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.
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.
Since opening on the 1st April 2020, PHS has played a significant part in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working in collaboration with NHS Boards, the Scottish Government, Local Authorities and many others to tackle the virus, improve and protect health, and reduce health inequalities.
Public Health Scotland, Chief Executive, Angela Leitch, said:“The publication of this, our first, Annual Report, records what has been a year of great challenge and significant achievement.
“I would like to thank all PHS staff for their professionalism and commitment during this extraordinary year. In addition to our contribution to managing the response to the pandemic we have continued to produce a wealth of data, intelligence and evidence that is supporting decision making to address the public health priorities we have in Scotland.
“Our work relies on strong partnerships with many organisations across Scotland, the UK and beyond and I look forward to building on the strong foundation that has been established in our first year.
“I’m very conscious of the impact of the pandemic on the lives of so many of our communities and we remain committed to doing our part in keeping Scotland as safe as possible.
“I commend this report to you and as we move forward into the future we remain committed to our key aims of helping to create a fairer and more equitable Scotland for all of our citizens.”
Local charity, Young Lives vs Cancer, has been named as one of three winners for Dobbies’ Not Your Average Community competition.
The nationwide contest, run by the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, invited community groups, clubs, charities and neighbourhoods to apply and tell the Dobbies’ team about the work they are doing in their local areas and what they would do with the prize – £1,000 to spend in their local store on Christmas trees, lights and decorations
Dobbies were inundated with entries from across the country, reading heart-warming stories about the incredible work being carried out by dedicated volunteers and community workers, and had a difficult job selecting the three winners.
Young Lives vs Cancer at Ciaran’s House was a very worthy winner, providing accommodation to families whose children are receiving cancer treatment at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. The families are able to stay as long as required and siblings can also stay in Edinburgh.
In their winning entry, the charity told how they wanted to transform the nine-bedroom house with trees, lights, wreaths and decorations for the families to decorate their own rooms and communal living space with their prize.
A member of the Edinburgh Dobbies’ team met with Mandy Tait, House Manager and Sandra Fox, Deputy Manager from the Ciaran’s House team to help them select the best products for their requirements, as well as treating them to Christmas Afternoon Tea in the restaurant.
Mandy Tait and Sandra Fox, said: “A huge thank you to the lovely team at Dobbies, not only for selecting us as winners, but for being so supportive and helpful while we selected our festive decorations.
“Dressing the house will make a massive difference to the team working there and those spending time with us this December.”
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “A huge congratulations to Young Lives vs Cancer at Ciaran’s House for winning our Not Your Average Community campaign this year.
“The work they do is inspirational and we’re proud to be able to help them spread some festive cheer during what will be a difficult time for many.
“A huge thank you to everyone who entered our Not Your Average Community campaign. It was wonderful to see so many great projects taking place across Edinburgh and beyond.”
For more information on Not Your Average Community:
Edinburgh Police have released images of three men they believe may hold information which might assist in relation to a serious assault that occurred on Pilton Drive North at around 2330 hours on 24 November.
Male 1 is described as white, 18-23yrs, average build, short brown hair, wearing blue tracksuit top and bottoms.
Male 2 is described as white, 18-23yrs, average build, short brown hair, wearing a black puffa jacket and dark trousers.
Male 3 is described as white, 18-23yrs, stocky build, red hair and facial hair, wearing grey tracksuit top with black triangle on LHS of chest, grey tracksuit bottoms with black patches to rear of his knees.
Detective Constable William Doughty from Corstorphine CID said: “I would urge each of these three men, or anyone who has information relating to any of these three men depicted in the images to make contact with the Police.
“Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via the 101 non-emergency telephone number quoting incident number 3662 of 24 November 2021.
“Alternatively, calls can be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Due to the urgent threat posed by Omicron’s much higher transmissibility than other variants of coronavirus (COVID-19), additional targeted measures to minimise contacts will come into force for at least three weeks to allow immunity from the accelerated booster vaccine programme to take effect.
All measures will be reviewed after three weeks on Tuesday 11 January at which point protection from booster vaccinations up to 31 December – when the Scottish Government is aiming for 80% of over 18s to have received their booster – will be maximised.
From 05:00 on 27 December, to minimise the risk of widespread transmission, there will be a requirement for one metre physical distancing between adults in all indoor hospitality and leisure settings, including:
pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and other settings where food and drink is served for consumption on-site
leisure settings including gyms, theatres, cinemas, bingo and snooker halls and bowling alleys
museums, galleries and other visitor attractions
Table service will be required in settings where alcohol is served for consumption on the premises.
Physical distancing will not be required in places of worship or on public transport, however existing mitigations for these settings will continue to apply.
In addition, from 05:00 on 26 December, to help ease pressure on emergency services and reduce the risks of transmission in large crowds, attendance at large events will be limited – to 100 people for indoor standing events, to 200 people for indoor seated events, and to 500 people for all outdoor events seated or standing.
Organisers of large professional sporting fixtures will have discretion over whether to admit spectators up to these limits.
Guidance will be updated to advise against indoor activities where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including non-professional adult contact sports, from 26 December.
A package totalling £375 million, including £175 million of additional funding from the Treasury, will be made available to support sectors affected by the latest protective measures to combat Omicron. An update will be provided on the breakdown and allocation of funding as soon as possible.
Ministers will consider how COVID certification could be expanded to cover a wider range of indoor settings to support them remaining open once the booster programme is complete.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The rate of vaccination acceleration in an age cohort with, to date, lower levels relatively speaking of booster protection underlines the vital importance of everyone getting booster jags as quickly as possible.
“However, as the booster roll-out is completed – and bearing in mind that it takes around a week for immune protection to take effect in individuals – we must also act to slow down the spread of cases.
“This is not a choice between protecting health and protecting the economy – if we don’t stem the spread of the virus, both health and the economy will suffer.
“I totally understand the temptation to delay; to hope, after two long years of this, that further steps might not be necessary. But we are already seeing a significant impact from staff absences across the economy and public services – we must do what we can to stem this.
“We know from experience that if we wait until the data tells us conclusively that we have a problem, for example, with hospital admissions, it will already be too late to act to avoid that problem.
“Booster jags are our best line of defence against Omicron and they are what will get us through and out of this difficult phase I believe. Last week, I said that our target was to have 80% of the eligible population vaccinated with boosters by the time the bells strike on Hogmanay.
“I can confirm today that we are now confident that we have the capacity to meet that target, but to reach it, or get as close to it as possible, we need everyone who is eligible to come forward.
“Getting fully vaccinated is the best thing any of us can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the country, so please do get boosted before the bells.
“Our advice is to stay at home as much as possible, but if you are meeting other people, test before you go – every time – and test as close to going as possible. This is really important for family gatherings on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.”
Edinburgh’s Council Leaders have confirmed that this year’s Hogmanay events will not go ahead.
The latest public health guidance, effective from 26 December, limits numbers at outdoor public events to 500, resulting in the cancellation of the Torchlight Procession, Party at the Bells and the Loony Dook.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Our first and foremost priority must always be to protect the health and wellbeing of the public, our staff and the city as a whole. I know it will be hugely disappointing for people, particularly young people who were planning to attend these events.
“Given the spread of this variant, reflected in the rising infection numbers, we need to avoid any additional burden on our health and emergency services. I’m grateful to the Scottish Government, Public Health, NHS and Police for their engagement with our teams to keep the City as safe as possible as we grapple with these challenges through the festive period.
“I would encourage everyone to continue following the guidance and to please celebrate Hogmanay safely and responsibly.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “A huge amount of work has gone into the planning of this year’s events and I would like to thank Council staff, Underbelly and our other event partners for all their efforts in what have been difficult and ever-evolving circumstances.
“I know many people will be disappointed but I’m sure they will understand the reasons behind the decision. We can look forward to Edinburgh returning to its rightful place as the home of Hogmanay next year.”
In response to the First Minister’s announcement today of further restrictions and increased financial support for businesses, Scottish Licensed Trade Association Managing Director, Colin Wilkinson said:“This afternoon’s announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that pubs and other hospitality venues selling alcohol must reintroduce table service and one-metre physical distancing between groups of customers from December 27 for a period of three weeks could well be the knock-out blow for many in the battered and bruised licensed hospitality sector in Scotland.
“The limit of 100 people for indoor standing events and 200 for indoor seating events – although this does not apply to private life events such as weddings – will hugely impact on the late-night industry which has been hit particularly hard since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In addition, the cancellation of large-scale events such as Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will have a knock-on effect on the licensed hospitality sector.
“However, the damage was done when Public Health Scotland advised deferring Christmas parties until another time. Endorsed by the Scottish Government the next day, this led to a slew of cancellations and, effectively, the end of any chance the licensed hospitality sector of clawing back lost business at what is traditionally the busiest trading period of the year.
“That said, the key focus for the Scottish Government must now be to ensure that the £66 million aid package announced last week for the hospitality sector is made available as soon as possible.”
The SLTA is particularly angered that part of the previously announced £100m funding will not be specifically directed to those businesses that need it the most.
Businesses such as cafes, takeaways and even multinational fast-food outlets which have not experienced the decimation that has been caused to the licensed hospitality sector at this vital trading period will now receive the same level of support funding as those hit by the PHS messaging to defer Christmas parties in Scotland’s pubs, bars and restaurants.
New research from the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) shows that:-
Average sales are down 52% across the sector in December so far, with the average loss of income now £56,000 per premises for the first two weeks of December alone, and this trend is accelerating.
Half of premises reported more than 50% of jobs are at risk while 20% of premises report 90% or more of jobs are at immediate risk – these figures are as worrying as they are startling.
When asked how long they can survive without the arrival of cash support, 43% said they can survive less than one month, 25% can survive up to two months, 20% can survive up to three months and 12% can survive up to four months.
This is the stark reality of the situation for Scotland’s licensed hospitality sector. Many are also carrying huge debt as a direct result of Covid – bars are averaging £169,200 debt, nightclubs/hybrids/event spaces are averaging £167,000 while pubs are averaging a Covid debt of £101,600.
Wilkinson continued:“It is utterly indefensible that taking into account the crisis the licensed hospitality sector and the supply sector is facing, the losses that have occurred within the industry in December alone and the bleak future facing operators and staff, other businesses will effectively receive a ‘bonus’ from the public purse”.
“We understand the original £100m funding will be available in early January and the distribution of the additional funding of £275m announced today, will become available towards the end of January.
“New Government operating guidelines for the sector will be published soon, but they will be towards the latter half of the week leaving little time for operators and staff to adjust to the new regulations.”
Following the change in Scottish Government guidance and restrictions announced on 21 December, Underbelly has regrettably confirmed the cancellation of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme for 2021.
The decision has been taken in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, following the First Minister’s announcement, with the safety of all ticketholders, event staff and the wider city of Edinburgh being our foremost priority.
The Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office team will contact all ticketholders in early January to arrange refund options.
A full summary of the Hogmanay celebrations cancelled are:
· Wednesday 29 – Friday 31 December – Scottish Music Programme at Greyfriars Kirk.
o Wednesday 29 December – Breabach
o Thursday 30 December – Dougie MacLean
o Friday 31 December – Eddi Reader
· Thursday 30 December – Torchlight Procession
· Friday 31 December – Party at the Bells
o Premium Access Tickets
o Garden Access Tickets
o Street Access Tickets
· Friday 31 December – Edinburgh’s iconic midnight fireworks display
· 1 January 2022 – Loony Dook at South Queensferry
Working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Government from the outset, Underbelly has ‘meticulously planned Edinburgh’s Hogmanay in the context of the pandemic, making Covid-19 passports or proof of negative lateral flow testing mandatory for collection of all tickets to Party at the Bells and the Torchlight Procession, as well as more recently proactively introducing the requirement for all ticket holders to all events within the Hogmanay programme to be able to provide proof of a negative lateral flow test from the day of the event they are attending’.
Unfortunately, due to the latest restrictions brought in by Scottish Government, the full Edinburgh’s Hogmanay line up cannot be delivered.
Underbelly Co-Directors, Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, said: “We are incredibly sad to announce the cancellation of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme for 2021 following new restrictions announced by Scottish Government today.
“After such a tough year for so many people, we were looking forward to helping bring people back together safely at Edinburgh’s iconic Hogmanay celebrations.
“We know this news will be disappointing for so many people, but we also know that Edinburgh is a wonderfully innovative and resilient city, and we know it will recover from these difficult times and return to the forefront of the world’s new year celebrations in the future”.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Our first and foremost priority must always be to protect the health and wellbeing of the public, our staff and the city as a whole. I know it will be hugely disappointing for people, particularly young people who were planning to attend these events.
“Given the spread of this variant, reflected in the rising infection numbers, we need to avoid any additional burden on our health and emergency services. I’m grateful to the Scottish Government, Public Health, NHS and Police for their engagement with our teams to keep the City as safe as possible as we grapple with these challenges through the festive period.
“I would encourage everyone to continue following the guidance and to please celebrate Hogmanay safely and responsibly.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “A huge amount of work has gone into the planning of this year’s events and I would like to thank Council staff, Underbelly and our other event partners for all their efforts in what have been difficult and ever-evolving circumstances.
“I know many people will be disappointed but I’m sure they will understand the reasons behind the decision. We can look forward to Edinburgh returning to its rightful place as the home of Hogmanay next year.”
Chief Superintendent Phil Davison, Gold Commander for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay policing operation, said: “As a result of the continued rise in COVID cases, linked to the Omicron Variant, the Torchlight Procession, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Party at the Bells, and the Loony Dook cancellations are an appropriate response in order to help stop the spread of the virus and protect the NHS.
“This decision was not taken by Police Scotland, but we fully support the actions taken by the event organisers and the local authority.
“We would ask that those who had been planning to attend these events do not make their way to the city centre and instead celebrate the New Year in line with the existing guidelines.”
Hidden Door will return in 2022, breathing life into a secret new location in Edinburgh. We are now inviting visual artists to get involved.
For next year’s festival we’ve found a stunning, forgotten complex in the city centre which we plan to transform into live music venues and performance spaces for theatre, dance and spoken word, alongside pop-up bars and a multitude of art exhibition and installation spaces.
We’ll reveal more about our new venue in the new year, but for now we are inviting submissions to our visual art programme; seeking innovative and striking projects across a variety of artistic disciplines.
Our main aim is to create opportunities for artists so we are particularly looking for projects that allow artists to develop their practice and encourage new graduates and emerging artists to apply. We do however welcome applications from artists at any stage in their career.
Each project selected will receive a fee of £500 towards the artist’s time plus project expenses, as well as free access to the festival.
The deadline for visual art submissions is Monday 24 January – please help us spread the word and share this with the creatives in your life!
We’ll be launching our calls for other art forms in the New Year.
Dog owners urged to support litter picking and put a ‘paws on plastic’
Recent research from environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful shows that 88% of Scots agree that litter is a problem across Scotland. Litter causes so much harm to our people, animals and our beautiful, natural environment.
Winter is a time of darkness but one in which we traditionally celebrate with various winter light festivals. So, we have joined forces with new charity Paws on Plastic to urge dog owners across the country to keep the issue of litter in the spotlight; tackling it head on to improve the health, cleanliness and safety of all of Scotland’s people, animals and environment.
We are asking dog owners to ‘shine a light on litter’ by highlighting the problems litter causes, encouraging others not to drop it, and picking up a few pieces on each daily dog walk. We’d also like people to share their images on social media as they shine a light on litter.
Heather McLaughlin, Campaign Officer with Keep Scotland Beautifulsaid: “Our evidence shows that the number of recorded dog fouling incidents increases in the darker colder months, and we suspect littering levels creep up too as people feel, under the cover of darkness that they can get away with illegal behaviours.
“However, we along with the thousands of Paws on Plastic members who regularly pick up a piece of litter when out with their dog, are watching, and shining a light on the issue. Please help us this winter to raise awareness of litter, and the good work that you do to pick it up. We want to make litter picking the social norm, not dropping it.”
It is important to stay safe, visible and take care when picking up litter and we have guidance on how to do this as part of our Clean Up Scotland campaign.
Marion Montgomery, founder of the online community Paws on Plastic, which now has over 21,000 members across 70 countries, said: “Paws on Plastic encourages all dog owners to join the campaign to help protect animals and our precious environment.
“It only takes a minute to pick up a couple of pieces of litter when we’re out walking anyway but, with 1 million dogs in Scotland, 12 million in the UK, if we all take a minute, it adds up to a huge impact!
“It even has the double effect of reducing the amount of litter dropped as studies show that fewer people actually drop litter in clean areas. Pledge your support on our new website www.pawsonplastic.org.uk .”
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “We are delighted to support this wonderful initiative and to stand alongside Keep Scotland Beautiful and Paws on Plastic to highlight the dangers litter can pose and reduce the amount of litter in our communities.
“Unfortunately, we see first-hand the damaging effect litter can have on animals. We are called out to jobs after animals and birds have become trapped in fishing line or wire. Discarded rubbish can also pose a threat to animals after they ingest it and it becomes a choking hazard or affects their ability to eat.
“People should always dispose of their rubbish responsibly. No matter how small, it has the potential to be hazardous or lethal to pets, wildlife and farm animals. Shine a light on litter’ will help people respect the environment and protect animals from the risks of discarded rubbish.”
With Keep Scotland Beautiful’s annual Spring Clean Scotland set to make a comeback in March next year, supporting people across the country to carry out litter picks, and the Scottish Government currently consulting on a new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy for Scotland which will allow the public to have #YourSayOnLitter until 31 March 2022, this winter campaign will ensure litter doesn’t get lost in the dark!
