Please give a child dignity, confidence and a sense of belonging when they go to school. Times are hard and families need your help more than ever.
A set of uniform can be the difference between a child attending and engaging in school or staying away.
There are two ways you can get involved in our Sponsor A Child appeal this summer:
Email us at info.esub@gmail.com and we will send you details of a child’s age, gender and what’s needed for a “back to school” pack. You then shop for the items and drop them in to one of our collection baskets.
Donate money and we will do the shopping for you (please ask us for our bank details if you would prefer to donate directly or if you are donating on behalf of a group or company).
You can of course just buy an item or two of new school clothing, and we will add it into a pack. Our Amazon wishlist also remains open if you would like to have something sent directly to us.
Environmental campaigners have slammed the Scottish Government’s plan to meet climate targets after a key progress report exposed a huge shortfall in emissions reductions due to over-reliance on carbon capture and storage and other ‘Negative Emissions Technologies’ (NETs).
Ministers produced a Climate Change Plan update (CCPu) in 2020 which calculated that these technologies would be responsible for cutting almost 20% of Scottish emissions reductions by 2030, rising to an astonishing quarter of cuts as soon as 2032. These ‘NETs’ also included blue hydrogen production, bioenergy from burning biomass, both of which are reliant on CCS.
This was despite repeated warnings by Holyrood Committees and environmental experts who scrutinised the updated Climate Plan and warned that the Government must come up with a ‘Plan B’ in case the technologies failed to develop as predicted. Independent advisors at the UK Committee on Climate Change also urged the Scottish Government to develop contingency plans to meet climate targets if technologies like CCS do deliver at the rate hoped for.
The recently published Climate Change Plan Monitoring Report reveals that the Scottish Government now accepts that NETs cannot deliver “at the pace assumed in the CCPu.”
The Report cites the lack of commitment by commercial operators to employ NETs models, the de-prioritisation of Scottish sites in the UK Government framework for supporting NETs, and the lack of availability of sustainable home-grown supply of biomass in coming to this conclusion, despite the Scottish Government offering handouts of tens of millions of pounds in their Emerging Energy Fund.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Climate Campaigner Alex Lee said: “The Scottish Government has accepted at last that its faith in carbon capture and storage and hydrogen was wildly misplaced.
“Ministers ignored repeated warnings about relying on these technologies which have a track record of over-promising and under-delivering, and now there is a gaping hole in the plan to meet climate targets.
“The Government must now go back to the drawing board and come up with a credible plan to make up for this vast shortfall, which amounts to a whopping quarter of emissions cuts in only ten years time. Instead of throwing more money at fantasy techno-fixes, they should be ramping up support for reliable renewable power and energy efficiency measures which we know can deliver in the short term.
“By the end of this decade, Scotland must have made real progress in a transformational plan that phases out fossil fuel extraction and use, while ensuring a just transition for workers and communities currently dependent on the industry.”
Police are appealing for witnesses after a 30-year-old woman was injured at Ocean Terminal Edinburgh at the weekend.
The incident happened around 5.30pm on Saturday (25 June, 2022) when the woman was struck by a shopping trolley which had been thrown from a higher level of the Red Car Park at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre by a group of youths.
The trolley struck the 30-year-old woman causing minor injury, she did not require hospital treatment but was left extremely shaken by the incident.
Several members of the public came to the aid of the victim and we are asking for them, any other witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to make contact with police on 101 quoting incident number 3433 of Sunday 26 June 2022.
Alternatively, anyone with any information can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org
Do you live in Queensferry? The city council wants to improve walking, wheeling and cycling conditions there, creating more travel options for daily trips to school, work and in your local community.
Come to their drop-in at South Queensferry Community Centre, School Lane on Thursday, 30 June between 3pm and 7pm to meet the project team and find out more
The Meadowbank Sports Centre will welcome the best snooker players on the planet later this year when the Scottish Open comes to Edinburgh.
The world ranking event will run from November 28 to December 4 and will be staged at the Meadowbank Sports Centre for the first time. It will be the first professional snooker event in Edinburgh since 2003.
The venue hosted the Commonwealth Games in both 1970 and 1986. It closed in 2017 but reopened to the public this week following a multi-million-pound redevelopment.
Welcoming the news, Scotland’s top player John Higgins said: “It’s brilliant news for the Scottish players as we have really missed the chance to play in our home tournament over the last couple of years.
“I think there’s a lot of support for snooker and a lot of people playing the game in Edinburgh. I would love to win it in front of my own fans.”
Higgins was runner-up to Luca Brecel in the event last year and reached six finals over the season, albeit the only won he won was the Championship League. Reflecting on his consistency, the 47-year-old from Wishaw added: “If I keep knocking on the door then I think the trophies will follow. Ronnie O’Sullivan is an inspiration because he is still winning the big tournaments at his age so hopefully I can do the same.”
The top 16 seeded players will all compete at the venue and that could include the likes of Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, defending champion Luca Brecel and World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Tickets will go on sale on Monday June 27th with a SPECIAL OPENING OFFER of 20% off tickets for the first four days of the event from November 28 to December 1. For details visit www.wst.tv/tickets
In all there will be over 70 players in the field, with all tour players outside the top 16 to go through a qualifying round, to be staged in October. The Scottish Open is one of the season’s Home Nations Series, alongside the Northern Ireland Open, Scottish Open and Welsh Open.
Last year the tournament was staged in Wales as WST was unable to host the event at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, where it took place from 2016 to 2019.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We know how disappointed the Scottish fans and players were to miss out on a tournament in their homeland last year, so we are extremely pleased to move the event to Edinburgh this time.
“It’s a new venue for this superb event and we’re excited about bringing snooker to this top-class facility in the Scottish capital. There is such a rich history of great snooker players from Scotland and we know the fans love our sport. This is their chance to get behind their heroes and experience a live event of the highest quality.”
Donald Goldsmith, Manager at the new Meadowbank Sports Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting the Scottish Open at the newly refurbished Meadowbank Sports Centre.
“Meadowbank has been an important part of Scotland’s sporting history for many years and our new Centre will build on this legacy. Snooker fans will be greeted with the warm Edinburgh Leisure welcome that we are renowned for.”
LGBT+ people across Scotland are continuing to face health inequalities across every measure of wellbeing, according to a major new report by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and Public Health Scotland.
The findings of the Health Needs Assessment, commissioned by the Boards, found that the COVID pandemic has exacerbated issues, with significant numbers experiencing loneliness and isolation, while almost a half of LGBT+ people in the survey said they had experienced discrimination in the previous year – with trans and non-binary communities experiencing higher levels of abuse.
The assessment also revealed significantly high levels of mental ill-health, with more than half of all respondents reporting issues such as depression, anxiety and stress, with the highest rates experienced by trans and non-binary individuals.
The comprehensive assessment was undertaken to better address gaps in knowledge about the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ patient groups, to better inform approaches to public health for LGBT+ people, across seven groups: lesbian and gay women, gay men, bisexual women, bisexual men, trans women, trans men (trans masculine) and non-binary people across the Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lothian areas.
Nicky Coia, Health Improvement Manager at NHSGGC said: “This report should serve as a wake-up call for everyone involved in the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ communities.
“Too many continue to suffer from discrimination and abuse, are experiencing social isolation and loneliness and suffering the impacts of poor mental health. This, combined with the poor socio-economic situations many find themselves in, contributes to a substantial health inequalities on every measure of wellbeing.
“While there are positives to be taken in terms of how LGBT+ experience healthcare, particularly from the GPs, there is still work to be done to improve access to, and experience of, person-centred healthcare, that treats the individual, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.”
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy at NHS Lothian, said: “We interviewed more than 200 people and over 2,500 people took part in the online survey as part of this research. Their experience is in stark contrast to the progress that many of us may feel has been made in achieving equality in Scotland.
“I want to thank everyone who took part and express our shared desire to highlight this as a key public health issue and deliver real improvements in health and wellbeing for LGBT+ communities.”
Some of the key findings include:
· Nearly three in four (73%) survey respondents said they ever felt isolated from family and friends and nearly two in five (38%) had felt lonely all of the time or often in the previous two weeks. Trans and non-binary people showed the highest levels of isolation and loneliness.
· The survey showed that overall more than half (54%) of respondents said they had mental health problems e.g. depression/anxiety/stress, but this was higher for trans masculine (75%), non-binary people (72%) and bisexual women (61%). Only one in four (25%) survey respondents rated their general mental and emotional wellbeing positively – but this was lowest for non-binary (9%) and trans masculine (12%).
· Of those who answered the question in the survey, nearly one in three (31%) said that they had ever made an attempt to end their life. Although the prevalence of suicide attempts was high across all LGBT+ groups, it was highest among trans masculine and non-binary people, with nearly half of respondents in these groups saying they had made a suicide attempt.
· Overall, nearly half (44%) of LGBT+ people in the survey said they had been discriminated against in the last year, but this was highest for non-binary (65%), trans masculine (62%) and trans women (55%).
· The survey findings show that 37% of LGBT+ respondents had ever experienced an abusive relationship; identity groups with the highest proportion reporting abusive relationships were trans masculine (48%), non-binary (45%), bisexual women (43%) and trans women (38%).
· only 59% overall rated their general health positively. Gay men and gay/lesbian women were the most likely to rate their health positively, while trans masculine and non-binary people were the least likely. A third (33%) of LGBT+ people had a long-term condition or illness that substantially interferes with their day to day activities.
· Most (88%) survey respondent had financial worries at least some of the time. One in six (18%) had experienced food insecurity in the previous 12 months. One in eight (13%) had ever been homeless.
The report’s authors have made 41 recommendations, including an immediate request that all Scottish local authorities should provide or fund at least some, community-led groups or activities for LGBT+ people, with provision for cultural, sport and physical activity and social interest groups, as well as targeting specific identity groups.
Other recommendations call for improvements in LGBT+ education in schools, improved LGBT+ training and awareness for health and other staff, improvements in mental health and gender identity clinics and more visibility of LGBT+ inclusive services.
Professor Nicola Steedman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish Government, said: “The assessment lays bare the fact that too many LGBT+ people are subject to significant inequalities which impact every aspect of their lives. I’m grateful to everyone who took part in the research and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian for carrying out this important work.
“The Scottish Government is committed to reducing inequality – in all its forms – and we welcome the report. We will continue to work with, and across our partners, to improve the health and wellbeing of our LGBT+ communities.”
Mark Kelvin, Chief Executive of LGBT Health and Wellbeing, said: “This report highlights what many of our community members experience in their daily lives.
“Whilst many people believe that LGBTQ+ people have achieved equality, this report reminds us that there is still a lot of work to do. Scotland is celebrated as being a welcoming and inclusive country and whilst that is true, almost half of LGBTQ+ respondents experienced discrimination in the past year.
“The report also highlights the health inequalities that still exist for many of us and provides very useful and realistic recommendations that will help LGBTQ+ people to live well.
Speaking specifically on how COVID-19 has impacted the LGBTQ+ community, Mark pointed out the dependency on LGBT nightlife for socialisation. He added: “Whilst the closure of pubs and clubs can be seen by many as an inconvenience, for LGBTQ+ people queer-friendly spaces provide an important place of safety and belonging.
“This meant that during the months of closures, people were shut-off from contact with others like them. I’m hopeful that this report can restart conversations with local authorities and other interested parties to open LGBTQ+ Community Centres, where people of all ages can access a place of safety, information, support, and importantly connection.”
Mhairi Crawford, from LGBT Youth Scotland, said: “LGBT Youth Scotland notes the publication of the health needs assessment of LGBT research findings report. We know from our own recently published research that health care remains a significant issue for LGBTI young people in Scotland.
“In particular, we welcome the recommendations for healthcare providers and other public bodies to undergo training, which is a key part of our LGBT Charter, in which we also support organisations to undertake reviews of policies and practice to ensure that they are as welcoming as possible for the LGBTI community, whether they are staff, clients, pupils or wider stakeholders.
“We know that alcohol free spaces are highly valued by young people we work with in our youth spaces – so we welcome the recommendation for more LGBT spaces that don’t have alcohol.
“Finally, we also welcome the recommendation that schools should undertake the LGBT Charter as we know this can have a massive impact on daily lives of LGBTI young people.”
Tickets to the 2023 Royal Highland Show are now on sale as the gates close on this year’s barnstorming event, which welcomed 194,000 people over the four days (23-26 June).
And with over 200,000 viewers of live online content on RHS TV, the reach of the Royal Highland Show has never been greater.
Celebrating 200 years of showcasing the best of the country’s food, farming and rural life, high-profile figures attending included First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack, and Minister for Environment and Land Reform Màiri McAllan.
A limited number of Super Early Bird tickets for the 2023 Royal Highland Show (22nd – 25th June) will be released today via the Show’s website (royalhighlandshow.org) priced at £27.50 (plus booking fee) with children 15 and under going FREE.
Commenting on the success of the 2022 Royal Highland Show, Bill Gray, RHASS Chairman, said: “It has been phenomenal to finally celebrate the return of the Royal Highland Show, and the attendance figures this year prove that the public felt the same way. What we offer is a totally unique day out, which everyone, no matter their walk of life, can enjoy to the fullest.
“The success of this very special bicentenary Highland Show is a testament to the hard work of the hundreds of staff and RHASS Directors who work tirelessly to put on this incredible event – one that’s loved equally by the farming community and urban audiences.”
Highlights for this year’s show included 305 trophies, collectively valued at over £4 million, awarded to the 919 cattle, 1913 sheep, 1911 horses and 123 goats competing
Furthermore, respected industry accolades were awarded to agri-tech pioneers in the RHASS Technical Innovation Awards. Pollock Farm Equipment and Penderfeed Livestock Equipment won Gold awards this year.
The Scottish Championships saw food and drink producers recognised for outstanding produce across competitions in Dairy, Honey, and Bread categories – Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour and Strathearn Cheese Co were amongst the winners.
Plans were also unveiled to name an equestrian ring in honour of Her Majesty the Queen’s Jubilee year. The ‘Jubilee Ring’ is home to equestrian events in the showground, including show jumping. The ring will be formally unveiled at the 2023 Royal Highland Show. As part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative and in partnership with Scottish Woodlands, native and ornamental trees will be planted around the Jubilee Ring.
The show also demonstrated innovation with the launch of the RHS App, all the action being livestreamed through the Show’s online channel, RHS TV, and live and on-demand broadcasts through Facebook – the live/on-demand content has been viewed over 200,000 times in total from 82 countries. The content is available to view on demand via the RHS website.
Every year at the Show, one of the eight member regions of RHASS is showcased – this year it was the turn of the Highlands Presidential Team to celebrate their area. With the theme ‘Scotland’s Natural Capital – Highlands and Islands’, a specially created exhibition focused on tourism, culture, food & drink, renewable energy and tackling climate change in the region. A large section of the Scotland’s Larder food hall was also dedicated to producers from the Highlands and Islands.
The Royal Highland Show, supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, took place 23 -26th June 2022.
For further information and to watch the action back via RHS TV please visit www.royalhighlandshow.org.
UK will give £25 million to found a new World Bank fund to prevent, prepare for and respond to future devastating pandemics
Investment in preventing future pandemics can stop the devastating human and economic impact of COVID-19 happening again
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced £25 million of UK aid backing for a new fund to ensure the world is better prepared to defeat future pandemics.
Hosted by the World Bank, the ‘Financial Intermediary Fund’ for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response will provide funding to countries whose healthcare systems are dangerously unprepared for the challenges caused by large outbreaks of infectious diseases. It will ensure they can quickly respond to, and as far as possible contain, outbreaks before they spread across the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to at least 6.2 million deaths across the world and caused far-reaching economic devastation.
Stopping a pandemic like this ever happening again will require a concerted and coordinated international effort.
At the G7 Summit today (Monday), leaders will discuss the importance of helping countries manage Covid as an endemic disease and the pressing need to invest in preparedness and other measures to prevent history repeating itself.
The new fund will help fill some of the financing gaps exposed by COVID-19, particularly insufficient financing for preparedness in national health systems and disease surveillance at country, regional and global levels. Crucially, the fund can help catalyse countries’ own financing, so the world is as equipped as possible whenever and wherever a new public health risk emerges.
The Prime Minister said: “While the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic are, thankfully, behind us, we cannot be complacent. The next potential pandemic could emerge any moment and with it the devastating human and economic consequences we have experienced over the last two and a half years.
“We must ensure we learn the lessons of COVID-19 and are better prepared next time. We owe it to the people of the world to say, ‘never again’.”
The chance of a pandemic on the scale of COVID-19 occurring in the next 25 years could be as high as 50%, and a key lesson of the coronavirus pandemic is that even small investments in pandemic preparedness can have huge returns.
By contributing to preparedness in the short term, we can avoid huge economic damage in the long-term.
Under the UK’s G7 Presidency last year, the Prime Minister drove forward international work on pandemic preparedness under his ‘five point plan’ and the 100 Days Mission, work on which was led by Sir Patrick Vallance.
This included launching a worldwide network of zoonotic research hubs, increasing the global manufacturing capacity for treatment and vaccines, designing a new early warning system and agreeing global protocols for a future health emergency.
The UK also hosted a Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit in March, which raised over £1.2 billion to develop variant-proof coronavirus vaccines and speed up the process of developing vaccines against future health threats so this can be done in under 100 days.
David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group, said: “I welcome the UK’s support for the new Financial Intermediary Fund to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response functions in developing countries.
“The fund will provide a dedicated stream of additional, long-term funding to complement the work of existing institutions and operate with high standards of transparency and accountability.
“COVID-19 highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to build stronger health systems and mobilise additional resources to prepare for the next pandemic in countries, regions, and around the world.”
At the G7 Summit last year, the UK galvanised international action to donate 870 million coronavirus vaccines to those who need them. This commitment, combined with UK and other investments to support the development and rapid manufacturing scale-up of COVID-19 vaccines, turned the tide on Covid around the world. Two-thirds of the global population have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.
The supply of coronavirus vaccines now outstrips demand and UK efforts are therefore focused on action to end the acute phase of the pandemic, help countries manage COVID-19 as an endemic disease and prepare for the next health threat.
Governments, NGOs and private donors have been encouraged to donate to the Financial Intermediary Fund, which was called for by G20 Finance Ministers in April.
The funding announced by the Prime Minister today will establish the UK as a founding donor to the fund, alongside the US, EU and others.
Fields in Trust – the independent charity that has been protecting parks and green spaces for almost 100 years – has announced that its search for the UK’s Favourite Parks is back this summer and is calling upon the residents of Edinburgh to get nominating now!
The popular campaign has returned for the first time since 2019 and covers the length and breadth of the nation to shine a light on the green spaces that hold a special place in our hearts.
Having acted as refuge to many over the past few years, Fields in Trust is bringing back the campaign to find the UK’s Favourite Parks to ensure that they continue to be celebrated in a post-pandemic world.
The charity recently commissioned a study which found that almost half of us have visited local parks more often than we used to as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Coupled with research that has shown that access to nature was one of the main ways people have supported their mental health during lockdowns, Fields in Trust is determined that this year’s campaign celebrates the spaces that gave us so much in our time of need.
This year’s UK’s Favourite Parks campaign is made all-the-more important in light of the Fields in Trust’s recently released annual Green Space Index report.
The study – which analyses the provision and distribution of parks and green spaces in the UK – found that 2.8 million people live more than ten minutes’ walk away from a green space.
With only 6% of green space legally protected in Great Britain, Fields in Trust worries that this will only worsen in coming years if we do not appreciate and advocate for our local parks.
Chief Executive of Fields in Trust, Helen Griffiths, said: “There is no doubt that the importance of green spaces has been acutely felt recently, with people increasingly turning to their local parks to find a sense of tranquillity, space, and belonging since the pandemic began.
“When restrictions were at their highest, many sought refuge in their daily walk around the park; and when restrictions lifted to allow outdoor gatherings, the same parks became the backdrop for reunions with loved ones and new memories made.
“At a time when things were so hard for so many, these places provided respite; now, through our UK’s Favourite Parks campaign, we want to give people the chance to show their appreciation for the green spaces that were there for them.”
The search for the UK’s Favourite Parks starts today, meaning you can nominate your local green space now. Nominations are open until Tuesday 5 July, before the chosen parks go head-to-head in a public vote.
Regional spots to have made the UK’s Favourite Parks list in previous years include Figgate Park, Pittencrieff Park and Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick, and this year, the Fields in Trust team hopes to unearth even more green spaces that are close to Scotland’s hearts.
“We are thrilled to be on the search once again for the UK’s Favourite Parks and we have no doubt that we’ll find some absolute gems along the way. We can’t wait to see the places that get put forward in Scotland.
“Whether it’s the park you head for when the sun is shining; your favourite place to walk the dog; the place you go to stretch your legs; or your family’s favourite spot to spend quality time together: we want you to nominate your favourite today!”
