Time is running out to enter Caledonian Sleeper’s photography competition aimed at encouraging everyone – from onboard guests to photography enthusiasts – to capture views of the most scenic locations on the overnight train’s iconic route from Scotland to London.
Running until 31st October, the first-place prize includes a return journey in an en-suite Club Room onboard the Caledonian Sleeper with dinner plus a £500 Amazon voucher to use on photography equipment. Second place will receive a £250 Amazon voucher, while third prize is a £100 Amazon voucher.
Images will be judged by a panel from Caledonian Sleeper, including Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director, and professional photographer Tony Marsh.
Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director of Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We’ve been blown away so far by the calibre of submissions we have received.
“Caledonian Sleeper calls at more than 40 stations between Scotland and London, so there’s plenty of vibrant and historic beauty spots along the way to spark creativity.
“We’re looking forwarded to judging the final batch of submissions when the competition closes at the end of October.”
To submit your entry into Caledonian Sleeper’s photography competition, visit:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: The good and bad of cholesterol – what you need to know
Did you know that more than two in five people in England have high cholesterol? High cholesterol often goes untreated due to its lack of noticeable symptoms, which leads to it going undiagnosed.
Even if you feel fit and healthy, make sure that you get your cholesterol levels checked at least every five years. Cholesterol can be influenced by lifestyle factors, but genetics also play a role. Without getting it checked you won’t know your results.
Here we explain cholesterol and give you some ideas on how you can maintain healthy levels:
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood that is made in your liver. Additional cholesterol comes from the foods you eat, particularly those rich in fats.
Your body needs certain levels of cholesterol to be able to perform important jobs such as supporting the production of cell membranes, vitamin D and certain hormones. It is measured in millimole per litre or mmol/L. With total cholesterol levels of below 5 mmol/L being healthy.
Non-HDL cholesterol
Non-HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the bad cholesterol within your blood. Its role is to transport all fat molecules around your body. However, when there’s too much of it, it can build up in your arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.
This causes atherosclerosis and can lead to heart disease. High levels of non-HDL cholesterol are typically linked to diets rich in saturated fats (fatty foods) such as pastries, cakes and processed foods. Healthy levels of non-HDL cholesterol are below 4 mmol/L.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol or the good cholesterol in your blood picks up any excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver to be broken down and removed from your body. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart disease, while lower levels increase it.
To boost HDL levels, incorporate unsaturated fats into your diet such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, oily fish and avocados. Healthy levels of HDL cholesterol are more than or equal to 1 mmol/L.
How to keep your cholesterol levels healthy
Regular exercise and meeting the guidelines of 150 minutes of physical activity each week will help to keep your cholesterol levels healthy.
Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and drinking limited amounts of alcohol also favourably impact your cholesterol levels. As well as eating a healthy balanced diet that includes oily fish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables and limited amounts of processed foods.
The weekends are never long enough and sometimes it can feel like we’re caught in a cycle of never-ending mundane tasks; take the kids to school, walk the dog, do the washing, go shopping, make dinner, blah, blah, blah!
Sound familiar?
Where are you in all of this? If you’re looking to prioritize yourself more and focus on your wellbeing, why not join Jules on Monday morning for a spot of Breathwork.
Sessions start at 9.30am and last for 30 minutes.
30 minutes just for you
30 minutes of relaxation
30 minutes away from the humdrum
If you’re interested and would like to find out more, email hello@pchp.org.uk or simply drop-in on Monday and see for yourself!
BROUGHTON High School library is looking to expand the selection of stock and we are looking for donations of good quality books; non-fiction texts for age 10+; David Walliams books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries, Roald Dahl, Dog Man, Captain Underpants, Tom Gates books, football books, books about dance, Horrible Histories/Maths/Science, etc and books suitable for dyslexic learners of all abilities.
If you can help.with these, or any other suitable books for high school ages you might have and be able to pass our way, please contact our librarian, Robbie.loosemore@broughton.edin.sch.uk
road deaths have only fallen by 9% over the last decade (2014 to 2023), compared to 47% decline in the previous decade (2004 to 2013)
RoSPA urges government to commit to a robust, evidence-based plan to prevent KSIs
Commenting on the latest Reported Road Collisions data for 2023, James Broun, Research Manager at RoSPA said: “While we’re pleased to see road fatalities fall by 5% on 2022, sadly 1,624 people still died on the roads last year – an unacceptably high figure following years of stagnation in fatality reduction.
“We are particularly concerned that when we include the number of people seriously injured on the roads, the overall figure (29,711) has shown virtually no improvement over the last year.
“It’s important to put this into context. Although it’s good to see that road fatalities have decreased by 9% over the past decade, this is a marked slowdown compared to the 47% reduction achieved in the previous ten years.
“Taking a longer view, it’s clear that without a comprehensive road safety strategy in place, momentum has been lost.
“We urge the Government to take decisive action and commit to a robust, evidence-based plan to prevent further unnecessary deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”
CANTERBURY MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party, criticising Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – now labelled Free Gear Keir – for accepting thousands of pounds worth of personal items while at the same time removing Winter Fuel Payments from thousands of struggling pensioners.
Support for Climate Action and Innovation in Edinburgh’s Communities
The Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) is excited to announce the recipients of its annual GreenLight Seedgrant Fund, worth £100,000.
The overwhelming response to this year’s grant, with applications totalling £386,522 from 49 organisations, underscores a strong desire across the city to drive meaningful climate action.
This year’s awardees reflect a wide spectrum of grassroots campaigns and innovative, community-driven solutions aimed at tackling the climate crisis. These projects will contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future for Edinburgh, building upon the creative and impactful work that is already happening in our communities.
The GreenLight Funding Awards were presented at ECCAN’s Autumn Assembly on Wednesday (25th September). This gathering brought together members, individuals, and policymakers from across Edinburgh.
The event was held in alignment with Scottish Government’s Climate Week, a celebration of the positive climate action being taken across the country, whilst inspiring further collective, transformative change.
Seed Grant Funding Across Key Categories
TWENTY-ONE recipients were selected for the GreenLight fund, with projects spanning several critical areas, including:
1. Mitigate climate change: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and damaging environmental impacts.
2. Biodiversity Protection: Initiatives that protect, enhance, or increase local biodiversity.
3. Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Projects helping communities adapt to and build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
4. Climate Awareness and Action: Raising awareness and inspiring action on climate-related issues.
5. Community Collaboration: Encouraging communities, organisations, and residents to work together in addressing the climate emergency.
A Commitment to a Sustainable Future
Mark Dowey, ECCAN Network Lead, said: “ECCAN is proud to support these exceptional individuals and organisations. The GreenLight Seedgrant Fund not only sustains the progress already being made in Edinburgh’s communities, but it also serves as a catalyst for others to join the collective fight against climate change.
“We were blown away by the ambition and energy of the 49 applications we received. It was incredibly challenging to narrow it down to 21 awardees, however we believe that the projects we’ve selected are set to make a real difference in Edinburgh.
“I am excited to see the impact these initiatives will have in the coming months, and I hope we can continue to build on this momentum as we continue to ambitiously tackle climate change.”
THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS ARE:
Edible Estates
Earth in Common
The Edinburgh Tool Library
Porty Community Energy
BANZAI – Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative
Bikes for Refugees (Scotland) SCIO
The Meaning Map Project
Rhyze Mushrooms Cooperative CIC
Drylaw and Telford Community Association
EALA Impacts CIC
Youth Vision
Broomhouse Community Growers Association
Bridgend Farmhouse
Edinburgh Building Retrofit & Improvement Collective (EdinBRIC)
Retail trade union Usdaw has a delegation of members, reps and officials attending the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) annual Black Workers’ Conference in Glasgow this weekend.
The union has submitted motions on tackling structural racism, inequality and poverty, along with addressing the combination of racism and sexual harassment Black women and girls experience.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Black and minority ethnic people are disproportionately falling faster and further below the poverty line in the cost of living crisis in Scotland.
The labour market in Scotland – as elsewhere – remains stacked against Black workers. If you’re a Black worker in Scotland, you are more likely to be paid less and be in insecure work on the margins of the economy, and less likely to be covered by collective bargaining agreements and to not get the working hours you want.
“The data also shows that, in addition to inequality in the labour market, Black workers face higher housing costs and are less likely to be supported by social security. Black workers have less wealth, savings and income to absorb these additional costs.
“As a result, poverty levels for people in Black minority ethnic communities in Scotland are double the national average – and rising. A wide range of short- and longer-term measures need to be adopted to tackle structural racism and discrimination in Scotland’s economy and society.”
Usdaw is asking conference to call on the Scottish Government, as a minimum, to:
Stand by their commitment to reduce racial inequality, as set out in the Race Equality Framework for Scotland.
Bring far greater urgency to creating a labour market that offers equal opportunities for minority ethnic workers and offers a route out of poverty.
Collect appropriate, robust ethnicity data allowing a full understanding of the structural inequalities faced by minority ethnic communities in Scotland.
Paddy Lillis continues:“Black women’s experiences of sexual harassment differ significantly as the combination of racism and sexism creates a specific form of sexual harassment.
“Black women and girls report how racism leads to their bodies being oversexualised which contributes to the assumption that they will put up with unwanted sexual conduct. Racialised objectification of Black women contributes to a particular view of Black women’s bodies.
“Women and girls who wear modest or religious clothing report that their religion or perceived ethnicity is used to insult or degrade them. When Black women object, they encounter racist abuse and when they seek support, services are often inaccessible and under-utilised. Institutional racism and sexism also means that incidents are under-reported to employers, criminal justice agencies and police.”
Usdaw is seeking the STUC Black Workers Committee to:
Support the work Unions are doing to create separate spaces for Black women to come together to share their experiences and build networks of Black women.
Encourage Unions to centre Black women’s voices in their campaigns to tackle and end sexual harassment.
Council Leaders have withdrawn support for the Scottish Government’s revised National Care Service Bill.
The Bill is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament.
Though continuing to back key areas of reform, including enhanced support for unpaid carers, care home visitation rights and efforts to improve the experience of the social work and social care workforce, Council Leaders have expressed concern that the amended Bill currently does not reflect a model which Local Government can support.
The decision of Local Government Leaders today comes as several organisations have expressed doubt on the legislative approach adopted by Scottish Government, including those working across the care sector. Experts have also questioned the evidence for including, within the National Care Service, services which support children and young people.
Commenting, COSLA’s Health & Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly said: “Local Government cannot support the amended National Care Service Bill brought forward by Scottish Government.
“Local Government has been committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government to develop proposals to deliver a National Care Service, but unfortunately the revised legislation does not effectively represent that partnership.
“Local Government is committed to continuing our engagement with key areas of reform which can deliver improved outcomes for people, unpaid carers and our workforce. We cannot, however, offer our support for the legislation brought forward at this stage”
“It is important that the views of people accessing, working in and planning front-line support services are listened to, both with regards to the NCS legislation and also the improvements needed to overcome the sustained financial and workforce pressures being experienced across Scotland.”
The National Care Service Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on June 20th 2022, and allows for the transfer of a range of social care, social work and community health functions from local authorities to a new centralised body under the direction of Scottish Ministers.
On July 12 2023, Local Government and Scottish Government announced a shared accountability partnership for delivering the National Care Service in an alternative way, with enhanced national strategic direction through the creation of a national NCS Board, but with a continued role for local decision-making and Local Government.
