UK Men’s Shed Association (UKMSA) has announced the finalists for this year’s Shed of the Awards, their national award scheme which recognises groups and individuals that make a difference in their Men’s Shed and local communities.
Rob Lloyd, chair of the Trustees of UKMSA, said: “Each year entries get better and better. With more submissions than ever, and of such a high standard, this year’s finalists have really highlighted the excellent work they are all doing in their local communities.
“We know how well Men’s Shed participation helps with loneliness, social isolation and both physical and mental health. These finalists demonstrate the breadth, depth and creativity of the projects they each undertake and the impact they have on participants and the wider community”.
Last year’s overall winner, Bootle Tool Shed has designed and made the bespoke Shed of The Year trophy to hand over to the 2024 winner.
This year’s finalists by awards category are;
Health and Wellbeing Impact of the Year
Caerau Men’s Shed
Medway Men In Sheds
Hythe Shed (at the pier)
Shed Partnership of the Year 2024
Pontypridd Men’s Shed
Letchworth Men In Sheds
Broadstairs Town Shed
Shed Volunteer of the Year 2024
Mark Mantle, Ludlow Men’s Shed
David Finch, Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent
Chris Oldfield, Bethlem Community Men’s Shed
Community Project of the Year 2024
Rhyl Men’s Shed
Heatons’ Men In Sheds
Llanfyllin Shed
Shed of the Year
Petersfield Men’s Shed
Poringland and District Men’s Shed
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed
All finalists have been invited by Mr Speaker, The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP to the Shed of the Year Awards and Afternoon Tea taking place in the State Rooms of the Speaker’s House in the House of Commons on International Men’s Day, Tuesday 19th November 2024.
The Shed Awards are sponsored by TiteFix, with specially designed trophies for the winners created by Carveco.
A resilient Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) student has celebrated her graduation after recovering from colon cancer – and thanked the staff who supported her along the way.
Sophia McIntosh studied for a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from her home in Kingston, Jamaica, alongside her work as a university lecturer there.
She took time out from her studies after receiving her cancer diagnosis in 2019 but was later able to return to and complete the course.
Sophia crossed the stage at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Wednesday to collect her degree, having travelled from the Caribbean with her mum for the ceremony.
Sophia said: “I am just so full of joy, not just for me but for all of my family members and friends who have supported me.
“I am happy that I went on this journey, I am liberated and more confident. The doctorate is the icing on the cake, but the journey has transformed me.
“I still have my thesis on leadership sitting on my table at home and sometimes I just open it to have a look!
“I’m so proud of myself – I never knew I had it in me to read and learn so much.”
Having felt unwell for some time, it was through a chance meeting with a doctor at church that Sophia was referred for health checks and discovered her cancer diagnosis.
She underwent surgery and chemotherapy in the autumn of 2019, followed by more treatment the following year.
She said: “When I was told the news, I just went numb. I was told we would have to move quickly and have surgery.
“All the horror stories about chemotherapy happened to me. I had complications from my surgery, and my parents came down from another part of Jamaica to look after me.
“I had two major surgeries, and we lost my adopted brother around the same time. But despite these traumatic events, I resumed my studies after the year.”
Sophia’s graduation comes after taking time out from the course because of illness and the Covid pandemic. She is now receiving checks every six months.
Now that Sophia has completed her degree, she has paid tribute to ENU staff members past and present who supported her, including Dr Ciarán McFadden-Young, Dr Janice McMillan, and Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith – as well as Professor Alison McCleery, who sadly passed away last year.
“It was difficult going back to the doctorate, but my research supervisors helped me settle,” Sophie added. “They were patient with me and not judgemental. They were respectful and they gave me space.
“I can’t find the words to thank them – they held my hand. I never felt alone, I never felt unsafe. I had them all behind me.”
Sophia has graduated alongside fellow students from Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School today.
ENU’s autumn graduation ceremonies were held at the Usher Hall between 29 – 31 October.
A new Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) graduate is hoping to make her family proud – thanks to a New York internship that unlocked her passion for her studies.
The 29-year-old from Edinburgh was presented with her degree during a ceremony at the Usher Hall yesterday.
She said: “It feels amazing to graduate. No-one in my family has done it before. I lost my dad in 2019 and a lot of the things I do are in the hope that he would be proud of me.
“I also want to show to my younger cousins that studying is a great way to find something that you enjoy.
“My time at university wasn’t always easy, but the lecturers and support staff were absolutely accommodating and understanding. They just wanted the best for me.”
As part of her studies, Keri was part of a group who completed an internship in New York with counterparts from Farmingdale State College.
It was a trip which helped cement her plan to forge a career in user experience – a term used to describe how people interact with digital technology in their day-to-day life.
“The opportunity to go to the USA helped me navigate what I was wanting to focus on,” Keri added. “We were working with a baseball team out there, making things that fans could use. I helped come up with an app and reward system they could use.
“It was such a great experience being able to make something like that happen from scratch.
“If I hadn’t gone to university, I would never have experienced something like that.”
Techfest, a Scottish charity, is set to launch a worldwide Digital Science Festival to promote STEM access to everyone.
Scotland’s Digital Science Festival (SDSF) is an exciting, virtual event that aims to bring science straight into homes through expert talks, interactive workshops, and an online escape room.
The festival will feature a range of speakers including TV Doctor, Tharaka Gunarthne, YouTuber, Dr Tom Crawford, and BBC Blue Planet’s, Doug Allan.
SDSF is designed to make STEM accessible and inclusive for all ages.
Sarah Chew, Managing Director of Techfest, said: “Scotland’s Digital Science Festival is an opportunity for people of all generations to discover the excitement and possibilities that STEM can offer in today’s digital world. By making these fields more accessible and engaging, we hope to spark a lifelong curiosity that leads to innovation and empowerment.”
Scottish Charity, TechFest, has organised a free Digital Science Festival to take place on the 1-8th November to encourage engagement in STEM for all ages.
The week-long festival will be hosted entirely online including workshops, presentations and interactive sessions, led by professionals across STEM.
The festival will feature a variety of speakers who aim to demonstrate the relevance of STEM subjects in everyday life. One of the speakers, Dr Tom Crawford, also known as Tom Rocks Maths on YouTube, will be combining his passion for mathematics and Pokémon.
Additionally, Doug Allan from BBC’s Blue Planet will be attending the festival to discuss “An Eye Below Zero, a Long-Term Look at the Poles.”
Other speakers at the festival include Scottish Influencer of the Year 2024 and climate activist Laura Young, and Dr Vivienne Ming, a visionary neuroscientist and AI expert who works towards unlocking the human potential.
The festival will close with the unique ‘Universilly Challenged’ pub-style quiz experience, hosted by the one-of-a-kind science troubadour Jonny Berliner and renowned biologist Simon Watt.
TechFest is a charity focused on making STEM more engaging and inclusive for everyone throughout the country and beyond whilst helping to connect STEM to various sectors.
Scotland’s Digital Science Festival has been developed to address the accessibility barriers for rural communities and provide a global platform for participants to join from anywhere in the world.
Sarah Chew, Managing Director of TechFest, said: “I’m incredibly proud to launch Scotland’s Digital Science Festival, powered by TechFest, in our efforts to bring fun and engaging STEM discussions to people across the globe.
“It is vital that we have more initiatives like this to inspire the next generation of talent and encourage people of all ages to engage with and rediscover their love for STEM.
“We want to challenge outdated perceptions that STEM subjects aren’t ‘cool’, are male-dominated, or too difficult by showing their relevance to exciting career paths demonstrated by our speakers.
“The power of connectivity allows us to bring these incredible speakers and activities directly into homes around the world free of charge.”
We would love for you are your four legged Friend to come join us for a dog walk at West Pilton Park next Wednesday 6th November.
Come walk your dog with us and other dog owners, to chat about dog life, share walking stories or perhaps you just want to let us know how special your four legged friend is And make them a movie star!
THE DETAILS: 6TH NOVEMBER 2024 WEST PILTON PARK 5:30-6PM
A 51-year-old man has been charged in connection with a fatal road crash that took place in Loanhead on Tuesday, 19 December, 2023.
The crash took place on Knivensknowe Road where an 88-year-old man was struck by a Honda Civic car. He was taken to hospital where he died as a result of his injuries on Saturday, 23 December, 2023.
The 51-year-old driver of the car has been charged in connection with a road traffic offence.
A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
Borderer has been honoured for her reporting and charity work
Sports broadcaster and motor neuron disease (MND) charity leader Jill Douglas has returned to her roots to collect an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).
Best known for her on-screen coverage of rugby, cycling, snooker and athletics, Jill began her career by studying newspaper journalism at ENU while working in the Scottish Borders at her local paper, The Southern Reporter.
She would go on to become a well-recognised face in broadcast sport, covering the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cups and British & Irish Lions tours for the likes of the BBC, ITV and Sky Sports.
In a journalism career full of highlights, she was the first female to present the BBC’s Rugby Special programme, reported from cycling gold medal wins at the 2012 London Olympics, and interviewed South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi on the pitch following their win in Yokohama in 2019.
As a close friend of the late rugby player Doddie Weir, Jill has been involved with My Name’5 Doddie Foundation since its inception, serving as CEO until the spring of this year. She remains a patron at the charity, which was set up in 2017 following Doddie’s diagnosis with MND and has since raised more than £20m to back research and support.
Jill now lives with her husband Carl and their two children in Cheltenham and is President of Cheltenham Tigers RFC.
Reacting to her graduation, which took place at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall today [Thursday 31 October], Jill said: “I began my life in journalism and broadcasting at Edinburgh Napier. It is where I laid the foundations for my career, and I still rely on the many skills and lessons I learned on campus at Craiglockhart and Merchiston.
“It is a great honour to be recognised by the University with an Honorary Doctorate. It is very special to share graduation day with so many students who are embarking on their own careers.
“Journalism and broadcasting have allowed me to travel the world and experience some amazing events and I hope those graduating in 2024 have as many opportunities and great times as I have enjoyed over the years. I’d like to thank my old lecturers for their patience and the current team for this honour.”
Presenting her with her honorary doctorate, Dr Tony Westbury from ENU’s School of Applied Sciences said: “It has always been the qualities of knowledge, understanding and preparation that established Jill as an authoritative and skilled broadcaster.
“There is no doubt that her professionalism, knowledge and authentic love of sport has contributed to the enjoyment of many and inspired the next generation of journalists, both male and female.”
Edinburgh Napier University’s autumn graduation ceremonies conclude at the Usher Hall on 31 October.
Pioneering research to protect and conserve Arctic whale populations is to begin under a new five-year collaboration between Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions), a world leader in travel exploration.
The partners have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), beginning in 2024, to research challenges facing marine life in the high Arctic – the most northern part of the Arctic region and one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
The agreement will see Heriot-Watt University and HX work together on the Whales & Arctic Vessels Project (WAVE), a collaboration driven by the urgent need to better understand how often and where whales are encountering vessels in the high Arctic, and how whales are responding to these interactions – an area of research that remains largely unexplored.
“We have very little understanding about how frequently Arctic whales are encountering vessels in the high Arctic and how they may be impacted by these interactions,” explained project lead Dr Lauren McWhinnie, an Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society.
“We know in other areas of the world that whales can be affected by vessels in a variety of ways, from exposure to underwater noise to being physically stuck or disturbed.
“As vessel activity increases in the Arctic, it’s important that we work with industry, policy makers and communities to ensure that the maritime sector is operating in a responsible and sustainable manner and is not placing any further pressure on these animals whose habitat is significantly changing due to climate change.”
Heriot-Watt University is the first UK university to partner with HX in a project of this scale. The collaboration will see the two organisations jointly publish findings, delivering impact reports and scientific results that will further the understanding of the pressures on Arctic whale populations and contribute to global conservation efforts.
The partnership will harness HX’s extensive expedition network and will benefit vastly from the company’s ability to engage both guest passengers and the wider public in this important environmental research.
Heriot-Watt’s researchers will benefit from access to multiple vessels within the fleet, enabling scientists to conduct multi-year data collection in areas rarely surveyed. Passengers aboard HX ships on planned commercial voyages will also have the opportunity to participate in citizen science programmes, both contributing valuable data and allowing them to see how their contributions can make a difference.
Dr Verena Meraldi, Chief Scientist for HX, said the research would help improve our understanding of the pressures on Arctic whales and enrich the knowledge and experience HX can provide to its guests: “As Chief Scientist for HX, I have the honour of working alongside various scientists across different disciplines to get a deeper understanding of the processes governing our planet, and the impact we (as humans) are having on it,”
Dr Meraldi said. “Conveying this to our guests and getting them involved in projects such as WAVE is exactly the kind of project we look to support. We hope by supporting this project we will support further knowledge and understanding of Arctic whales, and also enrich the journeys and mindset of our guests.
“This MoU represents a vital collaboration between academia and industry, aiming to advance the scientific understanding of Arctic ecosystems, while making a tangible contribution to whale conservation in the region.”
The collaboration aims to promote global awareness and support the conservation of Arctic whale species, while gathering critical data to inform and support evidence-based management strategies. WAVE also seeks to foster academic growth in marine sciences by supporting and developing the next generation of researchers.
With increasing vessel activity being documented in the Arctic, it is crucial for academia to work alongside industry partners, policymakers, and local communities to ensure that both future and current use of this marine space takes place in a responsible and sustainable manner, the scientists say.
This is particularly important given the significant changes to the habitat of Arctic whales, caused by climate driven sea ice reductions, and the need to avoid adding further pressures on these vulnerable species.
Dr McWhinnie said: “When we are working to conserve whales, we are so often on the back foot – reacting to deal with a problem that is already having a documented impact.
“What’s incredibly exciting about this research is that we are being more proactive, trying to make sure an impact doesn’t occur, and learning from lessons we’ve seen arise elsewhere.
“As a researcher this is a truly fantastic opportunity to bring about a positive change, and I’m incredibly excited to work with our partners, HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, to ensure that future vessels visiting the Arctic will have a minimal impact on these incredible animals.”
NHS Lothian has taken the difficult decision to withdraw joint funding from a service that provides support to veterans in Lothian, following a stark financial review.
The health board has told Veterans First Point Lothian staff and patients that it can no longer provide its share – £214,778 – of the total budget required, to maintain the service amid the significant financial challenge facing health boards.
Veterans First Point Lothian was jointly funded by Scottish Government and NHS Lothian as a “one-stop shop” offering support, advice and mental health care for veterans. It is a multi-award-winning service that has provided support to over 2500 different veterans throughout the last 15 years.
By April 2025, the service will cease to exist in its current form and a significant redesign and move of premises is planned by March 2025.
It comes as NHS Lothian is forced to review all services and departments in a bid to make efficiency savings of seven per cent following the budget allocation made earlier this year.
Further reductions in part of the mental health budget of 4.6 per cent means that the health board can no longer continue to find its share of this service.
Tracey McKigen, Director of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services, NHS Lothian, said: “This has been a really difficult decision and we apologise to all of our patients and staff who are affected. We would like to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to supporting our veterans over the years.
“This is no reflection on the quality of the Veterans First Point Lothian service, but it does serve as a stark reminder of the extremely difficult choices that we are facing every day as we balance the need to provide safe and effective healthcare while meeting the severe financial challenges facing health board and other public sector organisations.”
Scottish Government will allocate its 40 per cent share of the funding and NHS Lothian is currently reviewing the future service provision possible within the remaining budget.
However it does mean that Veterans First Point Lothian will no longer be able to accept new referrals or commence any new episodes of treatment. Veterans, who are impacted by the change, are urged to contact the team to discuss alternative support.
If veterans feel they need help or support and are not already part of Veterans First Point Lothian, they should contact their GP during the day, and at evenings and weekends they should contact NHS 24 on 111.
Edinburgh’s Christmas all new Polar Ice Bar will open to the public from Monday 25 November on George Street in Edinburgh’s City Centre
Kept to a chilly -8°C, all walls, bars, tables and decor at this unique sensory experience are made from crystal clear ice using recycled rainwater – the glasses are pure ice as well!
Take a trip to the coolest bar in town before warming up at Edinburgh’s Christmas’ cosy food and drink spots
Edinburgh’s Christmas has today announced the coolest new bar in town, with the city’s first Ice Bar. Visitors are invited to take some time to chill this festive period, at the all-new Polar Ice Bar where tables, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.
This unique pop-up bar experience created in partnership with Hamiltons Ice Sculptors and supporting partners Essential Edinburgh, will be located on George Street in Edinburgh’s City Centre and will be kept to a chilly -8°C. Visitors can stay cosy the whole time with warming jackets and gloves provided on arrival.
Inside the Polar Ice Bar, guests will enjoy delicious festive alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, served in an individual pre-carved ice glass, with your first drink included in entry ticket.
Visitors can also take in the bar’s beautiful, engraved ice walls and sculptures featuring winter forests and wildlife, providing the perfect insta-moment for friends and family with group bookings available.
Brand new for Edinburgh’s Christmas in 2024, the Polar Ice Bar is the perfect spot for a cool drink or two with friends, or a cool start to your Christmas party night-out! Warm-up afterwards in George Street’s Coorie Inn, a brand-new Edinburgh’s Christmas attraction hosting a programme of live music, events, and festive workshops, soon to be announced. There are also an incredible array of surrounding bars and restaurants to create the perfect festive night out.
Hamiltons Ice Sculptors’ expert artists will hand carve everything in the bar with sculptures made from crystal clear ice using recycled rainwater.
Edinburgh’s Christmas Polar Ice Bar is open to over 18s and bookable for 30-minute sessions via the edinburgh-christmas.com.
Unique Assembly, producers of Edinburgh’s Christmassaid: “We are thrilled to present the Polar Ice Bar, a brand-new attraction for Edinburgh’s Christmas and the city that is guaranteed to get visitors in the festive spirit.
“Wrap-up warm and come join us for the coolest cocktail in town.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive and Director of Essential Edinburgh said: “The Polar Ice Bar will be a great new attraction for George Street.
“As a brand new concept for the city centre it will draw people in to experience something completely different, and then move on to enjoy a drink in our established ‘warm’ bars and restaurants.”
Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions are open daily except Christmas Day, with varying opening dates and times available at the official website. For further information and to buy tickets, please go to edinburgh-christmas.com.
And make them a movie star!
THE DETAILS:
