Mother’s Day 2021 will be like our new bottled cocktails … limited edition: I.E. – hopefully the last one where we can’t give our mum a big hug, a kiss on the cheek and then take her out for a fancy afternoon tea that sees too much champagne and never enough sandwiches!
But just because we are unable do that this year, doesn’t mean we can’t find other ways to shower her with the love she has always shown us.
Capturing the quintessential powder posy smell that reminds us of the warmth of home, Buck & Birch has teamed up with local floral front-runners East Lothian Flower Farm, to create the must-have Mother’s Day bundle for those in Edinburgh*.
The Say it With Flowers kit (£20, plus £4.95 local delivery) will include a choice of one of mum’s favourite Buck & Birch wildflower inspired cocktails, including Aelder Sour, Dandy Lion, Amarosa Old Fashioned, Thornstar Martini, Espresso Martana or the Atkinson, alongside a mixed pot of flowers bursting with Ranunculus (Amandine) and Anemone.
Each gift set will have pre-sprouted flowers growing in a pot and a leaflet with details on how to care for them.
Debbie Scott from East Lothian Flower Farm explains why this is the perfect natural choice to spoil mum with: “Ranunculus and Anemone are spring flowering and both absolutely gorgeous!
“They are corm grown and if looked after, will flower again the following year; they may look really delicate but are one of the best cut flowers. We will ensure that each pot has 3 or 4 plants, allowing mum to have a beautiful mix of colours for spring and summer garden blooms.”
For those a little further out, or unable to collect, Buck & Birch is also offering a collaborative trio of Limited-Edition Floral Cocktails(£29, plus £4.95 nationwide delivery) that will be the perfect accompaniment to any home-made afternoon tea.
Created in conjunction with @foragedbyfern, the set consists of The Flowering Currant Cosmo, The Blossom Sour and a Burdock Coffee Martini – all light and refreshing with a lingering floral flavour.
So, however you say, ‘I love you, Mum’, make sure you say it with Buck & Birch!
To view the full selection of drinks available for purchase, visit:
A catering team from the University of Edinburgh has been awarded its 8th sustainable food recognition award.
The Accommodation, Catering and Events team from the university has picked up another bronze ‘Food For Life Served Here’ award, branding its consistent effort from 2013 towards providing healthy and sustainable menus.
Catering to 2,000 students in catered halls daily and producing over 100,000 meals a year, the award is a testament to the continuous efforts made towards serving ethically sourced ingredients and produce.
Soil Association, the charity behind the Food For Life Served Here programme, recognise a bronze award when catering teams guarantee three key quality standards; the environment, the local economy, and the health benefits for pupils and students.
This includes a pledge that a minimum of 75% of dishes are prepared from unprocessed ingredients and that cultural and dietary needs are catered for. While also making the most of seasonal produce, as well as ingredients being sustainably sourced and free from trans fats and additives.
Sue Howlett, Inspector – Food for Life Scotland, said: “We’re thrilled to certify the University of Edinburgh to the Bronze Food for Life Served Here award.
“During my inspection, I was impressed to find that the catering team source local produce via reputable, direct Scottish suppliers, with high standards – providing a positive boost to the local economy.
“They also serve a wide range of sustainable fish on the menu, and an excellent range of seasonal veg – again, sourced locally where possible. Sustainable choices are a key part of the Food for Life Served Here certification – and the University of Edinburgh has strongly demonstrated this ethos in practice.
“Congratulations to the University of Edinburgh – we’re pleased to be working with you!”
Ian Macaulay, Director of Catering at the University of Edinburgh said: “The team is absolutely delighted to have met the standard again in our annual renewal of the Food For Life Served Here award for all meals served to students in catered halls”
“It’s been a really difficult year and this achievement shows that we are still fully committed to keeping our accreditations and awards as part of the Good Food Policy and providing students with healthy, sustainable, and quality food.
“University managed accommodation creates a sense of reassurance for new students, and we are taking that extra step in being transparent about where our ingredients come from and what produce we use, thus helping our students trust our team, and feel at ease.”
The catering team assure that no endangered fish are served, and genetically modified ingredients are not used, ensuring that all the meals served meet UK welfare standards and Scottish Government Nutritional Requirements.
The University of Edinburgh Accommodation, Catering and Events team support the residential welfare of 10,000 students.
One University managed accommodation, Pollock Halls, provides students the option of picking catered accommodation, making a stressful transition that bit easier.
With round-the-clock student support, through its Residence Life welfare initiative and flexible leases, the university is working towards helping students amidst these uncertain times.
Some UK seaside accommodation prices up by a third
Holidaymakers face paying more for a UK seaside break this summer as a snapshot investigation suggests some accommodation prices have risen by an average of 35 per cent compared with last summer, according to new research from Which?.
With demand for UK holidays expected to soar this summer, Which? tracked the prices of 15 holiday lets in the top 10 most visited UK seaside destinations, and found that in every case, prices have increased from last summer.
The consumer champion’s snapshot investigation looked at prices for 15 properties listed between Airbnb and Vrbo in the past year, in destinations such as St Ives, Whitby, Llandudno and Brighton.
Which? first looked at the prices of these listings in May and June 2020, for various dates in July and August 2020. The research then looked at the prices of the same properties in February 2021 for similar dates in July and August 2021, and found all had increased in price, with an average increase of 35 per cent.
The largest markup of the properties Which? looked at was for a one-bedroom maisonette in Brighton on Airbnb. When the consumer champion checked the price of the listing in May 2020 for the first week of August 2020, the cost was £53 per night. But when it checked again in February 2021 for the same period the property was £127 per night – an increase of 140 per cent.
It also found a 70 per cent increase in price for a one-bedroom property in the centre of Eastbourne on Airbnb. Last year, for a one-week holiday in the first week of August, it would have cost £409. This year, the same week costs £696.
On Vrbo, a one-bedroom property in Bournemouth rose from £722 for the first week of August last year to £958 this year – an increase of 33 per cent.
Vrbo told Which?: “We are operating as a two-sided marketplace, connecting holidaymakers and holiday-home hosts, without being part of any contractual agreements between those parties at any time. That means that all rental contracts are closed between the holidaymaker and the holiday-home host, or the property manager directly.
“The hosts are also in control and individually set the rental price for their properties, the payment terms and all cancellation policies. Those policies are stated on the booking page for each property and must be acknowledged, and agreed to, by all holidaymakers before a booking on Vrbo is possible.
“Vrbo’s service fee is a percentage of the total amount of the reservation, excluding taxes and refundable fees paid by the guest. The service fee amount varies. Generally, the higher the reservation amount, the lower the percentage of the service fee. A value-added tax is charged on the service fee where required by local regulations.
“Vrbo does not set, change or influence the property prices a host chooses. However, Vrbo provides useful tips and information for hosts on how to be successful with their listing on Vrbo. For instance, Vrbo’s MarketMaker™ gives hosts access to real-time data about competitors, holidaymakers, local events and holidays. This allows them to adjust their prices, if needed, to remain competitive and attractive for holidaymakers.”
Other price rises were more modest. A one-bedroom cottage on Airbnb in Scarborough increased by seven per cent for similar August dates this year, while a one-bedroom property on Vrbo in Swanage with views over the Purbeck Hills had gone up by just two per cent.
Hosts on Airbnb set the prices and cleaning fees for properties listed on the platform. Airbnb said the price increases highlighted by Which? were “isolated examples”, while Vrbo also said hosts are in control and individually set the rental price for their properties.
According to the government’s current plans for releasing England from lockdown, self-contained holiday accommodation breaks are set to return from 12 April.
Demand for UK holidays is likely to be even higher this summer than last year, as there is currently less risk involved in taking a UK holiday than a holiday abroad while coronavirus restrictions, such as testing and hotel quarantine for UK arrivals, remain in place.
There is still some risk involved in booking holidays in the UK for this summer, such as being told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or local restrictions preventing you from travelling. However most of these risks can be overcome by booking with a reputable company that has a generous flexible booking policy.
Which? is encouraging anyone booking a UK holiday to ensure they choose a flexible accommodation provider that has committed to offering full cash refunds or fee-free rebooking if your holiday is unable to go ahead as planned due to coronavirus.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “Many holidaymakers are looking forward to finally going to the seaside this summer, so it’s perhaps not a surprise that high demand has seen prices for some destinations shoot up too.
“If people are prepared to pay more for their summer holidays this year, it’s essential that they know their money will be protected or returned to them without hassle in the event they cannot travel as planned. Make sure you choose a provider that offers fair and flexible booking terms, so you won’t be left chasing a refund if something goes wrong.”
Full table of price increases:
Airbnbtold Which?: “This misleading research features isolated examples that are not representative of prices on Airbnb. A survey shows that more than half of UK guests choose Airbnb because it is more affordable than a hotel or other options.
“With the Great British staycation back on the horizon, hosts are ready to provide clean and private accommodation to help families and loved ones safely reconnect, and around half say they rely on the additional income from hosting.”
Forth 1 and Forth 2 presenter, Cat Harvey, is joined by inspirational Scottish women this International Women’s Day (Monday 8th March), to discuss their successes, challenges and aspirations.
The women, including Judy Murray, sports presenter Eilidh Barbour and woman’s rights campaigner Talat Yaqoob, each at the top of their chosen field, all share personal experiences of breaking through the glass ceiling and stories of their own accomplishments.
The interviews, conducted by breakfast presenter Cat Harvey, one of Scotland’s top female radio talents, will be played out on Forth 1 and Forth 2 and across the Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Networks on Monday, interspersed with a playlist that will be all female artists, all day (Forth 1, 6am to midnight), including the likes of Beyonce, Amy MacDonald, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Adele and Pink.
Scottish business and beauty mogul, Jamie Genevieve, shares her story on Forth 1. She discusses the ‘cookie cutter’ image of women in business and how she discovered the power of being herself and the success this has brought her.
Eilidh Barbour and Cat discuss the success of women’s football in recent years and Eilidh speaks about how she has made her own voice heard amongst her male colleagues’, while Talat Yaqoob discusses the challenges women still face in trying to break into certain industries.
Cat Harvey, presenter of Ewen & Cat At Breakfast on Forth 2, said: “It was extremely empowering speaking to these amazing women across a variety of professions about their achievements and their journey to get to where they are now.
“It’s so important that we continue to have these conversations. We have made progress in the past few years for gender equality, but it is essential that we keep pushing and challenging the status quo, and I’m proud to a play a part in making sure women’s voices are being heard.”
Listen to all the interviews as they are aired across Forth 1 and Forth 2 on International Women’s Day on Monday the 8th of March.
Keep up with all the latest news, sport, biggest hits, greatest hits on Forth 1 and Forth 2 on FM / AM, on DAB radio, online, via the Radio Forth app and on your Smart Speaker.
Full list of interviewees: Eilidh Barbour, Judy Murray, Talat Yaqoob, Dr. Punam Krishan, Dr Marie Macklin CBE, Dr. Katy Stewart (Forth 2 only) and Jamie Genevieve (Forth 1 only).
Forth 1 and Hits Radio Network Scotland will run the interviews at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm and 11pm. Forth 2 and Greatest Hit Network Scotland will run the features at 7am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
It’s never too late in the year to think about setting some personal targets. Research indicates that the first key step to making positive changes to our lifestyle is setting a goal.
With this in mind, here are some of the things you may consider when setting a target to improve your heart health:
Be Clear About What You Want to Achieve
Detailed, specific goals that use some sort of framework such as SMART can help us to set correspondingly clear actions on how to achieve our goal. Try and avoid goals which include statements such as ‘do your best’ and rather opt for an objective measure to assess your performance against such as ‘score above 80%’.
Be Like Goldilocks
We know that setting goals that are either too challenging or too easy will reduce your likelihood of success. Goals need to be ‘just right’ by offering a level of challenge whilst also being realistic.
Break It Down
Try to include regular check-ins to assess your progress and adjust your goal if necessary. For example, if you are looking to lose weight, you may schedule a monthly weigh-in.
Write It Down
It can be useful to commit to your goal with a pencil and paper. Interestingly, those who sign a ‘contract’ of commitment to their goal will typically improve their chances of goal achievement; this could be a post-it note on the fridge or a handwritten pledge that you keep on your desk.
Share It
Research also indicates that sharing our goal with someone else can improve accountability, and thus increase our likelihood of success.
For more tips on how to improve your heart health, visit the ‘Healthy Tips’ page on our website.
128 schools across 32 local authorities in Scotland have joined the virtual Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tours since the start of lockdown last year, with educational video content viewed over 100,000 times.
The ‘Connected’: Space tour recently hosted five days of ‘out-of-this-world’ virtual events, telling the stories of space adventures through science fact and fiction.
The digital events took place online from Monday 22 February to Friday 26 February, with schools from Aberdeen, Argyll & Bute, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Moray, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire and West Lothian signed up for events, reaching over 750 pupils.
The events are available to watch on demand via Scottish Book Trust’s website.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.
For over 20 years the tour has visited schools the length and breadth of the UK, bringing the world’s best authors directly in front of children in classrooms. Since covid-19 the tour has adapted to the restrictions and changing landscape and has gone fully digital to continue vital work in supporting children, reaching around 8,000 P1-S3 pupils.
Fun, educational video content and live events for home learning and in the classroom have to-date reached an audience of over 100,000 through the Scottish Book Trust social media, Home Activities Hub and On Demand library.
Carol Ann Neil, teacher at Bridge of Allan Primary School said:“Having the opportunity to engage with the Space Explorers event reignited the children’s enthusiasm for reading as individuals and as a class team to share stories during the pandemic.”
The Connected: Space tour featured a diverse mix of book events, including: illustrator and graphic designer Matt Carr, creator of Rocketmole; author and astronomer Dr Sheila Kanani and author Libby Jackson, one of the UK’s foremost space experts and author of book Space Explorers.
P5-7 pupils had the opportunity to meet Dr Alastair Bruce, Dynamic Earth’s very own resident Astronomer. Joined by Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost, pupils took the role of captain and decided the fate of their own space mission.
The previous tour, Connected: Polar, is now available to watch via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand library hub. Events include Sarah Airreiss and British Antarctic Survey, live from the Antarctic and Shackleton’s Journey with William Grill and RRS Discovery, Dundee.
The next virtual Connected tour: Continents, will take place from Monday 22 March – Friday 25 March.
Pupils will have the chance to join events and meet authors live from different parts of the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.
From celebrating different cultures and languages, to exploring about mythology and magic to drawing manga, the Connected: Continents, tour is jam-packed with fun events for all the family. Schools can find out more and sign up via Scottish Book Trust’s website. Events will be available to watch later via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand Library.
Kevin Brown, Head of PR at Scottish Friendly, said:“As soon as the pandemic hit and schools were closed, our number one priority was to provide educational and exciting content to help children, teachers and parents with engaging video content that can be viewed either via live social media streams or at a time of their choosing.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said:“Scottish Book Trust is delighted to bring the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour virtually into classrooms and homes across Scotland.
“Since the pandemic started a year ago, it has been more important than ever to provide young people with engaging and exciting content.
“The Connected tours aim to transport pupils to new worlds through author events, offering opportunities to spark their creativity and imagination. The feedback from schools and families has been fantastic, and our On Demand library allows anyone to watch the tour, at any time, and no matter their location.”
Scotland’s vaccination programme has now delivered second doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to more than half of care home residents.
In total, 17,258 care home residents (58% of residents in older adult care homes and 54% of residents in all care homes) have received the second dose which offers longer lasting protection.
Supplies of vaccines were specifically deployed in order that second doses could be delivered on time to these cohorts, who are among those at greatest risk from coronavirus (COVID-19).
For the population as a whole 1,743,869 have received their first dose, and 114,081 have been given their second dose. Invitations are now being issued to all groups in phase one of the roll-out and subject to supply, the programme remains on track to offer first doses to all over 50 year olds, unpaid carers and those with particular underlying health conditions by the middle of April.
Heath Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “I am pleased to see that more than half of care home residents have received their second doses, giving them longer lasting protection.
“I want to thank all those who have taken up their offer of a vaccination – the high take up in these settings has contributed to a reduction in outbreaks of the virus in care homes.
“Alongside other protections in place, vaccination has also helped to enable the resumption of indoor visiting, reuniting families with their loved ones.
“Scotland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to deliver at pace, which is down to the enormous efforts of our vaccination teams and I want to thank everyone who is working tirelessly to make this a success.
“The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow. All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”
Marking International Women’s Day 2021 curators from Museums & Galleries Edinburgh have taken the opportunity to shine a spotlight on a selection of fascinating women from Edinburgh’s past.
Running from 8th – 12th March the series profiles five pioneering women whose lives are reflected in the city’s history collections.
They include; Ella Morrison Millar (1869-1959) (above) Edinburgh’s first female Town Councillor chosen by chosen by History Curator, Victoria Garrington, Nannie (Agnes Henderson) Brown (1866 -1943), a prominent Edinburgh-born suffragist chosen by History Curator, Anna MacQuarrie; Lileen Hardy (1872-1947) who opened the St. Saviour’s Child Garden in 1906 in the Canongate chosen by Museum of Childhood Curator, Lyn Stevens; Helen Monro Turner (1901-1977) who founded the studio glass department at Edinburgh College of Art chosen by Applied Art Curator, Helen Edwards; and Ena Thomson (1907-1989) who served as an Air Raid Warden in Edinburgh’s Air Raid Precaution corps, or ARP during WWII chosen by Collections Care Officer, Gwen Thomas.
The story of each woman is explored and showcased using linked objects from the collection which include: a studio portrait of Nannie Brown, a pair of Ella Morrison Miller’s gold leather purchased from Edinburgh’s well-known department store Darlings in the 1930’s and WWII ARP identification papers for Ena Thomson.
These objects and many others have been unearthed as part of the ongoing Auld Reekie Retold inventory project which is working to connect Edinburgh’s people to its collections.
From the 8th March, the curators will reveal full details of each woman’s story alongside the items from the collection which connects their own unique history, providing compelling insight into our city’s history from just a few of the women who helped shape the Edinburgh we know today.
The series – which is introduced by Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Vice Convenor of Culture & Communities – will be shared online via the Museums & Galleries Edinburgh social media channels and website between 8th-12th March.
The series is accompanied by a fascinating programme of free digital lectures and family events including:
Scots Women who Chose to Challenge with Jackie Sangster. a Learning Manager at Historic Environment Scotland,
Aunts: In Fact & Fiction with Ruthanne Baxter, Museums Manager and Prescribe Culture Lead at the University of Edinburgh,
An (Almost) A to Z of Modern Scottish Women Artists with Alice Strang, Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland.
Look Outside, a family craft event inspired by the work of artist Kate Downie. and
Votes for Women – The Keystone to Liberty, a digital performance from Edinburgh Living History.
Commenting on the series, Councillor McNeese-Mechan said: “It is fascinating to learn about how our collections both preserve and mirror the work of women in Edinburgh’s civic and cultural life.
“This series shines a light on five women who made significant contributions to our city’s history but who sadly are far from well known.
“I hope the stories of these wonderful women will inspire you and I look forward to more discoveries from the Auld Reekie Retold project.”
Helen Edwards, Applied Art Curator with Museums & Galleries Edinburgh, said: “Working on the Auld Reekie Retold project has given us the opportunity to research some of the hidden histories behind our collections.
“It’s been fascinating looking into some of the stories of the pioneering women from Edinburgh, and International Women’s day is a real chance to get their stories out to a wider audience and let their voices be heard.”
Police are looking for ‘the person you least suspect’ after linking two attacks on young women in the South West of Edinburgh over five years ago.
On Thursday, 27 August, 2015, a 19-year-old woman got off a bus in Lanark Road West shortly after midnight.
A man approached her in the Newmills Road area and claimed he had a knife. He then led her to a nearby field, where she was raped.
Just over three weeks before on Wednesday, 5 August, 2015, a 21-year-old woman was grabbed from behind and sexually assaulted in Craiglockhart Quadrant.
She got off a bus in Colinton Road shortly before the attack around 10.30pm. The man responsible had not been on either bus.
DNA advancements have enabled investigators to establish that both attacks were carried out by the same person. Police have a full DNA profile for the man responsible but need the public’s help to find him.
Detectives are asking people to think back to August, 2015. At that time, Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe was taking place. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s theme was East Meets West and marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Detective Inspector Jon Pleasance of Edinburgh Police Division said: “We believe we’re looking for the person you’d least suspect; someone whose community wouldn’t think is responsible for such horrific offences.
“We’re asking everyone, please think back to the summer of 2015. Was there someone in your life – a friend, family member or colleague – acting different? Was their behaviour around this time at all unusual for them?
“Don’t dismiss your concerns, no matter how small they seem. We have a full DNA profile of the person responsible and so can quickly and completely rule people out. Help us find who did this.”
Those with information can contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0770 of 1 March, 2021, or pass tips anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Scottish Liberal Democrat spring conference has today backed a package of proposals to “fix overwhelmed mental health services for good”.
As part of the party’s call to put recovery first, the seven-point plan will:
Increase the number of training places for psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, especially those specialising in CAMHS;
Add counsellors to NHS workforce planning so their skills can help more people;
Expand the trained counselling workforce through new bursaries and training routes to widen access;
Fully resource mental health services through a target for them to receive 15% of future health spend increases;
Make every health service contact count through enhanced signposting to existing counsellors and third sector resources;
Provide new community services that young people can access with their families;
Restart and ramp up mental health first aid training with a new aspiration that every workplace should benefit.
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “It’s time for Scotland to put the recovery first and fix our overwhelmed mental health services for good.
“That means increasing the number of training places for psychiatrists and psychologists. We need to dramatically expand the number of counsellors and get the health service to help them tackle mental health problems in communities, schools and workplaces.
“The Scottish Government’s mental health strategy was years late and short on ambition. Even before the pandemic struck we had a record number of children waiting over a year for help.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats have consistently championed our national mental health. Already this year our research has shown the toll it is taking. We’ve led Parliament in declaring a crisis and secured £120 million more for services next year. But it needs the full weight of our proposals and a government that will put recovery first to fix this for good.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat mental health spokesperson Rebecca Bell said: “This election is about putting the recovery first and that can only happen if we put both physical health and mental health at the core of the recovery.
“Far too often mental health services are reliant on third sector provision with only a short- term funding commitment from the government. Meanwhile the Scottish Government cancelled training for mental health first-aiders during the pandemic despite similar courses continuing to run elsewhere in the UK.
“These first-aiders can make all the difference, for example, someone to talk to at work when they start feeling unwell, before problems get worse. At the same time 1 in 8 specialist positions in child and adolescent mental health are unfilled, with young people in long queues waiting for treatment whilst they and their families are desperate for help.
“It’s time for a radical change. Scotland needs this realistic investment in order to achieve the long-term solutions we require to emerge from this crisis. You shouldn’t have to wait years for mental health support, any more than you should for cancer or a broken leg.
“These proposals from Scottish Liberal Democrats demonstrate our commitment to making Scotland a mental health world leader.”
