to ensuring the scheme is convenient and simple.
“We welcome other retailers to join to make it even easier for consumers to recycle pods in the future.”
Lorraine Wheeler, Environmental Packaging Manager at Morrisons, said: “Many of our customers want to brew fresh coffee at home using a coffee pod. But to date, coffee pod recycling has been confusing for consumers, with several different schemes by multiple brands. Podback offers an easy, simple scheme for all of our customers.”
The partnership with Podback is part of a wide ranging waste reduction initiative. Since 2017 Morrisons has reduced its own brand plastic packaging in its 497 stores by over 8,000 tonnes a year and was the first supermarket to ditch plastic ‘bags for life’ in favour of paper bags, to use traditional paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables instead of plastic, and to introduce a refillable container service on its fish, meat and deli counters to reduce single-use packaging.
The move marks a key step for Podback, which recently made its recycling bags available online via Coffee Supplies Direct.
Ageing Well is looking for participants interested in joining a new Nordic Walking course, which they will be introducing in early spring.
The Ageing Well Project is run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian and delivers a range of city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life. The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable.
Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities and all activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves
Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “This new course will complement our already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week. It’s for anyone who would like to try a new activity, meet some like-minded people, and get physically active.
“Nordic walking origins are Finnish with more than 10 million people globally enjoying this outdoor activity. The evidence shows that you can burn around 20% more calories compared to conventional walking. The use of poles means the effort is divided across the upper and lower body, so it feels easier, particularly when walking uphill.”
The four-week course will start in spring on a date to be decided, depending on interest.
Participants will meet at Straiton Place Park, on the promenade at Portobello Beach, and would be expected to attend all four sessions to graduate. Each session will last 1-hour, and poles will be provided if people do not already have their own.
Once group members have graduated from the 4-week introductory course, they will be eligible to join the Nordic Walking 6-week course, visiting various locations in Edinburgh. These walks would take between 1.5 – 2 hours.
Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A donation of £3 per week is therefore appreciated for this activity. This can be paid in one go or each week. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life.
In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants.
To find out more and/or to register your interest in joining the initial 4-week introductory course, contact active@edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 458 2260
