North Edinburgh News – Page 2343 – The NEN

Collaborate and create: Students unveil their vision for beauty spot visitor hub

Students from Edinburgh Napier and the City of Glasgow college have linked up to design a new visitor hub for Beecraigs Country Park in Linlithgow.

Two teams from the Scottish institutions were tasked with creating an ecologically sustainable, environmentally friendly, and inclusive focal point to the vibrant country park.

The aim was to layout a proposed building that could be constructed and deconstructed away from the intended site, known as offsite construction.

Team 2 won the first prize of £600 in the Offsite Ready challenge, when they designed a hub which would cater for cyclists, with open and accessible areas.

Team 1 delivered their presentation on a centre which would withstand the elements, including a mezzanine complemented by the carefully considered path of the sun. They received the runner up prize of £300.

From Edinburgh Napier, the winning team included digital designer Zarja Krevelj, production manager Emily Rankin, production manager Callum MacGillivray, and Agata Gaspari in charge of the summer pavilion.

The ‘Are you Offsite Ready? Online design challenge’ was sponsored by Finnish renewable materials manufacturers, Stora Enso, who donated £900 to reward students for their efforts.

Rory Doak, Business Development Manager at Stora Enso UK & Ireland said: “Stora Enso were thrilled to support a student-led design project, showcasing the abilities of students to adapt to new working conditions and produce manufacturable, sustainable and inclusive designs.

“I hope that we will see more competitions emerge, like this, that equip students with strong fundamental knowledge of BIM, inclusivity, and sustainable construction with timber. I am sure these principles will be key industry drivers in the future, and these students will continue to champion these design principles as they build their careers.”

The challenge was originally conceptualized by Edinburgh Napier lecturer Dr Mila Duncheva and research assistant for the Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures, Louise Rogers; with Catriona Jordan, from City of Glasgow College, as a way of giving students an opportunity to gain some industry experience out with the university curriculum and in lieu of the international internships usually available to students from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Engineering & the Built Environment.

Dr Mila Duncheva said: “This challenge was designed to develop students’ transferable skills including teamworking, problem solving, working to tight deadlines and collaborative digital workflows using Building Information Modelling (BIM).

“I was astounded by both teams’ intricate technical solutions and striking visual presentations and am delighted we provided a positive experience for them during the worst of the pandemic.”

The project spanned 12 weeks, starting in June. It presented challenges for the students as they learned to work together remotely, whilst figuring out how to get the best from their designs and cater for the park’s one million yearly visitors.

The Offsite Ready challenge teams collaborated with West Lothian Council to provide accurate geographical plans of the proposed sites. And engineering consultant firm SWECO who did an analysis of the project’s factors.

Students also attended a collection of lectures designed and delivered by their mentors, to help inform their designs.

With most of the mentors coming from Edinburgh Napier University, this included: Prof. Pat Langdon, Prof. Robert Hairstans and Dr Andrew Livingstone, working alongside industry leaders such as Matt Stevenson from SNRG

Eirwen Hopwood of West Lothian Council said she would like to see one of these designs become a reality at Beecraigs Country Park in the future.

This challenge was part of the wider Offsite Ready project funded by the Construction Industry Training Board and led by the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, City of Glasgow College, Construction Wales Innovation Centre, Ministry of Building Innovation and Education and Class of Your Own.

Battle of Britain Day explained

The national celebration of Battle of Britain Day on 15 September is a major event. But do you know what we are commemorating and why, and how can you explain its significance to your children? Former primary school teacher Laura Steele of leading education resource creators PlanBee has all the answers.

What was the Battle of Britain?

The Battle of Britain was a decisive air battle between Britain and Germany in the Second World War, which took place between July and October 1940.

How did the Battle of Britain begin?

Germany, led by Hitler, had invaded much of Europe, and Britain was the only country left to conquer. Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force, to fly over and bomb towns and army defences on the south coast of England, hoping to weaken the British defences before invading by land. The first bombs were dropped on 10th July 1940.

How did Britain respond?

Hitler did not anticipate the strength of the Royal Air Force, and Britain’s determination to fight back. He decided to focus the attack on the air force bases of Britain instead, bombing airport runways and radar stations, hoping to weaken the RAF. Hitler became impatient at how long it was taking to defeat Britain, so he also ordered the bombing of large cities such as Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast and London.

What was ‘The Hardest Day’?

18th August 1940 was named ‘The Hardest Day’ after a particularly fierce air battle between the RAF and the Luftwaffe. Germany aimed to destroy RAF Fighter Command, the control centre of Britain’s fighter aircraft. Both sides suffered heavy losses. Despite shooting down twice as many German planes in the sky, the RAF lost many of their aircraft when they were destroyed on the ground.

What happened on ‘Battle of Britain Day’?

The Germans felt that they were getting close to victory. On 15th September, a huge bombing attack was launched on London. Immediately, RAF pilots took to the sky in their fighter planes, shooting down many German aircraft. This was a key turning point; although more air raids occurred after this date, they became less frequent.

How did it end?

At the end of October 1940, Hitler abandoned his plans to invade Britain. After the Battle of Britain, the RAF had seriously weakened the Luftwaffe and caused Hitler’s first major defeat of the war.

Seven fascinating facts about the Battle of Britain

● The name ‘Battle of Britain’ was coined by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In a speech he made after the defeat of France, he said, ‘ …the Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin.’

● The leader of the RAF was Sir Hugh Dowding. The leader of the Luftwaffe was Hermann Göring.

● Despite the Luftwaffe having more aircraft, the RAF had the advantage of radar which gave them advance warning of where and when German aircraft were approaching.

● The Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire were the main RAF fighter aircraft. The Hurricanes were responsible for 60 per cent of German losses.

● The Messerschmitt bf 109 was the most dangerous German fighter plane. The Luftwaffe’s Heinkel He III was capable of carrying bombs weighing up to 250kg.

● At the beginning of the Battle of Britain, the RAF had 1,963 aircraft while the Luftwaffe had 2,550. By the end, the RAF had lost 1,744 and the Luftwaffe 1,977.

● After the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill said, ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’ This is why the pilots who fought in the battle became known as ‘The Few’.

Download free resources at https://planbee.com/products/battle-of-britain-freebee-pack

Today: talking Health at Holyrood

MSPs to quiz NHS Lothian on impact of Covid-19

The Health and Sport Committee will hear from NHS Lothian on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic today.

This will include discussion of the health board’s 2020-21 budget, such as whether costs associated with the pandemic have been offset by savings in other departments.

The Committee will also explore the long-term effects of Covid-19 on health boards, including the funding of Integrated Joint Boards (IJBs). The Committee will also seek to find out what planning has been carried out in anticipation of a potential second wave of the virus.

Appearing before the Committee for this evidence session will be:

Calum Campbell, Interim Chief Executive, NHS Lothian
Susan Goldsmith, Director of Finance, NHS Lothian

The NHS Lothian session follows the appearance of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf MSP, will also give evidence on the latest travel regulations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. This will be the first item on the Committee’s agenda, which starts at 9.45am.

Full meeting papers:

https://www.parliament.scot/S5_HealthandSportCommittee/Meeting%20Papers/20200915_HS_PUBLIC_PAPERS.pdf

You can watch the session live here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/

RAF charity shines spotlight on unsung heroes on Battle of Britain Day

EDITOR –

As we all mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the RAF Benevolent Fund is working to highlight the role of the many who each played a critical part in securing victory.

Many of them lived and worked in Scotland, home to not just airfields but also other critical installations such as radar. Others in the region may recall seeing the dogfights in the skies during that summer of 1940.

To pay tribute to all those who worked towards victory, we created a poignant light show projected onto two radar sites with images of a range of RAF personnel from air crew to radar operators. These help remind us of the many who supported the few, not just during the Second World War, but right up to the present day.

The RAF Benevolent Fund is there for the many – anyone who has EVER served in the RAF. We have a duty to support them in their time of need. We all have a last chance to do our duty, just as they did theirs, by giving them and their families the support they deserve.

In 2019, the RAF Benevolent Fund spent more than £400,000 supporting 196 beneficiaries in Scotland – but we know there are thousands more veterans out there in need of assistance.

Given the important role the RAF has played in the recent heritage of the region, we ask your readers to think if they know of any RAF veterans or their partners who may be in need of our support, particularly during this difficult time. We can help them in so many ways.

To find out more or let us know of someone we might be able to help, please visit www.rafbf.org.

Thank you, sincerely,

AVM Chris Elliot

Could Claire Sweeney find an unsung hero in North Edinburgh?

Bingo fans reveal that their living rooms are in biggest need of a revamp

Lots of things have gone on hold this year, and despite spending more time at home, investing in revamping the house hasn’t made it to the top of the list for most people.

A poll in the meccabingo.com chat rooms last month revealed that 38%* desperately want to give their living room a makeover, with the sofa being the item that people want to replace the most.

And because it’s been a pretty tough year all round, the team at Meccabingo.com have teamed up with TV favourite Claire Sweeney to find the most deserving person in the country – and they could be coming to your town! The prize will be for a real unsung hero – a life changing home makeover worth over £20,000.

Mecca and Claire will be scouring the land this month, asking people to nominate their unsung hero – someone who’s done something remarkable this year – whether that’s helping out in the community, raising money for a charity or being one of our much loved key workers – it could be anything.

All you have to do is head to Meccabingo.com and follow the instructions. Upload a video that’s 60 seconds long or less and at the end of September a shortlist of nominees will be announced. A few days later, the unsung hero will be crowned and told about their amazing prize.

By Christmas, they’ll have a beautiful new lounge to chill out in, a dining area to enjoy meals together in and bedroom to get a good night’s sleep in. But who will win?

Do you know and unsung hero? If so, get nominating now!

Visit www.meccabingo.com and follow the link.

Emergency funding for culture details announced

Creative Scotland has published details of the Scottish Government’s Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund, which forms part of the £31.5m emergency funding for culture announced by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, on 28 August.

The £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund aims to provide emergency support to organisations that provide opportunities for cultural engagement and have been unable to trade due to the impact of Covid-19. Its primary aim is to protect jobs and to support the sustainability of organisations threatened by insolvency in the short to medium term

Eligibility criteria and guidelines for applying to the Fund have now been published ahead opening for applications on Thursday 17 September.

Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s been an extremely difficult time for the culture sector this year. We’ve done everything we can to alleviate some of the immediate challenges but we know many businesses will continue to struggle until they can fully reopen.

“The Culture Organisations and Venue Recovery Fund will aid a range of cultural businesses and help them weather the most critical challenges they face. I’m grateful to Creative Scotland for the pace they’ve worked at to develop the funding and its distribution.”

Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “The challenges presented to the culture and creative sector by the Covid-19 pandemic are only too real and are not going to go away quickly or easily. That’s why this additional emergency funding from the Scottish Government is so welcome.

“Our top priority is the delivery of these funds to the sector as quickly as possible and the launch today of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is an important step in providing much needed support. While we know that this funding won’t be able to meet every challenge, it will help to protect jobs and support the sustainability of organisations wherever possible.”

The Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is the second of five new emergency funds from Scottish Government being delivered by Creative Scotland as follows:

The £3.5m Independent Cinemas Recovery and Resilience Fund, announced on Thursday 3 September, is helping to secure the survival of Scotland’s independent cinemas, enabling them to re-establish and adjust their business models in response to Covid-19. The fund opens for applications on Monday 14 September.
The £5m Creative Freelancer Hardship Fund will address the current financial hardship being felt by creative freelancers who normally work in the culture sector but whose work has been impacted by Covid-19. We will be issuing an open call for partner organisations to help us distribute this fund on Friday 11 September
The £5m Sustaining Creative Practice Fund will support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19. This includes £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme, mentioned in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, supporting organisations employing freelance artists to work in and with communities across Scotland. The remaining £3.5m has been added to Creative Scotland’s existing open fund which is open for applications from individuals now.
The £3m Youth Arts Fundwill ensure creative opportunities for children and young people continue to exist across Scotland despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Details of this fund are currently being finalised and will be announced week commencing 14 September.

The previously announced £2.2m Grassroots Music Venue Sustainability Fund closed for applications on 3 September. The fund has received 97 applications and awards will be announced on 22 September.

The £5m open call element of the Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund closed for applications on 27 August. The fund received 42 applications and awards will be announced by 24 September.

Updates on all emergency funds will be published regularly on the Creative Scotland website and publicised through media and social media communications.

Edinburgh urged to share views on gender inequality and body image

The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) is calling on Edinburgh residents to join the #GenerationEqual movement and have their say in its latest discussion surrounding body image.

Increased societal pressures relating to ‘body image standards’ and the rise in use of social media has had a considerable impact on body image for many women and girls of all ages.

Discrimination, developing distorted perceptions and dealing with low self-esteem, often with associated mental health consequences, are just some of the issues stemming from body image. The Advisory Council would like to hear views on body image from people of all genders and those who don’t identify to help inform its findings and shape its recommendations to the First Minister.

The NACWG was formed to drive equality for women and girls in every community across Scotland by raising the issue of gender inequality. Focusing on a new Spotlight theme on a bi-monthly basis, the Advisory Council aims to bring people together and create discussion on many issues still faced by women and girls in Scotland today. The NACWG is putting a Spotlight on body image until the end of October to explore the daily challenges and pressures of body image.

Louise Macdonald OBE, Co-Chair of the NACWG, said: “In today’s society women and girls still face huge pressures to look a certain way as they compare their appearance to others on social media, magazines and in advertisements. Poor self-confidence can be extremely damaging, and can lead to many women and girls struggling with their self-worth and place in society.

“The Advisory Council is inviting groups, organisations and networks in Edinburgh, to share their experiences, opinions and ideas around the body image Spotlight. Every bit of feedback will help advise the First Minister and drive action in creating long-lasting change for women and girls in Scotland.”

To participate in this national conversation groups, organisations and networks are encouraged to form a virtual Wee Circle to discuss these issues and share ideas on how it can be tackled.

Feedback from these Wee Circle discussions, as well as individual feedback, can be submitted online at onescotland.org/NACWG.

Alternatively, thoughts can be shared on social media using the hashtag #GenerationEqual.

We’re all in this together, says Council leader

Council Leader’s Report – September

With Covid cases rising across the country and a new six-person rule introduced by the Scottish Government, it’s clear that we all need to keep on top of the latest health advice and look out for one another (writes City Council Leader ADAM McVEY).

We’ve come a long way since March, and our city and our residents have done an incredible job of adapting to changing circumstances and, of course, looking after their communities and those around them in many ways.

We’ve all missed Edinburgh’s buzz and it’s great to see people out and about again. After many challenging months for our local businesses, the last thing we want to see is a need for more stringent local restrictions, so let’s keep up the effort.

Our efforts are ongoing to help us return to our high streets in a safe and comfortable way and the city’s Forever Edinburgh campaign provides advice for making the most of a day or night out in the city. We can all do our bit to support our favourite local businesses, so let’s continue to shop local and see them through this crisis.

With residents, visitors and new and returning students, there are of course a lot more people in our streets. So we’re working closely with universities and colleges to provide all students with a warm welcome and clear information on keeping themselves, their classmates and our communities safe.

It’s a united effort from everyone involved, and we must come together for the good of our city. #AllTogetherEdinburgh

Challenges facing our schools

Ensuring our schools were safe to reopen last month was an enormous task and I want to recognise the tremendous amount of effort from many Council teams making sure this happened. It’s certainly welcome to see learning and teaching continuing where it should be taking place – in the classroom.

There have been a number of positive Covid cases in our schools, as there have been across the country, and I want to reassure everyone that our response on each occasion has been swift, robust and in line with the latest advice from Health Protection Lothian. Parents can have confidence in this approach.

We take the safety of our schools extremely seriously in these challenging times and have measures in place to keep our young people and school staff safe including keeping groups apart as much as possible, appropriate use of face coverings and regular hygiene measures. As always, we’ll follow the very latest national guidance and I want to wish everyone who has tested positive a swift and full recovery.

Setting our sights on a fairer future

As we gradually work to rebuild our communities and our economy, we’re also taking the opportunity to adapt the way we do things as a Council. Edinburgh has always been a progressive, welcoming city – it’s one of the things that attracts people to want to come and live, work and study here – myself included – and we’re building on this to create a fairer city beyond the current Covid crisis.

We’re still living through a great deal of change and uncertainty. However, our recovery strategy for the Council puts Edinburgh’s 2050 City Vision at its heart and we’re already embracing many lessons learned from lockdown – such as the role better technology can play in breaking down barriers to support our most disadvantaged residents.

For a more equal Edinburgh we’re also making strides in our equalities work, recently launching a new employee campaign to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Alongside our united and ongoing response to the Black Lives Matter movement, we’re fast progressing plans to make our own workplace culture one of the most inclusive in Scotland.

The last six months have served to highlight the things which are most vital and important, like looking after one another and prioritising the protection of our young, old and most vulnerable and the protection of our planet. For Edinburgh, that means setting our sights on a fairer, greener future.

Green light for sustainable transport

We’re continuing apace with an ambitious package of measures to make it easier and safer to travel by foot, bike or wheelchair in the Capital. These schemes will result in some change on our streets to prioritise all of us in our City.

We know there are some concerns around these measures, not least the plan for the first Low Traffic Neighbourhood in East Craigs, but there is also significant support in our communities for better active travel conditions, including in East Craigs, and we’re eager to see these take shape across the city. An LTN, which builds on traffic modelling, research and consultation as part of the West Edinburgh Link project, will make for a quieter, safer and healthier area and ensure residents’ spaces are prioritised. Of course, we’re listening to concerns, and we’ve taken away a range of themes from input from residents and stakeholders which will change the temporary scheme before it’s implemented.

Under the Spaces for People project we’re in the process of installing more than 30km of pop-up cycle lanes, we’ve introduced access improvements at 67 schools, with many more to follow, and we’re creating more space in nine local shopping streets to help people spend time in businesses as they reopen.

We want to help people to travel safely by public transport too as services, shops and some workplaces begin to reopen. That’s why we’re delighted to be receiving £1.2m from the Scottish Government’s Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, along with neighbouring local authorities, as part of the South East Scotland Transport Transition Group. This funding will help us to progress a series of temporary measures to help make bus journeys as quick and reliable as possible as restrictions are eased and traffic increases. These improvements, along with Spaces for People, will support the city’s sustainable recovery by incentivising clean, environmentally friendly travel.

Phased reopening for libraries

I’m sure everyone will be pleased to hear the news that we’re starting a phased reopening of our libraries from next month (Tuesday 13 October) with doors opening at Central, Kirkliston, McDonald Road, Fountainbridge, Stockbridge and Newington.

We know how important this service is to our local communities and this is the first important step in our plans to reopen these valuable community assets across the city. They’ll offer a range of services including the borrowing and returning of items, free access to computers/internet/wifi and Hey Girls free sanitary products. As you would expect, numbers will have to be limited, social distancing measures will be in place and some services will only be available by booking in advance.

We’re working very hard to get the rest of our libraries open safely and want to assure residents that we will open their local library as soon as possible if it’s not already scheduled. We really appreciate everyone’s support and patience and look forward to welcoming people back.

Welcome back to the City Art Centre

Our City Art Centre is also reopening soon, with two new exhibitions City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s Art Collection and Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s available to visit from Saturday (12 September).

Over the past 40 years the City Art Centre has housed over 500 exhibitions, hosted treasures from across the world as well as priceless paintings made by Edinburgh children and has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors through its doors. We’re all keen to see our museums up and running again too and we’re aiming to do this as soon as possible.

Like our libraries, this will involve a range of new safety measures and procedures, including a one way system, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will, of course, be wearing masks while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome.

Visitors too will be asked to wear face coverings and to pre-book a free allocated time slot.

Help to get online

Connecting Scotland programme funding to expand to £43 million.

Organisations that work with digitally excluded families and young people in care are being encouraged to get involved with a programme aiming to get more people online.

Funding for Connecting Scotland, which aims to give low income families and individuals an internet device as well as twelve months unlimited data and technical support has now reached £43 million. This follows the announcement of an additional £23 million as part of Programme for Government earlier this month.

With around a hundred applications already received for the current phase of the programme, local authorities and third sector bodies have another three weeks to seek support for the families and care leavers they work with, with further details on how the additional funding will work expected next month.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The pandemic has emphasised the importance of digital connectivity – for education, for access to public services and online shopping, and for staying in touch with friends and family. However, it has also heightened the impact of digital exclusion.

“Over the next 15 months, the Connecting Scotland programme will make a significant contribution towards closing that digital divide by helping many more households to benefit from technology through issuing devices along with offers of support and data.

“By the end of next year it will have brought approximately 50,000 people online, underpinned by an additional £23 million Scottish Government funding. I will be able to announce details of the programme’s next phase, including the groups of people that I believe will be particularly able to benefit in the coming weeks.

“However, it is absolutely crucial that anyone who could benefit from the scheme has the chance to do so which is why I hope local authorities and our third sector partners will help identify even more people needing this kind of support.”

Organisations can apply for phase 2 up to 11am on 5 October here.

For more information on the programme visit www.connecting.scot.

Local hero Fiona leads the way

Edinburgh woman Fiona Fitzgerald has managed to keep a community spirit alive in her neighbourhood and helped them to stay fit at the same time.

Every Thursday Fiona would rally all her neighbours and friends and family to clap for the NHS and when that ended she still managed to get them all out on a Thursday at 8pm by engaging them in the slosh (for younger readers, it’s a line dancing routine!) All ages and abilities were out and had a great time.

Fiona then decided she wanted to continue her support of a local charity Held In Our Hearts by getting the neighbours together in a walk round Arthur Seat. The virtual Edinburgh Marathon festival this year is being run until December and everyone taking part can register.

Fiona in the last few years has volunteered on a water station at the Edinburgh Marathon Weekend and has tirelessly cheered on our charity runners.

Fiona arranged 50 of her friends and family to take a social distanced trip round Arthur Seat and kept everyone motivated and fully engaged whether is was one lap or two. In fact Brodie one of the younger runners did three laps.

Eileen Mitchell, the oldest lady ever to take part in an events for Held In Our Hearts, says: “It was so much fun top see the community come together and we are really grateful to Fiona for all her hard work.”

The group have raised £2,500 and we are truly grateful to every person that got involved.

You can still sponsor them and support Held In Our Hearts:

https://www.justgiving.com/search?q=fiona%20fitzgerald

If you want to fundraise and get involved in an event, email:

tracy@hheldinourhearts.org.uk