People in eligible groups who, for whatever reason, have not yet had their spring booster jab are being encouraged to make an appointment now.The call comes as Covid numbers in Scotland are rising once again.
These additional vaccinations have been offered to people aged 75 or over and those aged over 12 who are immunosuppressed, with clinics operating since early March until 30 June.
Anyone in these groups who has not yet come forward can book online or call the national vaccination helpline seven days a week to make an appointment which suits them.
Some health boards are also operating drop in clinics and details can be found on their websites.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am pleased so many people have come forward for their spring booster, which provides important extra protection for our most vulnerable groups.
“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus. However, the degree of protection offered wanes over time.
“We are seeing higher numbers of infections across our communities at the moment which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects from the virus.
“Almost 90% of over 75s and around two thirds of those who are aged over 12 and are immunosuppressed have already taken up the offer of a spring booster and if you have missed yours for any reason then you can rearrange it online at NHS Inform or by calling the helpline on 0800 030 8013 seven days a week between 8am and 8pm.
“We continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”
The national vaccination helpline number is 0800 030 8013.
Millions of people will be protected through strengthening regulation of interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements, under plans announced by the government today.
Lenders will be required to ensure loans are affordable and rules will be amended to ensure advertisements are fair, clear and not misleading.
UK Government will expand rules to cover other forms of unsecured short-term credit that pose similar risks to consumers, such as those used for dentistry work. Millions of people will be protected through strengthening regulation of interest-free Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements, under plans announced by the government today (20th June).
Buy-Now Pay-Later credit agreements can be a helpful way to manage your finances, allowing people to spread the full cost of a purchase over time. However, people do not currently have the usual full range of borrower protections when taking out this type of loan and they are rapidly increasing in popularity, resulting in a potential risk of harm to consumers.
Under plans set out by the government today it confirmed that lenders will be required to carry out affordability checks, ensuring loans are affordable for consumers, and will amend financial promotion rules to ensure Buy-Now Pay-Later advertisements are fair, clear, and not misleading. Lenders offering the product will need to be approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and borrowers will also be able to take a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said: “Buy-Now Pay-Later can be a helpful way to manage your finances but we need to ensure that people can embrace new products and services with the appropriate protections in place.
“By holding Buy-Now Pay-Later to the high standards we expect of other loans and forms of credit, we are protecting consumers and fostering the safe growth of this innovative market in the UK.”
Today’s consultation response sets out the government’s proposals for regulation of the sector. Given its complexity, the government will publish a consultation on draft legislation toward the end of this year. Following this, the government aims to lay secondary legislation by mid-2023, after which the FCA will consult on its rules for the sector.
The government has also confirmed that other forms of short-term interest-free credit, such as those used to pay for dental work or larger items like furniture, will be required to comply with the same rules announced today, given the risks posed are similar and consumers should receive consistent protections from similar products.
These rules will apply to businesses who partner with a third-party lender to provide credit, and the government is asking for further stakeholder feedback to confirm whether they should also apply to online merchants who directly offer credit for the purchase of their own products.
Today’s announcement forms part of the government’s plan to grow the economy to tackle the cost of living. The Chancellor has provided £37 billion of support to help, including providing the eight million most vulnerable British families with at least £1,200 of direct payments this year – and giving every household right across the UK £400 to help with their energy bills.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a hit and run incident in Edinburgh.
The incident, which involved a car and a pedestrian happened at around 2.40am yesterday (Sunday, 19 June) in Easter Road.
The 21-year old male pedestrian was taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment for serious injuries.
Detective Sergeant Dougal Begg said : “A young man sustained serious injuries as a result of this incident and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area and witnessed the collision to come forward.
“I would also appeal to anyone who has any dashcam or mobile phone footage that could assist with our investigation.
“Police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 0590 of Sunday, 19 June, 2022.”
TikTok and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced an exclusive new partnership that will see the entertainment platform become the first Official Virtual Stage to the world’s premier performing arts festival.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the partnership brings together the Fringe’s rich heritage, with TikTok’s thriving global community, aiming to showcase the magic and creativity that artists from around the world bring to Edinburgh’s stages to an even wider audience.
Every year, Edinburgh plays host to this iconic cultural event, as the eyes of the world look to the Fringe for the next generation of performance talent. This year, these vibrant and creative communities can also be discovered on TikTok throughout August and beyond.
As the Virtual Stage, TikTok will bring the creative artistry of the Edinburgh Fringe to the community, livestreaming performances from across the festival’s venues and from TikTok’s virtual stage in app. An Edinburgh Festival Fringe Hub will also host all the latest #EdFringe content in one place for the TikTok community to discover.
Over the past four years we have seen creativity in every form thrive on TikTok, from the emergence of community curated musicals, which have generated over 890 million views in app, to comedy which has played a pivotal role on TikTok, with over 1.6 billion views of the #Comedy hashtag, TikTok has supercharged the careers of comedians like Munya Chawawa, Abi Clarke and SugarCoatedSisters. TikTok is a hub for creativity and has become an essential platform for emerging talent.
Alongside the virtual stage, two digital screens on the Royal Mile, the heart of Scotland’s historic capital, will showcase TikTok content. These screens will offer a platform for emerging comedy, music and theatre talent on TikTok, while also helping festival goers discover new artists and spotlight the must-see shows from the Fringe.
TikTok will also co-host the Official Taster Stage with the Fringe, with a TikTok installation on the Mound Precinct for festival goers, performers and the Edinburgh community alike to experience.
TikTok creators will be invited to the festival, performing live on stage and bringing the Fringe experience to life. In addition, TikTok will be working directly with Fringe artists and performers, offering a programme of bespoke workshops and performer education, so artists can continue to utilise the platform to reach larger audiences and test new material.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and TikTok share the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves freely and creatively. This partnership forms part of TikTok’s broader commitment to breaking down the barriers to entry within the arts and the entertainment industries, which has also seen it partner with the Cannes Film Festival, Eurovision and the Hay Festival.
James Stafford Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.
“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”
Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an annual phenomenon like no other, one of the world’s great celebrations of performing arts and creativity, and we’re delighted to be partnering with TikTok in our 75th anniversary year.
“TikTok’s expertise in the creative spaces make it the perfect partner for our Official Virtual Stage. We look forward to joining artists together with TikTok’s unique virtual creativity, bringing the Fringe to a new global audience.
“For the Fringe it’s about offering anyone a stage and everyone a seat, and this partnership will allow us to offer this to audiences wherever they are in the world”
Thank you to all those who came to on meeting on Tuesday 14th. There was a good turnout and more importantly a lot of lively discussion on what the Association should be doing.
We briefly outlined the various things we already do and then discussed how to approach them to make them better and involve more people. We all agreed that rather than talks this coming season we should have meetings that concentrate on the different activities and explore what is happening and what we should do in each area.
We added the problem of the Cramond Inn to that list as everyone thought we should find ways to add to the pressure from CBCC to change ownership and reopen it as a community place. The History Section will continue to arrange talks as before so there will still be times to hear experts talk on their subjects!
Apart from the Cramond Inn we will have meetings on the Woodlands; the Walled Garden, the airport and noise amongst others.
We will also look at holding events such as the 4th of June or others and that may include a Christmas pantomime!!
It will be different and will be exciting with new people involved, and there is room for many more so get in touch if you would like to be involved – either through our Facebook page or via the e-mail – info@cramondassociation.org.uk
granton:hub is delighted to invite you to an outdoor talk at the Granton Gasworks Train Station to listen to Kenneth Williamson who will outline the significance of this historic listed building.
The Granton Gas Works Station was opened on 27 February, 1903 to take the workers to and from the Gas Works. It closed in 1942. The station is currently going through a complete refurbishment and will become a major enterprise hub managed by WASPS.
The talk will be followed by a walk, taking in further landmarks such as Granton’s Gasometer, Caroline Park House and the listed Madelvic car factory to arrive at Madelvic House, the base of granton:hub, at around 2:45pm for tea/coffee and cake.
Then, between 3-5pm, you will be able to join staff and students from Edinburgh College of Art, to hear more about their project Granton: Cultural Heritage at the Edge: Edinburgh at the Seaside.
This research project was carried out in February by academics and 20 postgraduate students who interviewed the local community on their views of cultural heritage and what it means for Granton.
Their work was placed on display in the granton:hub in February, at the North Edinburgh Community Festival in May, and also in Paris, where we joined representatives of 7 other cities across Europe, from Krakow to Madrid, to discuss Cultural Heritage at the Edge.
Visitors will be able to view the many display boards and exhibition materials, to hear more about what we learned from our European partners, and to join with us in developing a Europe-wide Manifesto for Cultural Heritage at the Edge.
Refreshments will be served.
PLEASE NOTE: Kenneth Williamson’s talk will last approximately 45 minutes and will be held outside, next to the display boards on the fence outside the Granton Gasworks station (opposite Morrison’s superstore on Waterfront Broadway).
Please arrive by 1:45pm. After the talk, participants will walk (0.6 miles) along Waterfront Avenue to granton: hub which is located at Madelvic House, Granton Park Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1HS.
The walk is suitable for children aged 12+ who must be accompanied by an adult
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Happy Healthy Father’s Day
Whether you’re a father or taking on a fatherly role it’s time to celebrate you all this Sunday the 19th of June. Why not try making this a fun healthy day for all the family to remember? Here are a few of our tips to do just that.
Healthy gifts
Instead of the standard box of chocolates or bottle of beer why not buy your ‘father’ an activity day out, such as paintballing, or a set of cooking classes you can attend together or as a family.
Heart healthy breakfast in bed
Pull out all the stops and earn bonus points by providing a heart healthy breakfast in bed. Instead of a greasy fry-up why not provide a breakfast full of omega-3 for a healthy heart. A poached egg, smoked salmon and avocado on multi-seeded toast is easy to make, healthy and delicious!
Keep their memory alive
If you’re one of the many who have lost their father/father figure why not plan a walking route where you visit a meaningful place to reflect on happy memories. Get out in the fresh air and send that special person your love.
The Management Committee and staff of Corstorphine Community CCC are delighted to confirm that as from Monday 20th June, their new base will be at Westfield House, 5 Kirk Loan, Corstorphine, opposite the Astoria Hall.
We are continuing to pursue the option of a Community Asset Transfer in order than we can occupy the premises on a permanent basis.
We are in the midst of organising the new building and it is planned that activities / groups will recommence from 4th July with the shop operating from the ground floor of the building.
Contact details remain the same for the new location:
The Royal Highland Show is urging visitors to snap up remaining tickets as demand soars for the event, which takes place next week from Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th June.
There are only a few hundred tickets remaining for the Friday and Saturday of the event, which this year is celebrating 200 years since the very first Highland Show took place back in 1822 – the first time in it’s 200 years that two days will sell out ahead of the event.
With huge demand for Friday and Saturday tickets, the only way to guarantee entry now is to buy in advance. There are still car parking tickets available to purchase for every day of the Show.
Mark Currie, Director of Operations at the Royal Highland Show, said: “We are delighted that Show goers are clearly as excited as we are about the return of Scotland’s biggest outdoor event. With Friday and Saturday looking like sell-out days, we’re encouraging people who might be holding off to book Friday or Saturday now, or to consider a Thursday or Sunday visit.
“If for any reason you can’t attend this year, luckily you can still catch the action through RHS TV – it will be broadcast live from the Showground over the four days and available to watch for free on the Royal Highland Show website.”
The Royal Highland Show, supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, will take place 23-26th June 2022. Tickets, including for car parking, must be pre-purchased online this year and no tickets will be available to buy on the gate.
The Show will be broadcast online this year via RHS TV, funded by the Scottish Government.
For further information and to purchase tickets please visit:
Volunteer Edinburgh are pleased to be working with the RHASS to deliver the Volunteer Showmakers programme at the Royal Highland Show 2022.
The volunteering programme for the RHS has been completely renewed for 2022 which is the 200th anniversary of the show.
Volunteer Edinburgh are recruiting Volunteer Showmakers, who will welcome visitors to the event, providing information to the public and helping to ensure that every visitor has a fantastic time.
The four day event runs from the 23rd June to the 26th June and Volunteer Showmakers will be deployed throughout.
The show, first held in 1822, is the pinnacle of the agricultural calendar. Each year over 1,000 trade exhibitors, over 2,000 livestock competitors entering into 900+competitions (with over 6,500 animals) and tens of thousands of visitors come to the Royal Highland Show to experience the best of farming, food, and rural life. You can see a short video from the 2015 edition here.
Some key information about volunteering as a Showmaker:
Dates: Thursday 23rd , Friday 24th , Saturday 25th, and Sunday 26th June
There are two shifts available per day (morning 7am-1pm and afternoon 1pm-7pm)
You can volunteer on as many days as you wish, but there is a maximum one shift per day
There is a dedicated Volunteer Hub where lunches, snacks and refreshments will be available during the during the shifts
Free travel to the Royal Highland Showground on dedicated Lothian Buses services is available to all Volunteer Showmakers
We have developed a streamlined on boarding process to ensure you have all the information and support that you need to volunteer with the 2022 Showmaker programme
You will need to complete a short online induction
You will be issued with a Yoti RHS volunteering card and this will allow you access and is separate from the CTV accreditation.
To sign up please follow this link and complete this short form. You will be asked to indicate the shift/s that you wish to volunteer for.
Please note that if you wish to volunteer with colleagues, you will each individually need to complete the form, but you may wish to coordinate and select the same shift times.
Sign up now using this link or by clicking the grey button below: www.voled.in/rhs22
