Aldi Scotland’s Supermarket Sweep has returned to Edinburgh, where one lucky local shopper has raised £437.40 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) while also taking home the same value in Aldi favourites.
Inspired by the iconic game show, the popular challenge arrived in Dalkeith on 27 June, where competition winner Rowanne Moir was selected to take part in a five-minute trolley dash in support of CHAS.
In addition to taking home a trolley full of goodies, Aldi Scotland matched the total value of Rowanne’s haul, donating all proceeds to CHAS to help support over 500 babies, children and young people across Scotland with life-shortening conditions and their families.
In 2026 every penny raised through the initiative will go directly to CHAS, with £10,000 pledged in support.
Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Rowanne Moir, said: “The Aldi Supermarket Sweep was not only a great and fun experience, it was also amazing to be involved in raising money for such a wonderful charity.
“All the staff were amazing and made the experience fun with such fantastic support and encouragement. Thank you to the Aldi team for creating such a memorable experience.”
Rachel Hamilton, Staff Nurse at CHAS said:“Every week in Scotland, three children die from an incurable condition. CHAS supports families through this devastating reality, providing expert care at home, in our two hospices and through CHAS/NHS teams in children’s hospitals across Scotland.
“In the Edinburgh and Lothians area, CHAS supports 131 families with a range of care tailored to their needs, including palliative care, respite, family support, and bereavement and spiritual care, helping families make the most of every precious moment together.”
Tom Brearey, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Scotland said:“Our Supermarket Sweep continues to be a highlight in the Aldi calendar, and we’re proud to partner with CHAS once again to support the incredible work they do.Congratulations to Rowanne for raising an incredible £437 for CHAS while enjoying a well-earned trolley full of Aldi favourites.
“CHAS is a charity very close to our hearts which does invaluable work for families in Scotland. Through initiatives like Supermarket Sweep, we are pleased to help raise both funds and awareness so they can continue delivering care and support where it is needed most.”
This April, CHAS launched its ‘More Than A Hospice’ appeal, seeking to raise £20 million to transform children’s palliative care across Scotland and ensure no family faces their child’s illness or end of life without the right care and support.
The appeal aims to fund the crucial rebuilding and refreshing of CHAS’s hospices, as well as the expansion of care in homes, communities and hospitals, giving families real choice over where and how they are supported when they need it most.
For more information about CHAS and how to support its work, visit:
Would also save the NHS and social care services over half-a-billion pounds
Research shows that 100% take up of key benefits would cut numbers of pensioners in poverty by 280,000
Due to health impacts, full take-up would also save the NHS and social care services in England £790 million a year
Independent Age recommends the UK Government publish a take-up strategy for financial entitlements to ensure all older people are receiving everything they should be
New research from national charity Independent Age shows that full take-up of three key financial entitlements could lift 280,000 older people out of poverty across the UK, reducing pensioner poverty by 15%.
This includes Pension Credit, pensioner Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. The analysis was carried out by the research agency Public First.
The report released today, entitled ‘The only way is up: The impact of improved entitlement take-up on pensioner poverty and healthcare spending’ also shows that increasing take-up of these entitlements to 100% could help improve older people’s health, leading to a reduction in health and social care public spending by up to a colossal £790 million a year in England.
Independent Age is calling on the UK Government to publish an all-entitlements take-up strategy for the UK. This should include a strong commitment and targets to increase take-up.
The number of older people in poverty in the UK is rising, with around 1.7 million in relative poverty in 2024/25, which is an increase of 200,000 compared to the year before. Another one million live close to the poverty line.
Despite this, the charity says that too many eligible older people are missing out on money set aside for them. Over one in three (38%) of those eligible for Pension Credit are not receiving it, and around 230,000 older households are missing out on Housing Benefit.
Official take-up figures of Council Tax Reduction are not produced, however the report analysis indicates that over a million pensioner households could be missing out on this vital support.
The organisation is also calling for the Pensions Commission to agree on what an adequate income in later life looks like, and the UK Government to commit to ensuring everyone receives this.
Concerningly, full take up would also provide an additional 770,000 older people with more vital income, but they would still remain in poverty, indicating that financial entitlements and the State Pension alone is not always adequate to live on.
Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Agesaid: “Our social security system was designed as a safety net for all of us but the evidence is clear, it is failing older people in poverty. Money that has been set aside is not reaching the older people who need it and at a time with increasing costs, the impact of this is devastating.
“Through our helpline, we hear often from older people who are having to skip meals or only wash once a week to make ends meet. This is unacceptable.
“Older people on a low income have been left to struggle for too long. That’s why we urgently need a strategy to ensure everyone receives the support they are entitled to and an agreement on what an adequate income looks like in later life for all of us as we age.
“With the upcoming changes in leadership, this is a golden opportunity for the UK Government to reverse the worsening picture of poverty in later life.”
Independent Age’s report found that three groups especially benefitted from increased take-up of these entitlements. These were: older people living alone, older renters and those on the old State Pension. This is due to a combination of likely higher initial costs such as housing or energy, and a lower income.
Valerie’s Story
Valerie, 68, from the Isle of Wight
“Once the rent was paid, along with Council Tax – more than £150 a month even with the single person discount – there wasn’t enough left. I had to cut back on everything. I lived on £1 meals from Iceland because they were cheap and filling, even though I knew they weren’t very nutritious.
I relied on a local community pantry where £5 bought roughly £15 of food. I couldn’t afford to put the heating on. My house is all electric and it was simply too expensive. I spent winters wrapped in blankets, drinking cups of instant soup to keep warm, and sometimes slept downstairs so I didn’t have to walk through cold rooms at night.”
Valerie called Independent Age and, while she wasn’t eligible for Pension Credit, an adviser supported her to start receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, which she hadn’t previously been aware of.
After starting to receive these entitlements, Valerie described the impact this had on her life:
“Life is so much better now. I still budget carefully, but I’m not living on my credit card anymore. I can buy fresh vegetables, cook proper meals and freeze portions so food lasts longer.
“I can travel to the mainland to see family, and I enjoy the things that matter to me, such as going to the local theatre and being part of the choir.
“I called the Independent Age Helpline at a time in my life when I didn’t know where to turn. The support I received has made a dramatic difference to my daily life. I nearly didn’t make that call – but I’m so glad I did.
“Before that call, I was surviving day to day. Now, I feel like I’m living again.”
Around 100,000 disabled people and those with health conditions are closer to work thanks to a voluntary Government programme being delivered in every Jobcentre across the country, according to new figures
100,000 disabled people and those with health conditions have been supported to move closer to the labour market by Pathways to Work advisers.
New figures show landmark Government employment scheme has reached a record milestone.
Part of the Government’s £3.5 billion plan to break down barriers to opportunity and offer disabled people and those with health conditions personalised employment support.
Pathways to Work advisers – first announced in March 2025 – offer free, voluntary, and personalised help for people assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA).
Under the previous Government these claimants were left behind with no support, and denied the help the need to move into work and out of poverty.
Based in every Jobcentre across England, Scotland and Wales, the specialist advisers identify the barriers people face, provide skills training – such as IT upskilling – and signpost people to work-based training schemes in sectors including construction, hospitality and manufacturing.
With 2.7 million people on Universal Credit assessed as too sick to work, over 170,000 of whom are aged 16 to 24, Pathways to Work advisers are making a real and lasting difference, helping people into good, secure jobs and boosting living standards across the country.
The achievement sits as part of a larger Government focus on supporting people up and down the country into good, secure work, with 920 thousand more people in employment under this government.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Supporting someone instead of writing them off is life-changing, and I’ve seen firsthand how our Pathways to Work advisers are building people’s confidence and helping them achieve their ambitions.
“The welfare system we inherited left too many people without the skills, support or hope they needed to get on in life and build a career.
“We were determined to change that, and we have. Now 100,000 people living with long-term conditions, disabilities and personal challenges who want to work, have taken crucial steps towards that.”
Previous analysis shows participants are 40% more likely than non-participants to be in work after two years – evidence that the programme is making a meaningful and lasting difference to people’s lives, prospects and helping get the wider economy firing on all cylinders.
The Pathways to Work adviser programme is part of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion investment in personalised employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions.
This includes Connect to Work, which provides intensive, tailored job-search assistance, employer engagement and on- and off-the-job support, and WorkWell, which brings together health and employment support to help people stay in or return to work.
It also follows the launch of the £60 million Pathways to Work Innovation Fund, in which businesses, charities and organisations are invited to present bold ideas to help more people into work.
Deborah, who is deaf and manages several long-term health conditions, had been out of work for 16 years. After connecting with her local Pathways to Work adviser, she received tailored support including help with her CV and identifying her transferable skills.
With the help of a BSL interpreter at her appointments, Deborah went from feeling anxious about returning to work to securing a part-time role as a Support Worker with the Deaf Support Network – a job she began at the start of February. She said:
“I wanted to find work that would help my finances and give me more independence, but after 16 years I didn’t know where to start.
“The support changed everything- my adviser believed in me and helped me see what I could offer.
“Now I’m starting a job supporting other deaf people, and it’s just the beginning. I’m already looking forward to building up my hours and earning more.”
The milestone comes as part of the Government’s broader drive to fix the broken welfare system it inherited, including:
Rebalancing Universal Credit to remove the perverse incentives that push people away from work.
Introducing a Right to Try Work Guarantee, giving everyone who can work the chance to do so without fear of losing their benefits.
Investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support for sick or disabled people.
Increasing face-to-face assessments for health benefits.
Tackling fraud and error in the benefits system, saving £14.6 billion over this Parliament
Alan Milburn is due to bring his final recommendations later this year on tackling the barriers young people face, and the Timms review is looking at how to make sure PIP is fit and fair for the future.
Participants are 40% more likely than non-participants to be in work after 2 years (an increase from 8.1% to 11.4%).
Children aged 5-12 can enjoy free hands-on sports sessions at Meadowbank Sports Centre and Drumbrae Leisure Centre this July
Edinburgh Leisure is inviting children across the city to get active this summer with Go for Gold Sports Days, two free events taking place at Meadowbank Sports Centre and Drumbrae Leisure Centre on 30 and 31 July.
Designed for children aged 5–12, the events will offer a range of fun, hands-on sports sessions and active challenges, giving young people the chance to try something new, build confidence and enjoy being active during the school holidays.
Go for Gold is funded by sportscotland’s Summer of Sport 2026 and forms part of a wider effort to make sport and physical activity more accessible, helping more children experience the physical, social and wellbeing benefits of being active.
Sessions will include activities inspired by Commonwealth Games sports, with Meadowbank Sports Centre bringing added sporting heritage as a former two-time Commonwealth Games host venue.
Angela McCowan, Sports Development Manager at Edinburgh Leisure, said:“Go for Gold is a brilliant opportunity for children to get into the spirit of sport this summer, try something new and have fun in a welcoming environment.
“With activities inspired by Commonwealth Games sports, the events are a great way for children to enjoy being active, discover new interests and see what’s on offer at Edinburgh Leisure.”
Bank bonuses have never been higher in cash terms and have seen their highest real terms quarter since the 2008 financial crisis
Bonuses totaled £25 billion in the financial year ending in 2026 Q1
Record bonuses come on top of banks registering eyewatering profits with the big four banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Natwest – making over £1 billion profit a week in Q1
TUC general secretary says huge payouts show that a hike in the bank surcharge tax is “common sense and long overdue”
New analysis from the TUC reveals bank bonuses have hit a post-crash record – as the union body calls for a hike in the bank windfall tax, which it says is “common sense and long overdue”.
Ahead of the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech on Tuesday, the TUC is calling for an increase in the bank surcharge tax to permanently cut energy bills for the majority of households through a social tariff.
Across the financial and insurance industry, a total of £25 billion was paid out in bonuses in the financial year ending in March 2026.
Analysis of the first quarter of 2026, when most bonuses are paid, show that bank bonuses have never been higher in cash terms – and saw their highest real-terms quarter since 2008.
Annual growth of bonuses is also escalating and was 16% in the first quarter of 2026. This has only once been higher since 2008 financial crash.
A cap on bank bonuses to curb the excessive risk taking that led to the 2008 financial crash was removed by the previous Conservative government in 2023.
The union body says that “while sky-high bills are looming for ordinary working people, bank bonuses are booming” which is further evidence that banks could easily afford to pay more tax.
Currently the bank surcharge is an additional 3% corporation tax on the profits of banking companies above £100 million, which was reduced from 8% in April 2023 by the Conservatives.
TUC analysis reveals an increase in the bank surcharge could raise between £9bn-60bn over the next four years:
A 16% surcharge, which is doubling what it originally was before the Conservatives cut it, would deliver £24bn over four years.
A 35% surcharge, which would be the same level as the windfall tax the Conservatives imposed on energy companies, would deliver £60bn over four years.
Even just reversing the Tory cuts and setting it at 8% – which the TUC says is the “bare minimum” – would raise £9bn over four years.
Eyewatering profits
The bonus figures come on top of latest profit data which show the big four banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Natwest – have made £13.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone, despite HSBC profits taking an unexpected hit because of fraud-related charges.
This comes after the big four banks made profits of £45.7bn in 2025. TUC analysis of the wider banking sector shows profits are 40% higher than in the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis.
The TUC says that an increase in the bank surcharge could raise significant funds over the coming years – particularly given the scale of banks’ current windfalls.
The union body also warns that if – as inflation goes up – the Bank of England holds interest rates at a higher level than previously expected, banks will be set to make even more money.
Bank profits have been turbocharged by the removal of the bank surcharge just as high interest rates meant excess profits for banks.
This has led to higher returns both from net interest (the difference on interest charged to borrowers and paid to savers) and interest paid to banks on reserves they hold at the Bank of England.
Tax banks to cut bills
The TUC is calling for an increase in the bank surcharge tax to deliver a permanent social tariff to cut energy bills to all those on low and middle incomes by up to £559 a year.
The scheme design includes a built-in trigger for support levels to ratchet up during acute energy cost crises – such as the current period – to keep bills manageable.
This will protect living standards and help ensure consumer spending holds up. It will also protect our economy from sustained shocks by keeping energy prices down and helping to reduce inflation.
The TUC says if put into place now, the scheme – including the emergency tariff – would cost £3.4-5.9bn per annum, which could be paid for through increasing the bank surcharge. The union body says this would boost the economy far more than allowing big banks to stockpile excess profits.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “While sky-high bills are looming for working people, bank bonuses are booming.
“Every time there is talk of taxing banks, some of the richest people in the country start whining and try to claim they can’t afford to pay any more.
“But the big banks are making a killing off the back of higher interest rates and mortgage misery across the country. They can well afford to pay more tax.
“The case for an increase in the bank surcharge tax has never been greater. It’s a long overdue common-sense solution – and the government should use to money raised to cut people’s energy bills.”
Default overnight curfews and addictive features to be switched off automatically to protect 16 and 17-year-olds on social media
Nighttime curfews to be set by default and features that get teens hooked onto social media to be automatically switched off for 16- and 17-year-olds
Measures look to protect the next generation, ensuring that when kids turn 16, they don’t face a cliff edge of being exposed to the most addictive features online
Tech Secretary also looks at measures to strengthen protections for kids on AI services, including mandatory breaks for U-18s and restrictions on chatbots that offer mental health advice
Default overnight curfews from midnight to 6am will be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps, as the government takes further action to back parents and protect the next generation online.
Features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another and feeds that continually serve up personalised content – will also be switched off by default for older teenagers.
Following the government’s once-in-a-generation ban on social media services for under-16s from Spring next year, these measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years.
The new protections strike a balance between giving older teenagers greater safeguards online while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish.
Today’s measures follow a first-of-its-kind Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK, with families reporting that overnight curfews quickly became part of their routine and helped improve sleep and concentration.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Our consultation provided a clear message from parents and teenagers alike – even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their wellbeing.
“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life.
“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”
Alongside the new protections for social media, the Technology Secretary intends to bring forward a package of measures to help children use AI chatbots safely. These will include:
Regular breaks for under-18s using chatbots, encouraging healthier online habits.
Working with regulators and across government to address services that provide dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice. Ministers will consider all options, including banning chatbots that pose a serious threat to children.
Alongside these protections, the Government will publish new guidance for children, parents and guardians on how to use AI safely and confidently by expanding the Kids Online Safety Hub.
Media literacy skills will also be bolstered in schools, through new RSHE (Relationships, Sex, and Health Education) classes and an updated National Curriculum, which will teach children to navigate new types of technology including artificial intelligence and AI chatbots, identify mis- and disinformation as well as violent and misogynistic content.
The first set of regulations on the social media restrictions will be laid before Parliament by the end of this year, with measures expected to come into force in spring 2027, alongside robust implementation and enforcement.
Baroness Hallett, Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, yesterday published her fifth report. It examines how the UK government and devolved administrations procured and distributed vital healthcare equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic and makes recommendations for the future.
Module 5 Procurement’, the fifth of the Inquiry’s 10 investigations, highlights multiple failings, particularly at the outset of the pandemic.
The Chair concludes that systemic flaws, inadequate planning and other failures caused unnecessary delays in health and social care staff getting the personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and testing equipment they desperately needed.
As the pandemic worsened, many doctors, nurses and care sector staff worked without adequate PPE or sufficient healthcare equipment such as ventilators. This left them unable to properly protect themselves, or those in their care, from dangerous infection.
Baroness Hallett finds that the UK entered the pandemic with its PPE stockpile in a perilous state – without enough vital supplies and with large quantities of expired equipment. There were no plans in place for emergency procurement or distribution. Additionally, the UK was “simply not ready to compete” in the global market race to secure vital healthcare equipment and ministers and officials were forced to improvise – establishing new procurement systems within days.
The Chair concludes that the “waste of taxpayers’ money was vast”. This significantly damaged public trust and undermined the hard work of many procurement officials.
The ‘High Priority Lane’, also known as the ‘VIP Lane’, was a misguided attempt at prioritisation that embedded unfairness in emergency procurement. Some suppliers received favourable treatment because they had connections to government, undermining public trust at a moment when it was needed most.
Although the Inquiry has not identified cronyism or corruption on the part of ministers and officials in final contracting decisions, the Chair concludes that the ‘High Priority’ Lane should not have been established and must not be repeated.
Of the approximately £14.9 billion spent on PPE, nearly two thirds – almost £10 billion – was wasted. The total spent across the UK government and devolved administrations on PPE, ventilators and testing equipment between January 2020 and June 2022 exceeded £42 billion.
In spite of these failings, today’s report cites the successes of pandemic procurement. Businesses, the public and the UK’s domestic life sciences and advanced manufacturing sectors rallied enthusiastically to help. The Army provided vital logistical expertise. The collaboration between the public and private sectors should serve as a model for how governments respond to future pandemics.
Overall, the Chair concludes that had ministers and officials been better equipped with appropriate plans, information and systems, procurement decisions would have been easier, fairer and far less costly – and equipment would have reached those who needed it faster.
Baroness Heather Hallett, Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, said: “When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the world entered a desperate race to secure vital healthcare equipment and supplies. In the global battle to procure equipment and supplies, the UK was simply not ready to compete – the bodies responsible were caught off-guard, with inadequate and untested plans to increase emergency procurement and distribution operations rapidly.
“The waste of taxpayers’ money was vast. The public must be able to trust that their money is being spent with propriety, fairness and transparency. Public confidence – so important in an emergency – was undermined by the failures in procurement.
“The changes I recommend are an investment in the resilience and preparedness of the UK. They are a small price to pay to ensure that, next time, the public can be confident in the crucial spending decisions that will have to be made and that key healthcare equipment gets to those who need it at the right time. A better prepared emergency procurement system will reduce the cost of obtaining essential supplies and save lives.”
The report sets out 11 recommendations which – if implemented promptly, in full and in concert with recommendations in other Inquiry reports – form a blueprint for how the UK can better prepare for, and respond to, future pandemics.
A four-page brief summary of the report can be found on the Inquiry’s website and is available in a variety of languages and accessible formats.
The report addresses the award of contracts to PPE Medpro Ltd, which is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation. The Module 5 report contains a chapter that sets out the Inquiry’s findings on evidence related to PPE Medpro – this chapter cannot be published on 14 July 2026 as it is covered by a Restriction Order granted by the Chair to ensure that current or future criminal investigations are not undermined.
Unless the Order is varied or revoked in the meantime, the chapter will be published once the Order has been lifted following the conclusion of any criminal proceedings.
In total, 48 witnesses gave oral evidence for the Module 5 investigation over 16 days of public hearings held in London in March 2025. The Inquiry heard from a wide range of witnesses including serving and former senior politicians, leading scientists, key medical professionals and civil servants.
Some of Baroness Hallett’s conclusions are as follows:
The UK was unprepared for emergency procurement at pandemic scale. The UK entered the pandemic with an inadequate stockpile of PPE and plans that had never been stress-tested. Officials and ministers were forced to improvise, establishing new emergency procurement and distribution systems within days.
The waste of public money was vast and could have been avoided. Of approximately £14.9 billion spent on PPE, nearly two thirds – almost £10 billion – was wasted. Better planning would have resulted in fairer, faster and less costly procurement decisions.
The ‘High Priority Lane’ was a misguided attempt at prioritisation that created unfairness and undermined public trust. Some suppliers received favourable treatment on account of their connections with the government. Although the Inquiry has not identified cronyism or corruption on the part of ministers or officials in final contracting decisions, the ‘High Priority Lane’ should not have been established and must not be repeated.
Public confidence was damaged by a lack of transparency. Priority was given to speed of procurement over openness with the public. Although understandable at the outset, this lack of transparency, combined with the unfairness of the High Priority Lane, diminished public trust in emergency procurement.
The UK’s over-reliance on a single country for supplies left it dangerously exposed. The UK’s supplier base was too concentrated in China and domestic manufacturing capabilities had not been adequately considered in planning, leaving the country vulnerable at a critical moment.
The Chair considers that all Module 5 recommendations should be implemented in full and in a timely manner. The Inquiry will monitor the implementation of the recommendations during its lifetime. In summary, the Inquiry recommends:
Radically overhauling supply chain resilience and emergency procurement and distribution systems, establishing clear and tested plans before the next pandemic.
Creating an emergency international trade and domestic industrial strategy, treating key healthcare equipment as a strategic national asset.
Setting specific objectives for international trade and domestic industry during a pandemic, encouraging investment, research and development in advanced manufacturing of healthcare equipment.
Digitalising procurement and distribution systems within three years, enabling the real-time collection, sharing and analysis of data across the UK government and devolved administrations.
Improving the composition and management of the pandemic stockpile to reflect the full range of pandemic risks and the diversity of the health and social care workforce.
Establishing a training programme for procurement officials, ensuring sufficient numbers of skilled staff are ready for deployment in an emergency.
Improving transparency, governance and accountability in emergency procurement, so that the public can be confident that money is being spent with propriety and fairness.
A full list of the Inquiry’s recommendations can be found in the full report.
Come along and join us on Saturday 1st August for our Family Fun Day!
As well as our regular Bookbug session at 10:30am, we will have fun Circus Skills, Facepainting, Balloon Modelling, live entertainment, crafts and refreshments.
Very High risk of wildfire warning for Central Highlands, Southern and Eastern Scotland: 15-20 July
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) have issued a wildfire warning for some parts of Scotland:
Central Highlands, Southern and Eastern Scotland: from Wednesday, 15 July to Monday, 20 July, there will be a very high risk of wildfire.
SFRS’ Wildfire Tactical Advisor, Kevin Dingwall, said: “A very high wildfire risk is forecast across central highlands, southern and eastern Scotland later this week and into the weekend.
“We know many people will want to enjoy the warmer weather. If you’re spending time outdoors, please do so responsibly and take simple steps to prevent fires from starting.
“Hot, dry conditions increase the risk of wildfire across Scotland. Even if a warning is not in place where you live, we ask everyone to stay vigilant.
“Wildfires can destroy property, landscapes and wildlife. That’s why it’s so important that everyone takes extra care during these conditions.
“Avoid lighting outdoor fires or barbecues in affected areas, and remember that a single spark can cause significant damage. There is no such thing as a harmless fire.
“You can help by sharing wildfire warnings with your family, friends, and any visitors.”
If you see a large outdoor fire, call 999 immediately. Give the location and any other relevant information so we can respond quickly.
