Humza Yousaf will meet people affected and thank those involved in the response
First Minister Humza Yousaf will visit River Street in Brechin today where the River South Esk burst its banks on Friday.
The First Minister is expected to meet residents who have been impacted by the storm and thank volunteers, the local council and the emergency services for their work in supporting people evacuated from their properties.
Angus Council has had an overwhelming response to an appeal for accommodation for those unable to return home because of the damage caused by the floods. In addition, a call for clothing and toiletries led to hundreds of donations.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the First Minister said: “My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives to the extreme conditions caused by Storm Babet during what will be difficult time.
“I want to pass on my thanks to local authorities, volunteers and the emergency services for all their efforts in these extremely challenging conditions.
“The local community in Brechin, like others across Scotland, has come together to offer support to all those affected by the floods with Angus Council receiving hundreds of offers of alternative accommodation for those forced to leave their homes.
“The process of assessing the full amount of damage caused in all areas affected by the storm is now underway. This will take some time and we are working closely with local authorities to support the people and businesses affected.”
Angus Council Chief Executive Margo Williamson said: “I am tremendously proud of Angus’ response to Storm Babet. Working closely with partners from across Tayside we have done our best to preserve life in extremely challenging conditions.
“I would like to pay tribute to everyone who supported this effort, particularly our volunteer organisations such as the Red Cross, Voluntary Action Angus, and our Tayside 4×4 drivers who have played a vital part in this operation.
“Our staff in the council, in the Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, and our leisure trust ANGUSAlive, have all gone above and beyond, facing challenges on an unprecedented scale.
“I would also like to reassure the residents of Angus, who have shown such community spirit, that their care and support is our absolute priority, particularly those who are displaced. We are now firmly focused on making a full recovery, and this work has already started.”
Lothian Pension Fund has at least £350 million invested in the fossil fuel industry, according to new analysis by Platform and Friends of the Earth Scotland.
The Lothian Pension Fund, administered by Edinburgh City Council, is the second biggest fossil fuel investor of all the council pension funds in Scotland.
The City ofEdinburgh Council voted to divest the fund from fossil fuels in November 2022, yet the fund managers have not enacted this request. It invests in some of the world’s biggest climate polluters, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Equinor, TotalEnergies and BP.
With virtually all oil and gas companies set to expand their operations, campaigners are calling on the Lothian Pension Fund to listen to councillors and stop funding fossil fuels.
Lothian Pension Fund administers the pension funds of almost 90,000 members from the four councils in the Lothians and 59 other employers, including Scottish Water, Edinburgh Napier University, VisitScotland and Heriot-Watt University.
Sally Clark, divestment campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “It’s unbelievable that despite clear direction from councillors, the Lothian Pension Fund is still investing this obscene amount of money in fossil fuel companies that are driving climate breakdown.
“Councils must play their part in protecting the long-term future of their employees by ending their support for oil and gas expansion and investing in building a cleaner, safer future for us all – but their attempts to do this are being blocked.
“The money moved away from fossil fuels could instead be invested in ways that support local communities and protect the planet for everyone, like renewable energy. As skyrocketing energy bills are plunging millions of people into fuel poverty across the UK, this transition is more important than ever.”
Joan Forehand, campaigner with Divest Lothian, said: “The economic and moral arguments against continuing investment in fossil fuel companies by the Lothian Pension Fund are overwhelming.
“In 2023 oil and gas companies doubled down on investing in the development of new fossil fuel projects, despite the stark warnings from climate scientists and the UN that this paves the way to catastrophic climate destabilisation and the resulting collapse of the economic systems on which future pensions depend.
“To protect the pensions of its members, the Lothian Pension Fund must join the growing number of pension funds divesting from these companies.”
Stephen Smellie, depute convenor at Unison Scotland, said: “Fossil fuels are bad for the environment and our retirement.
“These dirty deals threaten the future of our environment, and needlessly risk the retirements of the hundreds of thousands of Unison members that pay into local government pension schemes. To secure a future worth retiring into, schemes should respond to members’ calls to action and dump these dated fossil fuel assets.”
Across the UK, £16 billion of council pension funds is invested in the fossil fuel industry. Over 20% of UK councils now invest less than 1% of their fund into fossil fuels – a 10 fold increase since 2020, the last time analysis was conducted. Lothian Pension Fund was found to invest over 4% of its fund into fossil fuels.
42 organisations across Scotland will benefit from £4 million funding to deliver projects that will help children, young people and families in the care system.
Administered by the Corra Foundation, the second round of The Promise Partnership Fund will be split across third sector and public organisations that prioritise work to:
build supportive workforces that can provide the unique support for young people and families in the care system to thrive
create school structures that provide support, opportunities and a sense of belonging
enhance youth justice and rights to reduce and prevent the criminalisation of children and young people with care experience
The announcement marks the beginning of Care Experienced Week, when people come together to advocate for change and encourage the transformation required to Keep The Promise.
Minister for Keeping the Promise Natalie Don said: “The Promise Partnership Fund is crucial in supporting organisations to make the changes needed to enrich the lives of children and young people in or on the edges of care.
“Care Experienced Week starts today and is a key opportunity for Scotland to come together to celebrate and show our love for children and young people who have experienced care.
“I am determined we keep driving forward the transformational change that is required to Keep The Promise and make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up, where all children are loved, safe, respected and realise their full potential.”
In 2022 the Scottish Government appointed Corra to administer £12 million through the Promise Partnership Fund from December 2022 until March 2025.
The 42 successful organisations are:
Aberdeenshire Council Virtual Headteacher
Adoption UK
Angus Carers Association
Association for Fostering, Kinship and Adoption Scotland
Bright Light Relationship Counselling
Children 1st
Children and Families Service, Dundee City Council
Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice
Children in Scotland Ltd
Circle
City of Edinburgh Council – Childrens Partnership
City of Edinburgh Council – Parent Panel
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Community Law Advice Network
Cyrenians
Families Outside Limited
Fife Council
Fostering People Scotland
Highland Child Protection Committee
Home-Start UK
includem
Kirkcaldy YMCA
Moray Council
Napier University Development Trust (Hub for Success)
North Lanarkshire Council
Project Esperanza
Renfrewshire Council
Salvesen Mindroom Centre
Scotland Yard Adventure Centre (known as The Yard)
Scottish Attachment in Action
South Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
Staf
Stirling Community Enterprise
Stirling Council
The Fostering Network
The Princes Trust
The Why Not? Trust
West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership
The public are to be given the chance to view and comment on exciting proposals for a new £10 million countryside leisure park at the former Couston Quarry site in West Lothian.
Being undertaken by SRD Rural Ltd, Couston Country and Water Park includes plans for water-based activities, adventure playgrounds, restaurant and café facilities, and an outdoor event space for historical enactments and nature displays.
Luxury short stay eco-lodges and houseboats, in addition to those already on site, are also part of the plans to revitalise the location.
The public consultation event will be held in the Bridgehouse Village Hall on Tuesday 24 October between 4.00pm and 7:30pm
Couston Country and Water Park will create an attractive and compelling destination within the Central Belt for locals and visitors from across the country.
With an absence of similar attractions in the area, the development will also bring a significant boost to tourism in West Lothian, and it is anticipated that the £10 million investment will create around 65 jobs onsite (based on a conservative estimate), with an additional number created offsite.
SRD Ltd is committed to being a responsible developer and to engaging with the local community at every stage of the development.
Those with questions, comments, or feedback on the proposals are warmly invited to attend the consultation event, which will be attended by representatives from the project who will be happy to provide answers. There will also be the opportunity to leave feedback.
All material from the event, including the consultation boards, will be available at www.coustonpark.co.uk
A spokesperson for SRD Rural said: “We are very excited to bring forward our exciting proposals for Couston Country and Water Park, which amounts to a £10 million investment in West Lothian, creating around 65 onsite jobs and with a countless number created offsite.
“Couston Country and Water Park will be a highly attractive destination for families and others looking to enjoy the great outdoors and enjoy Scotland’s history in an exciting and creative way.
“Even though our proposals are at a very early stage, early and sustained engagement and consultation is very important to us at SRD Rural, and public consultation events such as this are a key part of this commitment.”
Festive Foodies at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School
Edinburgh New Town Cookery School (ENTCS) has launched its always popular 2023 Christmas courses and gift vouchers – ideal presents and experiences for foodies.
This year’s December courses include inspiration for entertaining with the Christmas Canapes demonstration with a glass of fizz; Christmas Baking, which includes homemade mincemeat and a Christmas Cake; a new Gluten Free Christmas Baking Day and the ever-popular children’s baking morning and afternoons.
For those keen to build more cooking into their Christmas repertoire and learn some new dishes, there are also opportunities to learn easy entertaining from the experts with the Christmas Entertaining demonstration and lunch, which is always a good way to catch up with friends ahead of the season.
Fiona Burrell, principal of ENTCS, comments: “The smells of Christmas baking are always wonderful and it’s a good time to find some inspiration, learn new skills or just enjoy meeting up with friends. A Christmas course is a great way to entertain the kids or just learn from our friendly, expert teachers.”
ENTCS also offers vouchers which are the ideal foodie Christmas present. Whether it’s to learn a new skill, help a friend to fall back in love with cooking, or encourage teenagers to learn their way around the kitchen, a voucher just lets them choose. ENTCS offers courses at all levels from beginner to professional and the vouchers are redeemable in 2024. The school is also expert in providing corporate away days and teambuilding events, so is a good option for a Christmas party with a difference, or to entertain clients.
ENTCS is a professional cookery school based in Edinburgh’s New Town. The school was founded by Fiona Burrell, formerly Principal of Leith’s School of Food and Wine. She began her career in Edinburgh and has been teaching professional cookery courses for over thirty years.
Her enormous experience, has given Fiona a very clear vision of what the students need to learn and the best way to teach it. With courses on offer from one day tasters for amateurs, to six month professional courses, many graduates have gone on to work in some the UK’s top kitchens. For more details: www.entcs.co.uk
Festive courses this December include:
Christmas Baking Day
Saturday 2nd December 2023; 9.45am – 3.30pm
Spend a day at The Edinburgh New Town Cookery School baking lots of treats for Christmas. On this one day Christmas Baking Day we will show you how easy and quick it is to make your own mincemeat and pastry so that you will never use shop bought again, we will be making a Christmas cake with a difference – it contains chocolate as well as fruit – and we will make stollen, a European favourite Christmas cake/bread. Cost £185
Christmas Canapés Demonstration
Wednesday 6th December 2023; 10.30am – 12.30pm
A morning’s treat, starting with coffee and shortbread and ending with a glass of fizz, the Christmas Canape demonstration at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School is an entertaining morning. The demonstration starts at 10.30am and lasts 2 hours, during which you will be shown how to make several festive savoury and sweet canapes which you will taste at the end of the demonstration with a glass of prosecco. Cost: £60
Christmas Entertaining Demonstration and Lunch
Thursday 7th December 2023; 10.30am – 1.30pm
At Christmas time it is good to have a few tasty but easy recipes up your sleeve whether for canapés, starters, main courses, puddings or for using up leftovers. These recipes will become reliable standbys. Most of the recipes can be prepared in advance but the others are quick and easy to put together. Come and join us and bring friends so that you can have your own pre- Christmas celebration. Cost: £75
Gluten Free Christmas Baking
Saturday 9th December 2023; 9.45am – 3.30pm
Christmas is a time when the house is usually full of baking to offer family and friends over the holiday period. Just because you are a coeliac or intolerant to gluten doesn’t mean you should miss out. On this day we will be showing you how to bake a variety of gluten free bakes from yeasted dough, gluten free home-made mince pies and a lovely Christmas Cake. Cost £185
For children who love baking, and for parents who are looking for a different way to entertain their children during the holidays, these December half day courses are the perfect antidote to winter holiday boredom. Children learn how to make delicious cakes and biscuits which they can pack up and take home. They may turn out to be the perfect Christmas present for Granny! Cost: £60
Easy Entertaining
Sunday 17th December 2023; 9.45am – 2.30pm
Learn to cook new dishes at a Sunday practical cookery class in our stunning kitchens. These cookery courses are designed to inspire you with new ideas for dinner party dishes. Cost: £130
Full details of the Christmas courses, and a flavour of the 2023/2024 programme, are available on the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School website – http://www.entcs.co.uk/calendar
AUTUMN is upon us! It’s the season for muddy woodland walks and enjoying the delights this time of year has to offer.
The trees will shed, and you’ll find yourself kicking through piles of crunchy golden leaves on walks. Tree seeds will also ripen and fall, and you’ll find heaps of acorns and shiny conkers on the ground.
Although autumnal walks with your dog can be beautiful, it’s important to be aware of the seasonal dangers that could be harmful to them.
PDSA Vet Lynne James says: “Acorns and conkers perfectly signify the seasons changing, and whilst we may enjoy collecting or playing with them, don’t forget that they can be a danger for our pets if they’re swallowed.
“Thankfully, the bitter taste stops most pets eating them, however they can be tempting to play with and some owners enjoy throwing conkers for pets to catch without realising the risks.
“They can easily swallow them, causing tummy upsets or even a potentially life-threatening blockage of their throat or intestines. Not forgetting they do also contain toxins, which can be harmful to pets.
“If your pet is showing signs of choking on an acorn or conker, this is when pet first aid can become a life-saver. We would advise pet owners to download our free pet first aid guide and learn a few very basic steps to help protect your pets.”
What to do if your pet is choking
“A choking pet will usually have difficulty breathing, make choking sounds, might paw at their mouth and you might see their lips, gums and tongue turning blue.
“Although panic can be a natural reaction in an emergency, try to keep yourself and your pet calm. If they are choking and conscious, try to gently open their mouth to look for something that’s stuck. If you can see a blockage in their mouth, you can use tweezers from your pet first aid kit, or a strong pen to remove it. Always take care when putting anything in your pet’s mouth and never use your fingers as they may panic and could bite you by accident.
“If you can’t remove it and your pet is collapsed and unconscious, lay your pet on their side and place both hands on the side of your pet’s rib cage. Then push quickly and firmly or strike the rib cage with the flat of your hand three to four times – the idea is to push air and the object out of their lungs.
“If you are still unable to dislodge the object, call your vet straight away for an emergency appointment.
“Contact the vet even if you successfully remove the blockage or if your pet clears the object but is still coughing.
Acorns
“Acorns contain a toxin that if ingested, can upset your pet’s stomach, and make them sick. Although rare, if eaten in large amounts, acorns can even cause kidney and liver failure. It’s actually unripe, green acorns that are more poisonous than brown ones, but all parts of the oak tree are poisonous if eaten!
Conkers
“Conkers contain a mixture of toxic compounds which may cause signs of poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse. They do have a bitter taste that puts most pets off from eating a lot of them, however if consumed in large amounts, conkers can cause more serious effects, and in some rare cases, can even be deadly.
“It’s important to know what signs to look out for, should your pet get their paws on acorns or conkers and consume them. Signs of illness will usually show within a few hours following chewing or ingestion, but can be delayed for up to a couple of days. The most common signs include:
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Restlessness
Collapsing
“Should your pet show any of the above, or other unusual signs, it could be an indication that they are unwell. Always seek advice from your Vet as soon as possible.”
Garden centre celebrates the magic of Christmas at Santa’s Grotto
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is announcing its highly anticipated Santa’s Grotto and Quiet Grotto enchanting experience in its Edinburgh store, designed to bring families together to celebrate the magic of Christmas. Whether little ones are meeting Santa and his elves for the first time, or it’s a cherished annual tradition, attendees can enjoy festive fun at Dobbies.
Children will be welcomed by Santa’s elves who will take them through a Christmas tree forest spotting magical characters along the way, before making a special item to take home. Once they’ve spent time with Santa’s elves, they’ll get the chance to meet Santa Claus himself. Santa will greet children, share some Christmas magic, hear their wishes, and hand them a gift to take home.
The Quiet Grotto is also running this year at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, thoughtfully designed with sound and visual elements to create a relaxed atmosphere for children with additional needs. Quiet Grottos will be available from 2.30pm on Friday 8 December.
Families with canine companions in Edinburgh are in for a treat as they can bring their four-legged friends to meet Santa. Starting from 2 December, dog owners are invited along to a Santa Paws experience where they’ll receive adorable pet-friendly gifts from Santa.
Sarah Murray, who develops Dobbies’ festive line up, knows just how magical Christmas is for all the family. She said: “For every child, meeting Santa is a treasured highlight of the season.
“At Dobbies we’re dedicated to creating a Santa’s Grotto experience that resonates with every member of the community. We’re thrilled that this year’s grotto experiences in Edinburgh will continue to spark the enchantment of Christmas for all families who join us.”
If families would like to preserve a cherished memory of the day, there’s the chance to add on a professional photograph at the time of booking, or add on the day from £5 for a digital image and £7 for a photo booklet.
On Thursday 23 November, Dobbies’ Edinburgh store will be welcoming Santa as he arrives from the North Pole. Santa will walk around the store, say hello to families and take selfies with children as he embarks on his new residency at the grotto.
Tickets are priced at £11.99 per child for Santa’s Grotto and Santa’s Quiet Grotto experiences, and Santa Paws is priced at £6.99 per dog. A non-refundable donation for Teenage Cancer Trust is also available at the time of booking.
For more information about Dobbies’ Santa’s Grotto experiences and to make a booking, please visit dobbies.com/events
Whether setting up spooky decorations, lighting up the home or arranging a haunted house, following electrical safety precautions this Halloween is essential.
To ensure no one receives a spooky electric shock, NICEIC – the UK’s leading body for certified electrical businesses – is warning homeowners to stay safe and mindful when dealing with electricals this eerie season.
As homeowners prepare for the most terrifying night of the year, Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, shares his top five tips on avoiding a house of horrors this Halloween:
Set up Safely: before setting up a scary display, take into account the number of electrical socket-outlets needed and be sure to not overload them. Overloading can lead to overheating, which can cause electrical fires
Professional Help: if you’re planning an over-the-top display, extra socket-outlets may be required, therefore, it is vital that a certified electrical business is employed to complete the work safely and to required standards
Observe Decorations: when recovering ghostly decorations from storage, be sure to inspect them for any frayed or damaged cables. Play it safe and always replace any faulty items
Outdoor Safety: if planning to light up the garden or outdoor space, be sure to use weatherproof decorations that are specifically designed for outdoor use. It’s important to make sure all electrical equipment being used is protected by using a residual current device (RCD), which automatically cuts off the electricity if a fault is discovered
Keep Children Educated: teach children about the importance of electrical safety during Halloween. Make sure they understand not to touch or tamper with electrical decorations or cables
For further information or to search for your nearest NICEIC Certified electrical business, visit www.niceic.com.
Culture & Business Scotland Edinburgh event brings the sectors together to ‘cultivate connections‘
With both climate change and the recent slashing of government funding to the culture sector continuing to make the headlines, Culture & Business Scotland will be hosting a Members’ Forum focussing on how sustainability strategies can be incorporated into culture organisations.
Taking place on Thursday 26October at the National Museum of Scotland, the Forum will unite members for a series of presentations, success stories and sustainability strategies, with the aim of fostering collaboration and initiating a dialogue around environmental issues ahead of the launch of COP28 next month.
The cross-sector event will be attended by representatives from businesses of a range of sizes and geographical backgrounds, facilitating networking opportunities as well as providing a platform for businesses to forge connections with culture sector organisations and secure creative solutions to challenges within their practices.
The event will also feature speakers from across the industry, who will be sharing insights into how sustainability can be embedded within culture organisations’ practices.
Dr Ben Twist, Director of Creative Carbon Scotland, will compare the different ways that arts councils are addressing climate change, while Scott Mackay, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, will showcase COP TV, a project aimed at amplifying the voices of Scotland’s youth in the context of the crucial COP event.
Meanwhile Hannah Schlesinger, Director of Development & Marketing at Edinburgh Science, will discuss TheNetZeroToolkit, a product of the organisation’s Climate Co-Lab initiative, designed to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions. Ruth Gill, Director of Public Programmes at National Museums Scotland, will also introduce the event and give a presentation on how the museum is progressing on its quest for Net Zero.
David Nelson, Head of Development and Programmes at Culture & Business Scotland, said: “The significance of ‘sustainability’ in the culture sector is huge. Incorporating sustainability strategies within our practices should be at the forefront of all our minds as the climate crisis worsens, and our Members’ Forum is set to create a dialogue around how best to do that.
“With funding to culture organisations under threat, it’s also crucial that we maximise opportunities to build strong and sustainable relationships between the culture and business sectors.
“Amongst the many benefits of membership to Culture & Business Scotland is the chance to access these networks and build innovative solutions to the challenges we’re currently facing, as an industry and as a society”.
Individuals interested in attending the Members’ Forum can find out more about Culture & Business Scotland membership here:
Across Scotland, fewer people experiencing gambling problems are accessing treatment, support or advice compared to the average across Britain
Scotland has lower levels of people experiencing problems with their gambling who access treatment, support or advice (17%) than the average across Great Britain (21%), with Scotland ranked lowest out of the three countries in Great Britain.
Research from GambleAware also revealed how the need for support varies across Scotland, with Glasgow City, Dundee City, North Lanarkshire, Aberdeen City and the City of Edinburgh having the highest rate of people gambling with negative consequences.
GambleAware’s new interactive maps show the demand for support across Britain, and its regional first approach to tackling gambling harms ensures people can access support across the country.
Research from GambleAware, the leading charity that commissions gambling harm prevention and treatment services, suggests that fewer people are accessing support or treatment for gambling harms in Scotland than in the rest of Great Britain.
GambleAware has released interactive maps showing gambling harms at a local authority and parliamentary constituency level across Great Britain. The maps show where there are higher levels of gambling harm. This could include harms such as losing money, or having mental or physical health negatively affected.
The data that was used to create the maps reveals that Scotland has lower levels of people accessing treatment, support or advice for gambling harms at 16.7% of those who gamble with any level of problems (rated PGSI 1+ on the Problem Gambling Severity Index scale2), which is lower than the average across Great Britain of 20.9%.
The proportion seeking help amongst this group was also lower in Scotland than in Great Britain as a whole (15.5% compared to 19.4%).
People in Scotland who experience any level of gambling problems (PGSI 1+) and have accessed treatment are most likely to do so because of the impact on their finances, reported by 29.2% of this group.
By contrast, they are less likely to cite severe negative impacts such as the risk of losing their job or home as a reason for seeking support, with only 12.6% reporting this.
The five local areas in Scotland with the highest estimated rates of gambling problems (in terms of the proportion of people with a PGSI score of 1+) are Glasgow, Dundee, North Lanarkshire, Aberdeen and the City of Edinburgh.
GambleAware also found that 60.5% of people in Scotland had participated in any form of gambling in 2022, slightly higher than the GB average of 60.3%. This is equivalent to over 2.7 million adults.
GambleAware is the only commissioner of gambling harms treatment and prevention in Scotland. Publishing the maps is part of the charity’s regional-first approach to tackling gambling harms, which aims to ensure that people can find support for gambling harms in their local communities.
GambleAware’s work include developing a comprehensive partnership of treatment and support providers to help people across Great Britain – the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN).
Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware, said:“Gambling harms can affect anyone, and we are concerned to see that fewer people are accessing treatment and support in Scotland.
“As the leading gambling harms charity in Great Britain, we’ve published these maps and data to provide information to help address treatment and support needs in local communities.
“Some people may not have reached out for help because they are unsure of where to find it, but anyone concerned about their gambling, or that of a loved one, can search GambleAware for free, confidential advice, tools and support. The National Gambling Helpline is also available on 0808 8020 133 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
“We also commission the National Gambling Support Network, which means those experiencing gambling harm can access specialist, tailored treatment and support, quickly and efficiently, wherever they are across Great Britain.”
