James Pringle Shopping Village, 70- 74 Bangor Road, EH6 5JU from Friday 16 July to Sunday 15 August,10am to 5pm
Tynecastle Stadium rear car park (accessed of Wheatfield Place) from Monday 26 July to Sunday 8 August, 10.00am to 5.30pm
Craigmillar Medical Centre (car park) 106 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DT from Monday 2 August to Sunday 15 August, 9.30am to 5.30pm (5pm on Sunday)
South East Locality Office, 40 Captain’s Road, EH17 8QF from Monday 2 August to Sunday 8 August, 9.30am to 5pm
Craigroyston Community High School, 64 Pennywell Road, EH4 4NL, Monday 2 August to Sunday 8 August, 9.30am to 5pm.
Home testing kits are not available for collection from mobile testing units.
Community testing centre locations and opening times
Community testing centres are walk-in centres – you do not need to make an appointment. Each centre is open for a limited time to offer rapid coronavirus testing but may open again in the same location, depending on community infection rates.
Centres are often in libraries in areas where case numbers are or have been high. Libraries make suitable testing centres as they are in the heart of our communities and easy for most people to get to on foot, by bike or by bus.
Piershill Library
Open from 9am to 6pm from Monday 26 July to Saturday 7 August (closed Sunday 1 August). You can also pick up home testing kits here.
Wester Hailes Library
Open from 9am to 6pm from Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August. You can also pick up home testing kits here.
Gilmerton Library
Open from 9am to 6pm from Monday 2 August to Saturday 14 August (closed Sunday 8 August) . You can also pick up home testing kits here.
Fountainbridge Library
Open from 9am to 6pm from Monday 9 August to Saturday 22 August (closed Sunday 15 August). You can also pick up home testing kits here.
McDonald Road Library
Open from 9am to 6pm from Monday 9 August to Saturday 22 August (closed Sunday 15 August). You can also pick up home testing kits here.
Pimms not packing a punch? Well get ready to be gin-spired by the newest additions to the Scottish gin range at Aldi.
You can never tell what you’re going to get with a Scottish summer, but Aldi is channelling all the sunshine this August with brand new additions to its Toradh gin range including two new Scottish Gin Liqueurs and four delicious pre-mixed Gin Fizz cocktails – making sure your summer drink has that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, even if you didn’t quite make it to the Riviera.
At just £1.49 for 250ml (6% ABV), the Rhubarb Gin Fizz, Citrus Gin Fizz, Tropical Gin Martini and Fruit Gin Bramble are the perfect tipples to enjoy while taking in the rays. These handy cocktails in a can are made by long term supplier Eden Mill and with four to pick from you are guaranteed to find a favourite….or four.
Bursting with botanicals, the two brand-new Toradh Gin Liqueurs are priced at just £8.99 for 50cl and come in Rhubarb and Ginger or Raspberry. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, the liqueurs can be topped up with Aldi’s own Ridge Valley tonic, or topped with Aldi’s Costellore Prosecco (£5.99, 75cl) for the perfect summer evening cocktail.
These new additions to Aldi’s Scottish gin line-up join Aldi’s award-winning* Scottish Gin range including its premium Scottish Gin, Eidyn (£19.99, 70cl) and ToradhScottish Rhubarb & Ginger Gin and Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl) and the Botanical Project Scottish Gin available in Scottish Dry, Passionfruit & Coconut,Plum & Pink Grapefruit and Chilli & Ginger (all £15.99, 70cl), and McQueen Colour Changing Gin (£14.49, 70cl).
Aldi’s new summer flavours are on sale now at all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland and are sure to shake up any BBQ or garden-party this August. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.
Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years.
Eligible families in Edinburgh are being encouraged to apply for the Best Start Foods payment after the SNP Scottish Government delivered on its promise to increase the support within its first 100 days in government.
The payment is increasing to £18 from £17 during pregnancy and for any children between one and three years old. It’s also increasing to £36 from £34 for children under one. Families already receiving the payment will automatically receive an increase.
Since its introduction by the SNP in December 2018, £60.8 million has been paid to 179,575 families across Scotland.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “I am delighted that the SNP government is delivering on another one of its commitments to increase the Best Start Foods payment, which is making a difference to the lives of families across my constituency of Edinburgh Pentlands, the entire city and right across Scotland.
“Whilst the Tories at Westminster prepare to cut support to families at a time when they need it most, the SNP is increasing support to families and ensuring that every child has the best start in life.
“If you have not applied yet I would encourage you to do so immediately or if you have any family or friends who may be eligible to encourage them too.”
Nominations now open for the 2021 LGIU Scotland & CCLA Cllr Awards
The only national awards ceremony celebrating the vital work of individual councillors across Scotland has opened its call for nominations.
The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) Scotland and CCLA are proud to officially launch the 4th annual Cllr Awards, honouring the achievements of councillors that so often go unrecognised.
This year’s award categories celebrate the essential and varied work of councillors and include the coveted Community Champion, Leader of the Year and New Councillor of the Year awards, alongside a new Resilience and Recovery category for 2021.
Nominations can be made by anyone who would like to recognise a councillor doing outstanding work for their community. They are open until Friday, 24 September with the shortlist unveiled at the end of October.
The winners will be decided by a panel of judges composed of senior councillors and officers as well as leading stakeholders from across the sector. They will be revealed at this year’s ceremony taking place on Wednesday, 24 November. Due to the ongoing Covid-related restrictions, it will be held as a hybrid event with virtual link ups to a Glasgow venue.
This year’s Awards are made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partners, CCLA.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGIU Scotland, said:“Local government supports all of us, each and every day. On every street, in every town, up and down the country, it is the vital work of councillors that keeps things moving.
“Now is the time for us to support our local heroes by nominating those councillors who have stepped up to the plate during extraordinary circumstances to deliver for their communities.
“As we officially open nominations for Cllr Awards 2021, we welcome contributions from any member of the public as well as other councillors, officers and leaders. We look forward to once again receiving the highest calibre of nominations and showcasing the essential work of councillors in November.”
This Edinburgh University Dept of Clinical Psychology project aims to evaluate the impact of nature walks for older adults who would otherwise be restricted in their ability to access nature.
The University of Edinburgh are looking for participants who are:
• 65 and over
• Fluent in English
• Unable to access nature based outdoor spaces
Participation involves taking part in an online survey and watching a short video clip. This should take around 40minutes.
The Edinburgh and Midlothian 2021 Carer Survey is now open!
This survey will ask you about your current or past caring role, and taking a break from caring, work, money, and your health and wellbeing. It will also cover the support and services you have accessed. You don’t need to be registered with VOCAL to take part.
As a thank you for your time, you can enter a prize draw. There are two prizes up for grabs:
a one-week free holiday to VOCAL’s new carer cottage in Blair Atholl, plus £150 to spend
a £50 eVoucher for a retailer of your choice
All responses are anonymous and you can provide as much information as you feel comfortable with. Your support will help develop the future of carer support in Edinburgh and Midlothian and we would really appreciate your time.
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and you can save your progress and come back at a later time. VOCAL’s Carer Support Teams in Edinburgh (0131 622 6666) and Midlothian (0131 663 6869) can also support you in completing the survey, simply call them for advice.
SEPA is leading Scotland’s efforts to tackle new waste crime trend as seven lorries of waste found in North Lanarkshire in recent months
Research estimates £53 million is taken from the public purse every year in Scotland removing illegal waste
Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together, alongside UK counterparts, to find and stop illegal activity
SEPA is warning waste criminals that compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment
Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and report suspicious vehicles and activity so action can be taken swiftly
Now more than ever, everyone needs to play their part in correctly managing Scotland’s waste and help stop waste crime
Public are warned – do not give your waste to potential criminals. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning that a new trend appears to be establishing in Scotland as a total of seven abandoned trailers full of waste have been discovered in the central belt in recent months. Investigations to establish the source of the trailers are ongoing – which could lead to the prosecution of those responsible.
Similar instances of waste being placed into trailers and being abandoned at roadsides and industrial locations had been seen in England over recent months. Working alongside partners through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, SEPA had been tracking this growing trend across the UK since last year, but seven trailers in eight months indicates this may now be a new disposal route for waste criminals in Scotland.
Jennifer Shearer, SEPA Head of Enforcement, said: “This type of crime has a real impact on local communities, legitimate business and the public agencies who are working to tackle it.
“A high proportion of individuals or companies that are involved in waste crime are also associated with other criminality and sadly this activity has continued during the pandemic.
“Waste crime can cause serious pollution. It puts communities at risk and places further stress on legitimate operators. It also impacts investment and economic growth – serious and organised waste crime is estimated to cost the UK economy at least £600 million a year.*
“We know that criminals are inventive and will find new ways to break the law and make money – but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are inventive too and we are working together, alongside others across the UK, to make sure we find them and we stop them.
“We will continue to work closely with partners, often through joint initiatives such as the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, to ensure we can maximise our collaborative efforts to have the greatest impact, and ultimately stop this type of highly adaptive and lucrative waste crime.”
Clearing up after criminals
The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Money often ends up coming out of the public purse – according to 2013 Zero Waste Scotland research at least £53 million of public money is spent cleaning up litter and fly-tipping every year. That is money that could be spent on other public services.
Robert Steenson, DETER Strand Lead with Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and Executive Director of North Lanarkshire Council said: “This type of illegal dumping not only costs the taxpayers’ huge sums of money to clear up, but poses a serious hazard to the environment and our communities.
“These poorly maintained trailers are also being driven on public roads before being dumped and therefore create a dangerous risk to other road users.
“Those responsible have absolutely no respect for people living in the areas these trailers are being dumped and I would urge anyone with any information to contact SEPA or Police Scotland immediately. This type of waste crime has unfortunately became more widespread across the country and is often linked to organised crime groups who use it as a means to make money to fund their other criminal activities. It undermines legitimate disposal businesses and poses a very serious risk to public safety.
“We are working with our partners to safely clear this dumped waste and we will use all the powers at our disposal to identify those responsible.”
Vehicle or landowners may also end up incurring the cost of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.
Tackling waste criminals
SEPA has developed a more targeted approach to tackling environmental crime that directly impacts local communities and the environment. In recent weeks we have been able to confirm that 25 illegal sites or activities have ceased since the turn of the year, with partnership working across agencies being a key success factor.
Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans and Chair of the SOC Taskforce said: “Those involved in fly tipping and other waste crimes will exploit any opportunity to maximise their wealth at the expense of everyone else.
“This is not a victimless crime and causes significant problems to the public, legitimate businesses and the landowners where the waste is abandoned.
“Partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will use every means at their disposal to disrupt this crime, but we need the help of the public.
“Everyone needs to ensure their waste is properly and legally disposed of and we are also urging members of the public who see evidence of these crimes to report it. If you see something say something.”
Help stop waste criminals operating
Investigations into the source of the trailers and waste are ongoing and SEPA is urging anyone who recognises the vehicles, or the waste within them, to get in touch.
Communities are asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas as soon as possible. If alerted to it early SEPA has a better opportunity to step in and take action, along with partners like Police Scotland and local authorities. The longer it takes to identify trailers the more chance there is agencies will lose access to essential evidence to help track the perpetrators.
Anyone who may have any information about these lorry trailers, no matter how significant it may seem, is encouraged to get in touch with SEPA as soon as possible. Similarly, if they see any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas they should report it to SEPA’s 24 hour pollution line using the online form at sepa.org.uk/report or by calling 0800 80 70 60.
Landowners are also reminded to be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits. Trailer or vehicle owners should be aware of the risk of theft.
SEPA is also warning the criminals involved that their activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment.
The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Vehicle or landowners are likely to incur the costs of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.
Do not give your waste to potential criminals
As well as reporting suspicious activity, members of the public can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage the services of people who are not authorised.
Jennifer Shearer explained: “Now more than ever, we all need to play our part in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you, we can take enforcement action against you too.
“We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment.
“Remember, disposing of waste legally costs money. Services that sound too good to be true often are and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.
“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a SEPA waste carrier registration number and give you the name of the facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, do not allow them to take your waste.”
331 cultural organisations and performing arts venues across Scotland have received a total of £17million in the latest round of emergency Covid-19 funds from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland.
From comedy clubs and theatres to galleries and production companies, the second round of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is designed to help prevent insolvency and/or significant job losses due to the impact of COVID-19, and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund (PAVR) is helping venues to remain solvent, return staff from furlough, and enable new artistic commissions from freelance artists.
In Edinburgh, the Usher Hall receives £182,445 from the PAVR 2 fund, DanceBase Scotland £223,887 and there’s £500,000 for Capital Theatres. There’s also £342,000 for Leith Theatre, £150,000 for the Traverse and £97,500 for The Queen’s Hall.
Organisations receiving COVR Round 2 support in the capital include North Edinburgh Arts, Hidden Door and Edinburgh Printmakers.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “I am delighted that this vital funding is reaching the culture sector, which has endured some of the most challenging restrictions over the past 18 months.
“It’s exciting that the sector can now plan for full reopening. The communal experience of being part of an audience cannot be replicated, and it has been sorely missed since the start of the pandemic.
“The move beyond level 0 will allow the sector to reopen fully, but I know that it will take some time to rebuild. This funding will play a key role in stabilising many venues and businesses as the sector begins to recover.
“The Scottish Government has provided almost £175million of emergency support to the culture, heritage and events sector since the start of the pandemic, and I look forward now to working with the sectors to build for the future.”
Caroline Morgan, Managing Director atAberdeen’s Tivoli Theatre commented: “This money will mean we can retain our current staff, recruit part time staff, bring our freelance technicians back to work and undertake all necessary requirements to reopen in a safe way at the end of August.
“We’re full steam ahead now with testing equipment, organising staff training, first aid training, implementing a new app for ordering and setting up hand-held scanners for ticketing and deep cleaning the building. We’ll also be able to support local youth groups who perform with us who have also had a really tough time of it. This funding is a life-line having been closed with no income for 17 months.”
Joan Parr, Interim Director of Arts and Engagement said: “Our first priority continues to be supporting the recovery and renewal of Scotland’s art and creative sector as Covid-19 restrictions are eased and the sector can open up again more fully.
“Nevertheless, we remain acutely aware of the critical challenges faced by so many cultural organisations, and we know how vital this funding is in continuing to help protect jobs and support the sustainability of a sector that has felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic so significantly.”
A full list of organisations and venues receiving funding in this round of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund can be downloaded below:
Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has commented on the waiting times “crisis” that is emerging across Lothian A&E units.
Mr Cole-Hamilton, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health since 2016, made his comments following reports yesterday that the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is on the brink of having to declare a major incident.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said:“Reports of Edinburgh patients waiting up to twelve hours for treatments are not just concerning, but they are potentially catastrophic for our healthcare service.
“The escalation of this so-called “ping-demic” is having devastating effects across our health services, and many of our hospitals are working at minimum staff capacity because of it. Of course, we must be vigilant, but our NHS simply cannot cope when faced with such reduced staffing measures.
“The Scottish Government need to come forward with concrete actions and urgent changes on isolation policies. That means a test and release system, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons and others.”
Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault with intent to rob which occurred in the city yesterday (Thursday, 5 August, 2021).
Around 12.05 am a 23-year-old woman was walking on Melville Terrace near to the junction with Moncrieff Terrace when she was approached from behind by a man who pulled her to the ground and demanded money from her.
The woman managed to fight the man off before contacting police.
The man ran off northwards in the Meadows towards the tennis courts.
The suspect is described as being in his late 30s, 5ft 9in tall, of slim build, with dark brown/grey hair and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing a grey camouflage face mask, a black short-sleeved shirt, dark joggers and was carrying a messenger bag.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Gayfield CID, said: “Thankfully the woman was not injured during this incident, but it was nonetheless a very distressing experience.
“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have witnessed what happened, or noticed a man matching the above description, to please come forward.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Gayfield CID via 101, quoting incident number 0047 of 5 August. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
