Category: North Edinburgh News

No to shared vans, says post workers’ union

Post workers’ union CWU has criticised a “reckless” Royal Mail decision to bring back shared delivery vans, saying that the union’s first priority is to “protect postal workers’ lives”.

Speaking to around 20,000 CWU members on a Facebook session, deputy general secretary for the postal sector Terry Pullinger accused Royal Mail management of basing workplace health and safety decisions on economic worries in the build-up to Christmas, saying that the decision had “operational overtones”.

He added that the company is “going against everything they supported at the start of this pandemic,” and criticised the timing of the decision.

“In the last couple of weeks, the landscape has drastically changed. It’s getting worse, with areas of this country getting shut down. To now make the move to put two people back in the van is reckless.”

Commenting on the shared vans policy, he said the company was “asking us to put their name on it. We will not do that. Our priority is to protect postal workers’ lives. We want to keep you safe, your workplace safe and your family safe.

“Every single person should be at high alert to make sure this virus does not spread to postal workers.”

He asked union reps to share the “no to shared vans” message throughout Royal Mail workplaces.

The CWU is also calling on Royal Mail to be “honest” over whether workers sharing vans will receive full sick pay if they are forced to self-isolate.

CWU Acting Assistant Secretary Carl Maden has demanded clarity from management after Royal Mail returned to van sharing practices on Monday.

The stance, which management insists is a purely voluntary role for workers who feel comfortable sharing vehicles, was opposed by the CWU.

CWU Acting Assistant Secretary Carl Maden said: “At a time when Covid-19 cases are increasing and further lock downs are in the pipeline, the CWU did not agree with van sharing – however, Royal Mail have gone ahead with it.

“Therefore, I have asked Royal Mail to guarantee anyone who volunteers will have full sick pay.”

Carl pointed out a recent Royal Mail document sent to managers stated the provision of enhanced sick pay is “dependent on the absence not being caused by or aggravated by the employee”.

The document goes on to say: “Where, in the reasonable view of the company, there is evidence of an employee’s disregard for public health guidance which then leads to them needing to self-isolate, Royal Mail Sick Pay will not be paid.”

Furthermore, in a meeting last Friday which attended by five directors/senior managers, Carl asked them to confirm whether full sick pay would be paid to members forced to self-isolate after volunteering for van sharing roles.

He also asked them to release a communication explaining any circumstances where sick pay will not be paid.

At the time of writing, nothing has been received from Royal Mail.

Carl called on Royal Mail to publish a statement as soon as possible, so members can make informed decisions about volunteering in vans.

He said: “We want guaranteed full sick pay and assurances any absence will not count against you on an attendance review or consideration of dismissal”, and added the union also wants those guarantees applied to members working in Fleet services.

He added: “I am sure I will be accused of scaremongering. However, all Royal Mail have to do is publish a document which states clearly: ‘if you have to self-isolate due to van sharing, full sick pay will be paid and the absence will not count against you within the attendance agreement or stipulate when sick pay will not be paid.’

“This would be an honest position.”

Carl also reminded workers they are entitled to read risk assessments and safe systems of work, and managers are obliged to provide you with a copy if requested.

Clowning Around – an exciting new programme for Special Education Needs Schools

Hearts & Minds, award-winning charity and home of the Clowndoctors, is pleased to announce an exciting and fun new programme for special educational needs schools across Scotland.

Clowning Around is an art and play programme specifically designed for children with special educational support needs. Using the art of therapeutic clowning professionally trained artists engage children in play, music, dance, song, puppetry, games and storytelling. The Clowndoctors use improvisational skills and expertise in non-verbal communication and play to create tailored programmes to suit individual needs.

Clowning Around Programme

• Clowndoctor on Call: bespoke live interactive sessions delivered virtually by the Clowndoctors to individuals or a small group. • Clowndoctor Personalised Videos: Videos created for individuals or small groups. Tailored to suit the needs and interests of the children/young people.

• Clowndoctor in the Classroom: live visits in the classroom with the Clowndoctors. These will return when restrictions allow. 
• Laughing Around: Laughter Yoga workshop for staff. This fun practical workshop is designed to relieve stress, lighten the mood, and form positive connections.

Clowndoctor on Call virtual visits were developed in response to COVID 19 as face to face visits in the classroom had to stop and Hearts & Minds were determined to keep the connection with pupils & bring moments of joy and laughter into the classroom.

The virtual visits have begun at Fairview School, Perth where they have been a huge success with staff and pupils.

Leigh Verdot, Head Teacher of Fairview School said: “We are thrilled to still get our weekly fix with the Clowndoctors.  It is great to see the smiles and enjoyment from our pupils when they are engaging with the Clowndoctors on the ipads!

“Things are so different with COVID restrictions, so our weekly visits are one of the best parts of the week now.  All our staff are learning from the Clowndoctors too.  We couldn’t ask for a better start to the week!”

Rebecca Simpson, CEO of Hearts & Minds commented: “I am delighted to finally launch at our new school programme- Clowning Around. With 21 years’ experience of delivering our Clowndoctor programme it is exciting to be developing this work for schools across Scotland.

“The feedback we have received already has been overwhelmingly positive regarding the impact on the children. The programme is full of fun, laughter and creativity and will bring smiles to classrooms.”

The programme is open to all schools in Scotland who have pupils with complex learning needs and the programme can be tailored to suit the individual or a class. The team at Hearts & Minds will liaise with staff to provide a bespoke series of sessions.

For more information on Clowning Around visit:

https://www.heartsminds.org.uk/clowndoctors/clowning-around/

MSP urges constituents to apply for self-isolation support grant

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald  has urged constituents who face financial hardship due to being asked to self-isolate to apply for a £500 self-isolation grant offered by the SNP Government. 

The new Self-Isolation Support Grant will help people across Edinburgh who would lose income if they needed to self-isolate, such as those unable to work from home.

This grant is for those who will face financial hardship due to being asked to self-isolate and will be targeted at people who are in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits, with some discretion to make awards to others in financial hardship. 

Applications for the Self-Isolation Support Grant opened on 12th October and will be delivered through the existing Scottish Welfare Fund, which is administered by local authorities.

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “I know that self-isolation can be tough, but it is essential to protect people and reduce the spread of coronavirus.

“To ensure people do not experience financial hardship as a result of doing the right thing, the SNP Government has introduced this new £500 grant for people on low incomes who have been asked to self-isolate.

“It’s essential that we do everything we can to support people throughout this challenging time.

“These payments will help ensure people across Edinburgh do not have to make a choice between self-isolating and supporting themselves financially.

“Applications for this new benefit are now open, and I’d urge anyone in Edinburgh who is facing a loss of income due to self-isolating to apply for it.”

Details of The Scottish Government Fund can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-test-and-protect/pages/support-grants/

Details of how to apply in Edinburgh: 

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/coronavirus-4/council-tax-benefits-welfare-coronavirus-advice/5?documentId=12927&categoryId=20297

Three Edinburgh charities to benefit from Scotmid support

Three Edinburgh charities have successfully secured £8,500 funding thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

Street Assist, Community One Stop Shop and Kids Love Clothes have each been awarded funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an overall £84,000 pot.

Commenting on the support, Street Assist Edinburgh Founder, Neil Logan, said: “Street Assist Edinburgh are delighted to receive an equal share of the Scotmid Community Connect Grant with the Community One Stop Shop Project and Kids Love Clothes.

“It has been a very difficult time for many charities operating throughout the pandemic so this funding will get us some much-needed stability over the coming months as we try to re-establish our services.”

In normal times, Scotmid would typically select a shortlist of community projects which its members then vote on to allocate different amounts of funding. However, due to the pandemic, the Scotmid Board agreed that all shortlisted charities and community groups would receive equal amounts of funding within each region.

Kids Love Clothes Founder, Denise Thomas, said: “We can’t thank Scotmid enough for their massive generosity.

“We plan to use the money to purchase much needed warm winter jackets and warm clothes to pass onto children in our area. A massive thank you from everyone at Kids Love Clothes.”

Carol Swan, Project Manager of Community One Stop Shop, added: “Thank you so much to Scotmid for their generosity in granting us the funding – it could not have come at a better time for us and the individuals and families we support.

“We will use this money to enhance our services during extended opening hours, and to strengthen the ways in which we can support our service users.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £385,000 has been awarded to 39 good cause groups enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Harry Cairney, President and Chair of the East Regional Committee at Scotmid, said: “The pandemic has created numerous challenges for communities to overcome and adapt to.

“Community Connect is one of the main ways we can support the communities that we serve and we are delighted to provide Street Assist, Community One Stop Shop and Kids Love Clothes with funding as they continues to provide vital support to the Edinburgh community.”

Making a Difference: Libraries, Lockdown and Looking Ahead

We are delighted to share with you Making a Difference: Libraries, Lockdown and Looking Ahead, a report that explores the role of UK public library services during lockdown and beyond.

The report sets out four key messages:

  1. Public library services had a positive impact on those who engaged with them during lockdown.
  2. Public library staff made a valuable contribution to the Covid-19 response.
  3. Public library services and their staff could have delivered much more – but faced barriers in doing so.
  4. Public library services have huge potential to support individuals and communities as they navigate the short, medium and long-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eight action areas are identified that challenge national and local governments, sector support bodies and the sector itself to go further to ensure that everyone in the UK has an equal opportunity to experience the enabling impact of the best public library services.

The report draws on public polling of 2,196 UK adults carried out by Savanta ComRes on behalf of the Carnegie UK Trust, 1,196 responses to a public library staff survey and depth interviews with 22 Heads of Service.

You can access the Making a Difference report series by clicking on the links below:

You can also access the report Libraries in Lockdown, published today by Libraries Connected here.

Best wishes

Sarah Davidson

Chief Executive, Carnegie UK Trust

Twitter: @CarnegieUKTrust

www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk

How to give children a taste for World Food Day

Watch out for World Food Day on Friday (October 16). The date commemorates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation by the United Nations in 1945. This year’s theme is Grow, Nourish, Sustain, Together.

This is a great opportunity to do some fun activities at home with your children to give them a better understanding of how a sustainable supply of food relates to their own lives and the local area as well as those in far-away places. 

And the event is of particular significance this year because it takes place at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic threatens food security in many parts of the world. 

Former primary school teacher Oli Ryan of education resource experts PlanBee reports:

Four great ways to celebrate World Food Day 2020

1. Discover fascinating food facts

World Food Day Facts

  • Eight hundred million people around the world suffer from hunger.
  • In parts of the world where hunger is a big issue, life expectancy is shorter, infant mortality is higher, and productivity is lower.
  • Around the same number of people around the world suffer from obesity due to unhealthy diets.
  • Obesity kills more people than hunger.
  • Inefficient, unsustainable food systems harm ecosystems and contribute to global warming. Changing the way we produce food is key to tackling climate change.
  • As the climate changes, we will have to change the way we produce food: yields will decrease, and new food sources will have to be found.
  • In developed countries, tackling obesity would save hundreds of billions of pounds in healthcare costs.
  • In countries where hunger is an issue, eliminating hunger would dramatically increase productivity and national wealth.

2. Make it meaningful.

Food security and food poverty are significant issues in the UK too. It’s a good time to talk about food banks, free school meals and the importance of eating nourishing food for health, happiness and even for effective learning.

What is ‘food security’?
Food security means being having access to adequate supplies of food to live healthily. To have food security:

  • People must have enough money to buy food
  • Food must be affordably-priced
  • There must be reliable supply chains for food
  • There must be enough reserves of food, or reliable enough supply chains for a variety of foods, to ensure that access to food is not interrupted
  • The food available must be nutritious, so those who consume it can lead active, healthy lives

What are ‘sustainable food systems’?
Effective, sustainable food systems affordably provide an adequate amount of food to meet demand while also supporting the ecosystems they rely on for the production of food.

A good example are the new greenhouse system in Norfolk and Suffolk, set to produce 10 per cent of UK tomatoes.

The greenhouses will be heated by warm water pumped from nearby water treatment plants, producing far lower carbon emissions than traditional growing methods. It also reduces food miles and establishes a more reliable supply of food in the local area. Can you think of an example of a sustainable food system in your own area?

3. Link it to your local community

Church of England schools have a long-standing tradition of celebrating harvest festival by collecting store cupboard food items for the elderly and vulnerable in their community. This year, Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival, is celebrated 2nd-9th October.

If there’s not much happening locally, why not arrange to do something to help those less well-off in your community? Find out where your nearest food bank is. Many will list the items they are most in need of each week on their website.

4. Make healthy, nutritious food together

Talk ‘around’ the recipe you choose to follow; for example, you might try to find out about the food journey of one or more of the ingredients. 

You can find out more about what’s happening during World Food Day 2020 by following the hashtags #WorldFoodDay and #FoodHeroes on social media.

For more activity ideas and resources for celebrating World Food Day, check out PlanBee’s World Food Day collection.

Former primary school teacher Oli Ryan is a senior member of the team at PlanBee, the education resources and lesson planning experts

Grounded: Edinburgh Airport numbers slashed following ‘turbulent summer’

The number of people travelling through Edinburgh Airport over the normally busy summer months has fallen by 91% due to the impact of Covid-19.

785,000 people passed through the airport between April and September, down from 8.4 million in 2019 and well down on initial 2020 estimates of 8.8 million made at the end of last year. The ever-changing situation and near constant changes to quarantine exemptions means forecasting for 2021 is almost impossible.

The numbers demonstrate the stark situation the aviation industry is in, the huge challenge it faces to recover and the importance of finding solutions to aid the airport’s recovery.

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult time for all of us and the scale of the recovery challenge that faces us is now really hitting home. These figures highlight the huge impact Covid-19 has had and continues to have, something that is being felt across the travel and tourism industries and the economy as a whole.

“Scotland’s recovery will be protracted and tough, and the aviation industry will face similar challenges to ensure it can reconnect the country to the world. There are still many unknowns which make that difficult to chart.”

The airport has previously confirmed the unfortunate loss of almost a third of its workforce due to the continued impact of Covid-19 and the quarantine policy that is in place. Talks continue with the Scottish Government on the prospect of a robust testing regime and the possibility of a pilot scheme to evaluate risk mitigation and protection of public health.

Gordon Dewar added: “We have spent years building growth in our passengers, routes and infrastructure, so to see all of that fall back is a concerning position for us to be in. Losing valued friends and colleagues has been difficult for us and we still face an uncertain future as we continue to grapple with this awful virus.

“Our own recovery will be difficult – we do not expect to break even until 2021 and we face tough choices to ensure we protect as many jobs as we can, and that will always be our main focus. Our business plans have been in a constant state of flux due to circumstances worsening, the introduction of and constant changes to quarantine, and of course all of this feeds into passenger confidence.

“We need to see a robust testing regime which will protect public health, provide reassurance and see travel and tourism begin to rebuild.”

Which? calls for action over toll of online scams

Social media users are seriously underestimating their chances of falling victim to online fraud and suffering devastating emotional and financial consequences because tech giants are not doing enough to warn and protect them, Which? is warning.

The consumer champion’s latest research using an online community of Facebook users showed that a majority were lulled into a false sense of security by the platform’s social nature. They mistakenly assumed they could spot fraud and that the company’s systems would protect them effectively. 

However Which? found a third of participants did not know that fake products might be advertised on the site – putting them at risk of falling victim to purchase scams. A quarter did not spot an investment scam advert with a fake endorsement from a celebrity.

If this was to be replicated across Facebook’s user base of 44 million Britons, huge numbers of users could potentially be at risk from fraudsters who lure in victims with fake accounts, posts and paid-for ads on the site.

The financial consequences for those tricked by these fraudsters as well as those who post scam adverts on websites and search engines like Google can be devastating.

Which? has heard from many victims of these types of scams  – including a man who lost almost £100,000 after clicking on an online investment advert featuring fake endorsements from MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis and Deborah Meaden from BBC show Dragons’ Den. 

The emotional consequences are equally serious. Scam victims told Which? that it had shaken their confidence in themselves and their ability to trust other people. A woman who lost £30,000 to an investment scam which featured prominently on Google said she still feels shame and despair 15 months on from her ordeal, adding: “It breaks you as a person.”

Which? is calling on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to act now and include online scams in the upcoming Online Harms Bill so that consumers are protected from this huge and growing problem. 

Which? carried out in-depth research with an online community of Facebook users over 10 days, and also conducted a nationally representative online survey including 1,700 Facebook users, as part of its new policy report ‘Connecting the world to fraudsters? Protecting social media users from scams’. 

The research found that older social media users are often more concerned about scams, and perceived as being at greater risk by their fellow users. But the findings suggested that younger people may actually be more susceptible to scams as they are more persuadable and more likely to take risks, such as taking part in online shopping and quizzes used by some fraudsters.

Knowledge among users of what Facebook does to protect people from becoming a victim of a scam was low, although users assumed Facebook did have systems and processes in place. However, when details of Facebook’s actual systems and processes were explained, users were sceptical about their effectiveness and questioned whether they are sufficient.

Just three in 10 (30%) respondents to Which?’s online survey of Facebook users said they were aware of the scam ad reporting tool introduced by the site in 2019. Only a third of these, 10 per cent overall, said they had used the tool themselves.

Which?’s research was conducted with a focus on Facebook due to its size and influence in the social media landscape. However, the consumer champion believes that the findings and implications of this research can be reasonably extended to apply to other similar social networking sites and online platforms.

The amount of money lost to fraud every year is huge. In the year to June 2020,  Action Fraud received 822,276 fraud reports, and the value of losses from reported incidents was £2.3 billion. Action Fraud estimates that 85 per cent of all fraud in the year to June 2020 was carried out digitally.

Which? spoke to one man, retired and in his seventies, who lost almost £100,000 to a Bitcoin scam, which started in February 2019, by a company called Fibonetix. He had seen an online advert which had fake endorsements from celebrities including MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis and businesswoman Deborah Meaden.

The man, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Which?: “Being scammed in this way was utterly devastating. I think about it virtually every day and it’s really affected my confidence, my ability to make decisions and has ultimately changed the person that I am. Fortunately I have been able to get through it with the support of my family.”

Another victim, a sound engineer in her forties, was searching for investment advice on Google and ended up filling in contact details with a firm that seemed legitimate. Receiving a phone call a few days later she then ended up falling victim to an incredibly sophisticated scam, which took place over several weeks, and lost £30,000. Her case is currently being investigated by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

She says the experience has impacted her mental and physical health and that “it’s been really traumatic. At the time it felt like no one cared or wanted to discuss my case with me. It breaks you as a human being and leaves you scared of the outside world.”

Despite it happening 15 months ago she says: “It’s still hard to trust yourself and others. Often people think these things only happen to older people and it takes a long time to not feel like an idiot. There’s a lot of shame and despair which hasn’t gone away and I’m still awaiting closure to this day.”

Which? is calling for online platforms, including social media sites, to be given greater responsibility to prevent scam content appearing on their platforms.

The government has a perfect opportunity to deliver this in the upcoming online harms bill, and if not ministers must set out their proposals for further legislative action to effectively protect consumers from online scams.

Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Which?, said: “The financial and emotional toll of scams can be devastating and it is clear that social media firms such as Facebook are failing to step up and properly protect users from fraudsters on their sites. 

“The time for serious action on online scams is now. If the government doesn’t grasp the opportunity to deliver this in the upcoming online harms bill, it must urgently come forward with new proposals to stem the growing tide of sophisticated scams by criminals online.” 

Amazon Edinburgh makes donations to local charities for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

The team from the Amazon Customer Service Centre in Edinburgh has donated a total of £1,500 worth of toys and pyjamas to Cancer & Leukemia Advice & Support for Parents (CCLASP) and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity as part of the company’s global Amazon Goes Gold campaign during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. 

Amazon Goes Gold is Amazon’s annual campaign to raise awareness and funds during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In addition to partnering with hospitals and research organisations around the world, Amazon also wraps a selection of its delivery fleet in gold ribbons during the month of September to further increase awareness across its network. The Amazon Goes Gold campaign was launched in 2017. 

Valerie Simpson, from CCLASP, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many of the team at the Amazon Customer Service Centre in Edinburgh working in their pyjamas in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness month!

“I’d like to thank Rachel and the team for raising awareness through #AmazonGoesGold and for providing us with a donation, which will be greatly appreciated by everyone at CCLASP. We could hardly believe it when the team showed up with all the pyjamas and toys – the children will love them.” 

While we’re all facing a global pandemic, more than 300,000 children will also be diagnosed with pediatric cancer this year, and it’s the number one non-communicable disease causing the death of children around the world. 

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with CCLASP and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital for Amazon Goes Gold,” said Rachel Seaward-Simpson, Site Leader at the Amazon Customer Service Centre in Edinburgh.

“We want patients and kids everywhere affected by childhood cancer to imagine the future innovators in themselves. It’s an honour to make a difference for such an important cause that affects families around the world.” 

This donation will support CCLASP and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital in their missions to provide practical and emotional support to families affected by childhood cancer.