Category: North Edinburgh News

Musselburgh Racecourse rolls out royal connections for Platinum Jubilee Weekend

PORT SETON’S PADDY FLIES THE ROYAL STANDARD IN CORGI DERBY!

Musselburgh Racecourse is preparing for its Platinum Jubilee Weekend on 4th and 5th of June with the announcement of two special guests who have interesting royal connections. 

The East Lothian track is hosting a prestigious weekend of Scottish summer racing that includes a jam-packed schedule of racing across both days and family fun and a street party extravaganza on the Sunday. 

A distant relative of one of Her Majesty The Queen’s own corgis named Paddy from Port Seaton (below), will take part in a special corgi race ‘The Corgi Derby’ on the Sunday and there will also be an exclusive performance by Louise Marshall, Scotland’s national piper who was the lone piper to Her Majesty The Queen at the naming ceremony of the Queen Elizabeth Ocean Liner in 2010. 

Musselburgh Racecourse already has a proud Royal heritage. The Queen’s Stand was opened by Princess Anne and visited by Her Majesty The Queen in 2016, and general manager Bill Farnsworth is delighted to be able to honour the Monarch’s 70-year reign across this special weekend. 

Bill said: “The Platinum Jubilee Weekend will be a fabulous weekend of celebrations for everyone as well as thrilling racing, it’s going to be a fun social occasion, on the Sunday we have the Corgi Derby as well as live family entertainment. 

“We are delighted to welcome racing enthusiasts, families, groups of friends to couples and anyone else looking for a fun weekend families, groups of friends to couples and anyone else looking for a fun weekend to celebrate this momentous occasion.” 

The £50,000 Inch’s Cider Scottish Sprint Cup takes place on Saturday 4th June. Inch’s Cider is a new product within the Musselburgh Racecourse portfolio and will be available to buy across the weekend as well as a selection of other local beers and ciders. Spectators will also be able to indulge in delicious street food and enjoy live music from The Funkwagen DJ. 

The Skybet Sunday Series Raceday, featuring the Queen of Scots Fillies Stakes and the Jubilee Family Fair, follows on 5th June. 

As well as the Corgi Derby and performance from piper Louise Marshall, there will be a real family feel and party atmosphere on the day, with the event suited to all ages and visitors encouraged to bring along a picnic and join in the street-party extravaganza for a day packed full of family activities.

There will be Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, a best dressed prince and princess competition with some prizes up for grabs, as well as vintage fairground rides and face painting.  

General Manager of Musselburgh Racecourse, Bill Farnsworth continues: “Saturday will see the return of The Scottish Sprint Cup, Scotland’s fastest race, and on Sunday we are thrilled to once again be part of the SkyBet Sunday Series, with a seven-race card, which will be one of our richest racedays, with price money of over £190,000.” 

Tickets to celebrate this unprecedented royal anniversary and extended bank holiday weekend are on sale now. Book your tickets before midnight on the 3rd of June and SAVE £5 per person! Children 17 years and under are admitted FREE at Musselburgh Racecourse when accompanied by a paying adult. 

For full range of ticket information please visit https://www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk/tickets/afternoon-meeting-04-06-2022 

CCTV image released in connection with Hive nightclub assault

Police Scotland has released an image of a man officers believe may be able to assist in relation to enquiries into a serious assault in Edinburgh.

The incident happened at The Hive nightclub in Niddry Street around 1.35am on Friday, 10 September, 2021.

The man (pictured above) is described as white, aged in his early 30s, of medium build and with short hair. He has a distinctive tattoo sleeve on his right arm and another tattoo on one of his calves. He was wearing a baseball cap, a light-coloured t-shirt or polo shirt and shorts.

Detective Constable Craig Moran, of Edinburgh CID, said: “I would urge the man, or anyone who has information relating to him to make contact with the police.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0205 of Friday, 10 September, 2021, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be passed anonymously.”

Truss speaks out on China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss issues a statement following new evidence emerging of China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Today, further shocking details of China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang have emerged, which add to the already extensive body of evidence from Chinese government documents, first-hand testimony, satellite imagery and visits by our own diplomats to the region.

“New evidence shows the extraordinary scale of China’s targeting of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities, including forced labour, severe restrictions on freedom of religion, the separation of parents from their children, forced birth control, and mass incarceration.

“The UK stands with our international partners in calling out China’s appalling persecution of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities. We remain committed to holding China to account.

“We reiterate our longstanding expectation that China grants the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights full and unfettered access to the region so that she can conduct a thorough assessment of the facts on the ground, and we are following her visit this week closely.

If such access is not forthcoming, the visit will only serve to highlight China’s attempts to hide the truth of its actions in Xinjiang.”

Exposed 22 – College Photography students annual exhibition returns to Out of the Blue Drill Hall

Edinburgh College Photography students and graduates will be showcasing their talents in an exhibition which sees their work displayed to the public in the nation’s capital next month.

Exposed 2022 is taking place at Edinburgh’s Out of The Blue Drill Hall from Monday 1 June to Thursday 9 June, excluding Sunday 5 June, from 10am to 5pm.

The exhibition includes works which have been created by HND2 and BA photography students. Images cover a wide range of genres including portraiture, fashion, advertising, sports, documentary, photojournalism and landscape. 

The College’s Photography department has been running the annual Exposed exhibition show since the mid-1990s, and this year 45 students from showing more than 80 images in an event the host venue describes as its ‘largest annual exhibition’.

Pete Harper, HND2 Photography graduate, from Haddington in East Lothian, said: “I’m really excited to be exhibiting my work for the first time at Out of The Blue in June. 

“The last couple of years of study has been tough, not least because of the pandemic, but it has also been immensely rewarding.  A lot of really hard work has gone into producing these images and I’m proud to have the opportunity to display them at Exposed 22.” 

Kay Frances Hyde, BA Professional Photography graduate, said: “It was a huge step for me to return to education in my fifties and I feel a huge sense of achievement having finished the degree at Edinburgh College.  

“Having worked in PR in the tourism sector for over twenty years, my photography has a strong sense of place.  I’m interested in celebrating and showcasing Scotland’s rich culture and heritage through my photography.”

Graham McGirk, Photography lecturer, said: “We’re looking forward to yet another Exposed exhibition – it is the perfect way to round off another year of hard work and innovation from our extremely talented students.

“I’m very proud of all of our students and of the outstanding work they have produced – it has been another exceptional year. We hope that lots of people can attend the exhibition to witness first-hand the wealth of stunning works on display.”

Exposed 22 is part of the College’s annual GLOW Festival – a two-month creative festival, showcasing the new generation of creative talent in Music, Theatre, Dance, Photography, Sculpture, Illustration and more. 

Find out more about GLOW Festival.

FND Stories

Capturing the stories and lived experience of those diagnosed with neurological condition, Functional Neurological Disorder, through art.

Inspace Gallery, 1 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB 

Inspace City Screen, window display on Potterrow – Tuesday 7th – Sunday 26th June;  

Opening Event Wednesday 22nd June, 5-7pm; 

Internal Exhibition Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th June.

 

This June, East Lothian based artist, Andrew Brooks will be exhibiting art focussing on telling the stories of those diagnosed with neurological condition Functional Neurological Disorder, FND, often referred to as the most common condition you’ve never heard of.

Brooks makes art that concentrates on small details of information to tell stories, using the particular to find the universal.

The multidisciplinary exhibition, FND Stories, is based on in-person interviews with six people from around the UK who live with FND along with contributions from over 90 of those diagnosed from around the world.

The interviews gave first-hand accounts of living with FND and include a beauty queen finalist from Croydon who only began competing since her diagnosis in July 2020. The artwork was created using techniques of data analysis from the interviews and contributions in a range of media including silent video, text-based art, and large-scale ink and gold leaf pieces.

The exhibition seeks to raise awareness of the condition and highlights the lived experiences of those diagnosed. It will be on show through the 20m long windows of InSpace Gallery for the full period to engage as many people as possible, as well as a shorter internal show with an opening event.

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a common and disabling cause of neurological symptoms. The symptoms are not caused by a structural disease of the nervous system but it is a problem with the “functioning” of the nervous system.

It is a problem with how the brain and body send and receive signals. The symptoms can cause impairment in quality of life that is similar to and in some aspects worse than other neurological conditions.

Symptoms are highly varied and can include weakness and abnormal patterns of movement, attacks of abnormal movement / change in awareness that resemble epileptic seizures, sensory problems, cognitive problems, and visual and speech problems.

Andrew Brooks began making work involving the condition while studying a Fine Art MA in Bristol: “FND is a constant part of my life as my wife was diagnosed with it in 2015 following a bicycle crash involving a car.

“I began to make and exhibit work about our experiences living with FND reflecting on our married life, subsequently broadening the project making further work with members of Southwest England based charity ‘FND Friends’. Having moved to Scotland I secured funding from Creative Informatics.

“The ‘Connected Innovators’ funding stream has given me the time and resources to continue making work with those diagnosed with FND developing new skills to represent people’s stories and raise awareness about the condition”.

With support from FND Hope UK (whom he is independent from) Brooks has been able to broaden the project and had responses from around the globe, including America, Canada and Gibraltar, with over 90 participants answering the question what three words would you use to describe your FND – the top three responses being frustrating, debilitating and misunderstood. Six in-person interviews with participants from around the UK were filmed and transcribed, these stories are the basis for much of the artwork.

Those interviewed are from a range of ages, backgrounds, types and severity of condition and were asked the same set of questions about life with FND. In response to “what is a good day with FND?” one interviewee answered, “a good day is having a shower and not having to sleep after it (laughing)…good days are when I can do the things I used to take for granted”.

Coverage Briefing

The artwork is multidisciplinary and varied including video, sound, word and physical paper-based art, to tell different facets of stories, often focussing on specific details. Large paper-based pieces, some of which are over 2m long, use ink, water, gold leaf, graphite dust and latex, encoding words, meanings and information.

As Brooks explains “the encoded presentation is to create a slower understanding of what is being discussed or described be it data or words, hopefully enabling a more nuanced interaction with the subject matter.

“The interview films are shown as a pair without sound, one film showing the subject’s reaction while listening to their favourite childhood story and the other show’s them explaining about their life with FND.

“Removing the sound avoids the primary forms of storytelling and shifts focus from what is being said to the emotional communication of the person. Relying on body language and the contrast of the two films allows the viewer to emotionally engage with the teller.”

Brooks added: “My aim is to make work that can portray some of the lived experiences and stories of those diagnosed with FND. I don’t want to portray a list of symptoms but reveal different facets of people’s stories.”

FND Stories will be partially on display on Inspace City Screen (Inspace windows facing on to Potterrow), Monday 6th – Sunday 26th June, with full exhibition inside Inspace Thursday 23rd June – Sunday 26th June, 11am – 5pm.

There will be an opening event on Wednesday 22nd June 5-7pm.

Tickets to the opening event can be booked through Eventbrite here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fnd-stories-exhibition-launch-tickets-343015437407  

Brighton student Sarah wins award for UK’s dirtiest university digs 

  • The UK’s grimmest student houses revealed: Brighton flat crowned the messiest in nationwide search 
  • Winner and runners up revealed in UK’s messiest student competition  

 
A female student from Brighton University has been crowned the UK’s messiest as part of a nationwide competition. 

20-year-old Sarah, who is studying PGCE, sent in pictures of her kitchen in a state of carnage, which she shares with her four flatmates, after a wild night out. 

She has been crowned the UK’s messiest student as part of a photo competition by insurance providers, SO-SURE, and has now been awarded a £200 Just Eat voucher, which should hopefully help her avoid the washing up. Here is her winning entry, as well as a roundup of five of the worst offending pictures from across the UK: 

1.     Sarah, 20, Brighton University  

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Mmmm floor pizza! And a kettle in the sink?!

This sight is not something you want to have to deal with after a heavy night on the tiles. The sheer volume of chaos in this picture earned Sarah and her pals the £200 food voucher, so they can add a few more takeaway boxes to the collection!.  

2.       Natasha, 21, Derby University 

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Natasha, a student from the University of Derby, is a little behind on her laundry, oh well, floorspace is overrated any way. Extra points for spotting her opportunist cat who hopes she doesn’t find the washing machine any time soon.  

3.     Josh, 19, Nottingham Trent University  

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Josh from Nottingham Trent University shared this spectacular image, can you spot his house mate amongst the mess? Looks like the two of them have a lot of cleaning to do on a hangover… 

4.       Jack, 19, Oxford Brookes University 

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We’re not 100% sure how Jack, from Oxford Brookes University, manages to get around his room. Clothes, bedding, and dodgy meal deals everywhere, it’s ok though, at least he has incense sticks.  

5.       Cassie,  20, Bournemouth University 

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Maximising wardrobe space by leaving everything on the floor, this ‘messy gal’ is one step ahead of us all. It can’t be easy finding an outfit in that pile of clothes. 

6.       Max, 21, Cardiff University  

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Finally, someone found the bin bags! Looks like the clean-up of Max’s living room has already started here, what could it have looked like before?! Stella, Greggs, and Red Stripe, a classy combo and student staple.  

If you haven’t got your fill of messy student accommodation, you can find even more entries on the SO-SURE blog. 

Senior Marketing Manager, Gabriel Cabral at SO-SURE, commented:   “We often hear students have a reputation for messy flats and a party lifestyle. And  so, we wanted to put this to the test and find some of the filthiest in the UK.

“We wanted to give the winners of the messiest accommodation a takeaway voucher, so they can treat themselves to a takeaway after a good old tidy. We had some great entries, from universities all over the UK, but Sarah’s kitchen in Brighton is definitely a worthy winner!” 

£1 entry to Scotland’s historic sites returns for all Young Scot National Entitlement Card holders

The initiative between National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and Historic Houses Scotland, seeks to engage the next generation with Scotland’s heritage

The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and Historic Houses Scotland, today announces the relaunch of its campaign to offer all Young Scot National Entitlement Card holders access to over 600 historic sites across the country for only £1. 

The initiative encourages young people to get out and explore many of the historic sites Scotland has to offer. With natural and built sites across the country there’s an experience for everyone to enjoy, from stunning landscapes through to castles, magnificent gardens, historic dwellings, and significant places, such as the battlefields on which the nation’s future turned.

The £1 offer means that anyone aged 11-25 with a Young Scot National Entitlement Card will be able to visit 100 National Trust for Scotland properties, such as the spectacular Culzean Castle in Ayrshire and the carefully restored Gladstone’s Land in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. It also enables access to over 70 Historic Environment Scotland properties across the length and breadth of the country, including iconic sites such as Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle.

In addition to offering £1 entry to all National Trust for Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland sites, Young Scot National Entitlement Card holders can also access the following Historic Houses Scotland sites this year: Inveraray Castle, Ballindalloch Castle, Blair Castle, Hopetoun House, Cawdor Castle, Floors Castle & Drummond Castle. 

Originally introduced in 2018, the initiative has seen young people across the country save hundreds of thousands of pounds in entry fees to enjoy and explore Scotland’s rich heritage.

Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said: “The last two years have been a challenging time for all of us and exploration of the beautiful places Scotland has to offer was a cherished respite.

“Now that we are largely free from restrictions, we hope to welcome more people back to our sites and encourage young people with a Young Scot card to get out there and explore the wealth of places available to them across the country.

“At the Trust we know how much of a positive impact access to Scotland’s heritage can have on wellbeing and happiness and we hope to share this with the next generation – something so important to us that we’ve made engagement with young people one of our key aims in our new strategy, Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone.  Since 2018, we’ve seen many young people at our sites reaping the benefits of the reduced £1 entry and we look forward to welcoming many more in the coming months.”

Kirsten Urquhart, Chief Executive of Young Scot, commented: “Young Scot is delighted to be continuing our partnership with the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and Historic Houses Scotland – and supporting young people to access Scotland’s remarkable historic sites using their free Young Scot National Entitlement Card.

“If they are under 22 years old, they are also eligible for free nationwide bus travel using their card, making it even easier to enjoy the hundreds of historic sites Scotland offers.”

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive at Historic Environment Scotland said: “We are delighted to once more be a part of this initiative and be able to offer Young Scot cardholders the opportunity to explore many of our historic sites for only £1.

“This summer I would like to encourage as many of Scotland’s young people as possible to take advantage of this initiative and explore some of our much-loved heritage attractions, from castles to cairns, and enjoy our rich and diverse historic environment and the many benefits it brings.”

Andrew Hopetoun, Chairman of Historic Houses Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to be involved with this initiative. We represent the nation’s largest collection of independently owned historic houses and gardens and are here to ensure these historic homes stay alive for generations to come.

“Making these sites more accessible to young people is of huge importance to us and we hope that Young Scot card holders enjoy exploring our fascinating homes.”

Young Scot Card holders aged 11-25 will be able to access over 600 sites across the country. Since the scheme first started in 2018 sites including Crathes Castle, Pollok House and Brodick Castle have proven to be most popular with Young Scot National Entitlement Card holders.

To find out more and explore the full list of properties and locations available as part of the scheme, please visit all participating organisations’ websites:

 nts.org.uk, 

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/ ,

or historichouses.org,

or visit young.scot/the-young-scot-card for more information on the National Entitlement Card. 

Afghanistan: Systemic failures of leadership, planning and preparation

MPs slam Government role in UK withdrawal from Afghanistan

  • Fundamental lack of planning, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency
  • No clear line of command within political leadership of Government; untraceable and unaccountable political interventions
  • Total absence of plans to evacuate Afghans who supported the UK mission without being directly employed, put lives at risk
  • Committee loses confidence in Foreign Office’s top civil servant and urges him to consider his position

In a damning report from the Foreign Affairs Committee, MPs say the Foreign Office, the National Security Advisor and Ministers must accept responsibility for the failure to prepare or respond, abandoning the UK’s allies and damaging the UK’s interests.

Missing in action: UK leadership and the withdrawal from Afghanistan is the result of the Foreign Affairs Committee’s inquiry into government policy towards the country. The Committee considered the role of the Foreign Office in the run up to withdrawal, during the evacuation effort, and in leading engagement with the new regime in the following months.

They heard from senior officials; met with Afghans who were evacuated; surveyed MPs’ offices on their efforts to help Afghans; and received written, often sensitive, evidence from a wide range of stakeholders including two Foreign Office whistleblowers. 

The MPs’ inquiry found that important policy decisions were made through informal, unaccountable means. Senior officials believed that the Prime Minister played a greater role in some decisions than has been admitted.

The Committee was not offered a plausible alternative explanation.

More seriously, the FCDO provided answers that were intentionally evasive and often deliberately misleading. Government officials should not be expected to obscure the facts to shield others from political accountability.

Today’s report refers to the ‘appalling mismanagement of the crisis’ and the misleading statements to Parliament which followed.

Those who lead the Foreign Office should be ashamed that civil servants of great integrity felt compelled to risk their careers to bring the situation to light, says the report. It is the responsibility of the Permanent Under-Secretary to ensure the system operates effectively, leading the Committee to conclude that he no longer has their confidence and should consider his position.

The UK Government must commit to a serious strategy for future engagement with Afghanistan. The failure to do so would abandon women and girls in the single biggest reversal of rights in a generation.

Today’s report calls on the Government to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan as soon as it is safe to do so, and to work with those on the ground who can support civil society.

Attempts to isolate the new regime entirely may only hurt the Afghan people and leave a vacuum to be filled by China. The report argues that humanitarian aid alone will not be enough to avert catastrophe and that the UK should aim to resume development aid when possible, placing Afghan women at the heart of its policy towards the country. 

The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat MP, said: ““The UK’s part in this tragedy exposes a lack of seriousness in achieving co-ordination, a lack of clear decision-making, a lack of leadership and a lack of accountability.

“At a time when we face critical foreign policy challenges, and the risks to our lives and economy are so serious, including from the current energy and inflation pressures, our diplomacy and security cannot be so confused and unstructured. Unity of purpose, clarity and coordination require serious intent and consistent political leadership. 

“The timeline of misery exposed by this report reveals serious systemic failures at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy. The absence of the FCDO’s top leadership – ministerial and official – when Kabul fell is a grave indictment on those supposedly in charge.

“While junior officials demonstrated courage and integrity, chaotic and arbitrary decision-making runs through this inquiry. Sadly, it may have cost many people the chance to leave Afghanistan, putting lives in danger.  The integrity of the Civil Service depends on those leading these organisations showing the courage to tell the truth to the British people.

“There are many heroes in this story who worked under enormous pressures. The military and civilian personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, and many in the FCDO itself, during the evacuation and those who helped from afar deserve our thanks.

“Now, Afghanistan faces a terrible humanitarian crisis with 23 million people at risk of starvation and the rights of women and girls have faced their greatest reversal in a generation. All this while the threat from extremism has grown.

“We need a serious rethink in the heart of the UK Government to combine diplomacy, aid and trade in a concerted and strategic approach to future policy towards Afghanistan.”

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Monkeypox: First case in Scotland

Monkeypox has been confirmed in an individual in Scotland. The individual is receiving care and treatment appropriate to their condition and contact tracing is underway.

Monkeypox is a viral infection usually found in West and Central Africa. The West African strain that has been recently detected in the UK is generally a mild self-limiting illness, spread by very close contact with someone already infected and with symptoms of monkeypox. Most people recover within a few weeks.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Health Wales and Northern Ireland HSC Health Protection Agency to monitor and respond to potential and confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK.

As of Friday 20 May, the UKHSA has identified 20 cases in England but more are expected.

Dr Nick Phin, Director of Public Health Science and Medical Director, PHS explains: “Public Health Scotland is aware of an individual in Scotland who is confirmed to have monkeypox. The affected individual is being managed and treated in line with nationally agreed protocols and guidance.

“We have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with such cases of infectious disease and these will be strictly followed.

“We are working with NHS Boards and wider partners in Scotland and the UK to investigate the source of this infection. Close contacts of the case are being identified and provided with health information and advice. This may include the offer of vaccination.

“The overall risk to the general public is low.

“Anyone with an unusual blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores on any part of their body, including their genital area, should avoid close contact with others and seek medical advice if they have any concerns.”

Symptoms

Initial symptoms of monkey pox include fever or high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

A blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, including the genital area.

The rash changes and goes through different stages, before finally forming a scab, which typically falls off over the course of a couple of weeks. Individuals are infectious from the point symptoms start until all the scabs fall off. During this time close contact with others must be avoided.

UKHSA identifies thirty-six more cases of monkeypox in England

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected 36 additional cases of monkeypox in England.

The latest cases bring the total number of monkeypox cases confirmed in England since 7 May to 56.

The virus does not usually spread easily between people, but it can be passed on through close person-to-person contact or contact with items used by a person who has monkeypox, such as clothes, bedding or utensils. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks.

While the current outbreak is significant and concerning, the risk to the UK population remains low.

Anyone with unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should immediately contact NHS 111 or their local sexual health service.

A notable proportion of cases detected have been in gay and bisexual men, so UKHSA continues to urge this community to be alert to monkeypox symptoms.

People should notify clinics ahead of their visit and can be assured their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser, UKHSA, said: Alongside reports of further cases being identified in other countries globally, we continue to identify additional cases in the UK. Thank you to everyone who has come forward for testing already and supported our contact tracing efforts – you are helping us limit the spread of this infection in the UK.

“Because the virus spreads through close contact, we are urging everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have any symptoms.

“A notable proportion of recent cases in the UK and Europe have been found in gay and bisexual men so we are particularly encouraging these men to be alert to the symptoms.”

UKHSA health protection teams are contacting people considered to be high-risk contacts of confirmed cases and are advising those who have been risk assessed and remain well to isolate at home for up to 21 days.

In addition, UKHSA has purchased supplies of a safe smallpox vaccine (called Imvanex) and this is being offered to identified close contacts of someone diagnosed with monkeypox to reduce the risk of symptomatic infection and severe illness.

We continue to engage with partners across the sector to ensure people are aware of the signs and symptoms and what action to take.

The vaccination of high-risk contacts of cases is underway. As of 10am on 23 May 2022, over 1,000 doses of Imvanex have been issued, or are in the process of being issued, to NHS Trusts. There remain over 3,500 doses of Imvanex in the UK.

Perfect Platinum Party Platters: Platinum Pesto Chicken!

Platinum Jubilee Pesto Coronation Chicken

The original recipe was created by renowned florist Constance Spry and Cordon Bleu chef Rosemary Hume for a royal banquet to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth II.

It’s believed Coronation Chicken may actually have been inspired by Jubilee Chicken, the dish prepared for the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935! Chicken with mayonnaise and curry has been a firm favourite ever since. 

So, we’ve adapted the original recipe to create the ultimate street party celebration dish – Platinum Pesto Chicken!

Sensationally, it’s a simple dish from the Italian Pesto Pioneers Sacla’ – visit their website www.sacla.co.uk to find more party platter inspiration and a range of delicious authentic cakes and treats; perfect for this unique and special weekend.

Platinum Jubilee Pesto Coronation Chicken

Serves 4-6

Cooking Time: 20 minutes + 20 minutes cooling

3 chicken breasts

6 slices Parma ham

Olive oil

250g cherry tomatoes

120g cucumber, sliced

400g cooked Risotto rice, cooled

120g celery, sliced

Small bunch of chives, chopped

50g mange tout

15g toasted pine nuts

Parmesan shavings

Balsamic glaze

Basil to garnish

Dressing:

130g Sacla’ Classic Basil Pesto

130g mayonnaise

130g crème fraiche

Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

Wrap each chicken breast with 2 slices of Parma ham then place on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until the ham is crispy and the chicken is cooked through. Take the chicken out of the oven and leave to cool before slicing.

While the chicken is cooling prepare the cherry tomatoes by slicing around the middles in a zig-zag pattern to make little flower shapes then use a flower shaped cutter to make cucumber flower slices.

Make the dressing in a large bowl by mixing the Pesto, mayonnaise and crème fraiche together with some freshly ground black pepper. Stir the rice through the dressing along with the celery, chives and cooled chicken. Then gently mix through the tomato and cucumber flowers and spoon onto a serving platter.

Use a smaller flower cutter to cut out little mange tout flowers and sprinkle these over the platter along with the pine nuts and parmesan shavings. Drizzle over some balsamic glaze and a few basil leaves and enjoy!

Sacla’ Classic Basil Pesto is available in retailers nationwide and  www.sacla.co.uk with an RRP of £2.80.