Gary Maclean is supporting the Mary’s Meals Big Family Christmas fundraiser
Gary Maclean is inviting Scots to join Mary’s Meals supporters from around the world for a virtual Christmas dinner.
The National Chef of Scotland supports Big Family Christmas, a unique fundraiser that will feed children living in the world’s poorest countries with Mary’s Meals.
He says: “As Scotland’s national chef, it goes without saying that I love a Christmas get-together with my family and good food. This year, we’ll be tucking into a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. And of course, I’ll be cooking!
“It may well be a bus man’s holiday – but I know how lucky I am. That’s why I always take part in Mary’s Meals’ Big Family Christmas fundraiser.”
Mary’s Meals serves school meals to more than 2.2 million hungry children in some of the world’s poorest countries, including Kenya, Haiti and Yemen. The promise of food attracts them into the classroom where they can gain an education and hope for the future.
For just £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can join the Big Family Christmas. They will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table – alongside the names of thousands of supporters from across the world.
More than 46,000 people from around the world have taken part in Big Family Christmas since it launched in 2015.
Gary continues: “Setting a place at Mary’s Meals’ virtual dinner table has become a Christmas tradition for me, my family and many thousands of Mary’s Meals supporters around the world.
“Together, we are bringing hope to millions of little ones with the promise of a daily school meal. My Christmas wish is that people across Scotland will join me by setting their own place this festive season.”
Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2023 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.
Sleep experts Bed Kingdom have highlighted some tips and tricks to get the children to sleep well on Christmas Eve:
Fill the morning with exercise
Whether it’s a family walk or perhaps their favourite sport, taking the little ones for some morning exercise will promote better sleep at night by burning off energy. If you’re lucky enough to see some sunshine, this is a bonus, as it helps to set the body’s natural clock for better sleep.
Keep them away from sugary foods after midday
While it may seem a tricky task, it will prove much more of a challenge trying to get the children to sleep if they’ve had high-sugar foods near bedtime. By causing excess energy production, they will be overstimulated and therefore be kept awake resulting in disruptions during the night. Instead, try sugar-free jelly or juice with no added sugar if you need to satisfy their sweet tooth after midday.
Keeping them up late will prevent a good night’s sleep
While it may seem like a later bedtime will help your child to sleep better at night, it will in fact do the opposite. Young children who are overtired will find it much more difficult to get some shut eye, and it will only prevent them from getting enough sleep if you plan on waking up particularly early on Christmas Day.
Give them a sleep-inducing snack before bed
It’s a must to make sure your child isn’t going to sleep on an empty stomach – and if you have many activities planned on the day, they may be too occupied to realise just how hungry they are. A late-night snack will ensure they don’t have any awakenings during the night, but it’s important to choose something that induces sleep rather than fights it, like fatty and sugary foods. Bananas are both healthy and sleep-inducing as they calm the body and relax the muscles; pair it with a glass of milk, as this will make it much easier to rest due to containing tryptophan, a sleep promoting amino acid.
Keep things calm on the evening
If your way of celebrating the festivities as a family includes lots of activities, it will work in your favour to keep these for the afternoon and have a calm atmosphere for the evening. Having an earlier dinner than usual will not only help the little ones prepare for bedtime, but it’s one way to keep them occupied without having to get them too excited – and having bath time afterwards is an extra way to fill the time and relax them.
Don’t alter their night-time routine
Your children will be aware that something is missing if you alter their night-time routine. You may think that sacrificing something like a bedtime story so that they can stay up for a little while longer will help to ease the excitement out of their system, but their routine becomes a signal for sleep – so it’s vital to not make any drastic changes.
Avoid using technology too close to bedtime
If you plan on watching a Christmas film together as a family on the evening to keep things calm, it’s best to switch the screens off around two hours before your children’s bedtime. Blue light, which is emitted from technology screens like mobile phones, laptops, and TVs, can suppress the body’s hormone melatonin which is responsible for making us sleepy. So, it’s best to complete any technology related activities before the bedtime routine.
Don’t forget to countdown before bedtime
Counting down until bedtime allows your kids to prepare for sleep, for example an hour, then half an hour, and fifteen minutes prior. Not only will you avoid the protest to staying up for longer, but it helps them transition into their bedtime routine easily.
A spokesperson from Bed Kingdom commented: “Spending Christmas with the family is something that many of us look forward to all year, but having little ones around makes it that little bit more special.
“However, it can sometimes feel as though there’s nothing to prepare them for bedtime on Christmas Eve, resulting in a restless night’s sleep. Thankfully, there are several tips and tricks to keep them calm and avoid any tired children on Christmas Day.”
A six-year-old Dalmatian from Derby has narrowly avoided a Christmas catastrophe after eating an almost full pack of After Eights chocolate – including the wrappers.
But thanks to life-saving veterinary care funded by the UK’s largest vet charity, PDSA, the much-loved family pet Reggie will still get to enjoy the festive season with his family.
Reggie got his paws on the chocolate when his owner, Natalie Wood (31), popped out with her son, Brooklyn (10), to football practice.
“When I got home I noticed straightaway what had happened. I’d had three myself and left the box on the side in the kitchen, which I thought was out of his reach, but when I got home the rest of the chocolates had gone with just the box left, so I knew he had eaten almost the whole pack, including the wrappers,” Natalie explained. “I panicked because I know how dangerous chocolate can be to dogs so I called my local PDSA straightaway.”
PDSA confirmed they could help Reggie and advised Natalie to take him to their out of hours provider Vets Now in Derby. Once there, the vets gave Reggie an injection to make him sick.
Luckily, thanks to Natalie’s quick thinking and the treatment, which cost more than £300 and was funded by PDSA, Reggie made a full recovery and was able to return home the same day with medication to prevent his body from absorbing any remaining toxins.
“Usually Reggie is such a happy and playful dog, but he was really feeling sorry for himself that day, you could tell he wasn’t himself,” Natalie explained.
“But when we got home, I gave him a plain dinner of chicken and rice and the medication the vets gave us, and then he slept all night. He woke up the next morning and was back to normal!”
Ahead of the Christmas period, Natalie and PDSA are warning other pet owners of the dangers festive treats can pose to furry friends.
“Everyone knows chocolate is poisonous to dogs so I dread to think what would have happened to Reggie without PDSA,” Natalie added.
“With the cost of living crisis at the moment, I’m noticing everything is going up, from milk to petrol, and with Christmas around the corner, money is really tight. I have no idea what I would have done without PDSA as I would have struggled to afford the care Reggie needed to save his life.”
Natalie, who lives in Swadlincote, adopted Reggie when he was just a year old. “He’s been my best friend ever since,” she said. “He is one of the family; life wouldn’t be the same without him.”
PDSA Veterinary Nurse Shauna Spooner said: “Many of us have treats, sweets and chocolates in the house, and while the festive period can be a time for indulgence, it’s important to remember that some of these foods are very harmful to our pets.
“Foods including chocolate, mince pies, onions, raisins, grapes, some nuts, sage-and-onion stuffing and Christmas cake can all be harmful and should be kept safely out of paws’ reach over Christmas.
“If you suspect your dog has eaten any amount of chocolate, call your vet straight away for advice, don’t wait for symptoms to appear, but there are some key signs to be aware of:
“Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs, cats, and rabbits. In severe cases, chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause fits and even death. There are some signs you can look out for if you think your pet may have accidentally eaten chocolate:
Excessive thirst
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
A tender tummy and restlessness
Tremors
A racing heart or abnormal heart rhythm
Raised body temperature and rapid breathing
“The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate, the more dangerous it is, so dark chocolate poses the biggest risk to pets.”
In times of hardship pets like Reggie will still fall ill or become injured and need emergency care.
PDSA is appealing for donations so that the charity can continue to support owners who have nowhere else to turn by providing life-saving care to vulnerable pets. To donate, visit pdsa.org.uk/donate.
Everyone wants their pets to feel included on Christmas Day and one way you might be thinking of doing this is to give them a share of your festive feast.
However, it is important to remember what is and, more importantly, is not safe for your dogs to eat. Luckily, PDSA vets are on hand with some top tips on how to safely share your delicious Christmas dinner with your dogs this festive season.
PDSA Vet, Lynne James, said: “There are parts of a ‘typical’ Christmas dinner that we can share with our furry friends, and I’m sure they would very much enjoy, but there are also parts that we should keep away from our pets at all costs.”
Lynne explained the ‘dog-safe’ parts of a roast include:
Boneless white turkey meat
Carrot and swede mash (make sure it doesn’t have onion in)
Vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, green beans, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, peas and cauliflower.
“But remember, it is important to make sure the food is plain and not covered in glaze, sauce, gravy, or seasoning as this could upset your dog’s stomach,” Lynne added.
“Other foods, such as cheese sauce, roast potatoes, bacon, and pigs in blankets aren’t dangerous but are high in fat and could easily upset your dog’s stomach, and they will likely pile on the pounds with all those extra calories.”
Lynne also shared a list of forbidden foods, which are highly dangerous to our four-legged friends and can have fatal consequences:
Onions
Garlic
Leeks
Shallots
Mincemeat
Currants, raisins and sultanas
Bones
Alcohol
Chocolate
PDSA Vet Lynne’s top Christmas dinner tips
Don’t overshare with your dog in the weeks and days surrounding Christmas because you may find that they start to expect something every time you have a meal, which encourages begging behaviour and is unhealthy in the long-term.
Remember portion control and don’t go crazy – our dogs are much smaller than us, and what seems like a tiny amount of food to us will be a huge treat in their eyes! For a small dog breed, such as a Border Terrier, eating just four pigs in blankets is the equivalent of a human eating an entire Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
Have your vet’s out-of-hours number stored in your phone so, should an emergency occur and your dog eats something they shouldn’t, you can contact them immediately!
If you do feed your dog a little treat, make sure it’s no more than 10 per cent of their daily food intake, and remember to reduce the amount of food in their next meal to avoid over feeding them.
PDSA relies on donations to deliver life-saving treatment to hundreds of thousands of pets across its 48 Pet Hospitals in the UK.
To keep families together this winter, the charity is urgently calling on the public’s support more than ever to prevent vulnerable people having to make a truly heart-breaking decision.
Teams serving community payback orders (CPOs) have been making Christmas wreaths for sale to support people’s mental health over the festive season.
Unpaid workers in Fife have been raising money for mental health charity the Samaritans through the sale of wreaths made from foraged local materials.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown welcomed the initiative as demonstrating the positive impact that CPOs can have not only for people with convictions, but for their wider local communities in the run up to Christmas.
He said: “This is a time of year when people’s mental health can be more greatly impacted and it’s good to see this recognised in the work carried out by people on community payback orders.
“Of course many people in the justice system struggle with mental health problems, so it is particularly heartening to see the active contributions that this group of unpaid workers have been making to their community – and to charity.
“Community sentences, with supervision and other conditions where necessary, add structure and help people make the positive changes needed to tackle the causes of their behaviour.
“Our reforms to community-based sentences, in particular as an alternative to short spells in prison for less serious offences, is a key element of Scotland’s modern justice system – which in recent years has seen record low reconviction rates that in turn help keep crime down and communities safe, with fewer victims.”
Fife Council’s service manager Lisa McCran said: “This project is a great example of how our service users can help raise funds for a local charity and give something back to the community through unpaid work.
“Unfortunately, for some service users poor mental health is not uncommon, so this was also an opportunity to give back to those organisations who give help and support locally and nationally.”
Community Justice Scotland chief executive, Karyn McCluskey, said: “Communities in Scotland have benefitted from more than 8 million hours of unpaid work since 2011. This has led to extraordinary change across the country.
“Crime is reducing and organisations and people across Scotland are making a difference day in day out. We know we have more to do, but we have shown great change is possible if we work together and strive for a safer society with wellbeing for all.”
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has warned that children in Edinburgh may be forced to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation.
Across Scotland, the number of children staying in temporary accommodation has soared to a shameful record high of 8,635.
This includes 2,265 children in Edinburgh – an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year and an appalling increase of 930 per cent since 2002.
Overall the length of time people have to spend in temporary accommodation has also been climbing year-on-year across Scotland, with families being hit hardest by long waits.
In Edinburgh couples with children are now typically stuck in temporary accommodation for an average of 725 days.
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “It is nothing short of a national scandal that 2,265 children in Edinburgh could be spending Christmas in temporary accommodation.
“Things are at crisis point across Scotland, after years of neglect under the SNP.
“Leaving children stranded in limbo for so long will have a devastating effect on their wellbeing, attainment and life chances.
“The SNP need to act urgently to fix this shameful dereliction of duty and make sure families in Edinburgh have the safe, secure housing they need. It is appalling that children can be stuck in temporary accommodation for nearly two years.” ENDS
Notes
Local Authority
Number of children in temporary accommodation
Average Days Spent in Temporary Accommodation in 2022 – Couple with Children
Isuzu UK announced as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for Scottish Cup
The eagerly anticipated Fourth Round takes place between January 21-23
Agreement further demonstrates Isuzu UK’s support and commitment to football in the UK
Isuzu UK has announced a new multi-year partnership with the Scottish FA as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
With this new partnership, Isuzu UK is further expanding its role as the driving force behind domestic football with a partnership already in place in England, with the Isuzu FA Vase and Isuzu FA Trophy and with the Irish Football Association.
The Scottish Cup first began in the 1873-74 season and is the second oldest competition in association football. The first final was held on March 21, 1874, at the original Hampden Park with Queen’s Park emerging victorious against Clydesdale.
Celtic have won the trophy more times than any other club with 40 titles to their name, the most recent coming in 2020. Their Glasgow rivals Rangers are not far behind with 34 Scottish Cup triumphs.
The next round of this season’s competition is being held on the weekend of 21 January, with the Semi-Finals set for Saturday, 29April and Sunday, 30April 2023. The final will be held on Saturday 3 June 2023 at the National Stadium, Hampden Park.
The Pick-up Professionals at Isuzu dealerships across Scotland will be getting actively involved with their local clubs, with some having already started making preparations for local sponsorship deals and promotional matchday activations.
William Brown, Managing Director, Isuzu UK said “We are extremely proud to announce our new partnership with the Scottish FA and the Scottish Cup.
“This agreement further demonstrates our commitment to domestic football and is also the last piece of the puzzle which now provides us with sports sponsorship across the whole of the UK.”
Michael Paterson, Head of Marketing and Partnerships, Scottish FA commented “We are delighted to welcome Isuzu UK as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
“Our flagship tournament boasts an illustrious history and, with a bumper Fourth Round weekend to look forward to in January, it is a hugely exciting time to welcome on board such an iconic and established international brand.
“This prestigious competition has given us so many unforgettable moments over the years and we look forward to sharing some more alongside the team at Isuzu UK.”
Santa will be touring the village on Christmas Eve with a revamped sleigh powered by state-of-the-art technology
#santaiscomingtotown
#christmasinkirkliston
Santa and his team are set to tour the streets of Kirkliston on Christmas Eve again this year, in a newly revamped, first-of-its-kind, magical sleigh. Powered by a new Lithium Iron Phosphate technology, similar to the technology used in Tesla electric vehicles, the sleigh will operate all night long, on a powerful and sustainable energy source.
Kirkliston Community Council applied to the City of Edinburgh Council for a community grant fund, which was topped up by local event business 21CC Group Ltd. enabling the Community Council team to refurbish the sleigh in spectacular style, using brand new battery technology that will mean that it can operate without any carbon output.
Geoff Crow, Director of local business 21CC Group Ltd. comments, “The Kirkliston Community Council sleigh brings the magic of Christmas to the village each year.
“The sleigh hasn’t had any investment for some time and was in much need of refurbishment ahead of this year. We are absolutely delighted to top up the grant award to support the sleigh refurbishment and to enable the Community Council to create something very special this year for the village of Kirkliston.”
“Santa touring the streets of Kirkliston on Christmas Eve is a tradition that has been upheld and cherished for many years gone by. This investment in the sleigh brings it right up to date, with modern cutting-edge technology, lighting and sound systems, guaranteeing the future of the sleigh for many years to come. We are certain that Rudolph and his herd will be proud that we have been able to continue this tradition with a sharp focus on sustainability.”
The Christmas Eve celebrations are expected to bring over 8,000 locals to the streets between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm to enjoy the festivities as Santa and his sleigh tour the village. There will also be a collection on the night for Queensferry Care in the Community.
David Buchanan, Chair of the Kirkliston Community Council, said, “This is such a wonderful example of community solidarity and togetherness, and we’re very pleased to be doing something a bit different this year.
“Our new sparkling sleigh will be used to bring joy on Christmas Eve. I personally cannot wait to see the smiles on so many faces after what has been a particularly challenging year for so many.”
Established in 1999 and headquartered in Edinburgh, 21CC Group regularly sow into local community initiatives and events. With event design, management and technical production teams all part of 21CC Group Ltd., they manage and deliver Christmas installations, events and experiential lighting trails all around the country, bringing joy to many at this time of year.
Aldi Scotland has developed a Christmas dinner recipe that can be made entirely in the air fryer for customers hoping to keep energy costs to a minimum this year.
The discount retailer has developed an alternative Christmas dinner recipe with BBC’s Great British Menu finalist and head chef of Edinburgh’s Angel’s with Bagpipes, Fraser Smith.
The centre piece for the Christmas dinner is Aldi’s Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint, that is paired with beef fat carrots, pancetta roast brussels sprouts, hasselback potatoes and red wine gravy.
Fraser has been trying and testing the air fryer to perfect an alternative cooking method for Christmas dinner this year.
Fraser said:“Airfryers offer a great alternative to oven cooking, they’re fast, compact and energy efficient.
“The results of cooking in them is the same as any oven, delicious and tender cooked meats and crispy delicious sides. I loved developing this recipe with Aldi and I hope others give it a try this festive season.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said:“We know that airfryers have soared in popularity this year and with energy costs still concerning families across Scotland we wanted to provide an alternative method to oven cooking Christmas dinner this year.
“Our take on a Christmas Dinner puts our limited edition Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint as the centre piece and provides a selection of delicious, family favourite sides.”
Roasted Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint with beef fat carrots, pancetta roast brussels sprouts, hasselback potatoes and red wine gravy
Ingredients:
4x large carrots
1x Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint
100g diced pancetta
600g brussels sprouts
750g baby potatoes
5g fresh thyme
1x bulb garlic
200ml red wine
10ml vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper
Method For the roast:
Wash four large carrots and place on the bottom of the air frying basket.
Score the fat on the Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint, rub in salt and cracked black pepper and place on top of the carrots in the air fryer basket.
Cut the garlic in half and place that, and half the thyme, in the basket.
Put the Galloway Beef and carrots in the air fryer at 200°c for 10 mins then reduce the temp to 180°c. Cook for an additional 20 mins per 500g for rare, 25 mins per 500g for medium, and 30 mins per 500g for well done.
While cooking, take time to baste the carrot and beef every half hour.
Once the beef is cooked to your liking, remove from the air fryer, cover in foil and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 20 mins.
Place the carrots back in the fryer, at 200°c, until they are cooked – this usually take 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size.
For the brussels sprouts:
Prepare the sprouts by removing the outer leaves and cutting them in half.
Place cut side up in the basket and cover with the chopped pancetta.
Place in the airfryer at 180°c for 20 minutes.
For the potatoes:
To prepare the hassleback potatoes, place the potato on a wooden spoon and make thin vertical slices through the potato being mindful not to cut all the way through – the wooden spoon should stop you cutting all the way through and splitting the potato.
Brush the slices potatoes with oil and sprinkle over some of the remaining thyme sprigs.
Place in air fryer at 200°c for 35 mins or until crispy.
This can be done in advance and the potatoes reheated just before serving.
For the gravy:
Make up some Aldi Specially Selected Beef Gravy as per instruction.
Add a splash of red wine to a warm pan, and reduce by half. Add this to the pre-made gravy.
As wintry weather takes hold, a winter warmer bundle provided by a charity’s trading arm is flying off the shelves to help people on a low income keep warm and cook a hot meal in the months ahead, while keeping energy bills down.
The winter warmer bundle includes items such as a thick blanket, oil filled radiator, microwave, slow cooker and air fryer and is being supplied to grant-makers trying to keep people warm and fed.
It has been put together by Family Fund Business Services, the trading arm of charity Family Fund, the UK’slargest grant-making charity for families with disabled and seriously ill children, living on a low income.
Family Fund supports families with grantsfor essential items such as kitchen appliances, clothing, bedding, sensory toys, computers and tablets, much-needed family breaks.
The charity used its expertise in procuring large quantities of essential goods from suppliers, to set up its own company, Family Fund Business Services, which gifts 100% of its profits back to the charity.
Phil Henderson, director of Family Fund Business Services said: “For our winter warmer bundle we have worked hard to get urgent access to value-for-money quantities of air fryers, slow cookers, thick blankets and oil filled radiators from suppliers.
“This means that they are readily, and easily, available for organisations such as local authorities and other charities to provide them for people struggling with the cost of living this winter and seeking emergency help to keep warm and make hot food. The demand for our winter bundle is growing by the day”.
Family Fund Business Services secures income through its expertise and collective buying power for essential goods with suppliers. It works on behalf of other charities, local authorities and housing associations seeking to help people in need
It provides value-for-money, easy access to thousands of essential products, including washing machines, furniture, energy vouchers and food vouchers for organisations supporting those facing hardship such as veterans, refugees and those struggling financially to meet their most basic needs.
Phil Henderson added: “The winter warmer bundles demonstrate a unique business model which delivers social value twice over.
“The expertise of Family Fund Business Services in securing cost-effective contracts for essential goods with suppliers, means the money of local councils, charities and other organisations goes further to help those in greatest need.
“But its work also helps to secure the future of the Family Fund charity so that Family Fund, in turn, can carry on its vital work of helping even more families with disabled children on a low income.”
Profits from Family Fund Business Services has helped the charity significantly increase its reach. Last year, Family Fund provided over 170,919 grants and services worth over £37 million to families across the UK.
