Edinburgh Napier University’s recently launched Innovation Hub, in partnership with the University’s established The Cyber Academy, is to host a global annual cybersecurity conference at its Craiglockhart campus next month.
Now in its sixth year, the International Conference on Big Data, Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure annually gathers leaders in the field of cybersecurity — from industry and academia, across Scotland and beyond — to share the latest emerging big data and cybersecurity insights, as well as discuss the themes of ‘digital twins’ and ‘critical infrastructure’.
As well as showcasing the latest cybersecurity spin-out businesses that have emerged from Edinburgh Napier University in the last year (TrueDeploy and LastingAsset), well-known global businesses will participate in this industry-focused conference on 11 May 2023.
Some of the confirmed speakers and panellists include:
Prof Sokratis Katsikas (Director of the Norwegian Centre for Cybersecurity in Critical Sectors), Tim McNulty (Group Chief Security Officer, Barclays), Beck Pinkard (MD, Global Cyber Operations, Barclays), Mark Cunningham-Dickie (Quorum Cyber), Mark Mitchell (FORTINET), Keith McDevitt (Scottish Government), Rory Alsop (Tesco Bank/CIISec), Harry McLaren (SenseOn), Elisabeth Momola (SGN), Paula Kershaw (CCO & Cyber Resilience, Barclays).
As well as representatives from Edinburgh Napier University:
Prof Bill Buchanan OBE, Prof Nick Antonopoulos (VP Research), Prof Berk Canberk, Prof Leandros Maglaras, Nanik Ramchandani (Royal Society Entrepreneur-in-Residence), Andy McGoff (Director of Finance & Operations), Prof Matthew Broadbent.
This symposium is being convened by the Manager of the Cyber Academy, Basil Manoussos, who has extensive experience in digital forensic investigations, as a practitioner and director of Strathclyde Forensics Ltd. He works with organisations such as the Law Society of Scotland and Interpol – and was twice shortlisted at the Scottish Cyber Awards as a “Cyber Evangelist of the Year”.
Explaining more about the forthcoming global cybersecurity conference, Basil said:“This annual cybersecurity conference is our flagship event in our calendar.
“It has been growing in popularity over the years, attracting an ever-increasing number of attendees with an interest in hearing the latest news developments and emerging insights in cybersecurity, as well as having the opportunity to network and grow connections with fellow professionals in this field.
“We are honoured to welcome an inspiring line-up of great speakers and panellists from across the industry, academia and government, with Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, The Right Honourable Robert Aldridge, officially open to this international conference.”
“As well as hearing from our own spin-outs and from industry cyber experts, we will also hear from one of the top lawyers in data protection at Chalmers Stewart LLP, Laura Irvine and Alexandr Chernykh, the official representative of the Ukrainian National Bar Association in Scotland, who will talk about GDPR, data protection and the role of IT law and blockchain legislation in Ukraine’s future.”
This event will take place at Edinburgh Napier University’s Craiglockhart campus, from 9:30am to 4:30pm, on Thursday 11 May 2023.
When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.
If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert
You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.
If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.
It is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving or riding.
If you cannot receive emergency alerts
If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.
Emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.
If you’re deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted
If you have a vision or hearing impairment, audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert.
Water-smart gardening tips plant seeds for Spring inspiration
WATER experts are calling on the public to get into the garden this spring to make every drop count of Scotland’s most precious natural resource.
With garden sprinklers using around 15 litres of water per minute, alternative water-cautious methods will ensure the resource is protected and waste reduced.
Not only that, small and cost-effective interventions can play an important role in slowing the speed that water run-off hits our drainage systems and streets, helping to reduce potential flooding risks.
A series of cost effective, simple tips have been produced by Scottish Water to help the country’s gardeners make an impact – and are perfect for trying out with the whole family this Spring:
1. Install a water butt
A useful way to harvest rainwater, to save it for a sunny day, is to create a water tank. Buying and fitting a water butt is easy, but there are all sorts of hacks to reuse household items. Maybe using an old watering can, or a bin – there’s a host of creative videos online that are simple and free to do. It’s a great way to highlight to youngsters how much water a garden uses while also catching water to give plants a drink in dry spells.
2. Creative upcycle
From budget planters to making DIY garden pots, there is something for all the family to get involved in while giving a new purpose to unused or unloved material. For example, turning an old sandbox into a garden bed or getting handy with odd bits of wood to build and decorate a box – great ways to add colour to the smallest of spaces. And the perfect solution to absorbing water in heavy downpours, reducing surface water run-off which can contribute to flooding. It all helps!
3. Learn to love your lawn
Let your lawn get back to nature. Letting it grow a little longer is great for bees and bugs. Summer dry spells can mean your lawn becomes parched – but that’s natural too and you’ll be amazed at how it can bounce back with the next rainfall. Delivering water to your taps – whether in the garden and in the house – uses loads of energy, so only using the water you need can reduce our collective carbon footprints.
4. Water wise plants
Plants and trees play an important role helping to intercept rain before it hits the ground. Large leafy plants, shrubs and trees scattered throughout your garden will absorb groundwater through their roots and catch some water on their leaves. They’ll also help to shelter exposed ground, saving it from damage caused by intense rainfall.
5. Create a raingarden
Creating a natural ‘raingarden’ within your plot can help gardens cope during heavy rain and can be a much-needed haven for nature. They can also help reduce water flowing off paved areas quickly in heavy rain onto roads and into the sewer system and help reduce flooding downstream.
Rain gardens can be created simply, by digging down to create a dip at the lowest part of your garden, to help water drain into it. Plant the space with plants that like wet conditions but can also cope with period of dry weather.
Gravel paths, permeable driveways and real lawns all help drain heavy rainfall which is all too familiar as the climate changes. If you must pave over part of your garden, then draining it through a raingarden helps to minimise rainwater run-off, helping nature and adding a welcome pop of colour to your garden.
6. Home composting
Composting is an inexpensive, natural process that transforms kitchen and garden waste into valuable and nutritious food for your garden.
Starting this spring will save you money, resources and help improve your soil – while acting as a fun family project. Many councils can supply a compost bin, or you can cheaply make your own out of pallets or odd bits of wood.
Did you know the water you’ve already used to wash yourself, clothes and dishes is called ‘grey water’? And this grey water can be reused to water your plants or lawn – a bit of soapy washing up water will do your plants no harm.
Ladybirds and other wildlife flourish in gardens which can be used to help tackle climate change. Scottish Water is offering top tips to anyone with outdoor space on simple steps they can take to help reduce drought risks and to help prevent flooding
Top tips: Pop a few pot plants near your kitchen door, take your used washing up water to top up the plants when they need it. Just remember to let the water cool and water from the roots not the leaves. Avoid using greywater on edible plants.
8. Garden games
A fun way to encourage youngsters to think about the cycle of water from cloud to life is through different planting experiments. Why not identify an area where water naturally gathers during rainy days and plant vegetation that will thrive in that sort of soil, and do the opposite with a dry area? Lavender is a cheap plant that loves dry soil, smells great and attracts bees. Likewise the beautiful Himalayan blue poppy thrives in damp ground, helping reduce flooding.
9. Real vs Artificial grass
Despite the increase in artificial grass over the last decade, nothing beats the real thing for water efficiency. And it can often be a much cheaper option.
Get the family together to level the lawn, distribute lawn seeds and watch it grow. This could make for an exciting holiday project.
Artificial grass is essentially plastic, so it releases microplastics into the environment.
For soaking up water in damp ground, the Himalayan blue poppy. is ideal. This is Meconopsis ‘Slieve Donard’
Scottish Water is providing tips to help the public tackle climate change in their gardens – not matter how large or small. Dawn Lochhead, Flood Risk Manager, is an expert in water smart gardening. She has shared 10 tips, including plants that will help prevent flooding by retaining water during times of heavy rain
A real lawn supports wildlife rather than harming it. If your only option just now is artificial, could you install a rain garden to manage rainwater runoff from hard surfaces.
Something as simple as a raised bed or planter boxes; easy to create, maintain and add colour.
10. Show off your work and encourage others to do the same
By encouraging everyone to consider small changes to their lifestyles, people can save water, save money and help reduce our collective emissions – so make sure to show off your water smart gardening with friends, in person and online. And remember, your actions can affect others down-stream, so be a good neighbour and do your bit to reduce flooding.
Dawn Lochhead, Scottish Water’s Flood Risk Manager, in the garden of her Midlothian home with son Harris and pet dog, Rex. Dawn is an expert on how gardens can be optimised to make optimal use of water and help prevent flooding during rainy weather and to reduce water use during potential drought periods.
These pics go with Scottish Waters 10 top tips for effectie water use in gardens.
Dawn Lochhead, Flood Risk Manager at Scottish Water, is also a keen gardener who has implemented many of these tips in her own family garden in Midlothian. She said: “Water is precious resource, and we all need to look after it.
“I’m sure most of us think it rains a lot in Scotland – and that is true – but our weather is changing due to climate change, leading to us to a mix of longer dry spells and much heavier downpours which can lead to flash flooding.
“Modern life means we’ve changed our green spaces substantially. Being water-smart in our homes and gardens is an easy thing we can all do to help redress the balance, help nature thrive and reduce flood risk for ourselves and our neighbours.
“Thinking about drainage and the use of permeable materials in our gardens is the first step, allowing water to be absorbed and dissipate naturally. Plus capturing rainwater to use in the garden helps during dry spells.
“Planting a lawn, shrubs, flowers, creating a raingarden not only look great, they attract wildlife and are a true investment in everyone’s future. If everyone did a few small things in their gardens this Spring, collectively we’d make a big difference.”
Satellites is Collective’s development programme for emerging creative practitioners based in Scotland. In 2023, four creative practitioners at a pivotal point in their practice will be selected to participate in a peer development programme.
The programme includes discussions, workshops, events, retreats and public presentations of new work.
As part of our Collective Play programme, we are excited to invite emerging artists and practitioners with an interest in child-led approaches to play, nature and the outdoors to submit a proposal for our Lead Artist opportunity.
The Lead Artist will devise and deliver one year of Friday Play sessions, as well as one Play Weekend.
Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee want to hear from parents and employers on how child poverty could be addressed through parental employment.
You could be in with a chance to win a year’s supply of craft beer from Aldi Scotland
Aldi Scotland Goes in Search of the Nation’s Best Home Bar or At Home Drinking Set-up to Celebrate the Launch of its New ‘Scottish Beers of the Month’ Campaign
Aldi Scotland has launched a nationwide hunt for Scotland’s Best Home Bar or at-home drinking set-up with a year’s supply of free beer up for grabs.
Celebrating the launch of its brand-new Scottish Beers of the Month campaign, which will see a number of hero Scottish brewers spotlighted each month, Aldi is on the lookout for the most innovative at-home bar creations that provide the perfect backdrop to enjoy a craft beer.
Whether you’ve transformed your garden shed into a classic pub or your house has the best cosy corner, Aldi will gift a year’s supply of beer to the drinking set-up it finds most inspiring to enjoy an ice-cold beer at home.
Every month, the winner will be invited to collect a range of 24 beers from the vast number of Scottish brewers featuring as part of Scottish Beers of the Month, giving them a chance to try locally produced, top-quality craft brews from all over Scotland.
The Scottish Beers of the Month in-store campaign, which launches today (Thursday 6th April), will showcase everything from refreshing IPAs to crisp lagers, with prices starting from just £1.39.
Aberdeen’s Fierce Beer is the first hero brewer to feature as part of the campaign. Focused on producing unique and flavourful beers that range from traditional pilsners to luscious barrel-aged stouts, Aldi was the brewery’s first ever customer.
Fierce Beer will be showcasing fruity IPAs, such as Passion for Haze and Tropical Thunder, as well as sour Blackcurrant Tart and gluten-free vegan Fruit Ale Berry.
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said:“Our new Scottish Beers of the Month campaign gives our customers the chance to enjoy a vast selection of beers from artisan breweries across Scotland that you wouldn’t necessarily find in the pub.
“We all enjoy a trip to our local, but sometimes you just can’t beat enjoying a cold beer in the comfort of your own home.
“The judges are looking for innovative home bar set-ups, from extraordinary garden bars to the more understated kitchen table.”
To be in with a chance of winning, shoppers simply need to email a picture of their at-home bar set-up to aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk along with the following details:
Full name
Image of their home bar or favourite at-home drinking spot
Entries are open until 3 May 2023. The chosen winner will be selected by 10 May 2023.
Aldi encourages its customers to drink responsibly.
Application Terms & Conditions :
All applicants must be 18 years old or over and must live in Scotland.
The applicant will be invited to collect a range of 24 bottles/cans of Aldi Scotland stocked Scottish craft beers each month.
Aldi Scotland encourages the successful applicant to drink responsibly.
For information and advice on safe alcohol consumption, please contact Drinkaware. Visit https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Aldi Scotland reserves the right to terminate the delivery of products
All applications will be considered by the Aldi Scotland judging panel. The successful applicant will be selected based on the decision made by the Aldi Scotland judging panel. The judging panel has full discretion. The panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome.
The product is non-transferable, refundable and can be changed by Aldi at any time.
Applications are open from 3 April 2023. To enter, simply email a picture of your at home bar set up to aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk
Late entries or any entries not received for any reason will not be considered. The successful applicant will be chosen from entries provided before 6 May 2023. Winner will be selected by 10 May 2023.
Applicants can enter via email and via the Aldi Scotland social media channels. Each will be counted as a single entry, with applicants able to enter once on each channel.
Aldi Employees are not permitted to enter and are not valid to win. By submitting your application, you agree if your application is successful to take part in press and publicity including but not limited to media interviews, photography and personal appearances.
Personal data will be used solely in accordance with UK data protection legislation.
For further information please contact aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk. Promoter: The BIG Partnership Group Limited, 1 – 3 Woodside Crescent, Glasgow, G3 7UL
The winning entry will receive the prize on a monthly basis.
It’s a UK road trip with a difference – music fans have been invited to make the ultimate rock and pop pilgrimage by visiting the locations where some of our biggest stars passed away.
Car rental experts from StressFreeCarRental.com have revealed the postcodes and locations where some of the biggest names in music, including Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury and George Michael, sadly died.
They have suggested a 1200-mile round Britain itinerary to visit the sites which can be reached by inputting the provided postcodes into any sat nav device.
But they are urging fans to undertake the road trip purely to pay their respects to the late artists and to remain mindful that many of the sites remain private property.
The 1200-mile road trip takes in several locations which attract thousands of visitors each year – such as the ditch where Marc Bolan crashed his Mini in 1977.
Starting in London the unique tour takes in the spots where icons Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury, Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix passed away.
After leaving the capital music fans are encouraged to journey south to the crash site in Surrey where Glam Rock legend Marc Bolan died before heading on to Hartfield, East Sussex to visit the house where Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones was found dead in a swimming pool in 1969.
They then travel west to Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, where sixties icon Dusty Springfield sadly passed away before heading to nearby Goring-on-Thames where 80s pop legend George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016.
From Goring it’s a short trip to Salisbury where Thin Lizzy star Phil Lynott sadly died. Fans are then told to head to a lay-by close to the Severn Bridge near Bristol where Manic Street Preacher guitarist Richey Edwards is believed to have disappeared. He was later declared legally dead.
From there the road trip turns north stopping at Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire where legendary singer-songwriter Nick Drake passed away, before heading on to a terraced house in Macclesfield where Joy Division singer Ian Curtis hung himself in 1980.
The trip then veers north to Scotland to Auchterhouse, near Dundee, the location of the suicide of Billy Mackenzie, lead singer of 80s band The Associates. He was found in a garden shed after an overdose.
The trip then heads back down south stopping at Arkesden, Essex at the location of the death of legendary Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott who sadly perished in a house fire in 1991.
A spokesman for StressFreeCarRental.com, who came up with the tour, said it was a chance for music fans to pay their respects to some of the biggest icons of all time.
He said: “Britain has produced some of the greatest stars in the history of popular music and many of them will never be forgotten. They are the legends who changed the lives of millions and many of us still listen to their music every day.
“So we thought it would be a good idea to gather together the greatest names who sadly passed away on UK soil and offer music fans an itinerary to visit the places where they passed on.
“Many of the locations remain private homes so we urge everyone who follows our guide to remain courteous and respectful at all times.
“By gathering all of the locations together into one suggested road trip we want to celebrate the legacies of some of the greatest talents Britain has ever produced.
“Fans can print off our handy checklist and tick off each location as they make the trip. By the time they’ve completed their journey they will have visited the locations where some of our greatest stars have passed away. Although in a way these legends will never die. They live on forever through their music.”
Thursday 6th April is the first day of the new tax year (hands-up who missed the ISA deadline, again) and a number of changes in both UK and Scottish policy come into effect (writes FRASER of ALLANDER Institute).
Here is a brief rundown of some of the changes that have come into play at the start of this new financial year:;
Firstly, taxes.
For higher rate tax payers the new 1p comes into effect in Scotland as well as the reduction in the threshold for those paying the additional rate, mirroring what has happened in the rest of the UK. Other band thresholds, including the personal allowance (the rate at which people start to pay tax) have remain frozen.
The UK Spring Budget announced changes to the pension annual allowance and lifetime allowance also come into effect.
Council Tax bills have gone up across the country. Local authorities have the ability to vary the Band D rate charged, which then translates into rises in bills across all bands via a set of multipliers. On average, Band D rates have risen by 5%, but there are clear exceptions (Chart 1).
Failure to reform Council Tax makes any additional revenue raised through Council Tax regressive in nature. Failure to revalue the tax base means that increasingly the bills paid by households bear little resemblance to the relative value of their home. This isn’t the fault of Councils – the ball firmly remains in the Scottish Government’s court on this one.
Unlike Council Tax, there has been a revaluation for Non-Domestic Rates. Even though the poundage rate charged to non-domestic properties has remained frozen (as also the case in rUK) businesses will see a change in their bills reflecting their updated ‘rateable values’.
Secondly, benefits
The UK Government announced in its Autumn Statement that reserved benefits would be uprated by 10.1%. This practice of uprating, using the previous September CPI, is standard procedure.
Devolved benefits have received the same uplift from the Scottish Government, with the exception of the Scottish Child Payment. This increased in value in November 2022 and it was decided it was not in scope for further uplift for 2023/24.
Although not strictly a benefit, the continuation of the energy price guarantee on energy means that we are not facing a rise in our energy bills this month. The guarantee has been extended at its current level for a further 3 months, by which time it is hoped that energy prices will have come down to more reasonable levels. It will hopefully be warmer by then too!
On that note, we wish you a pleasant Easter weekend, and fingers crossed that the sun will shine.
Innovative companies will be able to trial new health products in clinical settings across the country following a link-up between the Scottish Government’s £42 million Techscaler programme and the NHS.
Participants in the programme, which provides world class expertise and support to young businesses with high growth potential, are being offered access to NHS Regional Test Beds. These enable entrepreneurs to work alongside clinicians and have access to patients and anonymised data to test ideas, products and services.
And in a reciprocal agreement, firms already using the NHS Test Beds will automatically become part of the Techscaler network.
Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray announced the move during a visit to Bioliberty in Edinburgh, which uses robotics to provide rehabilitation and assistance for stroke survivors.
The company will be one of 14 firms in sectors including healthtech and life sciences to join a Scottish Government-funded visit to New York to showcase their work.
Mr Gray said: “Scotland’s life sciences sector has an annual turnover of more than £8 billion and is one of our key sectors for transformative economic growth.This partnership will be able to leverage our world-leading universities, life sciences hubs and excellent healthcare systems to support the growth of the sector and development of entrepreneurs.
“Testing products in a real world environment and accelerating development is vital, and will enable a broader reach of the Tech Scaler programme. This in turn will benefit patients and medical staff as they develop cutting-edge technology for use across the NHS, from stroke and rehabilitation through to reducing drug-related deaths.
“It is a further example of the steps we are taking as we develop a sustainable, high-skill economy that works for everyone.”
Chief Scientist (Health) Anna Dominiczak said: “I welcome this collaboration, which will result in transformative innovations for the NHS and help to ensure that Scotland is the best location for life sciences companies.”
Scotland’s Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan said: “By making this connection between health testing and business support, we create an environment for innovation which enables Scottish companies to compete effectively, whilst bringing much-needed treatment solutions to the NHS.”
Leading insurer NFU Mutual has partnered with industry body Scotland Food & Drink to launch the 2023 ‘Inspirational Young Person Award’.
Talented young people working in the food and drink industry are being encouraged to enter the fifth annual ‘Inspirational Young Person Award’.
The award seeks to uncover inspiring examples of talented people aged 16 to 26 who own, work, or study in the food and drink sector and who are a driving success in their field.
The award will highlight the innovation young people bring to Scotland’s food and drink businesses, as well as the important contribution they make to the sector’s long-term future.
Entries and nominations are now open and the closing date is 3rd July. The first, second and third place winners will be announced during Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight (5-20th September) and awarded cash prizes of £500, £300 and £200 respectively.
In recognition of the challenges the industry has faced economically in the last year and the part it can play environmentally such as cutting down on food waste, this year’s judges are looking for entrants who are adapting the way they work and contributing to the resilience of Scotland’s food and drink sector.
Last year’s winner was 23-year-old Craig Chambers, a Distiller at Dunnet Bay Distillers based in Thurso.
He impressed the judges with his natural flair for the distillery business and the way he identified improvements and helped create new recipes designed to reduce energy consumption during distilling by 90%, which helped the business maintain the original price point for customers as energy prices increased.
Since winning the award, Craig has expanded his horizons and is presently on a placement at a distillery in South America.
Craig said: “Winning this award was an amazing high-point for me. I have since been on a placement at a distillery in Argentina to learn even more about the industry and other food and drink cultures.
“The prize money came in very handy for my travels too.”
Mark McBrearty, NFU Mutual’s Regional Manager in Scotland and one of the judges for the award, said: “The importance of young people to Scotland’s food and drink sector cannot be overstated. This special award illustrates just how wide a contribution they make and how valuable their drive and innovation are to business success.
He added: “Like all industries, the food and drink sector has been facing some very challenging times. This year’s judging will consider how young people have responded to this and also adapted to the way they work environmentally, such as saving energy or cutting down on food waste.”
Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “I am really looking forward to discovering the wealth of talent – both culinary and business-focused – among the younger generation in our industry.
He added: “Scotland has a proud reputation nationally and internationally for its food, drink and hospitality. Supporting the future of our sector by recognising up and coming talent is crucial to its long-term success.”
How to Enter
The NFU Mutual and Scotland Food & Drink Inspirational Young Person Award 2022 is open for entries until 3rd July 2023. Submit your entry or make a nomination here.
Any individual between the ages of 16 and 26 who owns, works, or studies within a food and drink related business, organisation or institution can be nominated or enter on their own behalf.
The winner will receive £500, with the second and third place finalists receiving £300 and £200 respectively. Winners will be announced in September 2022.
For more information on the range of NFU Mutual insurance services, visit:
