Category: Uncategorized

A business started by a stay-at-home Edinburgh dad is set to establish itself as the UK’s premier supplier of face masks – as well supporting NHS charities and the community through a unique give-back initiative.

In just three weeks, Screen & Shield has had more than 600 orders from individuals, businesses and community groups from around the UK and a new supply of 10,000 custom #sasMASKs is being produced to keep up with demand.

Hass Peymani set up Screen & Shield after becoming alarmed at the poor quality and unavailability of face masks for his family as he faced lockdown with a pregnant wife and his dad in a high-risk category.

Hass, who had previously set up a hugely successful global video business that saw him work with likes of football icon Neymar and pop superstar Katie Perry, spent 10 weeks exhaustively researching the market before launching his #sasMASK brand from home, in the midst of national lockdown.    

Unlike many of the masks on the market right now, the #sasMASK is manufactured in Europe and complies with the latest material and layering guidelines for non medical-grade face coverings. 

The #sasMASK has not only been designed to be washable, comfortable and affordable, but also comes in more than 30 designs; with this range due to double in size in the coming weeks.              

And, with the wearing of face masks now compulsory on public transport in Scotland, Screen & Shield is expecting orders to continue to surge.

Hass, 40, said: “I am totally confident our business supplies the best face mask for public use in the UK.

“Not only are they high quality, three-layered and affordable, but as the wearing of masks becomes commonplace, the range of designs allows people to make a choice that matches their own individuality.

“But a fundamental aim of the #sasMASK brand was to create a business model that also benefited charities that support frontline workers and community groups. It seemed to me that – in a health crisis – anyone who was selling masks should be giving back to the community, and especially to those hardest hit.

“I set up Screen & Shield so that 10% of all online sales go to NHS-related charities. But any participating community groups/charities/influencers buying masks for their network also receive 10% of the sales value – as well as their members also receiving a 10% discount. No one else has offered a scheme to support communities like this.        

“Along with local and national charities, we’ve had the likes of a cheerleading squad, a group of redundant BA staff, a nursery group and a community centre in Somerset all sign up to our community programme. They understand their community will likely buy face masks at some point, so by working with us they get excellent quality masks at a discounted price and can also generate funds to put back into their community.

“As we continue to grow the company, I want to generate lots of money for those affected by the pandemic as well as providing a comforting level of protection at the same time.”

Screen & Shield can work flexibly with businesses of all sizes, providing small orders for the likes of cafes and shops which are set to re-open, to providing bulk orders with large firms, and offer custom branding to any and all.  Business customers can also benefit from the ‘Team Vouchers’ system, which provides      pre-paid voucher codes so staff can choose their own designs.

Hass had been looking after his four-year-old son Otto as a stay-at-home dad and living with his parents while his home in Musselburgh was being renovated when lockdown kicked in.

He added: “During week one of lockdown, we discussed as a family if we needed to wear face masks. With my dad in a high-risk category and my wife Louise pregnant, we decided we did. I started shopping for good-quality masks that didn’t compromise the medical PPE supply chain. However, this turned out to be much trickier than I had expected.

“The face masks available at that time seemed to be distributed by untrustworthy-looking websites, looked to be of poor quality, took weeks – if not months – to arrive and were extortionately priced.

“I realised that I couldn’t be the only person facing this problem, so I decided to stop moaning and take action – and from their #sasMASK was born.”

Screen & Shield is largely operating as an e-commerce business, using its website https://screenandshield.co.uk/ and social media to drive awareness and sales, particularly facebook.com/screenandshield/. From its fledgling start, the business is already approaching 1,000     Followers/Likes and 13,000 people have viewed its launch video.

Hass, who was exploring his next business venture when Coronavirus struck, had previously co-founded Volcano City, which provided video production, live streams and platform infrastructure for clients across Europe, Asia and Latin America. The businesses became one of Europe’s leading poker live streaming companies, which led to Hass interviewing a range of celebrities such as Neymar, Boris Becker and Rafa Nadal.

For more information on Screen & Shield – go to: https://screenandshield.co.uk/

Roslin Technologies and DESTINA Genomics have joined forces to launch a new company which will offer significant developments in animal treatment and care.

In particular, the new venture, Vetsina Animal Diagnostics, will create solutions around the speed of testing, ability to detect low concentrations of biomarkers, utility of existing laboratory equipment, and the ability to transport samples from remote locations.

Vetsina will initially focus on the field of microRNAs (miRNA), the valuable biomarkers for infections, illness and disease.

Currently, miRNA analysis requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, with significant capital equipment costs and technical limitations, including refrigeration of samples and transport issues. This has a major impact on access to modern diagnostic modalities in many veterinary and animal situations, including large herds and remote locations.

DESTINA has developed a revolutionary chemical-based system for detecting nucleic acids and single nucleotide polymorphisms, for the development of simple, fast, accurate & cost-effective products for PCR-free detection of miRNAs in human medicine.

The company, which will be based at the Roslin Innovation Centre, has a unique patented chemistry that detects tissue and disease specific miRNAs in small volume samples with no amplification required.

It has also developed a buffer system that stabilises target miRNAs in plasma and serum at room temperature. This enables sample preparation, shipment and storage without need for refrigeration.

DESTINA is working on a range of targets in various human diseases. Some of these will translate into the animal space, and these will be Vetsina’s first targets.

Vetsina will also research the animal diagnostics arena to focus on targets based on market need, technical feasibility and the development of a balanced portfolio. DESTINA has provided Vetsina with an exclusive, world-wide sub-licence to its IP for the development of technology in the veterinary and animal health areas.

Roslin Technologies is supporting the new company through its access to innovation and IP from the University of Edinburgh and The Roslin Institute which have expertise in the miRNA arena through the medical, veterinary and chemistry schools related to animal health and veterinary science.

Hugh Ilyine, CEO of DESTINA and Executive Director of Vetsina, said: “We are excited by the huge potential of this new company which will apply DESTINA’s unique, patented technology for detecting nucleic acids by developing diagnostics tests for the animal health and veterinary arena, in combination with the animal health and commercialisation expertise of Roslin Technologies.

“Many miRNAs are tissue or developmental stage specific, which presents the opportunity to use them as non-invasive biomarkers of tissue function associated with a variety of physiological states (e.g. pregnancy) and diseases (e.g. neoplasia, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and infections).

“miRNA-based platforms are already being developed for clinical diagnosis of human cancer and other conditions. Studies in livestock have demonstrated the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers of mastitis, stress, energy balance and infectious disease.

“Vetsina will bring added value to these tests through direct-detection technology to improve the speed of diagnosis and facilitate the development of reference laboratory and point-of-care products.”

• 78% of Brits think homelessness and a lack of suitable housing are major issues in the UK
• Over one in ten are (11%) have been worried about losing their home during the COVID-19 outbreak
• 56% agree that homelessness could be eradicated within ten years if enough resources were given
• Nationwide offers grants of £10,000-£50,000 to local UK housing projects

Covid-19 has had a major impact on the attitudes and concerns towards those who are homeless, new research from Nationwide Building Society shows. 

45% of people in the UK are more worried today as a result of being forced to stay indoors, according to survey of more than 6,500 people across the UK.

The research comes as Nationwide opens applications for its Community Grants Scheme, where charitable organisations can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 to make an difference in their communities. The Society is calling on charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives who need funding to apply.

Impact of Covid-19 on suitable housing and concern for those without a home

Close to half (45%) of people have become more concerned about those who are homeless in lockdown, with 61 per cent more concerned about those who may be living in an unsafe environment, for example those who are at risk of domestic abuse. Some 46 per cent think that when the pandemic ends, raising money for charities that support vulnerable groups will become more important than it was previously, an issue that is felt particularly strongly by those aged 18-24 (52%).

There is also a personal feeling that homes are under threat; as a result of Covid-19, more than one in ten (11%) are concerned about losing their property, a figure which jumps to 20 per cent for those who are unemployed. Three per cent are ‘very worried’ about losing their home. 

Homelessness is a major issue of our generation

The research shows that more than three quarters of GB adults (78%) agree that homelessness and a lack of suitable housing is a major issue in the UK, with millennials 25-34 (82%), students (85%) and those who are unemployed (81%) feeling particularly strongly.

It’s an issue that the majority believe has got considerably worse in recent memory too, with 60 per cent of the population agreeing it’s more prevalent than it was two years ago, and 71 per cent (71%) agreeing it’s a bigger issue than a decade ago.

Despite the fact that the issue of a lack of suitable housing is compounding in the public eye, more than half (56%) agree that, if enough resources were provided, homelessness in the UK could be eradicated within the next 10 years. Younger generations are more likely to believe this, with close to two thirds (65%) of those aged 18-24 agreeing, compared with 49 per cent of those over the age of 55.

Supporting local authorities 

A third of Brits (31%) believe their local authority has done a bad job at tackling housing and homelessness issues over the past five years. Those in younger age groups are more likely to believe their local authority had done a bad job tackling housing issues, with more than a third (34%) of those aged 18-24 believing this, compared to just over a quarter (28%) of those over the age of 55.

Over the past two years, around three quarters of the projects supported through Nationwide’s Community Grants initiative have included recruiting tenancy workers, project workers and support workers – roles that are traditionally filled by those working for local authorities but may have been cut back on due to funding issues. 

Kerrie Colford, Social Investment Manager at Nationwide, said: “Our Community Grants scheme offers financial support to those seeking to make a difference, those on the front lines of tackling housing issues that impact so many across the UK.

“We believe everyone should have a place fit to call home and helping people into homes has been at our foundation for more than 140 years. Particularly in recent times, the issue of homelessness and a lack of suitable housing has become increasingly important and with a shortage of new properties, outdated rental stock and a lack of support for the most vulnerable in our society, we feel it’s our responsibility to continue to help.”

Nationwide’s Community Grants initiative is now open for applications of between £10,000 and £50,000 from charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives wanting to make a difference in their local area.

Applications are shortlisted and then Nationwide’s regional Community Boards, made up of Nationwide members and colleagues, come together to award the grants. Successful applicants will receive their grant to provide housing services to people in need to support the most vulnerable.

Anyone wishing to apply for a grant to make improvements to their community should go to www.nationwidecommunitygrants.co.uk

Over the past two years Nationwide members and colleagues have come together to award  £10 million to 251 housing projects across the UK. Applications for both Community Grants  and for members wanting to join their local Community Board are open until 31^st July 2020.

Dear Editor,

Being diagnosed with cancer is hard enough, but imagine what it feels like if you are given this devastating news after an agonising wait of six months or even a year since you first went to see a doctor or nurse about something that did not feel right.

That’s the reality faced by countless numbers of people who are diagnosed with sarcoma cancer in the UK. These cancers of the bone and soft tissue are uncommon, and it is partly because of this that they are tearing apart people’s lives.

I lost my close friend and mentor Simon Mellows to sarcoma a number of years ago. One in three sarcoma patients in the UK waited at least six months after first speaking to a healthcare professional before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

As patron of Sarcoma UK, I know how important it is that someone with a suspicious lump or bone pain has it checked out, even during a pandemic.

Not only that, but we have to ensure that people are referred to the right place for treatment by experts at the right time. Late diagnosis or misdiagnosis has heart-breaking consequences.

Lives in the UK could ultimately be saved, which is why I am writing in support of the charity’s new report that focuses on the early diagnosis issues faced by sarcoma patients right now.

Richard Whitehead MBE, 

London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold medallist, Paralympian and Sarcoma UK patron