EVOC is inviting Edinburgh-based charities and local good causes of all sizes, to attend the Good Cause Launch Event on Thursday 9th September at 2pm, where you will get a chance to find out more and sign up.
How the Lottery Works:
Tickets for the Edinburgh Community Lottery will cost £1. A whopping 60p (compared to just 25p from tickets by the National Lottery) from every ticket goes towards local good causes.
There will be a weekly draw with a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers. The other prizes on offer include: £2500, £250, £25, or three free tickets!
There are two parts to the Edinburgh Community Lottery scheme:
Good causes across Edinburgh will be able to set up their own lottery page, receiving 50p from every £1 spent by players. A further 10p from every £1 will go into an EVOC good causes fund, with the remainder being put towards prizes, operating costs, and VAT.
Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the Edinburgh Community Lottery, with 60p from their ticket going into the general EVOC good causes fund, which will then be distributed by the organsation.
EVOC’s Deputy Chief Executive, Ian Brooke, said: “We’re really excited to be launching the Edinburgh Community Lottery, a new way to support communities and good causes in Edinburgh.
“While the past eighteen months have thrown a spotlight on the amazing work of community groups and voluntary organisations everywhere, it has also stretched staff, volunteers, and resources up to and beyond breaking point.
“That, combined with the loss of fundraising activities in light of Covid restrictions, means that the Lottery is a really important new opportunity for good causes to raise money, making sure they can continue to support citizens and communities across our city.”
If you would like to find out more, get in touch with the Edinburgh Community Lottery team at EVOC: communitylottery@evoc.org.uk
A new, pilot mechanical thrombectomy service for stroke patients in the East of Scotland has been launched today.
The pilot will be based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and will help pave the way for an eventual national service set to benefit hundreds of people who have been struck with a life-threatening stroke.
John Watson, Associate Director of the Stroke Association in Scotland said: “This service is long awaited, overdue, but very welcome indeed.
“Thrombectomy is a remarkable procedure. It involves inserting a long tube into an artery in the leg, which is then fed through the body to reach the blood clot in the brain. The blood clot is then captured in a mesh and pulled out.
“The removal of the clot allows blood flow to resume and oxygen to reach the brain, halting the damaging effects of the stroke. These are blood clots which are too big to be broken down by clot-busting drugs and are usually associated with severe strokes and the worst outcomes for patients.
“Around one in every three people who receive a thrombectomy following their stroke will be less disabled as a result. Around one in five will be able to function completely independently afterwards.
“Thrombectomy has the power to save lives and reduce disability for around one in every ten people who have a stroke.
“The Edinburgh-based pilot is an important milestone on the road to a national 24/7 thrombectomy service for Scotland. A pilot service for the North of Scotland based in Dundee, has been underway since November last year, and we look forward to a third thrombectomy centre in Glasgow coming online next year.”
In addition to improving quality of life, thrombectomy generates substantial savings for the NHS by reducing the need for other interventions or care in the future. Research indicates that, on average, every thrombectomy procedure saves the NHS £47, 000 over a 5-year period.
A stroke is a brain attack. The effects can be devastating. Stroke is a leading cause of severe adult disability. Almost two thirds of survivors leave hospital with a disability. Many have problems with speech and communication, thinking and vision. It can also affect peoples’ emotions and personality.
Alison Maclean, 72, from Dundee had her stroke just before lockdown in January 2020. It was a massive stroke that could have taken away her independence, but following a thrombectomy, she regained full function and has gone back to the life she had before her stroke, almost unchanged.
Angela said: “I am back to doing all the things I did before my stroke: seeing friends and family, reading, watching telly, going on my exercise bike and for walks.”
See foot of article for Angela’s story
John continued: “We want all eligible patients to have access to this game-changing treatment, as quickly as possible. But thrombectomy cannot deliver in isolation. It needs to be part of a new, re-shaped service covering the whole pathway from 999 call, to hospital treatment, recovery and rehabilitation.
“The Scottish Government recognises the need for stroke improvements, which is extremely encouraging. It already has a draft framework of what its own advisors, stroke clinicians and the wider stroke community including the Stroke Association want to see. This is the result of good work by all involved.
“We look forward to seeing the final report and recommendations at the end of the year. But of course, it is the delivery of change and improvement that really matters so we look forward even more, to a commitment early next year to publish a plan to deliver on it.”
Alison Maclean’s stroke story of receiving a thrombectomy
Alison Maclean, 72, from Dundee had her stroke during lockdown in January 2021. It was a massive stroke and she received a thrombectomy resulting in enormous success. The stroke could otherwise have left Alison unable to talk or walk.
I had an accidental fall on 21 Jan 2021. I rang NHS24 in complete agony. Two dayslater I was in hospital getting it checked out.
I had a fractured femur which was put in a plaster-cast and an operation was planned on 26th Jan 2021. On the morning of my operation, I suddenly developed left sided weakness, vision difficulties and problems speaking.
The doctor in the orthopaedic ward called for help. I don’t remember very much other than being asked to lift my arm and lift my leg and answer questions.
I thought I was ok, but the next thing I remember is the doctor telling me that he thought I might have had a stroke. I believe I was rushed in to a room to get a brain scan following which I underwent a thrombectomy. Apparently some blood had leaked from my femur bone causing a clot thereafter the stroke.
The next thing I remember was being in ICU. A nurse came up to me and told me that I’d had a stroke and had just received a procedure to remove a blood clot to help with my recovery.
I was quite relaxed about being told about the fact that I’d had a stroke, but my son called me and he was very distressed about it. I guess he had had to deal with the stress of seeing his Mum in a life-threatening situation making decisions on my behalf. I was unaware of how ill I was at the time, so there are big gaps in my recollection of what happened.
I felt fine following the procedure and apart from my hand shaking uncontrollably for the first day, everything else seemed normal. I was discharged on 2 February 2021. I feel great, just the same and I am back to doing all the things I did before my stroke: seeing friends and family, reading, watching telly, going on my exercise bike and for walks.
Lockdown has been absolutely fine. I’ve been in a bubble, so have had some company and when lockdown eased briefly last summer, I met a few friends and we’d have a cup of tea and biscuit together.
I am very positive about thrombectomy and the fact it probably saved my life. It should be available to everyone who needs it. My life is back to normal and that may never have happened if I had not received a thrombectomy.
As part of the Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership’s Summer Season Conversations, community researchers will be in Fresh Start Pantry on Wednesday (8th September) from 9.30am – 12.30pm to meet with members of the local community to chat about wellbeing and what it means to them.
Fresh Start will host this as safely as possible and it will be a drop in session with track and trace upon entry and social distance within the space.
There are still stalls available at our Volunteer Recruitment Fair but we will be closing bookings on Friday 10 September so please book now to avoid missing out.
Looking for volunteers? Why not book a stall at our Volunteer Recruitment Fair but don’t leave it too long as stalls are going quickly.
The largest of its kind in Scotland, our annual fair is a fantastic opportunity to meet face to face with hundreds of potential volunteers from across the city. The fair will also feature access to volunteering and employment specialists and a friendly café to relax and refresh in.
“Great event, environment, and lay-out. Great Opportunity to not only meet potential volunteers but network. This is not common. Thanks.”
When? Wednesday 22 September 2021 from 11.00am until 7.00pm.
Where? St Paul’s and St George’s Church on York Place. Click here to view this venue on a map.
What does is cost? The event is free to visitors. Bookings for stallholders are charged and we have a number of payment options available.
You can find out more and book here or by clicking on the purple button below.
The Fair will showcase the wide range of ways that people can get involved in volunteering with organisations big and small, local and national, who serve a diverse range of communities and causes all coming together with the common aim to attract new volunteers.
“Really impressed with how many people attended today, we had to replenish our information packs as we underestimated the demand. I would definitely come again as it was very worthwhile.”
Entry is free to the public, and more than a thousand potential volunteers are expected to visit and experience the diverse range of ways they can become involved. So what are you waiting for? Book now before you miss out!
If you have any questions about booking a stall or being a stallholder please contact Jason McCann from our events team at events@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk.
Additional resources for stallholders including an exhibitors guide, a stallholder map, and a venue risk assessment will be made available on our website as soon as they are ready.
Abuse directed at retail and bar staff who ask customers to comply with the law and wear face coverings will not be tolerated, Justice Secretary Keith Brown said yesterday.
It continues to be a legal requirement to wear face coverings in places such as shops and pubs and on public transport unless exempt – and Mr Brown said any form of abuse, threats or violence faced by workers as a result of simply doing their job is “completely unacceptable”.
It comes as new powers came into force in Scotland last month, making assaulting, threating or abusing certain staff a new standalone offence. Previously such conduct would be dealt with under more general offences.
Face coverings are a hugely important mitigation in the fight against COVID-19 as they create a physical barrier that helps stop the virus spreading from an infected person, while providing a degree of protection to the wearer against exposure to the virus.
Mr Brown urged people to follow the rules and treat staff with respect as Scotland continued to face high infection levels.
He said: “I would like to thank the vast majority of people who continue to wear face coverings and urge people to please follow the rules and guidelines still in place. It is still a requirement to wear face coverings in indoor public places, such as shops, public transport and when entering and moving about in hospitality settings.
“Everyone who can should wear a face covering because it is a simple and vital measure we can take to protect others and stem the spread of this deadly virus.
“Retail workers and those working in hospitality play a vital role serving our communities which has been clearly demonstrated throughout the pandemic and it’s extremely important they know they have the protection of the law when carrying out their duties.
“Any form of abuse, threats or violence faced by such workers as a result of simply doing their job is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“Parliament recently introduced a standalone law with penalties of up to 12 months in prison and fines up to £10,000 for this type of behaviour and staff serving communities across Scotland can be assured the police and prosecution services stand ready to respond to any instances as necessary.”
DCC Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland said: “Everyone has the right to go to their work without being threatened or assaulted.
“Retail workers now have added protection in law and the police will act on reports we receive about this kind of unacceptable behaviour.
“I would also continue to encourage people to follow the regulations and guidance that remain in place to help stop the spread of coronavirus.”
Solicitor General for Scotland Ruth Charteris QC said: “People in any walk of life should expect to go about their business without the fear of threats or abuse.
“This is true of shop workers who are protected in law and deserve our thanks and appreciation for the work they have done throughout the pandemic.”
By law, you must wear a face covering in certain indoor public places, including public transport, in Scotland unless an exemption applies.
With 850 million downloads last year, TikTok is the world’s most popular app
However, four Facebook-owned social platforms appear among the top six, with a combined figure of more than two billion downloads
This accounts for almost half of the Top 10’s global download figures
A new study shows that while TikTok has been revealed as the world’s most popular and downloaded mobile app, social media giant Facebook dominates the market with four of its platforms.
Research conducted by app development company Bacancy Technology outlines that social video-sharing platform TikTok was downloaded a total of 850 million times last year, receiving 250 million more downloads than the second most popular app on the list, WhatsApp.
However, having acquired Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, Facebook takes up four spots in the Top 10 most popular apps of 2020, with a combined total of more than two billion downloads. This figure accounts for 46% of the total download figures within the top 10 list.
Following last year’s increase in remote working, conference call platform Zoom – which ranks fifth on the global list – received 477 million downloads last year, coupled with an increase in revenue of 317% over figures from 2019.
Top 10 Global Apps of 2020
App
Downloads 2020
TikTok
850 million
WhatsApp
600 million
Facebook
540 million
Instagram
503 million
Zoom
477 million
Messenger
404 million
Snapchat
281 million
Telegram
256 million
Google Meet
254 million
Netflix
223 million
Assessing a number of the most popular social platforms, the United States – which has the third largest population count in the world – ranks as the country with the highest active user counts for Tiktok, Instagram and Snapchat.
India, with the second highest population in the world, has the largest amount of users of both WhatsApp and Facebook.
Country with highest users counts for Apps (raw user figures)
App
Country with highest user count
# of users, in millions
% of population
TikTok
United States
65.9
19%
Whatsapp
India
390
27%
Facebook
India
320
22%
Instagram
United States
140
42%
Snapchat
United States
108
32%
However, analysing an app’s number of users as a percentage of each country’s population reveals that TikTok has the highest penetration in the Netherlands with 22% of its population using TikTok. This is followed by the US (19%) and Norway (18%).
Seven in 10 Spanish citizens are actively using Whatsapp, while three quarters of the population of the Philippines have active profiles on Facebook – a figure that trumps both America (57%) and the UK (55%).
Half of the Turkish population are active on their Instagram accounts – representing the country with the highest usage, and the same can be said of Snapchat’s popularity in Saudi Arabia, with 50% of the population holding active user accounts.
Naturally, these figures do not factor in fake accounts or users that may have more than one social media account, though they show an interesting indication of each app’s global popularity.
Country with highest users counts for Apps (as a percentage of population)
App
Country with highest user count
# of users, in millions
Population
% of population
TikTok
Netherlands
3.8
17,178,419
22%
US
65.9
333,230,770
19%
Norway
1
5,469,887
18.20%
Whatsapp
Spain
33
46,775,584
70%
Italy
35
60,359,657
58.00%
Germany
48
84,091,604
57%
Facebook
Philippines
83
111,249,116
74%
Thailand
51
70,000,662
72%
Mexico
93
130,486,512
71%
Instagram
Turkey
44
85,379,961
51%
Brazil
95
214,289,417
44%
US
140
333,230,770
42%
Snapchat
Saudi Arabia
19.6
35,433,662
55%
France
24.5
65,439,407
37%
United States
108
333,230,770
32%
TikTok triumphs once again as the world’s highest-grossing app, with reported revenue of 540 million USD last year. Despite lockdown restrictions limiting face-to-face contact, online dating platform Tinder lands in second place with 513 million USD, and streaming video giant YouTube rounds off the top three, snatching up 478 million USD.
Highest grossing app of 2020 (Global)
App
Revenue, millions USD
TikTok
540
Tinder
513
YouTube
478
Disney
314
Tencent Video
300
Piccoma
289
Line Manga
249
iQIYI
240
Netflix
209
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Bacancy Technology said: “Lockdown restrictions and the ‘stay at home’ mantra of 2020 caused many of us to turn to the internet and various apps for entertainment and to indulge in some level of human interaction.
“TikTok’s seemingly endless library of entertainment has clearly captured the attention of millions of people, while the staple social media apps continue to be an integral part of our daily lives.”
This research was conducted by app development company Bacancy Technology, an exclusive hub of top software developers, UI/UX designers, QA experts and more, offering development services aimed at the creation of high-end, enviable applications.
‘Great presence, energetic style, full of talent’ – BBC Studios
‘ A confident, engaging and extremely likeable host’ – Dabster Productions
‘Zara is a compelling storyteller and powerful speaker who clearly wants to make a positive impact on the world.’ – Pinky Lilani CBE DL, Women of The Future
Scottish-Pakistani comedian shortlisted for the Comedy Writing Award 2021 and Comedy Shorts Award 2021
Scottish-Pakistani comedian Zara Janjua has been shortlisted for two Funny Women Awards this year. She is one of 10 comedians listed for the Comedy Writing Award, sponsored by Sky Studios and is also up for the Comedy Shorts Awards, sponsored by NextUp Comedy.
Funny Women is an important industry platform for women looking to break into comedy. So far, over 4,000 gob-smackingly talented comics have taken part in 17 competitions, and their alumni include, Sarah Millican, Zoe Lyons, Sarah Pasco, Katherine Ryan, London Hughes, Desiree Burch, Kerry Godliman, Rachel Parris.
Comedy writer, Zara Janjua entered a pilot for her sitcom ‘Doulas’, a story about a Scottish-Pakistani Muslim news presenter who is having baby with a sperm bank. The former STV News presenter turned to comedy in 2016 and won a spot in the BBC Comedy Writers Room, ITV 50:50 Female Pilot Club and was recently awarded a runner-up prize for comedy writing with the David Nobbs Memorial Trust.
She said: “I am genuinely thrilled to be on the shortlist for these two awards, alongside some incredibly talented women. The awards are an exciting platform for women and help to create opportunities for us in the industry.”
In 2018 a study revealed that less than 11% of comedy on TV in the UK is written by women.
Zara said: “I wanted to be part of the solution and break into the boy’s club. The industry is dominated by white, middle-aged, privately-educated men. The lack of diversity means there are so many untapped pockets and untold stories out there.”
Zara’s entry for the Comedy Shorts Award ‘Match of the Yesterday: Euro 1314’ was a collaboration with Mid-Brow and was released during the Euros ahead of the Scotland-England game. She plays a medieval news presenter during the Battle of Bannockburn. It is available on the BBC iPlayer.
Finalists will be announced on September 14th and award ceremony takes place on September 24th at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Winners receive cash prizes, mentorship from Funny Women and the Comedy Shorts winner will also receive a funded development prize.
Around 9.50pm last night (Saturday, 4 September, 2021) police were called after the body of a man was discovered in the river at the rear of Harlaw Road in Balerno.
The deceased has been formally identified as Walter Anderson (84) who had been reported missing from the Edinburgh area.
His relatives are aware.
There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
The media and members of the public are thanked for their support during the police investigation.
We’ve been planning a new survey as we approach the end of Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). It’s intended that the results of this survey will give an in-depth view of what it means to be excluded 18 months on.
We’re working with an expert to analyse the results and this will form the major part of a detailed report that we’ll be publishing towards the end of September. This work will also take a comparative look at our previous surveys since June 2020 which we hope will be a key piece of work for MPs, government bodies, press and other organisations to reference as well vital data to help us continue to push for change.
We know that this survey is slightly more in-depth than our previous surveys, but we do hope you’ll help us in furthering our lobbying efforts by completing this survey as fully as possible and please do share with your relevant contacts.
Roast dinners, strawberries and cream, fish and chips – the UK is clearly a nation of food lovers. But new figures show that we are also a nation of food wasters, with the average family throwing away around £350 of food each year.
Divert.co.uk, the food waste collection company that hates waste, thinks that it’s time for the UK to stop throwing away so much food and find new ways to use up all of our produce.
“There are 28 million households in the UK, throwing the equivalent of a pound’s worth of food away every day,” says Mark Hall, spokesman for Divert.co.uk. “We did the maths – that’s over TEN BILLION POUNDS annually.
“Think of how many needy people we could feed with that.”
Crunching the numbers on wasted food
The UK throws away over 9 ½ billion tonnes of food waste a year, enough to fill up the Royal Albert Hall 190 times over.
That’s a total of each household throwing away nearly 2kg of food each day.
And of this waste, 41% of it is thrown away because it wasn’t used in time, 28% because of personal preferences, and 25% of waste is unwanted leftovers.
With this much surplus food being produced and sold across the UK, it’s hard to believe that the numbers of people living in poverty and going hungry are increasing – especially when there’s enough food to go around.
But unfortunately, 8.4 million people in the UK are currently living in food poverty, which is where individuals or families are unable to access or afford food – a circumstance which can be triggered by a personal or financial crisis.
The Trussell Trust, a charity that aim to stop UK hunger, handed out 2.5 million emergency food parcels between April 2020 and March 2021, a 33% increase on the previous year – and 980,000 of these were for children.
Hall: “If we can make the most of what we have across the UK as a collective and find a way to redistribute the good food that is wasted to those that are hungry, we can prevent this unjust behaviour of allowing people to starve when so much is thrown away.
“We’re not a poor country, just a little collective thought will make everything so much better.”
Luckily, there are organisations and charities who are already getting stuck in to make sure good food finds its way to those who need it instead of ending up in the bin.
FareShare – who redistribute surplus food to those in need – provide enough food to create nearly 1 million meals for vulnerable people each week.
The real junk food project – is an organisation that uses food that would otherwise have been discarded from supermarkets, restaurants, and other independent food suppliers to produce meals that are sold on a pay what you want basis
Hall: “We need to expand on this incredible work to make sure it reaches more people, and really tackle the food waste crisis that is drowning the UK under mountains of rotting produce.”
Make your food go further
If like many others up and down the country you are guilty of throwing away perfectly good food, there are plenty of things you can do to try and minimise how much goes in the bin.
Why not try meal planning so you are only buying exactly what you need for the week and try cooking things in bulk and freezing excess portions for easy dinners?
Or you could get creative with new dishes to use up food approaching its use-by date, such as chucking everything into a stir fry, or a everything-but-the-kitchen-sink casserole.
Another simple trick is to make sure you are storing your food correctly to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
Hall: “I didn’t realise until recently that foods like bananas and apples shouldn’t be stored near each other or other fruits and vegetables, because they are highly gaseous and speed up how quickly foods begin to rot.
“You can also use lemon juice to keep cut avocados fresh and put paper towels under leafy greens to make them last longer.”
Finally, look at local charities and organisations to see if there are any ways you can donate food that will not be eaten before it perishes, or try to offer it to friends or neighbours.
So all is not lost, and you can save money and reduce your waste just by planning ahead and getting savvy with the food you already have.
Hall: “But the best tip I can give you is to never go food shopping when you’re hungry – last time I ended up leaving the supermarket with everything for a barbeque and then it rained all week.
“Greed gets the better of us – buy less, make it go further.”
