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Category: North Edinburgh News
Cut down on sugar in your drinks
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Cut down on sugar in your drinks
TODAY 14th November is World Diabetes Day. Consuming too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight-gain as well as increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Over a quarter of the added sugar in our diets is believed to come from the drinks we consume. The focus of this week’s tip is on reducing the amount of sugar in your drinks.
Choose sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks
When you feel thirsty, water is always the best option. Try swapping your sugary soft drink for a glass of water or a sugar-free or reduced-sugar drink. If you are not keen on the taste of water, you could try adding a slice of lemon and/or some mint leaves.
Save sugary drinks for an occasional treat
If you don’t want to stop drinking your favourite sugary drink permanently, try limiting the amount you drink by consuming it less frequently and in smaller quantities. Unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies also contain sugar, so try to limit your intake to no more than 150ml a day.
Avoid adding sugar, syrups and honey to hot drinks
If you usually add sugar, syrups or honey to hot drinks, why not gradually reduce the amount you add, until you can cut it out altogether. Alternatively, you could use an artificial sweetener, however this will not help you to adjust your taste preference for sweet drinks.
Cut down on sugar from alcoholic drinks
Alcoholic drinks can be high in sugar. A pint of cider contains around five teaspoons of sugar. Try to reduce your sugar intake by consuming alcoholic drinks less frequently, in smaller measures and by combining alcoholic drinks with sugar-free or reduced-sugar mixers, such as sugar-free tonic water.
A recent report from Action on Sugar identified very high levels of sugar in ready to drink alcoholic beverages, such as cans of ready mixed cocktails (http://www.actiononsugar.org/media/actiononsugar/Alcohol-Survey-Report.pdf).
For more healthy tips, recipes and advice, please visit heartresearch.org.uk.
Local salon up for Salon Awards
MARKDAVID salon based in Stockbridge, has received the news it has finalised for the Salon Awards in two categories – Best Customer Experience and for the Best New or Refurbished Salon category.
With the salon being open for only just one year, this is an incredible achievement, being the third awards the salon has finalised for since opening and during such a turbulent year.
The Salon Awards are the only virtual hair and beauty industry awards where hair and beauty can compete at a local level in their fields of expertise.
Focused on improving standards, elevating business, rewarding individuals, and showcasing the professionalism of their industry locally, and with an impressive audience and reputation with its industry peers, the Salon Awards are a fantastic platform for hair and beauty professionals with a devotion to showcasing talent and giving those the opportunity to be recognised by their industry.
To enter the awards, the MARKDAVID salon had to provide written entries showcasing passion and personality and outlining why they should win the chosen category. Questions had to be answered fully and be supported with evidence, picture and videos in the format specified.
Out of 1000’s of entries collated and judged, MARKDAVID was chosen as the finalist for two categories. The winners of each category will be announced at a virtual ceremony on Saturday 12th December through the Salon Awards portal and will include a live DJ set and a showcase of sponsors and partners.
Mark McCarthy, Owner of MARKDAVID, commented: “I am absolutely delighted our salon has been announced as the finalist for two categories in the Salon Awards. The salons design and interior means a great deal to me and is something I took a lot of time and effort to decide on to create something I knew my clients would love.
“Our customer service is something we pride ourselves on too and we are constantly trying to think of new ideas to offer our clients something new and different from other salons and thinking of ways we can go the extra mile and exceed their expectations.
“To win either or both of the awards in December would be amazing and would end the year on such a high!”
Upskilling and reskilling opportunities for employees
More employers across Scotland can now apply for funding to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for their existing staff.
The Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) helps businesses continue to invest in their workforce and is available for all of Scotland’s employers who are subject to the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy. For the first time, the fund will now be available for both levy payers and SMEs, across the private, public and third sectors.
In August the Scottish Government announced immediate investment in jobs to provide the foundations for a strong economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19). As part of this, the FWDF, which is now in its fourth year, was doubled to £20m for 2020/21, with £13 million made available through the first phase to allow colleges to provide additional support for levy paying employers.
The second phase of the fund, backed by £7 million, will also be utilised to respond directly to the impacts of the pandemic, and will open to applications 16 November 2020.
Of this, £5 million will be available to support SMEs through a college and Open University in Scotland partnership, while Skills Development Scotland will offer a new option which will test the use of private training providers for levy paying businesses who require specialist training.
Business, Fair Work and Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Opportunities for training are essential for both employers and employees, and in August we doubled funding for our Flexible Workforce Development Fund to £20 million for 2020/21 to ensure businesses across Scotland can continue to invest in their workforce.
“As this fund adapts and responds to the impacts of the pandemic, we will also see the introduction of additional delivery partners including the Open University in Scotland and private training providers for employers who require more specialist training.
“By strengthening upskilling the existing workforce, in partnership with colleges, we can retain jobs and support employers as they pivot and adapt to a new and very different working environment as a result of the pandemic.”
Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair, said: “This new funding could help many Scottish smaller businesses, and their staff teams, navigate the current crisis and ensure they’re prepared to take advantage of the recovery when it comes.
“FSB has been making the case to open up this cash pot to local firms, and we’d encourage all sorts of smaller operators to investigate how to access this support to build their business and develop their employees.”
Susan Stewart, Director of The Open University in Scotland, said: “The Open University in Scotland has led in the development of new skills for those facing redundancy, furlough or sectoral job pressures as a result of COVID-19.
“We welcome this funding which allows us to deliver support at scale to small and medium sized businesses across Scotland providing vital training as they adapt to new ways of working post pandemic.
“We will help businesses with a tailored, flexible package of online training to boost productivity and upskill and retrain employees particularly in those areas where skills gaps exist across Scotland like business management, digital, health and social care and the green economy.”
Find out more about the FWDF through The Open University, Scottish Funding Council, Our Skillforce.
More information on Phase 2 of the FWDF will also be available here shortly.
SNP retain council seat in by-election
The SNP’s Ethan Young has won the vacant council seat in the Craigentinny Duddingston ward.
The by-election was brought about by the resignation of SNP councillor Ian Campbell, who resigned for health reasons back in February.
The SNP candidate was well ahead in First Preference votes and was elected at Stage Six:
ETHAN YOUNG (SNP) … 2920
Eleanor Price (Scottish Conservatives ) … 1420
Margaret Graham (Scottish Labour) … 1205
Ben Parker (Scottish Greens) … 1185
Elaine Ford (Scottish Lib Dems) … 631
Andrew McDonald (Independent) … 93
Tam Laird (Scottish Libertarian Party) … 42
The result makes no difference to the running of the city, where the SNP remains in charge with the support of Labour in the ‘Capital Coalition’.
Despite efforts to encourage people to vote, the turnout was just 31.6% – fewer than one in three voters cast their ballot.
Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Andrew Kerr, said: I’d like to thank all those who took part in the by-election, despite the challenging circumstances we face. It’s been a difficult year but local democracy is still extremely important, so I’m pleased to welcome Ethan Young, who will help represent the community as we work to emerge from the crisis, and on a range of other issues affecting the ward and city.
“I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and planning that has gone into staging this election. I’ve heard from many constituents who have praised the safe, physically distanced voting process, which is with thanks to our Elections Team, who have spent months preparing for the event.
Find further details of the results on the Council website.
Police: Be aware of phone scams
Be aware of phone scams
A fraudster may call pretending to be from the victim’s bank advising of suspicious activity and thereafter induces the victim to hang up the telephone and call the number on the back of their bank card.
In these cases the fraudster stays on the line pretending to be a representative of the bank, then instructs the victim to transfer money into a ‘safe account’.
Fraudsters are cunning, creative and often very convincing.
Your bank will never ask you to transfer money into another account. If you receive a phone call, apparently from your bank, under the above circumstances, call into your local branch or phone your bank using a different telephone.
Check our website for some information, tips and advice – http://ow.ly/LFug50CjF8M
Briton leads ‘the largest and most technically advanced conservation project in history’
Work is poised to commence on the largest and most technically advanced and ambitious conservation project in history, set to cost an estimated £ 5 billion.
The brainchild of British entrepreneur Richard Prinsloo Curson, the state-of-the-art animal and ecological conservation park will aim to preserve every species on the planet. In planning for over four years, the park will cover 100 square kilometres of land in South Africa.
A film crew and photographic team has followed every aspect of their journey from seeking approval from the King of the Zulus, to the development of the ambitious plans, meeting the animals, the obstacles, trials and tribulations the team have faced throughout.
The 12 part television series Noah’s Ark will be broadcast in the UK and distributed to broadcasters globally, in January 2021 with a second series in the planning.
Richard Prinsloo Curson said: “The animal kingdom is at crisis point. Climate change, over development, farming, ocean plastic, big game hunting and poaching are driving thousands of species off the face of the planet.
“We owe it to future generations to preserve the natural world or our children will be left fighting the horrific consequences of climate change to survive”.
WWF (World Wildlife Fund) reported in 2018, that humans have already wiped out 60% of Earth’s animals since 1970. If humanity continues with over development, poaching and hunting, polluting the oceans and affecting climate change, the natural world will be gone completely in 20 years.
The new estimate of the massacre of wildlife is made in a major report by the WWF involving 59 scientists from across the globe www.wwf.org.uk/updates/living-planet-report-2018 .
It reported that the vast and growing consumption of food and resources by the global population is destroying the web of life, billions of years in the making, upon which human society ultimately depends for clean air, water and everything else.
“We are sleepwalking towards the edge of a cliff”, said Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at WWF. “If there was a 60% decline in the human population, that would be equivalent to emptying North America, South America, Africa, Europe, China and Oceania.
“That is the scale of what we have done. This is far more than just about losing the wonders of nature, desperately sad though that is,” he said. “This is actually now jeopardising the future of people. Nature is not a ‘nice to have’ – it is our life-support system”.
To help fund the project, Prinsloo Curson and the team behind Noah’s Ark are putting out a worldwide call for donations from £1 to billions of pounds inviting donations from the world’s individuals, businesses, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
Noahs Ark Go Fund Me page, the largest in history https://bit.ly/32utUDH
Watch : Globetrotter Television SKY TV, channel 192, weekly from the 11th January 2021, 12:00 GMT https://bit.ly/2JV5g8Q
Online grooming rises during pandemic
- More than 250 offences of communicating indecently with a child in Scotland in four months after lockdown began
- UK Prime Minister told bring forward tough Online Harms legislation that combats crime and brings in meaningful sanctions for rogue tech firms
Online grooming crimes in Scotland were more than 30% higher while children were not at school during the Coronavirus pandemic compared with the same months last year, the NSPCC can reveal.
The new data shows Police Scotland recorded 268 offences of communicating indecently with a child from April 1 to July 31 this year compared to 203 crimes in the same period last year, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.
Yesterday, Police Scotland revealed that it had seen an 18% rise in all online child sexual abuse crimes between April and September this year compared to the same period last year.*
The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.
Offences have also increased annually in the three years prior to lockdown. In total, there were 1,661 offences recorded by Police Scotland from April 2017 to March 2020, with experts saying poorly designed social media sites are putting children at risk.
The NSPCC warned the pandemic had created a perfect storm for online offenders and believes these figures could mark the start of a surge in online grooming crimes.
With ongoing Coronavirus restrictions across the UK and children spending more time at home and online, the charity believes that the risk of online abuse will continue to spike, and many more offences may come to light when children report them at school.
One girl who contacted Childline during the pandemic said: “I am 12 and I don’t have social media but I wanted to get online and chat to people since my friends had done it and told me it would be fun. It started off fine with the occasional ‘hi’ and then men started sending d*** pics and saying really personal things.”
The new data comes as the UK Prime Minister makes vital decisions about online harms legislation that will create a Duty of Care on tech firms, with an announcement expected within weeks.
It’s understood the Online Harms White Paper consultation response has been signed off by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Home Office and is sitting with Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister is being urged to ensure companies and named managers can be held criminally responsible for failing to protect children from avoidable harm and abuse.
The need for a bold and ambitious response from Government has been heightened by the knock-on effects of the pandemic.
Criminals are exploiting the fact that children are spending more time online and high-risk video chatting and livestreaming services have become more popular.
After years of failed self-regulation, many platforms were easily exploitable for groomers during lockdown, with many seeing the crisis as an opportunity to commit abuse.
The NSPCC wants the upcoming Online Harms Bill to compel firms to consider child protections when they design their sites to prevent harm rather than react once the damage is done.
But it is warning tough deterrents will be needed to make some of the world’s biggest companies stand up and listen, and is concerned the UK Government may not go far enough.
NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless said: “Families have long paid the price for big tech’s failure to protect children from abuse, but the Prime Minister has the chance to turn the tide and put responsibility on firms to clean up the mess they created.
“As the pandemic intensifies the threat children face online, bold and ambitious action is needed in the form of a world-leading Online Harms Bill.
“This means legislation that is tough on online crimes against children and regulation that holds tech companies and bosses financially and criminally responsible if they continue to turn a blind eye to entirely avoidable harm.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Samantha McCluskey, head of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said: “The digital world opens up massive opportunities for us all.
“As a society it has become integral to our daily lives, particularly for children and young people, whose key means of communication during this pandemic has been online. It is important that we take every opportunity to ensure young people stay safe and are protected.
“Online predators will infiltrate those platforms and apps most used by children. Tech companies and service providers have a key role, and a responsibility, in ensuring young people can access their services safely and that predators are identified and dealt with before they can groom or abuse children in the virtual or real world. Working together we can make the online world safe for all children.”
Last month the NSPCC laid out six tests the UK Government’s regulation of social media will be judged on if it is to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.
The charity said in order to make the UK a world-leader in child protection online, regulation must:
- Create an expansive, principles-based duty of care
- Comprehensively tackle online sexual abuse
- Put legal but harmful content on an equal footing with illegal material
- Have robust transparency and investigatory powers
- Hold industry to account with criminal and financial sanctions
- Give civil society a legal voice for children with user advocacy arrangements.
Instagram was the most used platform in child grooming crimes during lockdown, research by the NSPCC suggests.
New data shows there were more than 1,200 online grooming crimes recorded against children in the three months from April to June, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.
The figures reveal how Instagram is increasingly being exploited by offenders. It was used in 37% of cases where the platform was recorded, compared with 29% over the previous three years.
The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.
Freedom of Information responses from 38 police forces in England and Wales show that 1,220 offences of Sexual Communication with a Child were recorded in the first three months of lockdown.
Facebook-owned apps (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) were used in 51% of instances where the means of communication was recorded. Snapchat was used in 20% of instances for which data was available.
Scottish Government emergency funds for Edinburgh youth arts
Emergency funds from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland are enabling youth arts and music organisations to roll out new activities and initiatives for young people in the Edinburgh area.
Drake Music, Tinderbox Collective and Starcatchers* are among 18 youth music and wider youth arts organisations receiving a share of £1,053,000 to deliver a range of local and national projects, all of which target priority groups of children and young people and provide important work for freelance artists.
Thursa Sanderson, Chief Executive, Drake Music Scotland said: “This funding will enable us to forge ahead with Sound Explorers, a new programme of online activity. It responds positively to the changed learning landscape for young people with additional support needs – offering an interactive and fun way to make music.
“It will directly tackle the lack of access to music making for young people with disabilities and additional support needs caused by the Covid pandemic removing the barriers for those isolating at home and those in the classroom.”
Jack Nissan, Director, Tinderbox Collective said: “The Youth Arts Targeted fund is an invaluable support that will enable us to provide a range of music projects, youth clubs and creative opportunities to hundreds of children and young people at this time, both on-line and in person, as we adapt to the changing circumstances of the pandemic.
“It is so important that all young people have access to positive, social and creative activities like this, and that we do whatever we can to keep these going at this time.”
Rhona Matheson, Chief Executive, Starcatchers said: “On behalf of Starcatchers, Imaginate and Lyra I am delighted that we have secured the Youth Arts funding to deliver the Where We Are project together.
“As well as providing children and young people with the opportunity to engage with, and participate in creative activities in their own communities, it will also provide more than 15 jobs for artists and freelance practitioners over the next year.
“Given the challenges we are all facing as a result of the Covid pandemic, this is an exciting opportunity to initiate a new project that fosters collaboration, creativity and connection.”
Opportunities for young people are also being provided on a nationwide basis through other Fund recipients including Engage, Film Access Scotland, National Piping Centre, National Youth Choir, Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Brass Band Association, Scottish Music Centre, Scottish Youth Theatre and Youth Theatre Arts.
Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: “Youth music and youth arts organisations across Scotland are playing an important role in the lives of young people during these difficult times.
“This funding will support these organisations to expand their work and provide creative opportunities to young people as well as work and income for the artists and practitioners working with them through these projects.”
These awards are the first to be announced from the Scottish Government’s £3million funding package for Youth Arts. Further announcements will follow regarding recipients of at least £1.2million through the Access to Youth Arts Fund, the £700,000 Small Grants Scheme and £50,000 assigned to the Time to Shine Nurturing Talent Fund.
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “All the emergency funds currently being delivered by Creative Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government are vital in addressing the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m particularly pleased that we are able to announce today the first recipients of this Youth Arts funding which will reach some of the children and young people most adversely affected by the pandemic and provide important work for freelance artists whose opportunities have been so severely impacted by Covid-19.”
The full list of Fund recipients:
| Organisation (Trading name) | Local Authority Area | Funding Amount |
| Drake Music Scotland | Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland | £61,880 |
| Engage | National | £40,744 |
| Fèisean nan Gàidheal | Highland, National | £30,000 |
| Fèis Rois | Highland | £64,820 |
| Film Access Scotland | National | £40,744 |
| National Piping Centre | National | £37,477 |
| National Youth Choir of Scotland | Aberdeen, Glasgow, National | £64,820 |
| National Youth Orchestra of Scotland | Glasgow, Stirling | £30,000 |
| Scottish Book Trust | National | £64,820 |
| Scottish Brass Band Association | National | £50,680 |
| Scottish Music Centre | National | £64,820 |
| Scottish Youth Theatre | National | £64,079 |
| Sistema Scotland | Dundee, Aberdeen | £50,805 |
| Starcatchers* | Edinburgh, Fife | £193,605 |
| Tinderbox Collective | Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross | £64,820 |
| Toonspeak Young Peoples Theatre | Glasgow | £44,448 |
| YDance | North Lanarkshire | £35,892 |
| Youth Theatre Arts Scotland | National | £48,939 |
| Total: £1,053,393.00 |
*Starcatchers led consortium working in partnership with Imaginate and Lyra.
Updates on all emergency funds are being published regularly on this website and publicised through media and social media communications.
Photograph: Anne Binckebanck, courtesy of Drake Music
Colleges recommend further action to deal with impact of Coronavirus
A collaboration between colleges in east central Scotland has published their proposals on how best to deliver skills and opportunities in Scotland to support the economic recovery.
The East Central Scotland Colleges Collaboration, consisting of Edinburgh College, Fife College, Forth Valley College and West Lothian College, worked to produce a comprehensive skills programme designed to help meet the future needs of the Scottish economy.
Titled the ‘Our Futures Programme’, their report recommends eight distinct reskilling and upskilling products that colleges provide much needed support to individuals and employers who are set to be hit by the economic downturn caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
They include suggestions such as the creation of Skills Boost Academies in key areas such as digital and industry, and the development of Accelerator Programmes, which would see colleges across Scotland able to introduce accelerated versions of existing qualifications that are already on offer, such as engineering, computing and care. These innovative programmes will place the College sector at the forefront of the country’s agenda for economic recovery.
The other educational products that are recommended in the report include:
- Kick Start+
- Pre Apprentice Pathways
- Short Accredited Programmes
- Cooperative Apprenticeships
- Adopt an Intern+ (AAI EmployAbility)
- Winter Leaver Guarantee
Each skills product was developed by the four colleges alongside Skills Development Scotland (SDS) having analysed labour market information, unemployment rates, levels of furlough, growth sectors and the local knowledge each of the colleges have of their region.
It comes after the Scottish Government formally launched the Young Person’s Guarantee last week, which is designed to help those whose job prospects are set to be hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Each of the proposals closely align with the skills-related commitments set out in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government and target areas that are seen as an economic priority for Scotland.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford FRSE MBE said: “We know that coronavirus is having a significant impact on people’s livelihoods and businesses across the world in a way that we couldn’t have fully anticipated at the start of the year.
“The impact of the virus is unprecedented, and across Scotland the number of unemployed people is expected to rise due to the economic impact we are already experiencing – which is set to continue as we navigate our way through these uncertain times.
“Together, with the other three colleges, Edinburgh College is determined and committed to delivering a range of support and opportunities for people of all ages across our region to retrain and upskill – focusing on meeting the skills needs of businesses and industries that have been hardest hit by the virus.
“By working together, and in collaboration with government and industry partners, we believe the products set out in the ‘Our Futures Programme’ will make an important contribution to enabling people and businesses across East Central Scotland to thrive.”
Principal of Fife College Dr Hugh Hall said: “Colleges across Scotland know that we have a vital role to play in helping individuals and businesses deal with the economic impact caused by the Coronavirus.
“That’s why our four colleges came together in this collaboration – to help develop a strategy for how we can best help deliver the fast-track and relevant training we need in Scotland over the short to medium term.
“Each of the recommendations in the report have been formulated after thorough analysis of the jobs market, and could make a huge difference to those looking to upskill and reskill, and to the businesses who will be looking for skilled workers in the coming months.
“The Young Person’s Guarantee launched by the Scottish Government last week is an important step towards helping deal with unemployment, and colleges have a huge part to play in that. We have the potential to do more, and we’re looking forward to continuing our work with the Scottish Government to help develop and implement these ideas.”
Dr Ken Thomson, Principal of Forth Valley College, said: “I am very excited about Forth Valley College’s involvement in the East Central Scotland College Collaboration initiative.
“By working together, we can have a really positive impact on the people who are, or who will be, affected most by the pandemic lockdown and the inevitable economic downturn that is starting to hit us.
“As a college, we have always been at the forefront of innovative programmes which meet the needs of both individuals and local and national skills agendas.
“Now, this new collaboration will enable all four colleges involved to tap into each other’s expertise to provide the very best courses, professional training, upskilling, reskilling and opportunities.
“This is a chance to make learning work for the people of the Central Belt and the East of Scotland and help the country on the road to economic, educational and social recovery.”
Principal of West Lothian College Jackie Galbraith said: “Colleges are playing a vital role right now to help people and businesses deal with the economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus.
“At a local level, West Lothian College is working hand in hand with the council and other partners to support economic recovery and to strengthen our communities.
“With unemployment rising, our four colleges have created a comprehensive programme to develop the skills people need to succeed in the jobs market now and in the future. This collaborative effort will add real value to what is coming out of our respective local partnerships.
“The Young Person’s Guarantee is a major step towards avoiding high levels of youth unemployment, and this exciting partnership of the four colleges in East Central Scotland will play a pivotal role in making the guarantee a reality for thousands of young people.”