Are you 14+ and looking to get into volunteering? Check out our flyers and get in touch with our Volunteer Development Worker Gillian!
We are also having a volunteer recruitment event on Thursday 29th September at 4pm – come along and find out more!
Each of the five nurseries which were closed as a safety precaution during an E-coli outbreak in East Lothian have now been given the green light to re-open.
The Musselburgh Private Nursery chain has become the latest to welcome back staff and children, following final checks and inspection visits by East Lothian Council environmental health team, the Care Inspectorate and NHS Lothian Public Health team.
The Stoneybank nursery opened today (wed) while it’s sister company in Bridge Street is gearing up to re-open as soon as tomorrow (thurs).
Testing and the stringent E.coli clearance process has also been completed in both nurseries.
Dr Josie Murray, Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Chair of the multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT), said: “We are really encouraged to see all of the nurseries open their doors once again and welcome back their staff and pupils.
“We know it has been a really difficult time for everyone involved, especially in accepting some of the control measures which were vital in containing the infection and stopping its spread within the community.
“On behalf of the IMT, I would like to thank everyone for working with us throughout this rapidly evolving and complex outbreak.”
Work is still continuing behind the scenes by the health care scientists in epidemiology and microbiology to try and identify the source of the infection.
Letters providing the most up to date information have been issued to families directly in some circumstances and via the nurseries distribution systems.
Church Street Pear Tree Nursery was originally closed on August 2 after a number of children fell ill and went on to test positive for E-coli.
The sister nursery Meadowpark Pear Tree Nursery was closed next, as well as West Road Pear Tree Nursery, Musselburgh Private Nursery, Bridge Street and Musselburgh Private Nursery, Stoneybank,.
In total, there have been 56 confirmed cases of E.coli. The infection was not confirmed at West Road Pear Tree Nursery.
The complex outbreak has evolved rapidly and a set of FAQs were developed to help answer questions from concerned families and carers and can be found on NHS Lothian’s website:
https://news.nhslothian.scot/2022/08/26/faqs-further-update-on-ecoli/
Positive Thinking Day fell on Tuesday the 13th of September. This day is meant for one thing: to put everything aside and concentrate on all things positive in life (even if we’re a day late! – Ed.).
Positive thinking has many benefits, including keeping your heart healthy by reducing stress. Here we explore ways to ensure you see the bright side and keep a positive attitud e…
Start your day with a positive thought
How do you start your day? Each day tends to continue as it starts i.e., if you get off on the wrong foot, you are likely going to experience more negative things throughout the day.
So, why not try to start the day with positivity to ensure you get started on the right foot? Be proactive and choose the thoughts and messages you want to embed in your mind.
Get outdoors
Ever noticed you feel better once you have been outside?
Nature always gives us positive energy. Spending some time outside will increase your energy, boost your mood and help you work efficiently. If going out isn’t an option, you can always surround your workplace or home with plants.
Always be grateful
If you express gratitude as a consistent part of your life; it forces you to acknowledge all the great things which happen.
The quickest way to turn a negative mindset to a positive one is to practice gratitude. Gratitude can be expressed in writing or verbally, for all of the great things you have in your life.
Positive Thinking Day serves as a reminder that something as simple as having a positive outlook towards life can make us significantly happier.
For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.
To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.
Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.
City councillors will unite to pay tribute to HM The Queen in a specially convened meeting this Friday (16 September).
The meeting, to be held in the City Chambers and broadcast live on the City of Edinburgh Council’s webcast channel, will take place at 10am.
The sole item for debate on the agenda is a motion put forward by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, which states:
Death of Her Majesty the Queen – Motion by the Lord Provost
“On behalf of the citizens of Edinburgh, this Council offers its deep condolences to the Royal Family on news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
Throughout her extraordinary reign she showed great appreciation for her ancient and hereditary Kingdom of Scotland and its capital city Edinburgh.
During her countless visits to Edinburgh, she reached out to charities, veterans, service personnel, hospitals and children and won a very special place in the hearts of the citizens of Edinburgh and Scotland.
Over her seven-decade reign, she showed unwavering and inspirational, dedication to serving the nation and the Commonwealth, offering wise counsel in often turbulent times.
This Council and this City are in mourning. Council gives thanks for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s exceptional 70 years’ service and extends its deepest sympathy to the Royal Family at this very difficult time.”
The agenda for this special meeting can be found at:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=150&MId=6568
Due to road closures and early school closures in our area, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre has had to cancel our P1-P2 Junior youth group today (Tuesday 13th September).
Apologies for any inconvenience caused and we look forward to seeing you all again next week.
Our other youth groups this week will continue as planned.
Temporary road closures have come into force across Edinburgh’s city centre, as the city prepares to host major ceremonial events to mark the passing of Her Majesty The Queen over the coming days.
Further closures are planned and significant disruption is expected as full details are confirmed by the Royal Household in due course.
The City of Edinburgh Council is working with Scottish Government and Police Scotland to safely accommodate the thousands of people expected to line the city’s streets as people pay their respects.
The general public are being advised to plan ahead and avoid any non-essential travel through the city centre (particularly the Old Town) during this period. People should regularly check the City of Edinburgh Council website, which is being updated with details of which roads will be closed and other public transport information.
People can also follow the relevant transport agencies, Scottish Government and Royal Household for up-to-date advice.
Mourners wishing to take part in events are being advised to plan ahead and take account of the weather conditions, limited facilities and the likelihood of spending long periods at the roadside.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “On behalf of the whole city of Edinburgh, I offer our heartfelt condolences to all the members of the royal family at this time of sadness and sorrow.
“Our city is highly experienced in handling major events, and we are working closely with Scottish Government, Police Scotland and transport providers to safely accommodate the large crowds of visitors who will wish to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family over the next few days.
“Given the scale and significance of these ceremonial events, we have to be prepared for significant disruption across the city, but particularly in the city centre. We’re closely with our partners to manage this as best we can and to keep residents, businesses and visitors updated on all plans.
“We are also urging everyone to consider their travel needs and avoid any journeys through the city centre where possible. If they do need to travel, we’re asking them to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys and follow the very latest travel advice.
Sarah Boyd, Lothian, Managing Director said: “Following the sad passing of Her Majesty The Queen, teams across our business are working together with external partners to plan for further road closures which are expected across the city in the coming days.
“We would ask customers to plan ahead where possible and continue to check our website and social media channels for the latest travel information.
For the most up-to-date information, visit:
www.edinburgh.gov.uk, www.gov.scot and www.royal.uk.
The @edintravel traffic information team will be carefully monitoring the city’s roads, sharing the latest information on disruption and diversions on Twitter.
Users should also follow Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams to keep people informed about their services.
The positive impact Scotch whisky tourism can have for Scotland has been celebrated as the country’s leading new visitor attraction marks its first year of business.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh opened its doors to the public in September last year, and despite pandemic lockdowns and major travel restrictions, it succeeded in welcoming more than 300,000 visitors from 97 different countries around the world.
A key part of the mission of Johnnie Walker Princes Street is to introduce Scotch whisky to new consumers and to challenge traditional perceptions of Scotland’s national drink.
Encouragingly, 50% of visitors to the venue were women, 56% were not regular Scotch whisky drinkers. Domestic guests noted a 26% increase in likelihood to drink whisky within four weeks of visiting the experience, rising to 29% for international visitors.
Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “It has been a tough year for everyone in tourism and hospitality, and we are under no illusion that many serious difficulties remain as we try to rebuild Scotland’s visitor sector.
“But it is also important to celebrate positive achievement, and I am incredibly proud of what the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street have managed to deliver in the first year of operation.
“I am particularly encouraged by the diversity of our guests, with half of all visitors being women, and with an international spread of 97 countries. Our aim at Johnnie Walker Princes Street is to challenge perceptions, bust myths, and show that whisky really is for everyone.
“So, it’s good to see the diversity in our guests and to be able to look at the figures and see we’re helping people find their perfect way to enjoy Scotland’s best loved export.”
Johnnie Walker Princes Street is the centrepiece of Diageo’s £185million investment in Scotch whisky tourism in Scotland, which also includes the transformation of the company’s distillery visitor experiences the length and breadth of Scotland.
Ewan Andrew, Diageo President of Supply Chain & Procurement, who has led the Scotland investment programme, said: “Scotch whisky is in great demand around the world, as Johnnie Walker’s record global sales figures over the past year has shown.
“We want to bring those consumers from all around the world to Scotland and give them an unforgettable experience. The first year of operation at Johnnie Walker Princes Street gives us great confidence that we can achieve that and continue to build the reputation of Scotch whisky as the world’s best loved distilled spirit.”
Scotch whisky tourism recorded its record year in 2019 before the pandemic, with a total of 2.1 million visitors to distilleries. While the pandemic has been a major setback, the figures from Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s first year, were welcomed by the industry as a positive sign of recovery.
Graeme Littlejohn, Director of Strategy at the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “Scotch Whisky is enjoyed around the world – famous for its quality, heritage and unique history.
“What the industry has missed over the course of the Covid pandemic is welcoming visitors from home and abroad to discover more about the story of Scotch. It is fantastic to see people returning to Scotland and visiting our world-class tourist attractions dedicated to sharing Scotland’s world-renowned spirit.”
VisitScotland Regional Director, Neil Christison said: “Congratulations to the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street on their first anniversary and reaching 300,000 visitor milestone, a fantastic achievement as our industry begins to recover from the pandemic.
“We know that Scotland’s world-famous heritage including whisky is an important part of our visitor appeal, especially among international visitors with one in five visiting a distillery before the pandemic. We are also seeing growing interest for artisanal food and drink experiences as visitors look to connect with the people and processes behind our iconic products.
“It is fantastic to see visitors returning from across the world and closer to home, supporting the recovery of our vital industry and the wider economy.”
Johnnie Walker Princes Street takes visitors on an immersive journey through the 200-year-old history behind the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky.
From personalised tours and rooftop bars serving seriously creative cocktails paired with world class food, to state of the art experiential retail and much more besides, there’s plenty for tourist to be excited about across the eight floor, 71,500 square foot venue.
Advance pre-booking of experiences is highly recommended. Tickets for the Johnnie Walker Princes Street tours start from £28, which includes a 90-minute tour and three personalised Scotch whisky drinks.
To book an experience, sign up to the Johnnie Walker Princes Street mailing list or for more information, please visit www.johnniewalkerprincesstreet.com.
POLICE have confirmed the body which was discovered in Northumberland at the weekend has been identified as 75-year-old Peter Coshan.
The body was found on land close to the A696 near the village of Kirkwhelpington on Sunday, 4 September, 2022.
Dr Coshan’s family has been made aware and specialist officers are continuing to provide support to them.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Patrick, of Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts remain with Peter’s family at this incredibly difficult time.
“I would again like to thank everyone who has come forward with information which has helped our investigation.”
Two men, aged 27 and 63, have previously been arrested and charged in connection with Dr Coshan’s disappearance and both have already appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Penguin Books have joined forces with Twinkl Educational Publishing to donate books by authors of colour to 500 UK primary schools.
The donation of books from Penguin, Puffin, Ladybird, and Vintage and Andersen Press forms part of Penguin’s Lit in Colour campaign, and aims to give pupils access to a wider range of authors, characters and books to tackle their stark underrepresentation in UK schools.
Each participating school will receive 100 books, covering a range of titles across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and mythology; from much-loved classics to new voices. Authors included in the selection are Matthew A. Cherry, Malala Yousafzai, Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali and more. Each school will also receive a class set of The Good Turn by Sharna Jackson.
Research by Lit in Colour, carried out by Penguin Books and the Runnymede Trust in 2021, revealed a stark picture of under-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic authors in the teaching of English Literature in this country.
This is relative both to these authors’ place in contemporary British literary excellence and school population demographics.
According to the research, 82% of young people do not ever recall studying a book by a Black, Asian or minority ethnic author, while 70% agree that diversity is part of British society and should be represented in the school curriculum.
The research also found that a key barrier for primary school teachers was a lack of ready-made resources available from teaching sites that are focused on diverse texts. This is a significant challenge for educators who rely on these for the basis of their planning.
In response to this, Twinkl are producing a comprehensive set of learning resources that aim to make it as easy as possible for educators to create a full lesson around these titles and immerse learners through a selection of activity sheets to be used alongside the books and as follow-on activities.
Twinkl’s comprehensive series of educational resources will cover 20 titles that will support bringing new literature to classrooms. The learning materials will consist of various worksheets and activity packs.
These include 60-second reading activities, to biography fact files and writing packs. These resources will be available to freely access online and can be used in connection with Penguin’s Lit in Colour book list.
Zaahida Nabagereka, Penguin Random House’s Head of Social Impact, said: “Partnering with Twinkl on this first ever UK wide Lit in Colour Primary School donation is a really significant step in addressing the barriers the Lit in Colour report identified in 2021.
“We are committed to supporting teachers to take diverse books into their classrooms with confidence, and key to that is resources. This collaboration strengthens the argument that we can achieve more when we tackle systemic issues together.”
David Angrave, Twinkl’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “As a global education publisher, we are delighted to work with Penguin on such a meaningful campaign. Our Lit in Colour resources aim to engage learners in a wide variety of diverse titles in the classroom. Through a range of voices in books, children can discover different cultures and identifiable characters.
“We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with Penguin with this campaign and help build an inclusive outlook which celebrates differences and what brings us together.”
Sharna Jackson, author of The Good Turn, said: “When I was younger, there was a pronounced lack of access to many books that reflected my experience – as part of the curriculum, or in my school library.
“It’s why I wholeheartedly support the transformative work that Lit in Colour does to expand and enrich the curriculum. I am so incredibly proud that The Good Turn can be a small part of this change, as this donation from Lit in Colour and Twinkl will make an enormous difference to thousands of young readers who deserve to see themselves and their experience reflected in the books stocked on their school library shelves.”
To find out more about how your school can get involved with the Lit in Colour book giveaway, please visit our website.
Primary teachers can apply by completing this short form by Friday 30th September.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS UK) annual week long Don’t Drink and Drown campaign launches on 12th September, aiming to get the message across about water safety as thousands of students head off to start their first year at university.
In a sample of UK accidental drowning cases analysed in detail by RLSS UK, at least half of those aged 16-25 who lost their life were students. As a result, the charity is urging students to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, especially if there is a body of water within the town or city they are moving to.
3 in 4 of these accidental drowning victims were alone . The campaign aims to speak to students and encourage them to, after a night out, be responsible for their friends, be a mate, and ensure they return home safely.
As fresher’s events take place across the UK in September, many students will be heading to bars and clubs to celebrate the start of their university adventure, and this is where RLSS UK fears tragedies may occur.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “We have seen tragic stories in the past where students have been excited for a new adventure in a new city and should have been enjoying their first few weeks at university but sadly their night did not end how it should have.
“45% of accidental drownings among 16-25 year olds in the last 5 years cited alcohol and/or drugs; we know that alcohol and drugs have a number of different effects on the body including lowering inhibitions, which leads to impaired judgment, and this is where we see people taking risks and getting themselves into trouble in, on and around water.”
In line with this, the data also reveals that when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, accidental drowning victims are much more likely to have unintentionally fallen into the water; 55% compared to 36% for those who were not under the influence.
Lee continued: “We are encouraging students to get to know their new surroundings and if they have a river, canal or other body of water in the city or town that they have moved to, then ensure that the route home after a night out is one which steers clear of the water.”
Further analysis among this group highlighted that, where known, over half of drug and alcohol related drownings take place between 11pm and 5am, the time in which students may be walking home from nights out.
RLSS UK wants to reinforce the message of safety in numbers, be a mate, and stick together to make sure everyone makes it home safe.
Lee said: “Unfortunately in recent years we have seen cases of young people walking home after a night of drinking, and for various reasons getting too close to the edge and ending up in the water.
“At this time of year the water is colder than it looks and cold water shock is a significant factor, and paired with alcohol numbing senses, limiting muscle ability and slowing down reactions, it makes it extremely difficult to be able to swim and self-rescue.
“As we see, mainly young men, walking home alone, sadly in these cases there is nobody around to help we see nights out turn into tragedies.”
For more information on the campaign and to support RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign this September visit www.rlss.org.uk/dont-drink-and-drown.
