Scottish Government publishes education recovery strategy

‘Missed opportunity’, says EIS

Plans to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic have been published by the Scottish Government – but Scotland’s biggest teaching union the EIS has dismissed the plans as a ‘missed opportunity’ and say Scotland must show more ambition.

Created with input from across the sector, including young people, the Education Recovery strategy outlines how almost £500 million has been used to support learners and staff across the country.

The publication also sets out how the Scottish Government will continue to provide ongoing support to the sector.

This includes:

  • further support for learners who are sitting exams in 2022
  • access to in-school mental health and wellbeing support that young people need, including counselling services
  • recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this parliamentary term
  • expanding funded early learning and childcare for children aged 1 and 2, starting with low-income households
  • committing £1 billion to tackle the poverty related attainment gap and support education recovery

Speaking after visiting the site of the new £47.2 million Wallyford Secondary Learning Facility, Ms Somerville said: “Our collaborative and ambitious programme of support to aid recovery right across our education sector has been underway for many months.

“Schools are still dealing with the pandemic and we will continue to support them through these challenging time. However, as a Government we must also be focused on recovery. Supporting children and young people remains our top priority, and almost £500 million of additional funding has already been committed during 2020/21 and 2021/22 as part of education recovery. Of this, £240m is to recruit extra staff to ensure resilience and to provide additional support for learners and teachers.

“Other initiatives will play a crucial role, such as the provision of free school breakfasts and lunches all year round for all children in P1-7, digital devices for every child, abolition of fees for instrumental music tuition, removal of core curriculum charges, and our extended early learning and childcare offer.

“Pupils sitting exams in spring 2022 will be offered a package of support, which will include online revision classes and targeted help for those who need it most. At the heart of all of this is our children and young people, who we will ensure have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential in school and beyond.”

Read Education Recovery: Key Actions and Next Steps.

Commenting following the publication of the plan, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Clearly, there are significant elements within the plan to be welcomed – not least the commitment to increasing teacher numbers, the creation of more permanent posts to tackle the scandal of 10% of current teaching posts being temporary, and the reduction in class contact time to 21 hours.

“Overall, however, the plan largely restates existing workstreams and fails to promote a single big initiative such as a reduction in class sizes, which would catalyse an education recovery programme and bring immediate benefits to Scotland’s children and young people.

“Smaller class sizes, even on a limited basis as a starting point, such as P2 and P3 or S1 and S2, would mean more teacher time per pupil and assist with targeted interventions where the pandemic has impacted disproportionately on children’s lives. As a country, we need to be bolder in our ambitions for our youth.”

Responding to the Education Recovery Plan, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “While we welcome the commitment to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through this plan, greater action is needed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people.

“Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. At the end June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), double that of the previous year.

“Increased funding to deliver new and enhanced community-based services, including counselling services, as outlined in the plan is welcomed. This however comes on the back of funding restrictions to these services. We must look to greatly increased investment in an expanded range of mental health services as part of a national crusade to address the impacts of the pandemic.

“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is more important than ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for COVID-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”

Keep Calm and Curry on!

PIZZA AND CURRY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL CURRY WEEK

– Morrisons limited edition Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza will be made fresh in store on Market Street –      

– Morrisons famous Volcanic Vindaloo also returns to shelves alongside new Burnin’ Bhajis –    

Morrisons has launched three new dishes to help celebrate National Curry Week this year, from the 4th – 10th October. 

Available for a limited time only, the Morrisons Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is ideal for curry lovers looking for an indulgent night in. At just £2.89, it’s a fraction of the cost of other limited edition pizzas available from high-street chains. 

Made fresh by Morrisons foodmakers on Market Street, the 10-inch stonebaked pizza is topped with onion bhajis, spicy chicken breast, mixed peppers and dollops of Patak’s tikka masala sauce – before being finished with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Made to share, it’s perfect for a night in with family or friends.

And to offer customers an even spicier way to celebrate National Curry Week, Morrisons is bringing back its famous Volcanic Vindaloo.  Available in-store now for just £2, the super hot curry is made with chargrilled marinated chicken breast pieces in an extra hot sauce with naga chilli paste and topped with a chargrilled green chilli. 

Naga chillies have a Scoville rating of up to one million – 200 times hotter than Tabasco Sauce or a Jalapeño. Some Naga chilli varieties are hotter than pepper spray and others have been used to develop tear gas grenades! 

Carrying a 6 chilli warning notice, the Volcanic Vindaloo is also topped with whole green chillies – roasted to intensify the flavour and heat – in the unlikely event that curry fans fancy an even bigger chilli hit. 

Customers can pair their favourite dish with the new Burnin’ Bhaji – a sizzling side made with sweet onion spiced with red chilli in a crisp, golden batter – all for a pocket-friendly £1.

Morrisons Ready Meals Expert, Chris Strong, said: “Customers have been asking us to bring back our Volcanic Vindaloo so we’re excited to put it back on our shelves this October. Be warned, it packs a punch!”

Morrisons Pizza Expert, Leanne Cory, said: “Our Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is a must-try for spice lovers.

“We know our customers love trying unique pizzas with friends and the new limited edition dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser while raising temperatures. Available now on our Market Street counter for under £3, so that all our customers can enjoy this fiery treat on a budget.”

The Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is available now from Morrisons Market Street Pizza Counter and will be made fresh in store by Morrisons foodmakers every day until the 24th of October. 

Make 2nds Count: Ignorance of secondary breast cancer – a deadly lack of knowledge  

Two-fifths of UK population are unaware of the condition killing 1,000 women and men every month 

 Astonishingly, just under two-fifths of the adult population in the UK are ignorant about secondary breast cancer, a new survey shows. 

The disease killed former Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding last month yet according to a YouGov poll just three weeks later, 38% of those questioned say they don’t know what secondary breast cancer is. 

Furthermore, 21% are aware of this form of cancer, but oblivious of any signs or symptoms indicating the spread of the incurable disease. 

The survey, to coincide with October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, was commissioned by Make 2nds Count, a patient and family-focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer. 

Emma Hall, Head of Fundraising and Engagement at Make 2nds Count, says: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK but despite all the coverage of the sad passing of Sarah Harding, what has not been clear is that she had secondary breast cancer.  And that lack of knowledge is borne out by the results of our poll. Saying it’s unusual or rare or she was unlucky losing her battle doesn’t apply to secondary breast cancer. 

“There are about 35,000 people in the UK currently living with the disease and 1,000 lose their lives every month. The coverage has focused on checking for primary breast cancer, but not secondary, so people are not being informed about the different signs and symptoms to look for. We need more education, support and research, and understanding that with secondary breast cancer you won’t be cured, you can only be treated.” 

The poll, of 2113 UK adults carried out at the end of September, also showed that 44% of respondents think that young women – those aged 15-39 – have the best chance of survival. But breast cancer in young women can be more aggressive and it’s actually the 60-69 age group who live longer after diagnosis. 

Edinburgh mum Lisa Fleming, 38, Founder of Make 2nds Count, knew nothing about secondary breast cancer more than four years ago when, without any warning signs, she learned she had primary and secondary breast cancer. It had already spread to the majority of her bones and a few months later spread to her brain.  

She had no previous breast cancer diagnosis and no lump. She is still living with the death sentence and founded Make 2nds Count to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer. 

She says: “We desperately need people to be aware of this forgotten form of breast cancer. We need to change the narrative, raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of this disease and in turn save lives.” 

Project Servator: Keeping people safe during COP26

Police Scotland is launching a six week campaign to highlight the work of Project Servator – a tactic designed to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.

Project Servator deployments will form an important part of the policing operation for COP26 and Police Scotland has been working with Glasgow City Council, British Transport Police (BTP) and the business community to build a network of vigilance and encourage the reporting of suspicious or unusual activity.

The highly visible and unpredictable deployments are carried out regularly across the country by police officers specially trained to identify individuals who may be planning or preparing to commit a crime.

These officers are supported by a range of specialist resources including police dogs, horses, armed officers, CCTV operators and security staff, and can use Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology.

Key to the success of Project Servator is the support of the public to be extra eyes and ears for the police, reporting anything that doesn’t seem right, to help make it even harder for criminals to succeed. A six week advertising campaign will remind people of the important part they can play.

Superintendent Pat O’Callaghan, Lead Planner for COP26, said: “COP26 is one of the largest policing operations the UK has seen and we plan to utilise all resources at our disposal to support the delivery of a safe and secure event.

“Project Servator has proven to be an effective tactic in helping to disrupt criminal activity and keep people safe and has been deployed successfully at major events in the past such as the Commonwealth Games and Edinburgh Festivals.

“Support from businesses, partners and members of the public is vital to its success which is why we are working with communities, British Transport Police and local authorities and councils across the country, including the host city of Glasgow. We can all play a part and I would encourage you to get involved.

“If there’s a Project Servator deployment taking place in your area, speak to our officers who will be happy to provide information and reassurance. Together, we’ll help keep COP26 and Scotland safe. Remember if you see something suspicious, or if something doesn’t feel right, let us know immediately. You can do this by speaking to a police officer or calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

Superintendent Dave Marshall, British Transport Police said: “We’ve been using Project Servator across the railway network for nearly six years now and seen first-hand the effectiveness of this tactic in deterring crime and terrorism, particularly when it comes to policing significant events.

“Project Servator will form a vital part of our policing operation for COP26, as we work closely with Police Scotland and our railway partners to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public.

“Passengers can expect to see specialist resources such as search dogs and armed police on patrol as part of these Project Servator deployments, but we need your help too. Please remember to keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and report it to us using our discreet text number 61016 or 999 in an emergency.”

Denise Hamilton, head of COP26 team, Glasgow City Council, said: “We know that support from our businesses and citizens is crucial in helping us host a safe and successful summit.

“Glasgow will be busy and people can play their part by remaining vigilant while moving around the city during COP26 and reporting anything that doesn’t seem or feel right. Our COP26 volunteers who will be based at various transport hubs, hotels and venues around the city will also be keeping an eye out for suspicious activity.”

Around 10,000 officers will be deployed each day during the COP26 climate conference for what will be one of the largest policing operations undertaken in the UK.

Granton Goes Greener: Free sewing classes start next Monday

Granton Goes Greener are very excited about restarting our FREE SEWING CLASS on 11th October.

The classes will be taking place every Monday between 10 am and 12 noon in the East Hall of Granton Parish Church (55 Boswall Parkway).

Here is our link to register for the first class on 11/10: ;https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/sewing-classes-tickets…

You can also find more detail on our website: www.grantongoesgreener.org.uk

Any questions? Email: anna@grantongoesgreener.org.uk

Edinburgh charities benefit from Community Connect support

Edinburgh School Uniform Bank has successfully secured £15,000 thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, which distributes school uniform to families in Edinburgh who are facing financial hardship, was awarded the funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as one of three good causes and charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an £25,000 pot.

Other recipients of funding in the East include Canine Concern Scotland Trust, which provides therapy dogs for patients in hospital after a stroke or suffering traumatic brain injuries, and Scottish Huntington’s Association (see below).

Julia Grindley, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (above) said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £15,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award.

“This award will allow us to provide school uniform and warm jackets to over 600 local children. This funding will make a huge difference to their confidence and their sense of belonging, as well as keeping them cosy through the winter.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £460,000 has been awarded to 42 good cause groups, enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Communities and Membership at Scotmid, said: “Community Connect is one of the main ways we can support those communities that we serve and we are delighted to provide Edinburgh School Uniform Bank with this funding, which will help them to continue providing vital services.

“Times remain challenging for many people; being able to help improve the lives of others across the country is one of the very reasons we exist.”

Scottish Huntington’s Association has successfully secured £5,000 thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

The Association, which provides 1-1 advice, peer group work sessions, youth mental health services for children with a parent living with Huntington’s Disease and have a 50% chance themselves of inheriting the condition, was awarded the funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as one of three causes and charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an £25,000 pot.

Gemma Powell, Senior Fundraiser from Scottish Huntington’s Association said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £5,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award towards Scottish Huntington’s Association Youth Service.

“This funding will help us bring back our annual youth camp which is attended by young people growing up in families impacted by Huntington’s disease across Scotland.

“This camp offers young people the chance to make and catch up with friends, share experiences, learn more about Huntington’s disease and, for many, enjoy a break from caring responsibilities. We’re so grateful to Scotmid and their members.”

Mel Hughes, CEO of Canine Concern Scotland Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £5,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award.

“This award will allow us to develop our Therapet® Visiting Service in the NHS Lothian area, starting with the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

“This funding will make a huge difference to patients recovering from a stroke or neurological condition, who will benefit from a Therapet® visit which will aid their physical, mental and emotional recovery.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £460,000 has been awarded to 42 good cause groups, enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Engaging Citizens: Edinburgh International Book Festival

With prison visits, cinema screenings, walking tours and communal meals, the Edinburgh International Book Festival engaged a wide audience in different communities this year. 

Citizen, the Book Festival’s ongoing programme of long-term partnerships with organisations and residents across the city and Musselburgh, presented a series of events and activities reflecting on Edinburgh, its residents and their sense of place and home, while StoryNation reached out to those further afield who were unable to visit the Book Festival in person. 

 Citizen is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery through their Postcode Culture Fund and through the PLACE programme. 

Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said “This August, through our Citizen programme, we celebrated a diverse range of voices, bringing local people from across the city to the Book Festival, in many cases for the first time. Whether eating together, taking part in events or joining the audience, a sense of community flourished that hasn’t been possible over the last 18months.  

“For those who weren’t able to visit our new site at Edinburgh College of Art, as part of our Story Nation, we took authors and streamed events to them. Our prison sessions were extremely popular and have already begun to yield positive results with attendees reading more widely and developing their own writing following our visits.

“Our work in communities in Edinburgh and beyond will continue over the coming year with projects in schools, community venues, hospitals, prisons and care homes, as well as online.” 

In partnership with Scran Academy, a social enterprise catering organisation working with vulnerable young people, Stories & Scran brought together 40 participants in the Citizen Collective, the North Edinburgh/Musselburgh Citizen Writers, pupils from the Alternative School @ Spartans and local people from Tollcross for a community meal at the Book Festival’s new home at Edinburgh College of Art followed by performances of their words and music created in writing workshops held online throughout the Covid pandemic.  

The work of other Citizen participants, including The Warblers, the Citizen Collective and the Citizen Saheliya Group, was also featured in R Words, a Scotland-wide game of poetry consequences. 

As part of StoryNation, Pat Nevin, Chris Brookmyre and Andrew O’Hagan participated in workshops and readings in HMP Edinburgh, Perth and Kilmarnock.  

Stellar Quines theatre company along with actors Genna Allan and Chloe Wyper from the Citizens Theatre’s WAC Ensemble – Scotland’s first professionally supported theatre company for performers and theatremakers with care experience – worked closely with novelist Jenni Fagan to create a masterful adaption of Jessie Kesson’s radio play You’ve Never Slept in Mine.  

This was performed twice in HMP Edinburgh following its premiere at the Book Festival.  The Book Festival donated three copies of the books from the authors who visited to each Prison Library, and HMP Edinburgh advises that there was immediately a waiting list to read Pat Nevin’s The Accidental Footballer. 

Andrew O’Hagan also visited the new Streetreads Library in Edinburgh to read from Mayflies.  Streetreads is a charity that takes books and stories to people affected by homelessness and the new library received 15 copies of Mayflies donated by the Book Festival. 

StoryNation also worked with The Birks Cinema, a community owned social enterprise in Aberfeldy – a rural area that suffers from a lack of reliable broadband – to screen a series of live conversations direct from the Book Festival.  

Perthshire audiences enjoyed events with Salman Rushdie and Pat Nevin, the launch of the Golden Treasury of Scottish Verse with the new Scottish Makar Kathleen Jamie who was joined by poets Don Paterson and Peter Mackay, the Summer Crime Wave event featuring Val McDermid, Ambrose Parry, Doug Johnston and Mary Paulson-Ellis and finally a conversation with Ian Rankin as he launched The Dark Remains, his completion of the late William Mcllvanney’s final manuscript.  

The Book Festival’s Citizen City Tour, developed by with photographer Alicia Bruce and Citizen Writer in Residence Eleanor Thom in collaboration with residents of Tollcross, is free, self-guided audio tour which encourages participants to explore the gap between Edinburgh’s postcard exterior and its inner heart.  

300 maps with QR codes were picked up from the Book Festival and to date some of the stories have already been listened to over 45 times. 

Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen programme returns with the Citizen Winter Warmer – a weekend of events and activities at North Edinburgh Arts and Brunton Theatre Musselburgh from 18 to 20 November 2021.  

The programme will be announced in late October, and full details can be found at https://ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk/ 

RoSPA and RSA Group launch new campaign to tackle falls

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and RSA Insurance Group have launched the ground-breaking Fall Fighter initiative with the aim of tackling the UK’s biggest forgotten killer – falls in the home.

Falls are the single biggest cause of accidental injuries in the home and the largest cause of death among over-65s in the UK. Every year more than a third of people over the age of 65 (and half of those over 80) have a fall that requires hospital treatment, costing the NHS and wider healthcare system more than £2.3billion every year.

As well as having a huge impact on society at large, falls can also have a devastating effect on individual lives; from physical injuries, long-term health effects and disabilities to trauma and poor mental health, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence.

Despite this, making simple and low-cost changes can prevent falls from happening. The new Fall Fighter movement is designed to educate and empower people of all ages, transforming each of them into a “Fall Fighter” who can then help family, friends and others in their communities.

RoSPA and RSA will be providing short free awareness sessions and resources to give every Fall Fighter information and advice on how to reduce falls.

This could include, for instance, discussing what medication your friend, relative or loved one is currently prescribed and whether it needs to be reviewed, finding out whether they need an eye test, doing a home safety check and looking at what cheap and straightforward changes around the house could improve safety.

The resources will also contain guidance on what to do if someone has a fall – both in the short and longer-term, plus a digital toolkit to help each Fall Fighter inspire others.

RoSPA’s Relationships Director, Becky Hickman, said: “It takes just 20 minutes to become a Fall Fighter, but by doing so you have the power to change, and even save the lives of loved ones, friends and family.

“This simple but hugely effective project is free and open to all and we would encourage individuals or organisations to get involved.”

“This Fall Fighter community will now build, and in doing so, inspire others to prevent thousands of falls every year. By joining together, we can be a powerful and positive force for good.”

RSA’s Head of Social Impact and ESG, Laura Spiers, said: “Our partnership with RoSPA forms part of a wider programme to support our customers and communities, by increasing awareness to help them manage the risks they face every day.

“Preventing falls amongst loved ones in the home is an issue that’s often overlooked, but taking simple actions can minimise the devastating impact they have on people and their families. By harnessing RSA’s relationships, and encouraging people from every community to get involved in the Fall Fighter campaign and help those around them, I’m very hopeful that we can make a real difference across the country.”

The Fall Fighter website is available at: www.rospa.com/fall-fighter