This Christmas, The Ivy on the Square celebrates with a magical, Narnia-inspired installation for guests and passers-by to enjoy; as well as a limited-edition, non-alcoholic cocktail menu.
Transporting guests through the whimsical world of Narnia, complete with playful and fanciful Christmas decorations, guests will step inside the wardrobe before being greeted with an array of delicious, bespoke cocktails available from Thursday, 26 November.
Mixed up by the restaurant’s bar team, creations will feature an array of non-alcoholic concoctions including Some Candy Talking (£6.25), an alcohol-free riff on our famous Candy Floss Fizz with Rose syrup, cranberry, ginger, lychee and lemon juices finished with Scavi & Ray non-alcoholic Spumante and Candy Floss, the Virgin Bellini (£5.00), a delicious version of the classic peach fizz incorporating white peach pureìe and Fever-Tree White Grape & Apricot Soda, and the Elderflower Garden (£5.95) a Seedlip Garden, Æcorn Dry non-alcoholic Aperitif, elderflower cordial and Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic, garnished with cucumber ribbon and edible flowers.
For those looking to indulge in something a little sweeter, the brasserie will also be serving up a bespoke The Greatest Snowman dessert, to keep guests in the Christmas Spirit.
Chris Greenan, General Manager at The Ivy on the Square says: “Christmas has always been a special time of year for us here at The Ivy on the Square and we’re delighted to be able to welcome residents and visitors to join us in the festivities.
“Our Narnia themed winter escape is the perfect way to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.”
The Ivy on The Square is situated in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre, offering approachable sophistication and luxury with an underlying feeling of glamour and theatre for residents, businesses, and visitors.
A third of young people (18 to 34 year olds) receive regular monetary ‘support gifts’ and could only maintain their lifestyle for approximately 18 weeks without them
The gift that keeps on giving: Young adults who have received regular monetary gifts, since turning 18, have received nearly £20k (£19,347) of financial support from their parents and grandparents
A third of all young people – those aged 18 to 34 – receive regular monetary ‘support gifts’ from their parents and grandparents, according to research from Legal & General Home Finance1.
According to the findings, of those who need financial support to make ends meet each month they could only maintain their current outgoings (e.g. bills, rent) for up to 4.5 months if this support were to stop.
Many young people appear to utilise gifts from older family members to supplement their income. On average, since turning 18, young adults have received £19,347 in regular support gifts from their parents and grandparents2.
In 2020, the need for family support has increased further.
On average, parents who provide monthly support will give £1,356 a year, in the form of a monthly gift (or £113). This has increased by 26% in 2020, as parents have added an additional £353 in support to help their children face the financial pressures of the pandemic.
The research comes at a time when young people are more dependent on family as a financial safety net than ever before, as Office for National Statistics results reveal that the unemployment rate among young people is far higher than the overall rate (14.6% vs 4.8%)3.
This pinch may be further impacted by a fall in seasonal jobs due to fewer available non-essential retail roles in the run-up to Christmas, typically filled by younger workers.
For parents that provide financial aid, the majority will come from their own savings (49%) or income (43%). 14% of parents will use property wealth such as the sale of property, to provide gifts. Legal & General has found that of its equity release customers, approximately 1 in 6 will use part of their payments to support gifting.
While most parents like to ensure gifting is split equally across any younger relatives (68%), in one in five cases (21%) the amount given varies across family members. This is usually driven by the individual’s needs (61%) but 27% parents admit they feel closer to the relatives they provide additional support to.
Claire Singleton, CEO of Legal & General Home Finance, said:“It is clear that without the generous gifting of parents and grandparents, many young people would be unable to independently sustain their lifestyle. The monthly cost may not initially seem high but as we can see from our data, the cost of gifting to younger family members can add up over time.
“In addition to monthly support, many parents and grandparents will be called on to provide additional one-off payments to help with large expenses like weddings or putting a deposit on a house.
“Utilising property wealth, by either downsizing or using equity release, can often be helpful here as it allows the opportunity to give a living inheritance without touching your income. However, these decisions aren’t easy and should be closely considered. Be sure to do your research, free information from the Money Advice Service is a great place to start, or, if gifting is likely to have an impact on your retirement income, turning to an adviser may be the right path.”
Many people who provide support are happy to do so, respondents to the research shared the following:
“I supported my younger brother when he started sixth form this year. It really makes me feel good, satisfied and enriched that I’m making a difference in someone else’s life.”
“We provided financial support to my partner’s children during the pandemic… they weren’t working, they didn’t have any savings to pay for their rent. We actually paid for all of them during the time of the lockdown. We’re quite happy to have supported them through it, I wouldn’t see them struggle.”
Those who receive financial aid often feel it brings them closer to their relatives, respondents to the research shared the following:
“It’s been hugely helpful for me as that gave me the push to buy at that time, it’s given me the chance to own my own home … It’s something I hope to be able to do for my own children in the future.”
“I recently received a sum from my aunt, she said she would rather be alive and see me make use of the money…since receiving it I definetely feel a lot closer to her. I just feel eternally grateful that she’s done that for me.”
NOTES
1.Opinium Research ran a series of online interviews among a nationally representative panel of 4,001 UK adults between the 25th September and 3rd October 2020
2.This is averaged across all people 18-34 who have received financial aid from their parents or grandparents.
Port of Leith Housing Association is proud to be one of 17 north Edinburgh charities, community groups, schools and other organisations who have joined forces to support people most likely to be hit hardest by coronavirus and associated restrictions this winter in a new collaboration, called Leith Gives.
The Leith Trust is coordinating the campaign which seeks to provide tailored food hampers and other household essentials to vulnerable individuals and families in the run up to Christmas and again in late January.
It also plans to provide gifts and other items people may need to celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Hanukah and other festivals, and to offer practical help to get people online and connect with loved ones or support groups.
Heather Kiteley, Group Chief Executive, Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “The first wave of this pandemic showed just how much we all need each other to get by. Our tenants, the people of Leith and north Edinburgh, charities and community groups, have already demonstrated great resilience and perseverance.
“Now as we head into winter, we’re thrilled to help harness that collective dedication through Leith Gives to spread hope and offer practical support over the festive season and into the New Year.”
AN ICE CREAM FANATIC who flew supersonic on the Concorde was left amazed after receiving a birthday cake in the shape of her favourite ice cream tub.
84-year-old Cecilia Leishman celebrated her birthday with a cake in the shape and design of a Mackie’s of Scotland Salted Caramel ice cream tub.
The cake was made by Cecilia’s long-time friend Susan Stitt, a cake designer from Port Seton, East Lothian.
Cecilia was so stunned by the likeness of the cake that her granddaughter, Kirsty Allan, shared a photo on social media and sent it to the ice cream giant.
Mackie’s too were amazed by the cake creation, and followed up with a gift hamper containing items such as an ice cream scoop, apron and ice cream vouchers to celebrate her birthday.
The great-grandmother is such a fan of Mackie’s Salted Caramel ice cream, that she found herself eating three bowls a day during lockdown.
Cecilia, from Edinburgh, said: “I had no inclination whatsoever that I was going to be surprised with a cake like this for my birthday. My granddaughter told Susan about my love for Mackie’s Salted Caramel ice cream.
“When I was presented with the cake I was gobsmacked. Susan is very talented as it looks like the real thing.
“After I learnt my granddaughter had sent an image of my cake to Mackie’s, I was delighted to see they had shared it with their followers on social media – I felt famous!
“It was so kind of the team at Mackie’s to follow up with a lovely birthday hamper full of goodies.”
Throughout her life Cecilia has experienced some incredible moments from dining on the Orient Express to trailing through the Rocky Mountains in Canada as well as touring China and Hong Kong.
The grandmother added another experience to her bucket list by becoming one of 100 people to fly on the Concorde from New York to Edinburgh in 1996.
Cecilia celebrated her 60th birthday on the Supersonic aircraft after a cruise and week stay in New York.
Cecilia added: “My husband and I sailed to New York, which was a fantastic experience, to go past the Statue of Liberty towering over us was breath taking, but it was amazing to have the opportunity to be one of the few who got to travel on the Concorde from New York to Edinburgh.
“The flight took approximately 2hours and 40minutes, and I remember the pilot telling the cabin that we had gone supersonic and broken the sound barrier – to be honest I didn’t notice any difference!”
Cecilia’s love affair with Mackie’s ice cream began at a small restaurant in South Queensferry, adding: “We were going out for dinner, when I saw a sign at the window say ‘we sell Mackie’s here’.
“I didn’t know what Mackie’s was, so naturally I tried some and I’ve loved it ever since, and now their Salted Caramel is without a doubt my favourite flavour.”
Marketing Director of the family-run business, Karin Mackie, said: “Thanks to Cecilia’s family for sharing the lovely picture of her salted caramel ice cream tub birthday cake – it is amazing and looks even better as a supersize tub!
“We were delighted to hear that Cecilia’s simple joy is having some salted caramel ice cream every day and we send our best birthday wishes.”
Mackie’s is a fourth-generation family farm based, Westertown, is in North East Scotland – and Mackie’s still produce all their ice cream using fresh milk and cream from their own dairy herd on the farm.
The company’s sky to scoop ethos sees it create everything from milk to its packaging on site, powered predominantly by their own renewable energy – via four wind turbines, a 10-acre solar farm and a biomass energy plant. In addition, a £4.5million project is underway to install an innovative new low-carbon refrigeration system, set to be among the greenest in Europe and the first of its kind in Scotland.
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following an assault and robbery in Leith.
At around 2.10pm on Tuesday (24 November) two men and a woman forced entry into a property on Buchanan Street where a 45-year-old man was assaulted and various personal items were stolen.
He was taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment of serious but not life threatening injuries.
The first suspect is described as a white man, around 5ft 10in tall, of a large build and in his 20s. A second man is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall with a thin build and in his 30s.
Both men were wearing dark clothing, black beanie hats and black surgical masks.
The female suspect is described as white, around 5ft 5in tall with long hip length auburn hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a red and black checked shirt, pink trainers and spoke with a local accent.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Edinburgh CID, said: “We are appealing to members of the public who may have seen anyone matching these descriptions around the time of the incident.
“The three suspects headed off in the direction of Iona Street towards Easter Road.”I would ask if you were in the area and noticed anyone acting suspicious that you contact police.
“If you have any CCTV, mobile phone or dashcam footage the could assist with our investigation, please get in touch with officers.
“Police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 1641 of Tuesday, 24 November, 2020 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
The city council has unveiled a ten-year delivery plan outlining the actions it will take to help eradicate poverty in the Capital by 2030.
Published just under two months since Edinburgh became the first UK local authority to set a target date for ending poverty, the End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan 2020-2030 will be considered by the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee on 1 December.
Preventing poverty through people-focused and “poverty-proofed” Council services, helping households maximise their incomes, establishing Edinburgh as a Living Wage City and pressing the UK and Scottish Governments for changes to housing investment and social security policy are among the priority actions outlined in the delivery plan.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Tackling poverty and inequality in our City drives the choices we are making as a Council. We have to act decisively if we’re to eradicate poverty in the Capital by 2030. The first iteration of the delivery plan, just weeks after we received the final recommendations from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, is the next major step towards that aim.
“The ongoing impact of the Covid19 pandemic has hit those on lowest incomes hardest, this should challenge all of us to join the fight to end poverty in Edinburgh. We’ll be ensuring this is central to the choices we make when setting our budget and refreshing the Council’s Business Plan in early 2021.
“This isn’t something the Council can achieve in isolation, however, and this plan is only the first step towards meeting the call to action the Commission has set for us all. The next year will be critical in making sure we pull together and start the long-term work we need to do to end poverty in Edinburgh.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s estimated there’s as much as £80 million in unclaimed benefits in the city. Making sure people are able to access all the financial support they are entitled to is one vital step we can take towards ending poverty in Edinburgh.
“The Edinburgh Poverty Commission report showed us that there are already a number of excellent support services working hard in this city to help Edinburgh residents do just that, but there is much more we need to do. Eradicating poverty in Edinburgh will take a massive collective effort – a ‘whole city approach’ – and this new delivery plan will see us working with our partners across the city to extend these supports and make sure high quality services to prevent or help people out of poverty are embedded in every community in Edinburgh.
“We’ll also continue to press the Scottish and UK Governments hard on making essential changes to housing investment and to social security policy and implementation to build a stronger support system for Scotland that, to quote the Edinburgh Poverty Commission report, ‘is based on a fundamental objective of providing income security sufficient for people in Edinburgh to live free of poverty‘”.
The End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan 2020-2030 highlights 13 priority actions needed to accelerate progress towards the goal of ending poverty in Edinburgh by 2030, and 44 actions identified for delivery and implementation through existing or forthcoming mainstream Council plans and strategies.
The Plan’s actions span seven ‘action areas’, as outlined in the final report from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission:
The right support in the places we live and work
Fair work that provides dignity and security
A decent home we can afford to live in
Income security that offers a real lifeline
Opportunities that drive justice and boost prospects
Connections in a city that belongs to us
Equality in our health and wellbeing
If approved by councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee on 1 December, the Delivery Plan will then be implemented, with a detailed progress monitoring framework brought back to Committee within two cycles.
On the day the Capital Coalition made their announcement on poverty targets a protest was taking place in Muirhouse, one of the capital’s poorest areas.
Living Rent campaigners staged an ‘Enough is Enough’ event to highlight the intolerable conditions council tenants are living in.
Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT, has welcomed a second consultation on regulation of the electrical industry which has been launched by the Scottish Government.
The consultation, lodged by Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, is seeking views on “whether regulatory measures are required to give greater protection to the public and reduce the level of poor electrical workmanship by a persistent rogue trader element”.
SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson said: “This is another great opportunity for the industry to take part and shape the future.
“It’s heartening to see that the Scottish Government believes that regulation of the sector is so important that it merits this further consultation.
“It’s an excellent chance for Scotland to lead the way and demonstrate that we are committed to safer and brighter future for the industry.”
Mr Halcro Johnston hopes his consultation will lead to a Member’s Bill ensuring that only properly qualified and experienced professionals can call themselves an electrician.
SELECT and the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) were among those who responded to the consultation, which received more than 140 submissions.
In her response, Fiona Harper, The Secretary of the SJIB, said: “Electricians frequently voice their concerns and frustration that individuals who have not met the established national and industry standards and are not qualified electricians are able to use the title of electrician.
“In what is such a highly-skilled and safety-critical occupation, this situation should be rectified and the title of electrician should be protected.”
In the SELECT submission, Mr Wilson said: “Our research suggests net benefits to Scotland from proper regulation of electricians of around £58million, including the benefits of higher electrical standards, such as fewer injuries and deaths, better functioning installations, less need for call backs or for poor/unsafe work to be repaired, leading to improved customer satisfaction.”
SELECT has been leading a long-running campaign with other leading industry bodies to make sure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner.
The groundswell of support on its Wall of Support has seen more than 100 prominent parliamentarians, industry figures and representatives of trade associations and professional services bodies pledging their commitment.
The latest consultation can be completed here and closes on 12 February 2021.
Charity calls for children in Scotland to help set Guinness World Records™ title
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is calling for families in Scotland to take part in a giant virtual reading event in December.
The charity hopes that the event will achieve a Guinness World Records title to highlight the need for more positive representations of disability in children’s literature.
To take part, families will need to read the RNIB’s re-imagining of the fairy-tale favourite, Little Red Riding Hood, called ‘Red and the Wolf’. It includes a young girl with vision impairment as the main character, who uses a long cane and is highly skilled at martial arts.
Aimed at children aged three to seven, the book, which was written by author Deborah Fajerman, also comes with an audio version that has special sound effects designed to help children ‘read along’ with the story.
RNIB head of innovation and development Caroline Beard said: “Our earliest perceptions of the world are shaped by the books we read.
“It is essential that children see disability as natural from an early age, to challenge discrimination, promote an understanding of difference, and help children with disabilities feel included in society. However, there is a shocking lack of positive disabled characters and role models in children’s books.
“We launched ‘Red and the Wolf’ to refresh a classic story and turn it into something that celebrates difference. Now, we are really excited to ask families in Scotland to help us by taking part in RNIB’s virtual ReadAlong and hope that many children will enjoy reading about how Red overcomes the challenges she faces.”
Adam Brown, head of records at Guinness World Records, said: “We wish the RNIB the very best of luck in their upcoming attempt.
“Inclusiveness is a value that Guinness World Records holds very dear and RNIB’s work in challenging discrimination and ensuring that all children with disabilities feel positively represented in the books they read, and in society in general, is incredibly important.
The RNIB ReadAlong aims to achieve the Guinness World Record title for the ‘Most photos of people holding books uploaded to Facebook in one hour’. It will take place on Thursday, 10th December, on the charity’s Facebook page.
To take part, families are being asked to take a photo of themselves reading Red and the Wolf, and post it to the page between 6pm and 7pm. The record will be measured by the number of individuals who upload a photo of themselves, or their families, within the hour.
‘Red and the Wolf ‘is available to purchase now from www.readalong.org.uk for £8.99 including delivery.
A new nationwide challenge is looking for food businesses to make their recipes healthier and improve dietary health in local communities across Scotland.
The challenge – Reformul8 – run by Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland, in partnership with Scotland’s 32 local authorities, is open to all small to medium sized food companies. This includes food and ingredient manufacturers, butchers, bakers, cafés and takeaways.
The businesses that take part in the challenge will receive free support to help them select a range of products to focus on and the best ways to make these healthier. This could mean increasing fibre, fruit and vegetables within foods.
Alternatively, labelling could be used to recommend cooking techniques, portion size and serving suggestions. Or fat, salt or sugars, overall calories or portion sizes could be reduced. A simple change could even be to replace a key ingredient with a healthier alternative.
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, Scottish food businesses have worked incredibly hard to feed and to support their local communities. Now is an excellent time to promote the great work they are doing.
Each business taking part in the challenge will benefit from a range of media support from FDF Scotland to celebrate their achievements in making their products healthier and ultimately improving the health of their consumers.
Joanne Burns, Reformulation for Health Manager, FDF Scotland, said:“Health is increasingly being seen by consumers as a key reason for choosing to buy certain food products. We recently carried out research where we found that 89% of Scottish consumers have at least one health goal and are actively seeking healthier food.
“I would encourage food businesses to get involved to support your consumers to improve their dietary health. I would also ask members of the public to promote this challenge to your local food heroes.
“Now is a great time for businesses to get in touch so you can start to look at your recipes ahead of the new year when your consumers will be even more focused on eating more healthily.”
If food businesses are interested in finding out more please email:
Lockdown could lead to a spike in house fires this winter, with elderly people being particularly vulnerable, according to safety experts.
Health and safety experts at CE Safety have warned that the UK’s lockdown has led to an increased risk of house fires as people spend more time indoors.
In the period March 2019 to March 2020, 243 people died in fire related incidents in England, and 82% of these were in people’s homes.
Those over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable of suffering a fire in their home, and the risk doubles for those over 80.
Winter sees an increase in house fires due to candles, Christmas decs, and Brits spending more time indoors.
The Home Office’s online Incident Recording System (IRS) report that the biggest culprits of igniting accidental fires within the home are cooking appliances, accounting for 48% of all fires, followed by smokers’ materials and other household appliances.
Now experts from CE Safety have warned families to be wary of the dangers, look out for their elderly relatives and make sure their electrical appliances are safe.
A spokesperson for CE Safety said “The coronavirus pandemic has brought the importance of safeguarding our fellow humans into sharp focus.
“As we head into a winter that could be awash with isolation and continued lockdown for some time yet, taking care of our families, friends and neighbours will remain at the forefront of our concerns.
“And the very real threat of accidental fires in the home are ever-more alarming as this year’s Home Office figures reveal that someone is more likely to die in a fire in their home if they’re elderly, and if they live alone.”
Here’s how to help the most vulnerable people avoid risk of fire in their homes. A short conversation might be all you need to have with an elderly or vulnerable person in order to get the fire safety message across and find out how at-risk they are.
Here are some of the most important questions to ask:
Have they got a smoke alarm?
This should be never overlooked, and Home Office statisticians have worked out that you are eight times more likely to die in a house fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm. So a smoke alarm should be working properly and be within range of the places a fire is most likely to start.
Check how they’re cooking
Impart general advice about cooking and fires within the kitchen. Help them understand the importance of double-checking if all appliances are off.
It’s also vital to keep flammables away from surfaces and open flames, and to throw away old oil in pans and crumbs in the toaster.
Do they own dangerous appliances?
Find out the make and models of their main household appliances and do a quick check online into whether they are the type that have had problems in recent years. Recently Whirlpool hit the headlines for faulty washing machines. A quick online check of the serial number can put minds at ease.
How are they living?
Have the conversation or around how they are living, and whether they could be any potential fire risks in their home. How is the wear and tear of their wiring? Are they keeping areas around plugs and electrics clutter-free? Even a build-up of dust close to sockets and heaters can ignite a flame.
Smoking
Smoking and ashtrays are the biggest killer from fires in the home. So we all need to stress the importance of being ultra-careful with smoking materials around the home. Watch out and make sure cigarettes are extinguished properly and talk to them about never smoking in bed.
Hidden dangers
It might be surprising to people that fires can start in the most obscure ways – from the sun having a magnifying effect from glass ornaments or vases on windowsill onto curtains or carpets, igniting a flame.
Hair styling tools being left on are also a danger, as is overloading sockets, leaving appliances running during the night or electric blankets being on for too long. It might seem obvious but it’s not to everyone.
The three Cs: Candles, chimneys and Christmas lights
We should all be reminded to be careful with the things we bring out exclusively in winter, when it’s cold outside. There’s very little ventilation and everyone tends to be indoors more. Candles, chimneys and Christmas lights are responsible for fires in homes every year, so let people know how important it is to be careful with them.
Plan an escape route
In the event the worst does happen, then there is far more likelihood of having a better outcome if a plan has been put in place beforehand. Knowing where to get help, who to contact, how to respond, what to do and how to keep calm will give everyone a little more peace of mind too.
