Category: North Edinburgh News

Scotland set to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children

MSPs have the chance to make history today by voting in favour of Scotland becoming the first country in the UK to end the physical punishment of children when Green MSP John Finnie’s Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill will be voted on its third stage in parliament. Continue reading Scotland set to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children

Letter: Three Peaks for Meningitis

Dear Editor

I would like to invite your readers to join an amazing charity team and climb the three highest peaks in the country to help raise money for people living with the impact of meningitis.

A few years ago, when I was just 22 years old, I was told I only had three hours to live. I had been on my way to Norway for a work trip when I fell ill. Luckily, I wasn’t allowed on the flight because what I didn’t realise at the time was that I had deadly meningitis.

I am so grateful that I survived. Many are not so fortunate. But even so I am living with long-term after effects of the disease which includes memory loss, anxiety, and hearing problems.

This was one of the reasons I was so glad I chose to join the Meningitis Now team when I took part in the Three Peak Challenge earlier this year.

Not only did I know that I was raising money for a fantastic cause to help people like me, but I also found the most incredible support network of people who helped me through one of the most exhilarating weekends of my life.

I cannot recommend this experience highly enough and I would encourage anyone, whether they have had a meningitis experience or not, to join the Meningitis Now team.  You will be looked after from the moment you sign up until the moment you say goodbye at the end of the challenge. And if your experience is anything like mine, you will make some new friends for life.

Sign up now for Meningitis Now’s Three Peaks Challenge 2020 by visiting their website at meningitisnow.org or contact Kirsty at the charity at kirstyo@meningitisnow.org.

With warmest wishes,

Holly Jackson

Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals: The more you spend, the more you save, says Underbelly

Underbelly shares annual report on Edinburgh’s world-renowned Winter Festivals – Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

  • Combined contract for Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay saves the city £1million per year.
  • 183,857 people attended Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and there was a 3% rise in total attenders from Edinburgh.
  • 2018 registered 929,219 unique visitors to Edinburgh’s Christmas
  • 28,000 tickets to Edinburgh’s Christmas given away to young people, community groups and charities in the city
  • Edinburgh’s Christmas raised £44,000 for charity
  • 99% of people rated Edinburgh’s Christmas very good or good.
  • Community benefit calculated as £1,176,000

Continue reading Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals: The more you spend, the more you save, says Underbelly

Thousands of children benefit from early years expansion

More than 46,000 children across Scotland are already benefiting from extra hours of high quality early learning and childcare almost a year before the full roll out of 1,140 funded hours of care for every eligible child. Continue reading Thousands of children benefit from early years expansion