This week, #OperationSoteria have been conducting enquiries which have resulted in a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old being charged with offences relating to the theft of motorcycles within the city of Edinburgh, along with a number of road traffic offences.
Further enquiries have resulted in a stolen motorcycle being recovered which was stolen from the Leith area on 29/06/22.
Anyone with information about motorcycle crime or the dangerous use of motorcycles in the city can speak to officers confidentially and anonymously on 101, or through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The first cohort of Ukrainian soldiers taking part in a major new UK-led military programme, which will train up to 10,000 Ukrainians over the coming months, have arrived in the UK.
The programme is part of the UK’s enduring commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s unprovoked invasion, which so far amounts to more than £2.3 billion in military aid and includes more than 5,000 NLAW anti-tank weapons and M270 multiple launch rocket systems.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who visited the training this week, said: “This ambitious new training programme is the next phase in the UK’s support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression.
“Using the world-class expertise of the British Army we will help Ukraine to rebuild its forces and scale-up its resistance as they defend their country’s sovereignty and their right to choose their own future.”
Mr Wallace announced yesterday that he will NOT be a candidate in the election to become the next Prime Minister.
Around 1,050 UK service personnel are deploying to run the programme, which will take place at MOD sites across the North West, South West and South East of the UK. Each course will last several weeks and will be conducted by elements from 11 Security Force Assistance Brigade.
The training will give volunteer recruits with little to no military experience the skills to be effective in frontline combat. Based on the UK’s basic soldier training, the course covers weapons handling, battlefield first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics and the Law of Armed Conflict.
The Government has rapidly procured AK variant assault rifles for the training programme, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the weapons they will be using on the front line. This effort was supported by the Welsh Guards, who tested more than 2,400 such rifles in 17 days to ensure they were ready for the Ukrainians to commence their training.
The UK has also gifted clothing and equipment to support Ukrainian soldiers in their training and deployment back to Ukraine. Each soldier will be issued with:
Personal protective equipment including helmets, body armour, eye protectors, ear protectors, pelvic protection, and individual first aid kits
Field uniforms and boots
Cold and wet weather clothing
Bergens, day sacks and webbing
Additional equipment required for field conditions including ponchos, sleeping bags, and entrenching tools.
The UK has a long history of supporting Ukrainian service personnel through Operation ORBITAL, which trained 22,000 Ukrainians between 2015 and 2022.
The new programme will build on this success and demonstrate the UK’s continued leadership in responding to Ukraine’s military requirements as the war evolves.
First of all, thank you to the members who attended our first ever, in-person AGM which was held in the Heart itself. We had a good turn-out of both full members and associated members as well as several apologies from those unable to attend.
Three trustees stood down after having given significant service since the time of the original steering committee and having continued with membership of the Board when the SCIO was set up in 2020. Rodney Matthews, Colin MacNeill and Alan Hartley all stepped back from the Board for personal reasons although all remain committed to helping the Heart in other ways in the future.
Two Trustees who had joined the Board since the 2021 AGM, Mike Douglas and Layla Robinson, were re-elected.
Guest speaker for the event was Mr David Knight from the Scottish Land Fund.
He gave an invigorating address about the history of the Land Fund and its investments and announced that the grant awarded to the Heart was the largest single grant for an individual site, with the exception of the large award for the Isle of Ulva which was for a whole estate as opposed to “just” a building.
Although the legal documents have not yet been signed, or the keys handed over, Mr Knight presented outgoing chair Rodney Mathews with a plaque commemorating the SLF’s investment in the Heart, which will be given pride of place once it is legally owned by the community.
The new Board
Immediately following the AGM the new Board held a short meeting, whereby Judy Crabb, who has been involved with the project since even before the creation of the first steering group, was elected as the new Chair.
Emma Hendron, who is a co-opted trustee, was elected Treasurer and Layla Robinson was elected Secretary. All three were elected unanimously.
The new Chair has been instrumental in many ways that members may not have been aware of, being involved in all aspects of the project so far. The current Board acknowledged this with her election and can think of no better person to lead the way forward as we enter this new phase.
All trustees can be contacted directly through their Heart of Newhaven email addresses, which can be found on the website.
The new Board wish to thank all three retiring trustees for the vision and unwavering commitment they shared during their terms in office. Without their contributions the project would not be where it is today. We all owe them a great deal.
Could you fill a space on the Board?
As we move into the next phase of the project, we are looking for a new trustee with legal experience who can assist the Board with contractual, commercial and property legal issues that may arise from time to time.
Remember to check the website and social media regularly for updates, news and blogs. June saw the posting of the delightful reminiscences of 95 year old Margaret Mclean who was born, grew up and still lives in Newhaven.
You can find the blogs under BLOGS on the website.
An Edinburgh College student has won a creative competition to design a number of posters showcasing projects taking place across Granton and will now have his work on display at the site of the iconic Granton gasometer.
Seventeen-year-old George Kershaw won the creative competition to have his designs displayed at the site of the Granton gas tower, which received significant investment last year to turn the structure into an illuminating landmark which lights up the skyline in the area.
The Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) Design student was named the winner of the competition, after the city council challenged his class to come up with a series of designs to help promote projects and events that have happened in the area, such as the Hidden Doors Festival, COP 26 Climate conference, Diwali celebrations and more.
The iconic gas tower located in the Granton Waterfront area is a beacon of light on the Edinburgh skyline thanks to the partnership project between the College, the City of Edinburgh Council, and 21CC.
George said: “Whilst I expected to do well in the competition, I knew there were several other talented designers also entering so I was very happy to find out that I had won and gained such a great opportunity. I wasn’t as happy to realise that I had also given myself a lot more work than I bargained for, as the process took several months to complete!
“Edinburgh Council set our class with the challenge of designing several promotional banners for the events centred around the Granton gas tower. My design was chosen and expanded on and finalised by me and my tutor Chris Hamilton until it was ready to be printed.
“This involved many conversations between me and the Council and was also my first experience with the many challenges involved in the design process.
“I hope that I can find more great opportunities like this one to challenge myself and so that I can also come out of university with a portfolio full of amazing work, which will help me gain employment at a top design agency once I’ve finished my studies.”
Edinburgh College Assistant Principal for Creative Industries Jakki Jeffery said: “This was an excellent opportunity for the FA Creative Digital Media (Graphics) students to work on a live industry brief from our partnership with Edinburgh Council and 21CC lighting up the iconic Granton Gas Tower.
“We were really impressed with the standard of work submitted by all the students, supported by their lecturer Chris. George is a worthy winner and we wish him all the best in his future career.”
City council leader Cammy Day said: “My warmest congratulations to George on his achievement and I’m sure this will be the first of many more to come in his design career.
“This poster campaign will provide a new and dynamic angle to an already iconic Edinburgh landmark. These posters showcase a wide array of local, national and cultural events. Projects like these in conjunction with Edinburgh College represent the Council’s wider commitment to Granton Waterfront and its long-term regeneration.
“This regeneration will spearhead the capital’s response to the climate emergency alongside providing sustainable economic growth and empowering local communities”.
Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance could face curfews, as Ministers plan new powers for the Child Maintenance Service.
The change is being considered as part of fresh proposals that will get more of the money that is owed to the children of separated parents.
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) collected or arranged £1 billion in child maintenance payments last year, operating as a crucial weapon in the battle against child poverty. Child support payments help lift around 140,000 children out of poverty each year.
Curfew orders would be another method of enforcement, alongside current powers which include passport and driving license confiscation and earnings deduction orders, to tackle parents who continually refuse to pay maintenance owed.
As an alternative sanction to prison, which is costly and prevents maintenance getting to children, curfews would act as a deterrent by restricting and disrupting non-compliant parents’ lifestyles, stopping them, for example, from going out for dinner, to the pub or going on holiday.
The curfews would be monitored by an electronic tag with an electronic monitoring service applying the tag, monitoring and making sure the parent complies with the rules of the tag. If parents fail to comply, the CMS would be able refer them back to court which might then extend the curfew order or impose a prison sentence.
DWP Lords Minister Baroness Stedman-Scott said: “For children in low-income households, maintenance payments can make all the difference, lifting them out of poverty.
“We are not afraid to go after those parents who deliberately and repeatedly refuse to pay for their children.
“Curfew orders are another step towards providing the CMS with a full arsenal of powers to make sure children get the financial support they need to have the best start in life.”
This builds on a new powers introduced earlier this year to digitise all communications to parents and improvements to help the service trace the paying parent, calculate maintenance and enforce arrears more effectively.
The consultation is published here and closes on 12 August 2022.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: BBQ Week
This week is National BBQ Week, and it is a perfect time to get friends and family together to enjoy some healthy, nutritious food. We all know Covid-19 has impacted on social activities, so BBQ week provides a welcome opportunity to get together, share BBQ tips and recipes and have some fun in the process!
Choose the rainbow
See how many different vegetables and fruits you can add to the barbeque to make it extra colourful.
Whether this is on a skewer or as a side, including more fruit and vegetables will increase your fibre intake and reduce your risk of heart disease. Grilled aubergine, courgette, peppers, pineapple and peaches work well.
Be creative
Think of a food theme that everyone can enjoy and have fun with. How about having a variety of foods from around the world, trying new recipes, and experimenting with flavours.
You could find foods that are low in fat, such as chicken, fish, or plant-based alternatives. Burgers and sausages are often high in saturated fat, which can contribute to high cholesterol.
Dips and sauces
How about creating your own dips and sauces by using fat free yoghurt or low-fat crème fraiche with fresh herbs and spices. A lot of ready-made sauces are high in salt and sugar and they can be high in calories, which can lead to weight-gain and high blood pressure.
By being adventurous and trying out new healthy recipes this BBQ week, you can begin to reduce your risk of heart disease and increase your creativity!
Two richly-deserving community-based causes in the west of Scotland are among the latest recipients from the pioneering Community Champions programme, run by leading housebuilder Persimmon Homes. Each has been awarded £1,000 by the company’s Glasgow-based West Scotland division.
Amputee Football Association Scotland was set up in 2017 to provide opportunities for amputees in Scotland to play football. Based in Glasgow but catering for players from all across Scotland, it aims to give players with congenital limb differences the chance to play at grassroots, club and international level.
Spokesperson Ashley Reid said: “We are now resuming competitive games in the post-pandemic environment. Our national team now has overseas commitments and to fulfil these we desperately need help towards travel costs and to acquire new reinforced crutches for all amputee players.
“In addition, we are busy developing training sessions and events for young people, so they can pursue their passion in a fun and friendly environment. We work hard to raise funds to support these developments but have a shortfall. That’s why we turned to Persimmon for some help.”
Around 12 miles away, Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels (OKFP) is the name of an emergency foodbank and community hub based on Station Road, Old Kilpatrick.
Set up in the wake of the pandemic, the group relies on the support of a dedicated band of volunteers, who are trained on life skills such as cooking, housekeeping, budgeting and counselling.
Founder Maureen Cummings explains: “Our training enables the volunteers to help vulnerable families in our community who are experiencing social exclusion as a result of being isolated for long periods of time. This has been a particular issue during the pandemic.
“Many of the individuals and families we work with have lost their confidence in social settings. That’s why we are so committed to helping rebuild their self-esteem and wellbeing, by teaching them new skills and offering training opportunities.”
On behalf of Persimmon, West Scotland managing director Chris Logan said: “Our region has been hit hard in recent years, through the pandemic and, more recently, the cost-of-living crisis.
“This creates very real difficulties for all but especially for those facing challenges, be it physical impairment or less visible issues, such as social exclusion.
“Our Community Champions programme is designed to offer much-needed support for those groups and the selfless people who work hard to create opportunities and help their communities thrive. That’s why we are so pleased to announce this funding for OKFP and the Amputee FA Scotland. We wish them all every success in the future.”
To find out more about the Community Champions scheme, including details of how to apply, visit:
Founded in 1972, Persimmon Homes is one of the UK’s leading housebuilders. With headquarters in York, the Group operates from 31 regional offices throughout the UK, trading under the brand names of Persimmon Homes, Charles Church and Westbury Partnerships, building quality homes across England, Wales and Scotland.
The company is proud to be an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer and directly employs more than 5,000 people and supports around 86,000 jobs in the construction sector.
Participants across the country are being invited to sign up to the Leukaemia Care Step Out Challenge for Spot Leukaemia, which launches this September.
The aim is to move as far as you can between 1st and 30th September and raise as much as you can – there’s no minimum limit. To take part you can walk, run, cycle or run and set whatever distance you want to. Once signed up, all you need to do is ask friends and family to sponsor whatever they can.
Chief Executive of Leukaemia Care, Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, said: “The challenge is free to sign up to and people can raise anything they can – as every penny raised makes a difference to those living to help make a difference to those living with a leukaemia, MDS or MPN diagnosis.”
Leukaemia Care is delighted to reveal this year’s medal in an eco-friendly design, to be given to anybody who reaches the £50 milestone.
There is also a fabulous new t-shirt for the 2022 event for anybody who raises over £100, while those who raise £250 or more will receive a £20 gift card for the Leukaemia Care online shop.
This year Leukaemia Care has introduced two fantastic overall trophies – one for the fundraiser that raises the most and another for the person who covers the most distance during the challenge.
Sign up to Step Out then join the Facebook community to get motivated for your challenge.
Ahead of Blood Cancer Awareness Month later this year, the charity is keen to share the six most common symptoms of leukaemia which are; fatigue, shortness of breath, fever or night sweats, bruising or bleeding, bone or joint pain, and repeated infections.
Learn more about the signs and symptoms of leukaemia here.
Jade Lindsay graduated Business Studies with Human Resources Management this summer at Edinburgh Napier University Business School. Jade was adopted at the age of three and is the first person from her birth family to complete school and go into higher education.
After completing her SQA Highers and unfortunately not getting the results she needed to pursue her dreams of becoming a vet, she had to rethink her choices. Jade decided to go on my world of work, a website that helps people discover a career that matches their skills.
After completing the different skill and personality tests, Jade said she was given a new purpose as she was recommended to pursue a career in Human Resources. Jade applied to Edinburgh Napier for their business and HRM degree and got an unconditional offer.
Jade said:“I was adopted at the age of three with a very difficult start to life and was the first person in my birth family to complete all of school and enter into higher education, which was a huge achievement.
“During my years at Napier University I have experienced lots of support and made lifelong friends. Over Christmas 2021, I applied to many graduate jobs and recorded many interviews as I looked forward to life after university.
“After completing my last lot of exams in May, I received the news that I was invited down to Bristol for an assessment centre for GKN Aerospace, a global organisation which leads the aerospace technology industry.
“I was one of only 3 business students out of over 400 applicants to get to the final stage of recruitment.
“I was successful in my endeavour and I have now accepted an offer of a position in the 27 month HR graduate programme which includes 2 global placements and specialisation in one of the HR departments at the end of the programme.
“I will be starting my new chapter in September and I look forward to graduation.”
This year’s ceremony saw over 2,000 students graduating from the university’s 6 schools.
park!
