Primary 6 pupils from 29 schools all over Scotland will be welcomed to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow to test their European knowledge as Euroquiz returns.
Over 400 schools have been involved in competing in this year’s quiz. Following a series of heats that took place earlier this year, the winning schools will now compete in the final which will take place in the Scottish Parliaments’ Debating Chamber on Monday 13 June.
Euroquiz, which was first held in 1993, sees teams of pupils working together to broaden their knowledge of European history, geography, sport, culture, languages and the European Union.
Deputy Presiding Officer and Euroquiz quizmaster Annabelle Ewing MSP said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming young people back to the Parliament for this event, which helps young people to learn more about our European neighbours in a fun and engaging way.
“I’m sure the pupils from all over Scotland have been studying very hard for this final and will be determined to take home the trophy.
“The Euroquiz heats involved more than 2,000 pupils and over 400 schools so it’s great to see the enthusiasm for this competition and I congratulate each and every one of them for reaching the final.”
The 29 primary schools taking part in Euroquiz 2022 are:
One of Europe’s leading tech conferences, Turing Fest, is returning this July to a fully in-person event, bringing over 1,000 people from across the globe to learn and connect with the best in the industry.
Established in 2016, Turing Fest brings together founders and leaders of startups and scaleups together with their teams to support them in making the right connections and facilitating learning between them and the top experts across the industry, enabling them to build better businesses.
The conference which takes place on 27-28 July at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre is filled with two days of keynotes, interviews, networking and parties with 40+ speakers from leading tech businesses, from start-ups to global organisations.
During the pandemic, Turing Fest Founder and CEO Brian Corcoran spearheaded an open letter to the Scottish Government signed by 50 Scottish tech company CEOs. This open letter was followed by the Scottish Government commissioning the Logan Report signalling a renewed focus on the industry.
This year’s top tier speaker line-up includes Paul Adams, CPO of Intercom, Maria Gutierrez, VP of Engineering at Twitter, Jonny Brooks-Bartlett, Senior Engineer at Spotify, Shane Curran, CEO of Evervault, April Dunford, Founder of Ambient Strategy, and Rob Walling, Co-Founder of TinySeed, with more speakers still to be announced.
Brian Corcoran said: “We’re extremely excited to be bringing some of the best minds in the global technology industry back under one roof fully in person in Edinburgh.
“The purpose of Turing Fest is to bring people together from across the tech industry with diverse skills, from different geographies and backgrounds, to learn together to help people get better at what they do professionally so they can build better startups and scaleups.
“The conference typically has a great atmosphere: the attendees are keen to learn, the speakers are keen to teach, everyone is open to sharing – and they all want to have fun together. It makes for a wonderful community, a genuinely fun and enlightening few days, and gives many startups a better chance of success.
“The future of Scotland’s economy is going to be built on the tech industry, and on startups and scaleups. We’ve worked closely to support Mark Logan’s work over the past two years in highlighting this and are delighted to see the commitment from Kate Forbes and the Scottish Government in driving the agenda forward.”
Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “It’s great to see Turing Fest coming back to Edinburgh to promote the exchange of knowledge and ideas within our tech sector.
“Turing Fest has been supported by the Scottish Government’s £1 million Tech Ecosystem Fund, which will open for applications again later this summer, helping to create spaces to incubate, accelerate and educate Scottish start-ups, as well as improving networking, through meet-ups and international conferences.”
Mark Logan added: “To thrive, a tech ecosystem needs a vibrant ‘market-square’ that connects people, propagates best-practice, and builds a shared sense of belief and confidence. Turing Fest consistently over-delivers in all these areas and is an essential cornerstone of the Scottish tech industry.”
Turing Fests partners this year include TravelPerk, Twilio, Skyscanner, Administrate, Current Health, Amplitude, xDesign, FanDuel, Smartsheet, FreeAgent, Recast, PODFather, Cleo, Amiqus, Cyacomb, Playerdata, Baillie Gifford, Kin + Carta, CodeClan, The Scottish Government.
Tickets for Turing Fest 2022 are available via the website:
Scottish Government welcomes study, co-authored by Edinburgh Napier University academic, that highlights the societal advantages of walking and cycling
A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that swapping driving for cycling just one day a week saves the equivalent emissions of a flight from London to New York – about half a tonne of carbon dioxide.
The report, co-authored by Dr Adrian Davis, Professor of Transport and Health at Edinburgh Napier University, provides the latest evidence on the benefits and risks of active travel. It clearly shows that for individuals and societies, promoting active travel is good for population health and the environment.
For example, if just one in five urban residents can be convinced to permanently swap the driving seat for the saddle one day a week, it would cut emissions from all car travel in Europe by about 8%.
The health benefits of active travel are also laid bare with the report showing that active travellers have as much as a 40% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 52% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to those commuting by car or public transport. They also have a 46% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 45% lower risk of developing cancer at all. This means a poorer quality of life.
The report also contains the latest evidence on the benefits of e-bikes which are bringing more people to cycling, including older adults for whom there is a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.
The report has been warmly welcomed by the Scottish Government. Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie said: “I’m pleased to welcome this new report from the World Health Organisation on the many benefits of active travel.
“This peer-reviewed publication – co-authored by Dr Davis from Edinburgh Napier University – provides the latest evidence base for policy makers across the globe on why investment in walking, wheeling and cycling is so important for our health, our cities and our environment.
“The vital role active travel can play in building healthier and happier lives is well recognised in Scotland. That’s why I’m proud the Scottish Government has committed to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on active travel by 2024/25, enabling a transformational investment in communities across the country. This report sets out all the benefits that we will see as we make that shift.”
Professor Adrian Davis outside the Scottish Parliament with his Transport Policy Paper.
Neil Hanna Photography
www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk
07702 246823
Co-author Dr Adrian Davis said: “This report clearly shows that for individuals and societies active travel is good for health and that we can all play our part in tackling climate change. As Individuals, we can take actions which benefits our own health and that of others.
“People who walk or cycle as well as use cars have lower carbon footprints from all daily travel. More people switching some of their journeys to active travel would lower carbon emissions from transport on a daily basis.
“The report provides timely evidence to support policy makers and practitioners, coming as it does shortly after the Scottish local government elections.”
Families have been urged to check whether they are eligible and apply for the Best Start Grant School Age Payment as applications open for children old enough to start primary school
This one-off payment of £267.65 is to help at a key stage in a child’s life and can be used for anything from a new pair of shoes to books or arts and crafts materials.
Best Start Grant School Age Payment is available to families who get Universal Credit, tax credits or certain benefits with children born between 1 March 2017 and 28 February 2018.
Parents who have deferred their child’s entry to school from August 2022 to August 2023, or those who are home schooling, should still apply before 28 February 2023 or they will lose out on their payment. There is no cap on the number of children in a household who can get this payment.
Best Start Grant School Age Payment is one of the Scottish Government’s five family payments administered by Social Security Scotland.
The package includes Scottish Child Payment, three Best Start Grants, and Best Start Foods. From the end of this year, both the Best Start Grant School Age Payment and the Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment will be paid automatically to families who get Scottish Child Payment when their child is of eligible age.
Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “When a child is due to start school it comes with additional costs, and so I would encourage parents and carers to check if you are eligible and, if so, to apply for our Best Start Grant School Age Payment.
“This money can be used for whatever your child needs and is one of the Scottish Government’s five family benefits, which are only available in Scotland.
“We have built our new social security system to make it as straightforward as possible for people to access support. This is why people can apply online, by post or over the phone.
“You can also apply for all five family payments for all the children that you are responsible for, in a single straightforward form – and we put no cap on the number of children who can get these payments. We want every child in Scotland to have the best start in life and our social security system is here to help with that.”
Social Justice Secretary @ShonaRobison visited St @StBernardsPS in Glasgow today to raise awareness of Best Start Grant School Age Payment.
Applications are open now for children born between 1 March 2017 and 28 February 2018.
Police are appealing for information following a serious assault in Princes Street that happened around 1pm on Friday, 20 May, 2022.
A 31-year-old man was on or near the pedestrian crossing when he was punched in the face by the driver of a van at the junction with Hanover Street.
He was treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for a serious facial injury.
The driver, who made off in a white van, is described as white, of stocky build, balding with a beard. He was wearing grey work trousers, a blue Nike top and boots.
Police Constable Mihaela Hristova said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who saw what happened or who may have made a note of the registration of the van which the suspect used.
“If you can help please contact us on 101, quoting incident number 1746 of Friday, 20 May, 2022, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Tourists visiting UK seaside towns this Bank Holiday are being warned to do their research on parking charges – as research reveals the potential costs of leaving your vehicle when visiting the seaside.
As the cost-of-living crisis drives more of us towards Summer staycations, several popular private seaside car parks appear to be cashing in according to research by leading vehicle breakdown provider Start Rescue.
The worst offender was found in Newquay – a destination which welcomed over 5.9m tourists in 2021 – with one private parking location charging £35 for a stay of just eight hours.
Newquay, which has been described as Cornwall’s ‘favourite holiday destination’, is one of several popular seaside towns to scrap free parking facilities in favour of new pricey tariffs, removing its free facilities in June 2020.
Start Rescue has advised that it pays to shop around before ditching the car this Bank Holiday, warning visitors to vote with their feet when it comes to rip-off parking providers.
The great seaside spend: Rates to park your vehicle for eight hours:
Newquay – £35
Brighton – £31.50
Blackpool – £18
Bournemouth – £15.95
Weymouth – £15.50
Llandudno – £12
Durdle Door – £10
Polzeath – £10
Scarborough – £9.95
Southend on Sea – £9.30
Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue, said: “Parking our vehicle is something many of us take for granted and it’s the last thing we should be worrying about when taking a break at the seaside. We often find a parking space at the seaside, see the high cost to park, but are wary of moving in case we can’t find a cheaper space elsewhere.
“We recommend doing your research before your trip, because the cost of parking up by the beach can mount up, especially if you’re visiting for a few days, with prices varying greatly within one area.
“If you are able to walk a little further, first try the less expensive parking which is normally a little further away from the main beach area. Choose wisely and you’ll have more money to spend on the things that matter most.”
Meanwhile, in EDINBURGH – Please note, today and tomorrow (3 June) are NOT parking holidays. The usual parking charges will apply!
· Research from Caterer.com highlights long-term challenges facing the sector as majority of 18-24-year-olds see hospitality as ‘just a temporary job’
· Misconceptions around poor pay and a lack of flexibility are amongst the top reasons why 18–24-year-olds are currently not considering a career in the sector
· Specialist recruitment solutions partner, Caterer.com partners with Youth Employment UK to change perceptions of jobs in the sector through a series of real-life ‘Hospitality Hero’ videos being used across schools and accessed directly by school leavers
With hospitality businesses facing talent shortages alongside increased demand and higher customer expectation, employers are focused on attracting the next generation of skilled workers.
However new research from specialist recruitment solutions partner, Caterer.com, reveals that 95% of school leavers are not currently considering a career in the sector.
The research highlights the challenges facing pub, restaurant, hotel owners and caterers as they strive to boost the sector’s image following a sharp drop in available talent, particularly from outside the UK.
Whilst Caterer.com data shows a jump in salaries and a record number of roles offering more than £50,000 a year, the research also shows that a lack of information on potential career opportunities has led to misconceptions about the sector with over half (55%) of school leavers viewing hospitality jobs as just a temporary fix and 44% believing that the sector does not offer career progression.
As part of a range of industry initiatives to tackle the problem, Caterer.com has partnered with Youth Employment UK and Choose Hospitality to launch a campaign that will provide school leavers with advice and real-world interviews showcasing the breadth of roles through a range of engaging content.
Parents and the curriculum discouraging school leavers
The research shows that parents have the biggest influence on career choices of school leavers, however just one in five (23%) would encourage their child to pursue a career in the hospitality sector as they believe it offers low pay, has anti-social working hours and there is a poor earning potential. Most parents would prefer their child to explore a career in industries such as engineering, law, management, or finance.
Furthermore, many young people feel that they have not been properly informed about hospitality jobs at school and 61% feel the removal of food technology from the national curriculum has undermined a career in the sector. Any presence of hospitality within the curriculum has historically focused solely on kitchen-based roles, which fails to inform students about the vast breadth of roles and opportunities within the sector.
Positive signs but a long way to go
Despite negative parental influence and only five percent planning to have a career in hospitality, the research shows over half (56%) of school leavers agree that the sector is an attractive career option. Some of the biggest draws are the opportunity to learn new skills (30%), flexible hours (28%), wanting to work with the public (24%), variety (21%) and having the opportunity to travel (17%).
Of those that were not interested in a career in the sector the top factors that would encourage them to reconsider were better pay (37%), good working hours (28%), better earning potential (26%), good career opportunities (23%), and if it was a less stressful career (20%).
Kathy Dyball, Director at Caterer.com said: “In an industry wide effort to attract and retain talent, many hospitality employers have taken great steps to improve pay, offer comprehensive benefit packages and flexible working hours.
“As an industry, we are also taking action to address the misconceptions of the sector, promote the long-term development opportunities and ensure we have a healthy pipeline of entry level talent to move the sector forward. To do this, it’s crucial we reach young people as they make critical decisions about their careers.
“At Caterer.com we have teamed up with Youth Employment UK and Choose Hospitality to create a series of videos showing real-life ‘hospitality heroes’ in action, which will be used as an educational resource in schools around the UK.
“We also know parents play a big role in their child’s career choices, however sadly our research shows that many parents wouldn’t encourage their children to pursue a role in hospitality. Their views on the sector are based on outdated experiences of past generations, and are not a true reflection of how the industry currently operates. These misconceptions need to be continually challenged.
“Our research shows positive signs upon which industry employers can continue to build upon this in their employment packages.”
Breaking the barriers to entry to the hospitality industry
Caterer.com’s campaign in partnership with Youth Employment UK and Choose Hospitality will showcase an ongoing series of videos, featuring real-world interviews with hospitality workers and leading chefs, in schools across the country.
These will act as educational career guides and will showcase to both pupils and parents the world-leading brands and progressive opportunities that the industry can offer from entry level up.
Carlito Carroll, Commis Chef Apprentice at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, is one of the stars of the Hospitality Heroes series.
Carlito said: “I was studying a variety of courses in school and looking at jobs in engineering when one day I sat down and decided to do something I loved – cooking. It brings me so much joy so I decided to find an apprenticeship course because it would allow me to earn whilst I work and learn!
“I really get excited about coming into Nobu Hotel London Portman Square – cooking, seeing people happy once they eat my food and sharing the same passion as my colleagues.”
James Wingerath, Director at Youth Employment UKsaid: “Young people have told us that they are not aware of the amazing opportunities available to them.
“The Hospitality Heroes videos and supporting guidance are a great resource to inform young people about the many job roles available in the sector and how to access them.”
Claire Bosi, Editor at Choose Hospitality,added: “We created the Choose Hospitality initiative to inspire and educate people on the vast range of opportunities across the sector.
“We work with many industry ambassadors to share their experiences and demonstrate just how exciting and rewarding a career in hospitality can be.
“After all, who’s better placed to showcase how great the industry is, than people in the industry.”
People living with dementia are being invited to join a new panel to help shape policy and delivery.
The national, independent group will also be open to unpaid carers to be sure that Scottish Government is fully considering the impact of policy and funding decisions on those who experience them first hand.
Work will begin with the development of an application and assessment process, with the expectation that it would be established before the end of the year.
Speaking at the beginning of Dementia Awareness Week, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart said: “The voice of experience is a crucial part of our policy making process, and making sure that it is factored in as early as possible in making important decisions is key to improving services across the country. Only someone living with dementia, their loved ones and carers fully know the complexities and nuances of dealing with it.
“We already have a very active lived experience voice in dementia support and this panel will help to amplify it. Dementia activists across the world us the motto ‘Nothing about us, without us’ and this group will put this into practise.”
Dementia Awareness Week takes place annually in Scotland on the first week of June. This year’s event will run from Monday 30 May to Sunday 5 June and the aim of the week is to raise awareness of dementia and help improve the lives of people with dementia, their families and carers. This year’s theme is ‘Prevent, Care, Cure’ .
To apply to be part of the lived experience panel or for more information, contact dementiapolicy@gov.scot.
At 12pm tomorrow (Saturday 28 May), Edinburgh Campaign Against Arms Trade (Edinburgh CAAT), alongside several other groups, will be holding a demonstration outside the Leonardo offices on 2 Crewe Rd North.
Leonardo is one of the world’s biggest arms companies and has a long and shameful history of arming and supporting human rights abusing regimes across the world. In 2021 it posted revenues of €14.1bn, which included a year-on-year net profit increase over 142%.
It is one of the main manufacturers of the Typhoon jet that has been used by Saudi Arabian forces in the bombardment of Yemen.
Likewise, the T-129 attack helicopter – which was jointly developed by Leonardo and Turkish Aerospace Industries – has been extensively used by Turkish forces in its military operations against Kurdish groups.
Leonardo has provided arms and support for the Israeli government, despite the decades of abuses that it has inflicted on Palestinians.Only last month the company secured a $29 million contract to provide military helicopters to Israel.
Protesters will gather for speeches and performances by the San-Ghanny choir, which has been to Palestine, and the ZarifAtToul dance troupe who will be teaching Palestinian dances.
Melanie Scott, a spokesperson for Edinburgh CAAT, said: “Leonardo is one of the biggest arms companies in the world and has armed, supported and profited from human rights abuses around the world.
“It has backed dictatorships like the one in Saudi Arabia and fuelled repression against people in Palestine and beyond.
“Despite its devastating global impact, a lot of people in Edinburgh pass Leonardo’s arms factory every day and are totally unaware of the weapons that are being made inside or who those weapons are being sold to.
“That is why we are bringing people together in unity to shine a light on Leonardo’s complicity in these abuses.”
The 2021 results of Northern Ireland’s leading social attitudes survey are released today (Thursday 26 May) by ARK – a joint initiative between Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. It shows rising support for Irish unification, nationalist identification and for the NI Protocol compared to 2020.
The NI Life & Times (NILT) Survey shows 48 per cent support for NI remaining in the Union, but this has been declining since 2016.
Unionist and nationalist identities have become stronger, and the proportion of those who are ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist has decreased since 2018.
These results are analysed in a report released today: ‘Political attitudes in NI after Brexit and under the Protocol’, co-authored by Professor Katy Hayward, Dr Milena Komarova and Ben Rosher of Queen’s University Belfast.
Key points
Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is seen as the best basis for governing Northern Ireland, with only 6 per cent expressing absolute opposition to it.
There has been an increase in reporting of nationalist identities (from 19 per cent in 2020 to 26 per cent in 2021).
Nearly half of respondents (48 per cent) believe that the long-term policy for Northern Ireland should be to remain part of the UK (down from 54 per cent in 2020).
One third (34 per cent) state they would vote for a united Ireland tomorrow.
63 per cent of respondents believe that a united Ireland is more likely after Brexit (a rise of five percentage points on 2020).
The plurality of unionists (47 per cent) and majority of nationalists (83 per cent) and those who are ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist (67 per cent) believe that this is the case.
There has been a sharp rise in unionists saying Brexit has made them less in favour of a united Ireland – from 11 per cent in 2019 to 32 per cent in 2021.
The proportion who think the Protocol is ‘on balance a good thing’ has more than doubled to 33 per cent (15 per cent in 2020). 33 per cent think it a ‘mixed bag’ while 21 per cent think it ‘on balance a bad thing’.
Different identity groups have different opinions on the Protocol. The plurality of unionists think it on balance bad for NI (44 per cent) although 40 per cent think it ‘a mixed bag’. The plurality of ‘neithers’ think it is ‘a mixed bag’ (41 per cent). A large majority of nationalists think that it is on balance good (69 per cent).
Contrary to the Legacy and Reconciliation Bill currently under consideration by the UK Parliament, only 29 per cent support an ending of Troubles-related investigations and prosecutions.
There is majority support for progress in full implementation of the 1998 Agreement. 62 per cent want to see a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and 59 per cent want to see the re-establishment of the Civic Forum.
The report covers four main themes:
Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
Support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement remains strong in Northern Ireland (65 per cent), with only six per cent wanting to see it gone altogether.
In something of a boost for Alliance Party demands, 59 per cent want to see key votes in the Assembly passed on the basis of a weighted majority (not necessarily with a cross-community requirement). Only 19 per cent support the current rules for the use of Petition of Concern to block legislation in the Assembly.
Political identities
An exclusively Irish (i.e., ‘Irish not British’) identity is now held by the largest proportion of the population (26 per cent, up seven percentage points on 2020), compared to 21 per cent holding an exclusively British (‘British not Irish’) identity (slightly lower than in 2020).
Those who self-identify as ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist remain the largest group in Northern Ireland. However, the proportion of this group has shrunk since 2019, and now stands at 37 per cent. There has also been a slight drop in the reporting of unionist identities (from 35 to 32 per cent), and a significant increase in those holding nationalist identities (from 19 to 26 per cent) compared to 2020.
Constitutional status
The proportion of respondents who believe the UK will exist in its current form in 20 years’ time is equal to that believing that there will be a united Ireland in the same timeframe (just under four in ten).
A plurality of respondents (48 per cent) continues to believe that the long-term policy should be for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK. This is six percentage points lower than in 2020. At the same time, support for a united Ireland as a long-term policy has increased by four percentage points (30 per cent).
Brexit and the Protocol
Awareness of, and support for, the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland has increased markedly since 2020. 65 per cent claim knowledge of it. 37 per cent of respondents feel that Brexit has made them more in favour of a united Ireland (73 per cent of nationalists and 37 per cent of neithers).
There has been a steep rise in the proportion of unionists saying that Brexit makes them less in favour of Irish unity (32 per cent compared to 11 per cent in 2019).
Commenting on the report findings, Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology Queen’s and Senior Fellow, UK in a Changing Europe, said: “If the NI Assembly election of 5 May was a defining moment, it only compounded the the political flux that has troubled Northern Ireland since the Brexit referendum.
“The NI Life and Times Survey offers a unique insight into how the local population is responding to the realisation that things won’t and can’t be the same again. The differing expectations and concerns reflected in this data will no doubt prove testing for our democratic institutions as well as for our politicians in the months and years to come.”
The results of the report will be presented in a webinar at 5pm BST on Thursday 26 May by Paula Devine (co-director of ARK), Ben Rosher, Professor Katy Hayward, and Professor Sir John Curtice.
