Nearly 600 people in Scotland are thought to have caught coronavirus at their place of work, new figures show. The data includes eight people who died from the virus since April.
Care home workers account for nearly two thirds of the suspected occupational exposures, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data, but many other groups – hairdressers, funeral directors, beauty therapists and NHS workers among them – are also believed to have been exposed to the virus at work.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “These figures confirm our view that undervalued key workers in care and the NHS have borne the brunt of workplace transmission of the virus with some, tragically, dying as a consequence.
“These figures are almost certainly the tip of the ice-berg. We suspect that there has been significant under-reporting, not to mention a significant incidence of transmission from workers without symptoms.
“Even taken at face value these figures shine a light on the failures we have witnessed in the delivery of adequate PPE and the slow response to the provision of testing for suspected Covid infection.
“Now, more than ever, government and every employer have the responsibility to get things right. Workplaces have been at the centre of localised outbreaks. We need the utmost vigilance, full engagement with unions and an open door for union roving health and safety reps in non-recognised workplaces.”
Gary Smith, secretary of the GMB Scotland union, said there is likely to be significant under-reporting of the suspected workplace coronavirus cases. He said: “The events of the last six months simply do not give any confidence in these figures.
“In sectors which predominately employ women, such as social care and food manufacturing, we are talking about industries notorious for the under-reporting of workplace incident and injury pre-Covid.
“We now know that many of the workers in these industries have been failed on basic health and safety issues, from the delay in the delivery of proper PPE provision to the ability to access testing for suspected Covid infection.”
The Parking Lot Social is a Live Drive-In event running this weekend at Dalkeith Country Park.
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The £2.2m fund, which was announced by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2020, will be delivered through Creative Scotland.
The purpose of the fund is to provide grassroots live music venues, that were financially sustainable before Covid-19, with the funds to prevent permanent closure and help with sustainability.
Eligible venues should:
Be permanent, indoor venues in Scotland in the grassroots sector (i.e. those working with new, developing, musical talent), which have a public audience
Have a capacity of under 600. Applications from venues with capacities of up to 1,000 will be considered if a significant grassroots focus can be demonstrated.
Venues may apply for grants of between £5,000 and £50,000.
Online application forms will be available on the Creative Scotland website at 12 noon on Wednesday 26 August 2020.
Applications must be submitted by 12 noon on Thursday 3 September 2020.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslopsaid: “Grassroots venues are the heartbeat of Scotland’s music scene, and they have been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. We are all extremely keen to see grassroots venues reopen again but further work is needed to ensure this can be done in a safe and sustainable manner.
“This £2.2m funding will provide some much needed stability for grassroots venues over the coming months and I am determined to continue working with the sector on what further help we can provide. It’s a long road to recovery but hopefully this marks the beginning of a brighter future after the very recent dark times.”
Iain Munro, Chief Executive, Creative Scotlandsaid: “In these extremely challenging times, this fund will provide much needed emergency support to Scotland’s grassroots music venues which are an important part of Scotland’s music ecology, developing music and audiences as well as supporting the talent for which Scotland is so renowned.
“As we look to move forward through the Covid-19 crisis, grassroots venues will, when it is safe to do so, play a crucial role in bringing people of all backgrounds together to experience the joy of live music.”
Thousands of teenagers in Scotland are set to benefit for the first time from money in Child Trust Funds (CTFs) that has been waiting for them since they were young children.
Since 2002, around 6.3 million CTF accounts have been set up across the UK, roughly 4.5 million by parents or guardians and a further 1.8 million set up by HMRC where parents or guardians did not open an account. In Scotland there are approximately 447,000 accounts.
This means some children do not know there are accounts in their name, so are unaware their money is waiting for them.
From 1 September 2020, the oldest children will turn 18 and be able to access their money.
If a parent or guardian is unsure of where their child’s CTF account is held they can also use this tool.
For those who do not have the identifying information required to access the tool, HMRC will provide alternative, non-digital routes to finding a CTF provider upon request.
HMRC and The Share Foundation are also working together to help children in need of further support.
HMRC will send details of the CTF provider by post within three weeks of receiving their request.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, said: We want to make sure all young people can access the money which has been set aside for them, to invest in their future and continue a savings habit, as they turn 18.
“If you’re unsure if you have an account or where it may be, it’s easy to track down your provider online.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland, Minister David Duguid, said: “This will be a welcome boost for many Scottish young people, particularly welcome in what has been a difficult year for many.
“I encourage all young people aged between 16 – 18 years in Scotland to check if they have a dormant Child Trust Fund. This money, provided by UK Government, is rightly yours. It only takes a few minutes of your time to check your eligibility online.”
The accounts were set up to encourage positive financial habits and a saving culture among the young account holders. HMRC is working with the Money and Pension Service (MaPS) and the CTF providers to continue to provide financial education to the beneficiaries.
CTFs were originally set up for children born between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011, with a live Child Benefit claim.
Parents and guardians received a voucher to deposit in a Child Trust Fund (CTF) account on behalf of the child. At 16 years, the child can choose to operate their account or have their parent continue to operate it, but they cannot withdraw the funds.
At 18 years of age, the CTF account matures and the child is able to withdraw money from the fund or move it to a different savings account. Over 700,000 accounts will mature each year.
The accounts are not held by HMRC, but by a number of CTF providers who are financial services firms. Anyone can pay into the account, with an annual limit of £9,000 and there’s no tax to pay on the CTF savings interest or profit.
Scotland’s leading pro-European campaign organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, (EMiS) has launched a campaign through its affiliated local groups across the country to defend democracy and highlight the sectors of the economy already damaged by Brexit.
The campaign, designed to galvanise Scottish opinion in the face of serious threats to our economic and political future, proclaims: “It’s time to join forces and shout ‘enough'”.
Letters to Scotland’s MPs and MSPs will be sent by grassroots activists from Fife to the Highlands and from Glasgow to Perthshire, saying: ‘The very concept of democracy is being weaponised. A cornerstone of democracy is the right to oppose, to challenge, to debate.
‘And yet, since the vote to leave the EU in June 2016, many people have come to believe that it means the opposite. Attempts to debate the manner of our departure from the EU have been dismissed as undemocratic.” The campaign will demand that Scotland’s elected representatives stand up for democracy and the country’s economic interests.
EMiS chair, former MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Mark Lazarowicz, said: “Whatever people’s views on the EU, on Scotland’s future, we all need to wake up to the steady dismantling of our democracy; to understand that we risk sleepwalking into something which is a democracy in name only.
“As soon as it’s COVID-safe, we intend to take our peaceful campaign out onto the streets to defend democracy.”
Over the coming days the rolling campaign will “alert people who may not yet have taken an active interest in the Brexit debate to the practical implications of our final departure, which will impact all of us in some way, and some of us – farmers, researchers, patients dependent on imported medicines – to an extreme extent.”
Activists point out: “Brexit was supposed to resolve NHS funding issues, according to the (fake) promise on the bus. But the ramifications of leaving the EU for both the NHS and social care will compound the current coronavirus crisis.”
In agriculture and food, the campaign will demand that high food standards are protected in any trade deals, that climate change mitigation is prioritised, animal welfare is safeguarded and support is extended to fragile rural communities in areas such as North and West Scotland.
North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Food Share Consortium has produced a second newsletter.
The limited print run eight page publication will initially be distributed through the Group’s food distribution network and will also be available at local projects and offices.
For further information please email northedinnews@gmail.com
14-year-old Charlie Bright of Sighthill, Edinburgh, has nominated Dad, Colin, in a national competition that asks families to name unsung heroes who’ve gone above and beyond for them in lockdown.
Colin Bright, who works as a receptionist at the Sighthill Health Centre and recently celebrated 30 years of continuous service in the NHS, has been nominated by his son, Charlie, in a national competition run by heating systems manufacturer, Viessmann.
Charlie wants to say thank you to his Dad for helping to look after him and his mum by working longer hours throughout lockdown and helping mum, Tracey, who has a long-term hearing impairment.
Colin has also taken on helping Charlie with his homework since lockdown led to a nationwide closure of schools as part of plans by the government to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
“I’ve been trying to do homework, but it’s not easy as I don’t have a teacher in front of me to help and my mum has tried her best and my dad has too,” says Charlie, 14.
Tracey has struggled with the effects of the lockdown and has felt rather lonely. With the recent government ruling enforcing masks in all shops, cinemas, galleries, banks, museums and places of worship, Tracey now feels nervous about going to the shops without Colin as she relies on lip-reading to speak with others.
“I tend to stay at home as much as possible as the wearing of face masks has left me really stressed out due to not enough awareness of the sunflower lanyard for hidden disabilities,” says Tracey.
“I have, a few times, had to explain myself to shop store staff as they have been asking me questions and I can’t see their face if they have a mask on! It feels rather embarrassing as I don’t like having to explain myself.
“After a few situations, I gave up going, so now Colin has an extra job to do and go to shops when he gets home from work or at the weekend.”
Colin, 50, works in Sighthill Health Centre in the treatment rooms and has been having to balance longer hours whilst continuing to support the family and his son with his work.
“My dad’s work is getting busier with patients as the doctors are seeing more and more people. He works on the reception desk booking patients appointments and checking them in when they arrive. He always comes home very tired as it can be a very busy long day trying to help people.”
Viessmann’s Nation’s Warmest Appreciation competition is designed to help children and families show appreciation to others’ good deeds during the first half of 2020.
“This has been a tough year for many of us, each facing our own challenges thanks to the unprecedented fallout the pandemic has brought, says James Harper, Marketing Manager at Viessmann.
“As a family-owned company that has pulled out all the stops to take care of its own members around the world over the past few months, Viessmann wanted to focus on all the good that has been going on around us all and how these times have also brought us all closer together.
“Gratitude is timeless, and because of this, we wanted to be able to help show off all the good deeds and kind acts our nation has been up to during the last six months. And by also recognising that there are still many other charities and causes that are in need of extra funding and support right now, it makes perfect sense to donate a part of the prize to those causes too.”
To enter, anyone between the age of 5-14 was invited to show their appreciation with a drawing, picture, poem or story showing who they were nominating and why they wanted to nominate them.
“I would love to nominate my Dad for all his hard work during these tough times and allowing me and Mum to stay safe at home, he is my real hero!” said Colin in his entry submission.
Entries for the competition are open until the 22nd August, with the final prize being £100 vouchers to both the entrant and nominated person and a £100 donation to a charity of their choice.
For more information and for your chance to enter, please visit the Viessmann site here.
British Embassy Warsaw is taking part in a campaign aimed at informing about the risks of becoming a victim of modern slavery:
British Embassy Warsaw, together with local partners in Poland (Ministry of Interior and Administration, Police, Border Guard and other NGOs), as well as with the support of some of the biggest local job advertising sites, has prepared a campaign aimed at informing about the risks of becoming the victim of modern slavery.
The campaign is focused on the issue of forced labour.
With the increasing uncertainty of the labour market, caused by the current pandemic, and with potentially more people seeking quick employment, there is a risk that this situation will be taken advantage of by criminal groups recruiting people for forced labour.
This risk is particularly relevant in the situation of those seeking employment abroad.
Our campaign informs how to safely look for employment, how to avoid being taken advantage of, and who to contact if you need help.
MND Scotland chairman Lawrence Cowan has been shortlisted for an SCVO Scottish Charity Award, which pays tribute to the inspiring individuals who help transform our society every day.
This year has been monumental in our fightback against MND – January saw the launch of the UK’s biggest MND drugs trial, thanks to the many fundraisers, researchers and leaders in our community.
Lawrence is in the running for the ‘Charity Champion’ award because of everything he has done both personally and professionally in the fightback against MND.
Lawrence’s best friend Gordon Aikman died of MND when he was just 31 years old. Gordon spent the time he had left campaigning for the rights of people affected by MND and fundraising to find a cure. Before Gordon died, Lawrence made a promise to do everything he could to help bring drugs trials to Scotland. This year that promise became a reality.
Personally, Lawrence has helped raise over £700,000 for cutting-edge research, and during his leadership as MND Scotland’s chairman, the charity achieved its highest income to date and invested £1.5 million into the pioneering drugs trial MND-SMART – the largest investment into research the charity has ever made.
Through this nomination, Lawrence is now being recognised for his contributions to the cause and is following in the footsteps of his late friend, who won this award in 2016.
Lawrence said:“This year we’ve made an historic leap forward in our fightback against MND. A few years ago drug trials for people with MND in Scotland were just a dream. Now almost everyone will be able to get on a drug trial in Scotland.
“We’re now at the cutting edge of treatment trials in the UK. We got here through people moving mountains for those they love – and those they’ve lost. This nomination is for everyone in our MND community who have made history and I hope I can do them proud on the night.”
Lawrence is joined by MND charities My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Euan’s Guide, who have also been shortlisted for awards.
The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which has been nominated for Charity of the Year, was founded by rugby legend Doddie Weir OBE. Since his diagnosis in 2016 he has spent his time raising awareness of the disease by sharing his story and raising funds to find a cure. The foundation has also donated £280,000 to MND Scotland’s grants programme, to help families in Scotland who are struggling financially because of MND.
Euan MacDonald, also shortlisted in the Charity Champion category, was diagnosed with MND in 2003 and driven to help find a cure, he established the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research. This centre at the University of Edinburgh is home to the clinical drugs trial MND Scotland helped fund. As a powerchair user, Euan also founded the charity Euan’s Guide, a disabled access review website which gives disabled people the information they need to visit places with confidence.
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of SCVO, said: “Much of the work celebrated this year predates the pandemic. All aspects of our lives have been disrupted in 2020. Our communities and the charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises they rely on have been under enormous pressure.
“Scotland’s voluntary sector has never been more needed and will be essential to Scotland’s recovery. At SCVO we know that fantastic work is going on all the time and we are delighted to celebrate these achievements and successes through the Scottish Charity Awards.
“This year’s shortlist of 45 finalists showcases just how diverse our voluntary sector is, and highlights the fantastic work that has been going on across the country since the last Awards until March this year.
“The Awards are a great way of celebrating and recognising the people and organisations who make our voluntary sector a crucial part of every part of life in Scotland. Our finalists are fantastic and I would encourage everyone to support their favourite by voting in the People’s Choice Award.”
Cast your vote!
Lawrence, Euan and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation are also in with a chance of winning the People’s Choice Award which is decided by a public vote.
The city’s plan to regenerate Granton Waterfront has been shortlisted for the Scottish Design Awards 2020.
Selected as a finalist for the best Architecture Masterplan award, the Council’s development plan with Collective Architects sets out to boost affordable housing, transform streets to promote active travel and respond to the climate emergency in Granton. The award nomination recognises the project’s ‘fresh approach to creating a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable coastal quarter’ in Edinburgh.
Three further regeneration projects by the Council and city partners have also been shortlisted for the Scottish Design Awards 2020.
A housing development in Greendykes featuring modern, energy efficient Council homes has been nominated for the best new affordable housing award, while the restoration of the Edinburgh Printmakers and landscaping for the Calton Hill City Observatory renewal – both part funded by the Council – are also up for awards.
The winners are expected to be announced by the Scottish Design Awards at a virtual ceremony on 10 September.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Our City is growing and adapting and the new homes and communities being built are meeting the demands of our rising population and meeting our environmental responsibilities.
“We have one of the largest house-building programmes of any local authority and we’re making good progress towards our target of building new affordable and social homes. These homes are not only low carbon but are prioritising the wellbeing of current and future residents by ensuring sustainable communities and delivering high quality design.
“The £1.3bn transformational plans we have for Granton and our sustainable new homes in Greendykes are perfect examples of how we’re working to achieve this.
“Granton is one of the country’s leading sustainable developments and offers us the opportunity to work with the local community to create a new and eco-friendly waterfront neighbourhood, and it’s fantastic to see these projects nominated for national architecture awards.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: Our regeneration of Granton will deliver thousands of fantastic and much-needed new homes, creating countless new jobs and apprenticeships in the process.
“I’m looking forward to seeing us transform the area into the destination waterfront it has always deserved to be. We’ve also made a commitment to become a net-zero carbon city by 2030 and projects like this will help us deliver on that goal.
“We face big decisions about how we continue to regenerate parts of our City going forward, and recognition like this from the Scottish Design Awards – for how the Council is leading the way in sustainable, desirable new home design and supporting the restoration of incredible historic spaces – is very welcome.
“Now that construction can get back underway, we’re also seeing a number of other high profile sites take shape which will further reinvigorate derelict and underused parts of Edinburgh. We’re committed to building on this and our Choices for City Plan 2030 sets out a number of bold options for how our Capital can continue to flourish if we make certain planning, design and redevelopment decisions.”
The Granton Waterfront Development Framework offers a new approach to creating a vibrant, healthy and sustainable coastal quarter in Edinburgh.
Led by Collective Architects, the framework sets out an ambitious place-based, inclusive approach to regeneration which positively responds to the climate emergency.
It offers Edinburgh and the wider region the opportunity to make a step-change in how it develops in a sustainable, resilient and responsible way. Approximately 3,000 new homes of mixed size, typology and tenure feature in the plans alongside pedestrian-centred streets which promote active travel.
Anderson Bell Christie was appointed to deliver 75 new energy efficient homes for social and mid-market rent in Greendykes.
The result is a ‘Lifetime Neighbourhood’, appropriate for all generations and accessibilities with a community growing space, a communal heating system and building design with natural light, mental wellbeing and dementia friendly elements in mind. The site sits next to a new play park, providing excellent outdoor space for the family homes which are adjacent.
The Edinburgh Printmakers is located within the former headquarters of the North British Rubber Company.
The redevelopment project by Page/Park Architects has transformed a derelict building into an accessible multi-use arts complex centred around printmaking production. It features a visitor attraction with two galleries, shop, café, education space, an office, archives and large print studio, with many original materials retained or upcycled.
HarrisonStevens developed a concept design around constellations and planetary orbits to complement the restoration of the City Observatory on Calton Hill.
Working with the Collective Gallery’s artist in residence, Tessa Lynch, the design creates a sense of place and time, with landscaping to link up geological features with architectural, planting to illustrate the passing of the seasons and the use of traditional alongside contemporary materials.
