Charity hero Speedo Mick sets his sights on Scotland

CHARITY hero Speedo Mick will walk through Scotland in his famous underwear to hand out £250,000 to worthy charities he will meet along the way.

Mick Cullen, 56, has trekked thousands of miles, attended hundreds of football matches and raised more than £650,000 in recent years – all while dressed only in a pair of blue swimming trunks.

And starting on 31st May, the Everton fan will embark upon a new mammoth five-month trek across the UK and Ireland to hand out cash raised from his previous adventures – as well as raising even more.  

While in Scotland, he will take in Stornoway, Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as connecting towns and villages.

Mick said: “The reason I’m doing the walk is primarily to give back to the people and the communities who have supported me and the fundraisingI’ve done in the past.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has placed a huge strain on the finances of so many worthy charities, so I’ll do anything I can to help.

“Marcus Rashford’s campaigning has shone a massive light on how difficult life can be for a lot of young people in this country, whether because of a lack of food, money or opportunities.

“Homelessness and disadvantaged young people are two issues very close to my own heart as I’ve been through those struggles and I know how hard it is to come out the other side.

“In my life, I’ve been in some dark, lonely, hopeless places and for me, one the most rewarding parts of my fundraising has been to help people who are facing what I have faced.”

Superfit Mick, who has twice been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award, first hit the headlines in 2014 by swimming the English Channel in just under 16 hours – despite being a novice swimmer.

He turned up to Everton’s next home game in a pair of blue Speedos with ‘Channel Swimmer’ written on his chest, and his famous look was born.

The community hero, from Liverpool, was inspired to take up fundraising after his own battles with alcohol and drug dependency, isolation and homelessness.

In 2017 the football fan walked 700 miles from Everton’s Goodison Park ground to the French city of Lyon, raising funds for Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

And in 2019 he completed a 1,000-mile walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End and raised half a million pounds, far exceeding his initial target of £100,000.

His newest mission, the ‘Speedo Mick Giving Back Tour’ will start on May 31 and cover 2,000 miles, taking in five capital cities – London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin and Belfast.

Starting from Stornoway, in Scotland’s Western Isles, and ending in Liverpool, the route will cover a string of towns and cities and Mick will walk up to 20 miles per day across five months.

He’ll only be wearing his trademark blue undies, as well as a swimming cap, Everton scarf and a pair of boots.The main goal is to identify good causes in communities that are deserving of some of the funds he has already raised through previous missions, with a focus on underprivileged or homeless young people and mental health initiatives.

However, he also wants to raise more money to donate in future, with the footie fan just £350,000 away from hitting the £1million mark since he began in 2014.

Mick said: “The last year has been very tough for me personally, I’ve struggled with depression and at times it felt like it was never going to end.

“We’d just finished my last walking tour when the country was plunged into lockdown, and it took away my sense of purpose.

“I’m someone who always needs to be doing something and raising money for charity has been such a big part of my life, but that stopped pretty much overnight with lockdown.

“The Giving Back Tour has given me my purpose back after a really tough year and it’s helped me see light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s a privilege for me to meet people who might need a helping hand and to be able to support them means the world to me.

“We had raised a lot of money in the past and now we want to use that to the best possible effect, by seeking out good causes throughout the country and by helping them after a year in which their finances have been decimated.

“We also want to raise more money if we can as that will help us continue to work with good causes around the UK.”

Mick’s previous walk from John O’Groat’s to Land’s End took three months, from starting in December 2019 to the end in February 2020.Crowds of well-wishers lined streets wherever he went to show their support, and Mick hopes to see more of the same this time around.

And while he can’t wait to get started, there are some aspects of his gruelling mission that he isn’t looking forward to.

Mick added: “I can’t wait to just get out there and go, it’s the best feeling in the world to see people coming out to support me and if I can raise a smile just by walking down the road in my undies, then it’s all worth it.

“I’d be lying if I said there weren’t a few parts of the walk I’m dreading. I’m definitely not looking forward to the blisters, the chafing and the cold weather.

“I’m a 56-year-old man, so my knees will be cracking and shaking the whole way, and so will my hips, my ankles, my back and my neck!

“People always say that I must get used to the cold when I’m walking in my knickers, but you never get used to it – it rattles your bones every time!”

The Speedo Mick Foundation was set up in 2020 and Mick and a board of trustees work on helping good causes in the fields of homelessness and disadvantaged young people.

It aims to work with vulnerable groups to advance education, prevent or relieve poverty and support people facing issues such as ill health or financial hardship.

Applicants are welcome to seek help from the Foundation and are asked to apply through its website https://www.thespeedomickfoundation.org/.

To donate to Speedo Mick’s Giving Back Tour, visit:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/speedomick

Councillors to allocate additional £20 million funding windfall

An update to the budget framework is under way at the Council after the publication of a report outlining a range of proposals for investing approximately £20m of one-off additional revenue funding.

The report will be considered by the Council’s Finance & Resources Committee at their meeting on Thursday before being referred to Full Council on Thursday 27 May, when political groups are expected to submit motions setting out their proposals for investment.

In February, the Council set a balanced budget for 2021/22, addressing and shaped by the key priorities of the Council Business Plan – tackling poverty, promoting sustainability and enhancing residents’ wellbeing.

Following confirmation by the Scottish Government of additional funding for local authorities and, after making provision for the anticipated on-going financial impacts of the pandemic over the next two years, Council officers have now identified up to £20.15m which could be made available to address budget pressures, anticipated shortfalls in savings delivery and other member priorities in 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Rob Munn said: “We were very pleased to have been able to set a balanced budget back in February despite the ongoing challenges and pressures brought about by the Covid19 pandemic.

“It’s welcome, therefore, to now have this opportunity to invest further in this financial year and the next and I’m looking forward to a thorough and, I hope, constructive debate among elected members over the next couple of weeks on the best ways to direct this funding.

“Ultimately, we want to ensure we’re targeting the extra investment in line with our core priorities and the services most valued by the people of Edinburgh.

Finance and Resources Vice Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “I’m sure this opportunity to collectively agree priorities for investing this funding will be unanimously welcomed across the chamber.

“Committee will have its say on 20 May first of all and thereafter it’s over to the full complement of Councillors to arrive at a set of agreed spending options which support our priorities – tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and enhancing wellbeing in the city.

“I’m confident we’ll be able to approve a revised budget framework that takes Edinburgh forward positively.”

STV Children’s Appeal launches new fundraising campaign focused on supporting mental health

The STV Children’s Appeal has launched a new fundraising campaign focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people, following research that suggests the Covid-19 pandemic will have a damaging long-term impact on young minds. 
 
Glasgow-born Hollywood icon James McAvoy has joined other top Scottish talent – TV presenter Gail Porter, Booker Prize-winning author Douglas Stuart, comedian Janey GodleyLove Island star Laura Anderson and singer-songwriter Joesef – in recording video messages of support for the campaign. 
 
A lockdown survey* highlighted that 67% of young people believe the pandemic will be harmful to their mental health in the long-term. 
 
In response, the STV Children’s Appeal – which was first launched in 2011 – will today begin airing a new TV campaign voiced by long-time trustee Lorraine Kelly, which asks viewers to consider the impact of a year of lockdowns on youth mental health, and donate to support the recovery phase. 
 
The campaign highlights the particularly detrimental impact of the pandemic on the one in four children currently living in poverty in Scotland. Most lifelong mental illness begins in childhood and those living in deprivation are three times more likely to experience it, according to the British Medical Association
 
100% of the money raised will be quickly distributed by the STV Children’s Appeal to fund vital counselling sessions and peer support groups in communities right across Scotland. It will also support local projects which give children access to sports, art, music and other means of essential peer-to-peer connection, of which they might otherwise be deprived. 

Lorraine Kelly, STV Children’s Appeal Trustee, said: “It’s so important we help to raise funds and awareness of our children’s mental health. They’ve been through such a lot and we need to make sure they are looked after with kindness and compassion.  
 
“I’m always so inspired by the response of the Scottish public who are incredibly generous and I’m sure we will be able to make life so much better for all the children who need that extra support.” 
 
Jacqueline Cassidy, Director (Scotland) at children’s mental health charity and STV Children’s Appeal partner organisation Place2Be, said: For some young people, this pandemic has been a nightmare. We are seeing increased levels of anxiety and emotional worry within the schools and wider communities in which we work.

“Our evidence shows when young people get the right support at the right time, their school performance improves and so do their life chances. And that stays with them as they grow.  
 
“Thanks to the STV Children’s Appeal, we have been able to provide specialist support for parents and carers in Glasgow, as well as training for youth workers across Scotland to build their skills and confidence in responding to the mental health needs of children and young people.

“We are hugely grateful for STV’s support which means we can reach many more young people across Scotland before it’s too late.” 
 
To donate £10 to the STV Children’s Appeal, text TEN to 70607 (standard network rates apply).

Community Council to meet local police to discuss antisocial behaviour in Drylaw

Drylaw Telford Community Council is to meet local police tomorrow following a spike in antisocial incidents across the area.

Recent weeks have seen two serious street attacks in Wester Drylaw along with a number of other incidents of vandalism including refuse bins being set on fire.

The community council was alerted to one incident by an Easter Drylaw woman last month: “My neighbours house (unoccupied) was set fire to last night by kids setting fire to wheeliebins.

“I had 4 small children in my house petrified and screaming as we couldn’t get out our front floor for flames. It is same group of kids constantly causing trouble in street cutting through street to skate park.

“I have had my windows smashed, fire posted through letter box and glass bottles thrown at my dogs. Its getting our of hand last night luckily someone seen the fire taking real hold last night or a dread to think what the outcome would have been today. It is now putting peoples lives in danger. What has happened to this area?”

The community council has now been able to arrange a virtual meeting with local police officers to discuss community concerns. The meeting will take place via Microsoft Teams tomorrow evening at 7pm.

If you would like to submit question to local police or you are interested in attending the meeting, please contacr vickynicolsondtcc@hotmail.com or visit Drylaw Telford Community Council’s Facebook page.

No need to RiRi-apply!

Fenty Beauty tops charts in Which? lipstick tests

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has beaten rivals including the iconic Chanel Rouge Coco as Which? tests reveal the red lipstick with the greatest staying power.

Red lipstick may be a staple item in every make-up bag, but finding one that can survive a busy day, especially now face masks are a part of everyday life, can be a challenge.

Which? tested 10 matte and satin lipsticks, from brands including Chanel, Maybelline and Tom Ford, to find the lipstick that held up best when faced with the rigours of modern life.

Three Which? researchers, aged between 24 and 56, tested each lipstick in different scenarios: while wearing a face mask and reading out loud, eating three different types of food, and kissing the back of their hand.

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint was the top choice for all three Which? experts and was awarded a Which? Editor’s Choice. It maintained its colour through all tests and was the only lipstick that did not require a touch-up or additional application.

Described by Fenty Beauty as a “weightless, long-wear liquid lipstick with a soft matte finish”, the Stunna Lip Paint triumphed when tested with face masks, which involved the researchers wearing a white face mask, with the lipstick on, and reading aloud a 900-word article. The Fenty Beauty Lip Paint left only a faint stain on the masks.

The £20 Lip Paint also performed well and retained its colour during the food test, which involved taking two bites of a muffin and an apple while wearing the lipstick, as well as tackling 40g of plain buttered spaghetti. Which?’s researchers noted that the matte formula “wasn’t drying like some of the other matte lipsticks”.

While Fenty Beauty claimed the top spot as the best lipstick for staying power, L’Oreal’s affordable Matte Liquid Lipstick was the second favourite for two Which? researchers and joint-top for another.

As a worthy contender, it was also awarded a Which? Editor’s Choice. At just £10.99, the lipstick retained its colour well throughout all tests, with the testers also commenting that it was hard to remove after the tests were completed.

Chanel’s Rouge Coco in the Carmen shade, which at £33 was the second most expensive lipstick tested, performed disappointingly in Which? tests and finished at the bottom for two of the three Which? experts.

The Chanel lipstick failed to maintain its colour during the tests, struggling particularly with the eating and kissing tests. For the latter, which involved researchers placing their lips on the back of their hand, the Rouge Coco left large red stains on their hands and testers noted colour loss on their lips.

Other lipsticks that failed to impress Which? testers included NARS Lipstick, which had the most loss of colour and bleeding during the food tests, and Maybelline Color Sensational Made for All Lipstick, with one researcher noting bleeding and smudging throughout testing.

While the Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick was also a contender with impressive staying power, other lipsticks such as Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, Mac Matte Lipstick and Tom Ford Lip Colour earned mixed reviews.

Matthew Knight, Which? Product Testing Expert, said: ““No make-up bag is complete without a staple red lipstick, and for a long-lasting product that won’t fade after wearing a face mask and a bite to eat, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty beat contenders from some iconic brands in Which?’s tests.

“For a more affordable lipstick that retains its crimson colour during a typical day, consider L’Oreal’s Paris Rouge. Our tests revealed that if you’re looking for a long-lasting lippy, it’s worth opting for a liquid, matte finish lipstick over traditional bullet-style products.”

So now you know! – Ed.

My Beach Your Beach campaign returns to Portobello

Environmental charity joins local communities to urge everyone to take better care of the sand and sea

This week, members of Keep Porty Tidy, who are committed to improving Portobello beach, carried out a litter survey to kick off this summer’s My Beach, Your Beach campaign from environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Over 110 items of litter were recorded on 100m of the beach and prom at Portobello, capturing a snapshot of the local beach litter problem prior to the official bathing season start date of 1 June.  

Litter is a key indicator for the My Beach, Your Beach campaign, which encourages beach users to take better care of the sand and sea, supporting efforts to improve bathing water quality, and in turn benefitting the local environment, community, and businesses.

The successful campaign, now in its fourth year, aims to raise awareness of the actions people can take to protect the beach and bathing water – including binning litter or taking it home, ensuring dog poo is picked up and removed, and not feeding the gulls.

Last summer 90% of people visiting Portobello beach said they’d be willing to pick up litter when visiting the beach in order to leave it cleaner than they found it

This year, during the Year of Coasts and Waters, the campaign focuses on seven of Scotland’s well-loved beaches that have faced challenges with bathing water quality, as measured by SEPA.

These are:

  • South Beach, Ayr
  • Troon
  • Portobello Beach, Edinburgh
  • Fisherrow Sands, Musselburgh, East Lothian
  • Kinghorn Harbour Beach, Fife
  • Irvine
  • Saltcoats/Ardrossan (new in 2021)

By encouraging better care of the sand and sea, My Beach Your Beach contributes to and supports ongoing works to improve bathing water quality at these sites.

Although last year’s campaign focused mainly on local beach users, this year the campaign will reach out to visitors as well, as lockdown restrictions ease. 

In addition to old campaign favourites like the doggy ambassador competition and #LuckyToLiveHere image gallery, this year’s activities will include litter surveys for people to get involved with, business support packs, a Young Reporters for the Environment competition and educational resources that celebrate the beach.

Georgina Massouraki, Campaigns Officer with Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “Natural spaces like beaches are now more precious than ever, as so many of us have discovered over a year of lockdowns.

“We are encouraging and supporting people to take a more active role in protecting these shared spaces and asking them to consider leaving the beach cleaner, rather than dirtier, than they found it.

“Plan ahead to leave no trace, simply taking an extra bag for your waste can help, and if everyone also picked up a few pieces of litter along the way it would make a massive difference.”

Greta Elliott, Volunteer Manager at Keep Porty Tidy said, “We have benefitted from being part of the campaign since it began four years ago, seeing levels of litter drop between the first two years of campaign activity.

“The beach was very much a local haven during lockdown for many of the community, and we work hard to care for it and keep it nice for everyone.  But there is still a lot of room for improvement, and together with local businesses, the council and the community we are looking forward to welcoming back visitors and supporting them to do the right thing and enjoy, but also respect us and our beach.

Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said: “We’re proud of Edinburgh’s beautiful beaches and so we’re supporting this campaign to spread the word – please don’t pollute the sand and sea and help us to keep Porty beach clean.

“Our cleansing teams have worked hard throughout the pandemic to keep Porty and the rest of Edinburgh clean and tidy and we’ve been providing information to make sure people who are #LuckyToLiveHere or visit the beach have a positive experience.

“We’re preparing for a busy summer and would ask everyone visiting the beach to respect our local communities and environment by using the bins provided or by taking your litter home with you.”

The campaign, funded by the Scottish Government and supported by SEPA is being led by Keep Scotland Beautiful to sit alongside its Upstream Battle and Clean Up Scotland campaigns and annual Beach Awards.

Ruth Stidson, Senior Scientist at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said, “Scotland is proud of its stunning coastlines and beautiful beaches. SEPA monitors the water quality across Scotland’s 85 designated bathing waters and supports the MBYB campaign in encouraging people visiting beaches to protect the beach and bathing water.

“Waste from animals or litter isn’t just unsightly but can have a negative impact on the water quality so we encourage the public to follow the advice to take litter home, to clean up after their dogs and to avoid feeding the gulls, ensuring a good beach experience for everyone who visits.”

Find out more about how you can get involved and contribute to the campaign on your local beach at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/mybeachyourbeach  

MSPs to elect First Minister today

Holyrood’s MSPs are set to elect a First Minister for the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament today (Tuesday 18 May 2021). Under the Scotland Act 1998, a new First Minister must be elected within the first 28 days of the election, or another Scottish Election must be held.

The election process will take place at 2pm, with the new Presiding Officer announcing, in alphabetical order, the names of the nominations received.

Each nominee will then speak for five minutes in support of their candidacy before the voting process begins via the Parliament’s digital voting system. 

After a candidate is selected, each party leader will be invited to speak for five minutes each, taken in party size (largest party first) with the successful candidate being called to speak last.

The approximate timings are as follows: 

9.30 am: nomination period opens

1.30 pm: nomination period closes 

2.00 pm: Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone MSP, presides over the election of a First Minister. 

While Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie has thrown his hat into the ring, it would be a shock of cataclysmic proportions should anyone other than the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon be announced as the victor! The SNP won 64 of the 129 seats in the parliament at the election on 6 May.

Two-thirds of Scots worried they will catch COVID at work

Two-thirds of Scottish employees (66 per cent) are worried about contracting Coronavirus when they return to their place of work, a new survey has found. 

The findings follow a UK-wide survey, carried out by JD Cooling Group, the UK’s leading independent supplier of environmental control systems with offices in Kelty, which revealed that despite the extensive vaccine roll out, many people across Scotland and the rest of the UK remain cautious about the prospect of a return to the office.

Lack of space and ventilation

Almost half (47 per cent) of all respondents cited the possibility of catching Coronavirus through airborne transmission indoors as their biggest concern, followed by 40 per cent who said poor air quality is a worry for them about returning to their workplace.

Two in five said they are concerned their co-workers might not be vigilant enough with handwashing, while 37 per cent of people admitted to being concerned about others not wearing masks. Lack of space is also an issue, with 35 per cent concerned about meetings in smaller rooms with limited ventilation, and a third (33 per cent) concerned about social distancing not being possible.

Providing reassurance

Despite these worries, there are a number of solutions that would help reassure employees about returning to work, with three in five (62 per cent) saying they would like a ventilation system installed to improve air quality, circulation and flow.

Social distancing measures being in place and enforced would reassure two in five (42 per cent), while a third (33 per cent) would be reassured by regular cleaning of surfaces. Two in five (39 per cent) would be reassured if the majority of the company had been given a coronavirus vaccine – slightly higher than the 32 per cent who would be reassured if they had been given the coronavirus vaccine themselves.

Changes to the workplace would also help to provide reassurance, as three in ten (31 per cent) support changes to allow them to have their own office or workspace, 26 per cent supporting Perspex screens being added to their workspace, and a fifth (18 per cent) feeling reassured if gloves and PPE was provided.

Mike Gould, HVAC Manager at JD Cooling Group said: “This data clearly shows that while there are measures in place, such as face masks and social distancing, people remain concerned when it comes to the next stage of restrictions lifting, and it won’t be enough to simply open doors and windows to encourage better air flow.

“Even with the vaccine roll out, proper ventilation is coming out as the top way to help employees feel comfortable about returning to the office.

“Good ventilation can rid a workplace of contaminated and stale air. As people are still clearly concerned about catching the virus at work, it’s important that employers do what they can in order to protect, reassure and ultimately keep their workforce safe.”

The study also found a significant minority (42 per cent) said that they would be likely to consider looking for another job if their employer did not put in adequate measures to minimise the spread of Coronavirus before they returned to their normal workplace. This highlights the importance of employers taking steps to protect their workforce.

Beyond this, the pandemic will undoubtedly have far-reaching long-term impacts on workers’ attitudes, as a third (35 per cent) say that they will be more concerned about catching common colds and flu viruses at work than they were before the pandemic, even after the vaccination programme has been fully rolled out.

For more information, tips and advice on good ventilation go to www.jdcooling.com/covid-safe

Parking Lot Social brings carloads of comedy to Edinburgh

The Parking Lot Social has announced the line-up for its hugely popular “Parking LOL” sessions. Scottish comedy heroes Des McLean, Susie McCabe, Christopher MacArthur-Boyd and Ray Bradshaw will all be taking to the stage to entertain crowds at Dalkeith Country Park on Sunday 23 May.

The Parking Lot Social has been delighting audiences across the UK for the last two months with an unrivalled line-up of drive-in entertainment, adding additional dates in many cities due to demand. With comedy clubs across Scotland still closed due to COVID, Parking LOL is on hand to provide those longing for laughs with a hilarious night out. 

Here’s what to expect from Parking LOL in Edinburgh:

Des McLean – Des McLean is an award-winning stand-up comedian, presenter and actor.

Based in Glasgow, Des has toured extensively across the UK, America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. A regular on TV, Billy Connolly has cited Des as his favourite Comedian!

Susie McCabe – Susie took her first steps into comedy as part of a drunken dare. Most people have to do a shot or strip. Well, Susie was drunk with her clothes on and building a career out of it. After a successful career working in the construction industry Susie has cemented herself as one of rising stars of UK stand up.

Christopher MacArthur-Boyd – Born and bred in Glasgow, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd is a rising star of Scottish stand-up. Fast becoming a Fringe festival favourite, Christopher’s debut hour Home Sweet Home was officially the best reviewed of any Scottish stand-up at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Ray Bradshaw –  One of the brightest and most exciting acts on the UK Comedy circuit, Ray has performed sell out solo festival shows in Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Christopher MacArthur-Boyd (above) said, “I’m really looking forward to doing stand-up again. I think it’s brilliant that Parking Lot Social are booking Scottish comedians instead of shipping in acts from elsewhere.

“Some of my pals have worked with them before and they said it was class, so I’m really looking forward to it. COVID struck a real blow to live comedy, so it’s great to be out doing events like this in front of a live audience again.”

Josh Kinnersley, Chief Operating Officer at XL Event Lab, added: “Parking LOL is always a popular session for us, and it’s been great to work with such incredible comedians up and down the UK, giving people access to live comedy while the clubs are sadly still shut.

“Scotland has a fantastic scene and we’ve got four of the country’s best loved performers on this bill for this event, so laughs are guaranteed!”

As well as Parking LOL, drive-in tickets are also on sale for a host of other live entertainment. Legendary party night The Big Weekender takes place on May 21, live spring panto The Wizard of Oz is May 22 and there’s two chances to catch the interactive family fun of Social Kids, taking place on both May 22 and 23. Classic films will play over the three days too.

Audiences will be entertained in their cars from a vast custom made stage. Shows are broadcast across two 60ft screens and audio is transmitted from the stage directly to each vehicle through a dedicated FM radio channel. Food comes from street food masters The Big Feed with orders made online and delivered straight to each car.

For tickets, live updates and information visit The Parking Lot Social website at https://theparkinglotsocial.co.uk/tour/edinburgh/