Early winter shutdown for SPFL

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has announced that the 29 December and 2/3 January cinch Premiership fixture rounds have been postponed to 17/18 January and 1/2 February respectively.

The Boxing Day cinch Premiership fixtures will go ahead as planned, including St Johnstone v Celtic, which is being broadcast live on Sky Sports.

cinch Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs were consulted as to whether they wished to postpone fixtures in their divisions, but they did not wish to do so.

Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive, said: “We have had intense and positive discussions with all cinch SPFL clubs over the past 24 hours, since the announcement by the Scottish Government of a three-week period of restrictions on fans attending matches. We have advised our clubs that any postponements increase the risk of further disruption to an already highly congested fixture calendar.

“There are mixed views amongst cinch Premiership clubs about what to do for the best. However, a majority favour the postponement of fixtures to give a chance for games scheduled to be played over the festive period to be played in front of fans, once the three-week period of restrictions comes to an end. The SPFL Board has agreed to postpone the 29 December and New Year cinch Premiership fixture cards.

“cinch Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs voted to continue playing through the Government restrictions and we look forward to their festive fixtures over the next fortnight.

“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sky Sports and Police Scotland for their flexibility in accommodating these changes and to all cinch SPFL clubs for their clear, positive and constructive feedback as we work together to get through the challenges posed by Covid-19.

The cinch Premiership fixtures scheduled for 29 December will move as follows:

Monday 17 January
Celtic v Hibernian (7.45pm)

Tuesday 18 January
Aberdeen v Rangers (Sky Sports, 7.45pm)
Dundee United v St Mirren (7.45pm)
Heart of Midlothian v St Johnstone (7.45pm)
Livingston v Dundee (7.45pm)
Ross County v Motherwell (7.45pm)

The cinch Premiership fixtures scheduled for 2/3 January will move as follows:

Tuesday 1 February
Dundee v Dundee United (7.45pm)
Hibernian v Heart of Midlothian (Sky Sports, 7.45pm)
Livingston v St Johnstone (7.45pm)
Ross County v Aberdeen (7.45pm)
St Mirren v Motherwell (7.45pm)

Wednesday 2 February
Celtic v Rangers (Sky Sports, 7.45pm)

Note
The Celtic v Hibernian match has been scheduled for Monday 17 January due to the Hibernian v Cove Rangers Scottish Cup tie on Thursday 20 January.

Hundreds of Big-Hearted football fans deliver Christmas cheer

The Hearts Women Team supporting Big Hearts’ Gift Back initiative: Clare Williamson & Addie Handley.

This Christmas, hundreds of families in Edinburgh and the Lothians will receive Christmas essentials thanks to the incredible efforts from 274 award-winning Big Hearts Supporters linked to Heart of Midlothian’s charity.

For this second Christmas of the pandemic, Big Hearts Community Trust is going on the road to bring some festive cheer directly to people’s homes. The official charity of Heart of Midlothian FC, based at Tynecastle Park, is focusing on providing practical support to various groups referred by the local schools, social workers and partner charities. 

Earlier this month, Big Hearts revealed that the number of referrals had doubled since 2020. A call for Hearts fans to become Big Hearts Supporters enabled the charity to meet the demand. 

No less than 274 individuals have come forward to help, by volunteering in their own time or at the Stadium, making Big Hearts’ festive activity the biggest to date. A total of 400 pre-cooked Christmas dinners, 500 bags of tailored presents and 100 food parcels will be distributed in time for Christmas Day. 

Hearts fans volunteering at the Stadium to wrap up and prepare Christmas gifts deliveries

Andrew McKinlay, Big Hearts Trustee and Chief Executive of Heart of Midlothian FC said: “The festive holidays can be a challenging time for many. Throughout the pandemic, football has remained a force for good and it’s heart-warming to see a record number of Hearts fans joining Big Hearts, the charity operating from Tynecastle Park, to help provide much needed support across the community this Christmas.

“They are a credit to our Club, and our shared family and community values. A big thank you to all involved, your kindness doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Hearts Players visit Broomhouse foodbank. L- R: Taylor Moore, Craig Gordon, Alex Cochrane & Beni Baningime.

Craig Wilson, General Manager at Big Hearts Community Trust said: “Our priority this Christmas is ensuring families can enjoy a fresh Christmas dinner from the comfort and safety of their home and receive presents to open on Christmas morning.

“The fact that our charity saw a 100% increase in requests for support this year just shows how many more individuals are struggling over the festive season – with some facing poverty or loneliness for the very first time.

Big Hearts Christmas Hampers distributed to isolated older people in partnership with the SPFL Trust.

“Alongside our dedicated staff team, Big Hearts Volunteers are playing a vital role in supporting the 500 adults and children on our list. Our award-winning Big Hearts Supporters Movement was designed to do just that: use the incredible power of football to join forces and help others in need.

“We are incredibly grateful to all who decided to sign up and donate their time and skills to make a difference. Thank you.”

Get Boosted Now: UK hits thirty million boosters as push continues

  • A record-breaking week for daily vaccinations with a rolling average of nearly 1 million top-up jabs in arms a day
  • New vaccine sites have opened across the country making it easier than ever to get vital protection from Omicron

More than 30 million people, over 56% of adults in the UK, have now had their COVID-19 booster during a record-breaking week for top-up jabs.

Yesterday saw a record number of daily vaccines administered, with a total of 1.06 million first, second and third jabs in arms. Of those, 968,665 were boosters as another daily record has been broken for UK top up jabs.

The expansion of the booster programme continues at rapid pace, with all eligible adults aged over 18 able to get their lifesaving jab by booking online through the National Booking Service, or by visiting their nearest walk-in vaccination centre. This week more vaccination sites have popped-up across the country making it as easy as possible to Get Boosted Now, including football stadiums and shopping centres.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: We’re continuing to smash booster and vaccine records – with 30 million total boosters in the UK and more than 1 million total vaccines on one day being an absolutely fantastic achievement.

“I am so grateful to people up and down the country for rolling up their sleeves to secure vital protection for themselves and their loved ones against Omicron this winter.

“Every top-up jab in someone’s arm means that as a country we are strengthening our wall of defence against the Omicron variant. Let me be absolutely clear – this festive season, the single most important thing you can do is come forward for your lifesaving booster jab.

“I am urging you – please, keep coming forward to Get Boosted Now.

Yesterday also saw new guidance issued in England which will enable the 10-day self-isolation period for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to be reduced to 7 days in most cases.

Studies also demonstrate that LFD tests are just as sensitive at detecting the Omicron variant, as they are for Delta.

Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed by the public’s response to our national mission for everyone to Get Boosted Now. Today’s milestone of 30 million boosters is a phenomenal achievement and a true representation of the community spirit we share here in the UK.

“In the race between vaccine and virus, it is thanks to the work of our wonderful NHS that we are able to stay ahead and protect ourselves and our loved ones.

“Everyone can play their part. Please – keep coming forward for your lifesaving booster jab. It has never been easier, as you can book an appointment via the National Booking Service or choose to queue up at one of our vaccination centres around the country.

Dr Emily Lawson, head of the NHS vaccination programme, said: “Our NHS staff have pulled out all the stops, aided by our fantastic volunteers, to accelerate the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme ahead of Christmas and we have now administered more than 30 million doses across the UK, including 26 million in England alone.

“Being asked to accelerate the booster programme, the NHS has delivered lifesaving covid vaccines at an unprecedented rate, breaking daily and weekly records, and I would urge anyone yet to book in for their vital top-up dose to do so at the earliest opportunity – there are plenty of appointments available and it is the best way to guarantee protection for you and your loved ones this winter.”

There is further positive news as more cutting-edge antiviral treatments for COVID-19 have been secured for NHS patients as the UK Government signs two new contracts to help tackle Omicron.

The significant new deals have been accelerated following the emergence of the Omicron variant, to protect vulnerable people over the coming months. The move will help reduce hospitalisations and therefore ease pressures on the NHS.

While the government was quick to herald reaching the latest milestone, yesterday saw another siginificant milestone – and a distinctly unwelcome one. Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK exceeded 100,000 for first time.

Edinburgh youth charity is supported by Amazon

An Edinburgh charity that supports young people in the city has received £2,000 from Amazon Development Centre Scotland in Waterloo Place. 

Canongate Youth provides a safe and welcoming space where young people aged 5-25 can enjoy a wide range of activities including cooking, art, games, employability support and group work. The charity also offers young people advice to help build skills, confidence and peer relationships.

Commenting on the donation, Graeme Smith, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “At Amazon, we are passionate about developing young skills and confidence in young people.

“The staff and volunteers at Canongate Youth provide a brilliant service in Edinburgh and we are pleased to support them with this donation.”

Clare Jamieson, Manager of Canongate Youth, added: “We would like to extend our thanks to Graeme and the team for supporting us with this donation.

“Like all charities, we’ve found the last 18 months to be incredibly challenging but it’s donations like this that help us continue to support young people across Edinburgh during a time when they need us most.” 

Amazon Development Centre Scotland has been based in Edinburgh since 2004 and is responsible for devising and growing innovations that bring new levels of choice and convenience to hundreds of millions of customers around the world. 

It houses teams of leading engineers, scientists, designers and product managers who work on everything from interactive user interface design to large-scale distributed systems and machine learning. 

Community donations are one of a number of ways in which Amazon is supporting communities across the UK during COVID-19. 

Throughout the pandemic Amazon has provided disadvantaged students with free online STEM resources and supported virtual classrooms with no-cost resources from AWS and Amazon Future Engineer.

The company has also teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to deliver more than five million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas around the UK.

For more information on how Amazon is supporting the UK during COVID-19, click:  https://blog.aboutamazon.co.uk/amazons-actions-to-help-employees-communities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19.

Scammers will use Christmas and the New Year to target the public

Christmas is nearly with us, but it is not only the goose getting fat! Scammers, are ready, able, and keen to target the pubic, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

Fiona Fernie, a partner at the firm, said: “Christmas and the January sales may be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but they are also a time of mixed emotions, the desire to buy presents for friends and family, and anxiety about being able to pay the bills. Scammers are just waiting to take advantage.

“Scamming is a huge issue, which we all need to recognise and take action to mitigate.

“The increase in on-line shopping during the pandemic has provided scammers with an extra opportunity to obtain credit card details.  People have had their online accounts hacked enabling their credit cards to be used which has caused a great deal of distress.”

Fiona said: “There is also increasing evidence of people receiving emails purporting to be from major retailers such as the supermarkets, saying that the individual has been selected to receive some sort of reward for customer loyalty if they just key in their bank details. 

“Such emails play on concerns about the cost of Christmas and can look very much like the real thing, so it pays to be vigilant.”

She added: “It is always sensible to pay for items online using a credit card rather than a debit card and to check statements carefully each month.  Any item which you do not recognise should be reported to the credit card company immediately for investigation. 

“In addition, anybody who receives an email or SMS message suggesting that they are due a reward or owe money should take some basic precautions:

  • Use passphrases with a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols when online shopping.
  • Use different phrases for different online accounts.
  • Ensure that two-stage authentication is triggered on all credit cards and online bank accounts – preferably this will include sending a passcode to your mobile phone as well as using the appropriate passphrase.
  • Click on/hover over the “display name” email address from which you have received any email which offers you a reward.  This will show you the full details of the sender and will help to determine whether the email is likely to be from a legitimate source.  For example, I am currently receiving emails purporting to be from Amazon and Aldi but sent from websites and email addresses that are clearly not them.

If this happens to you:

  • Do not reply to the emails or SMSs; 
  • Do not call the phone number listed in an SMS; 
  • Do not click on any links or open any attachments in emails; 
  • Do not visit websites detailed in the messages;
  • Do not provide personal or financial details.”

Fiona said: “The problem does not stop with the order process either. 

“I have heard of several examples of deliveries being made to the doorstep but disappearing before individuals could take them in, so it is clearly sensible to have a reciprocal agreement with neighbours for taking in parcels when the intended recipient is not at home. 

“Don’t let scammers or opportunists spoil your Christmas!”

Letter: Stride for Stroke challenge

Dear Editor

Like so many others, stroke has left a really devastating legacy on my family. My dad died of a stroke and his dad, my grandfather, had a major stroke which left him unable to speak again. 

But many people don’t realise that the vast majority of strokes – around 80-90% in fact – are preventable, which is why I’m supporting the Stroke Association’s Stride for Stroke campaign as my New Year’s resolution.  

I exercise regularly, try to eat healthily and keep an eye on my blood pressure, which are all ways to help lower your risk of stroke – but there’s more we can all do…

So this year, the charity is challenging everyone who cares about this devastating condition, and who is able to do so to walk 10,000 steps a day for 130 days. If that’s something you could do, that would add up to 1.3million steps, one for every stroke survivor in the UK.

Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant. However, with our support, the Stroke Association can help more stroke survivors and their families find hope and rebuild their lives.

So come on, if you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution that will make a huge difference, why not take on the Stride for Stroke challenge? Sign up today at www.stroke.org.uk/stride   

Thank you and Happy New Year,

Vogue Williams

MoneyMagpie founder wages war on loneliness this Christmas

With Omicron looming ever garishly on the horizon, many people are petrified that a last minute circuit breaker or lockdown will plough in and ruin Christmas once again, adding to an already prevalent pandemic of loneliness and a huge mental health crisis. Christmas 2020 saw

MoneyMagpie’s Jasmine Birtles say “no more” as she invited people to spend some of Christmas Day with her on zoom. This year, regardless of what the Prime Minister says, Jasmine is doing the same again …

If the last two years have taught us anything, it it is that loneliness is something we can all struggle with. It can mean feeling alone whilst surrounded by people you love; it can be living alone and only having your pet for company; it can be not wanting to trouble friends when you most need them and, for many, it can be being faced with spending Christmas Day alone. Combating loneliness is is a societal need more than ever.

Due to lockdown and the physical longing for human interaction that it created, for the first time ever it has become more widely accepted that people talk about loneliness, there was even the government’s encouragement of  Let’s Talk Loneliness  but a lot of the advice given during the pandemic assumed that we had people to turn to.

The £750 million charity funding appeal to combat loneliness wasn’t necessarily noticeable to so many of us, and lots of businesses, charities and people took matters into their own hands and decided to look at ways to combat this themselves. This is what led to Jasmine opening up her Christmas Day celebrations to people who need some company.

Jasmine said, “Last year everyone was told to stay at home and not visit relatives or friends for Christmas (unless they were a government minister, of course), and it occurred to me that there would be a lot of people who would feel desperately lonely and abandoned.

“I wanted to give them the opportunity to have their own party and talk and laugh with other normal people at least once during the day. It worked. We had people who were on their own as well as at least one couple who just thought it sounded like a fun thing to do. There was a really nice atmosphere to the event and we had some good giggles!”

Recognising quite how much it was needed, Jasmine has decided to do the same again. “I’m holding this one at the same time again – 4pm – on Christmas Day,” she says. “Last year’s was supposed to be just an hour but it went on for an hour and half, so I expect this year’s will last that long too.” The link to join is on Eventbrite  here.

So many people showed up last year and Jasmine managed to create a safe environment in which people could just share the day.  Recognising that many people struggle socially and that introversion or many factors can make it hard to speak up.

“This party is for people who like to get involved and also for those who would just like to watch and listen incognito. I’ll be doing a fun quiz but it’s only for those who want to take part and I’ll be quite happy if some people simply want to come and be part of the atmosphere but don’t want to talk to strangers.

“That’s understandable. Let’s face it, ‘in-person’ parties full of people you don’t know can be a daunting prospect, and Zoom parties can be just as worrying to some, so I won’t be forcing anyone to do the quiz or even talk unless they want to.”

So this Christmas, if you are faced with being alone (for whatever reason), be sure to join up and have something fun on your festive horizon. “You are not alone” as Jasmine is keen to help us realise.

Edinburgh charities benefit from £204,000 national boost from Barratt Developments

The housebuilder donated to good causes which help children, people with life-limiting health conditions, and the elderly, as well as charities which offer mental health and employment support 

Barratt Developments – which includes Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Oregon Timber Frame Ltd – is celebrating a year of giving after its charitable efforts topped more than £204,000 in donations across Scotland.

Each year, the five-star housebuilder supports a wide range of organisations promoting equality, employability and care among many other causes, through various charity initiatives, including the Barratt Developments Scotland Community Fund, which donates £1,000 to a deserving local cause in each of its Scottish divisions every month.

Since January, Barratt Developments has handed out funding to organisations which provide care, support, and respite for those battling serious illness, disease, or lifelong health conditions, such as Maggie’s Edinburgh, Fight Against Cancer Edinburgh, The British Lung Foundation and Marie Curie.

Barratt’s donations have gone towards the provision of palliative care, providing support for people with health conditions and disabilities, and caring for those battling cancer. 

Additionally, Barratt donated to children’s charities, such as CHAS and LGBT Youth Scotland, helping to fund vital services for vulnerable kids and families in need of assistance.

Organisations which support people into employment, such as WorkingRite in Edinburgh, benefitted from a funding boost from Barratt Developments this year, helping to transform the lives of people by giving them the tools they need to find and secure work.

Further donations went to hospices caring for the elderly, including St. Columba’s and St. Andrew’s Hospice, and Barratt also donated to mental health charities such as SAMH, whose lifeline services are of vital importance, particularly during the pandemic.

Douglas McLeod, Barratt Developments’ Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “As the country’s leading housebuilder, we are committed to creating a positive legacy and making a genuine contribution towards the communities in which we build our homes.

“We are extremely proud of this year’s achievement, as it’s become even more apparent how incredibly important it is to support those around us during these difficult times. Each of the charities we have supported carry out fantastic work and are a lifeline service for many people, and we are delighted to have been able to support organisations which are close to our hearts.

“We are looking forward to working with many more charities and raising even more funds as we go into 2022 and beyond. We would like to thank everyone who suggested the charities and supported our fundraising activity and wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas and prosperous New Year.”

The full list of 2021’s beneficiaries is:

includes:

•                  FACE

•                  Goodtrees

•                  Empty Kitchens

•                  St Fillan’s Playgroup

•                  Support in Mind Scotland

•                  Fife Women’s Aid

•                  British Lung Foundation

•                  With Kids

•                  Marie Curie

•                  Maggies Edinburgh

•                  Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

•                  Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity

•                  The Prince’s Trust

•                  LifeCare Edinburgh

•                  St Columba’s Hospice Care

•                  WorkingRite

•                  Kindred

•                  VSA “Changing Lives Campaign”

•                  Bucksburn Community Council

•                  Street Sport (Denis Law Trust)

•                  Bettridge Centre (Newtonhill Community centre)

•                  Befriend a Child

•                  SurfAble

•                  Huntingtons Association

•                  Archie Foundation

•                  SCAA

•                  Aberdeen Foyer

•                  Beannachar

•                  New Start Highland

•                  The Haven Appeal

•                  Mental Health Aberdeen

•                  Lifesavers Scotland

•                  St Andrews Hospice

•                  Kilbryde Hospice

•                  The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments

•                  Move on with Fareshare

•                  CHAS

•                  Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity

•                  East Park School

•                  The Beatson Cancer Centre

•                  LGBT Youth Scotland

•                  The Dual Fitness Foundation

•                  Action for Children

•                  SAMH

•                  SCFC with Motor Impairment

•                  Move on Scotland

•                  Craig Halbert Centre

•                  SiMBA

Care residents deck the halls thanks to calendar of festive fun

FESTIVITIES are underway at an Edinburgh care home with residents treated to a bumper month of Christmas related activities.

Kickstarting with a light switch on and a visit from Santa and his reindeers, Cramond Residence is hosting a series of Christmas themed activities for the duration of December.

Activities include a Christmas party with a festive magician, bespoke seasonal menu, festive cooking masterclass and secret Santa which have been planned by the home’s dedicated lifestyle team.

John Hughes, resident at Cramond Residence, said: “The home has put in lots of effort to make us all feel festive this year.

“My favourite activity so far has been the Christmas market and the visit from the reindeers but I’m also very much looking forward to the Christmas cooking masterclass too.

“We weren’t really able to celebrate so much last year so it’s nice the staff have gone to all this effort to make this year extra special for us.”

All donations received during any of the Christmas activities will be donated to Alzheimer’s Scotland & Save the Children – the home’s chosen charities for the festive season.

Mike Hall, Lifestyle Co-ordinator at the 74-bedroom home said: “This year the team at Cramond Residence has been really keen to host lots of celebrations involving the community, as we are able to do so now.

“All of our staff and residents have been well and truly getting into the festive spirit and the atmosphere in the home has been very positive.

“The activities have gone down a treat with residents, many of whom have expressed their delight for the month long calendar of events.

“As Christmas is focused on kindness and giving, we also made the decision to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Scotland as it is a charity close to many at the home”.

Cramond Residence offers high quality care for up to 74 residents offering a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from a highly-trained team.

To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Not Socks Again?! Donate your unwanted Christmas socks to people who need them most

Aldi Scotland has launched its ‘Not Socks Again?!’ campaign for the second year running, following its widespread success in 2021, which saw more than 2000 pairs of socks donated to good causes.

The initiative encourages customers to donate any unwanted or extra unused socks they may have received as Christmas gifts to charities supporting people in need across Scotland.

Every year, millions of people receive socks for Christmas that they often don’t want or need, charities across Scotland do, and Aldi’s ‘Not Socks Again?!’ campaign aims to put these gifts to better use by donating new and unused socks to those who need them most.  

Aldi’s Sock Amnesty’ boxes will be in stores across Scotland from the 3rd of January until the end of the month, where people can drop off their unused socks to help keep vulnerable people warm this winter.

Aldi has linked up with three Scottish charities for this year’s initiative: Aberlour Children’s Charity, Simon Community Scotland, and Bethany Christian Trust.

The Bethany Christian Trust are working toward the goal of ending homelessness in Scotland. The team at the Bethany Christian Trust offer a broad range of services, from assistance with housing, education and employment, to crisis intervention wellbeing support.

Nathanael Smith, Community Fundraiser, Bethany Christian Trust, said: “It’s surprising how much a good pair of socks can make a difference in someone’s life.

“It’s a simple gift that can mean warmth, comfort and dignity to those in need. Thanks to Aldi for making such an amazing project possible.”

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “Following an immensely challenging year, the team at Aldi Scotland were eager to support charities which are working tirelessly to help those in need.

“In winter, charities are always looking for essential items to be donated, and so we thought, why not encourage our customers to donate any unwanted gifts of socks to people who truly need them.

Aldi will also contribute a £250 donation to each charity in the hope of helping the most vulnerable in our communities.

Aldi’s Sock Amnesty boxes will be in store from 3rd January and customers are invited to drop off any unwanted, new and unused, socks which will be donated to the charity in their local area.”  

This initiative builds on Aldi’s commitment to supporting communities across Scotland. Since 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund has supported over 500 local clubs with more than £290,000 worth of donations.

In addition, Aldi has helped to provide over 10 million meals to vulnerable people across the UK through its partnership with community engagement platform, Neighbourly. Aldi also helped 12 local foodbanks this year after it relaunched its popular Supermarket Sweep programme this year.

To find your nearest Aldi store please visit their website here and donate your unwanted socks this Christmas.