Two young people involved in NSPCC campaigns shortlisted as finalists in Young Scot Awards

Fatima Ishaq, 16, from Dundee, and Rachel Talbot, 14, from Angus, are two of the young people selected as finalists for this year’s Young Scot Awards for their involvement in campaigns including ‘Young Women Know’, addressing peer sexual abuse, and ‘Think b4 You Type’ an anti-bullying toolkit for schools.

Since its launch in 2006, the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards have been Scotland’s only national awards evening for the young people of Scotland. They have celebrated the inspirational contributions and achievements of thousands of young Scots who have made a real difference to communities across Scotland.

Fatima, who attends Morgan Academy, is a member of the Young Women’s Advisory Group, who are developing the Young Women Know: Dundee campaign. It launched last year, and is a joint project between NSPCC Scotland, YWCA Scotland – the Young Women’s Movement, and Dundee City Council.

The group are creating tailored resources to address peer sexual abuse and help ensure that every young woman and girl in Dundee knows what a healthy relationship looks like and where to go if they need advice or support.

Fatima, finalist in the Young Scot Awards volunteering category, said: “When I found out I was a finalist in the awards I was a bit shocked, but in a good way. I knew I had been nominated, but I wasn’t expecting to make it to the final.

“The Young Women Know campaign is so important because it will teach young people about healthy relationships, what they look like and how to spot red flags. It’s important for girls to know they can speak up and access support if they are in a toxic relationship. We’re still working on the materials and toolkit, but hopefully they will be ready to go out early this summer.

“I enjoy volunteering and there’s been lots of opportunities through school. I’m part of a mental health group and we do work in our school around young people’s mental and emotional health.

“I’m a chairperson on our school’s charity fundraising group, Interact, and we raise funds for various projects such as the shoebox appeal where we sent around 40 boxes to young people in countries in Eastern Europe filled with presents, clothing and sanitary products. And at Christmas we raised money towards a defibrillator to be fitted outside our school.

“I think it’s so important that young people’s voices are heard. At the end of the day, we’re the next generation and we should all have a say on our future and the world we want to create.”

Rachel has been involved since the early stages of an anti-bullying campaign, Think b4 You Type, alongside NSPCC Scotland, RespectMe and Angus Council.

The toolkit was initially launched just in Angus, but now the materials have been made available to secondary schools across Scotland.

Rachel, finalist in the enhancing education category, said: “I was really happy when I found out I was a finalist in the Young Scot Awards, and it’s great to think I could be receiving an award for the work I’ve been doing over the last while.”

Rachel also recently became a member of the NSPCC’s Young People’s Board for Change, which was launched last month to give young people the chance to shape and influence the work of the children’s charity.

Rachel added: “I’m really passionate about the anti-bullying campaign, and I’d love to see a drop in cyber bullying around the country. It’s hard enough being bullied in person in school, but there’s also the problem of being bullied online, and it can feel like there’s no escape sometimes

“I feel like young people have a lot to say, and if people listen to us then a lot of things could be changed for the better.”

Carla Malseed, local campaigns manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “Both Fatima and Rachel are amazing young women who are certainly going places and deserve their nominations in the Young Scot Awards.

“Working with them both is a delight, and their commitment to their respective causes really shines through when they passionately speak about what is important to them.

“It is crucial that children and young people are at the heart of what we do here at NSPCC Scotland. The last year has been so hard on all of us, and the younger generation should not be defined by the pandemic. There is so much that can be learned from their experiences and our new Young People’s Board for Change, which Rachel is on, will provide us with great opportunities for us to learn and have young people shape our work.”

The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards will take place on 22 April.

CityFibre teams up with Prospect Community Housing to bring full fibre to Edinburgh tenants

More than 900 social housing properties in Edinburgh are to benefit from access to next-generation digital connectivity.

CityFibre has partnered with Prospect Community Housing to bring full fibre to homes owned and managed by the provider across Wester Hailes.

The blanket wayleave agreement will ensure CityFibre’s full fibre network build can continue to go ahead smoothly, meaning residents across the community will be among those able to sign-up for a Gigabit-speed full fibre broadband connection.  

Full fibre networks are recognised as the digital infrastructure of the future for both homes and businesses. With near unlimited bandwidth, full fibre will ensure households can utilise the latest smart home technology, stream entertainment across multiple devices and make it easier to work from home, with virtually no buffering or lagging.

Sanjay Sudra, CityFibre’s Strategic Wayleave Manager, said: “Digital inclusion is a top priority for us at CityFibre so it is a pleasure to be working with Prospect Community Housing, ensuring as many tenants as possible can access our digital infrastructure.

“Over the last year, our broadband connections have truly been a lifeline as we adapt to new ways of working, socialising and entertaining. We are looking forward to the tenants of Wester Hailes reaping the benefits that come with a first-class and future-proof full fibre connection.”

Neil Munro, Property Services Manager at Prospect Community Housing, added: “Given the amount of home working and blended school work we have all experienced over the past year, a fast, efficient and reliable broadband connection is more important than ever. 

“Unlimited bandwidth and gigabit speed has the opportunity to benefit all of our tenants. The work is being planned now and once start dates are agreed we will look to advise our tenants again”.

CityFibre is investing £100m in Edinburgh’s full fibre network which continues to gather pace. CityFibre is already working with launch partner, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Zen, with additional ISPs expected to join the network soon.

Those interested in full fibre broadband can pre-register their interest with CityFibre to receive information when services are available, or check their postcode to see if services are currently available: cityfibre.com/residential

“Welcome back to live performance, welcome back to your Festival.”

The Edinburgh International Festival will welcome audiences back to live performance with temporary outdoor pavilions throughout the city this summer:

We are thrilled to announce our reimagined Festival for 2021, marking the return of live performance to Scotland’s capital city after over a year of silenced theatres and concert halls.

Taking place from 7 to 29 August, the 2021 International Festival will use bespoke, temporary outdoor pavilions in iconic, easily accessible spaces throughout the city to safely reunite our artists and audiences to rediscover the magic of live performance.

Our temporary outdoor pavilions, found at three locations including Edinburgh Park and the University of Edinburgh’s Old College Quad, will feature covered concert stages and socially distanced seating to create a beautiful setting for audiences to safely enjoy live music, opera and theatre once more.

The health and safety of the entire Festival community is at the heart of our plans for this year’s festival. That’s why we are working with the Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and other relevant authorities to implement appropriate Covid safety measures.

These will include shorter performances with no intervals, physical distancing, regular cleaning and contactless ticketing.

We will publish full details of our security and safety measures in the coming months.

While we are looking forward to the prospect of bringing the Festival City to life once more, we appreciate that not everyone will be able to attend our performances in person this year.

To ensure that everyone can enjoy a slice of the magic, wherever they are in the world, we will release a selection of high-quality streamed performances, free of charge, during each week of the Festival.

Since Edinburgh’s summer festivals in 2020 were officially cancelled a year ago, we have received extraordinary support from so many people.

As our Festival Director Fergus Linehan says, “We are hugely grateful to the artists who have agreed to come on this journey with us, the stakeholders, donors, and sponsors who have stood by us through a tough year and our audiences who have cheered us along throughout. We look forward to sharing full details of the programme in early June.”

Full details of our 2021 programme, which spans opera, orchestral and chamber music, theatre and contemporary music, will be announced on Wednesday 2 June.

Priority booking for International Festival members opens on Tuesday 1 June before general booking opens on Friday 11 June.

Welcome Back

We are delighted to announce that in August 2021, the Edinburgh International Festival will return to live performance.

Connecting with others is more crucial now than ever. For that reason, we have continued to engage with communities across Edinburgh and further afield during the pandemic, bringing performances and opportunities to schools, families and socially isolated people. These projects are an integral part of the International Festival’s identity, and we will continue them and expand their scope as 2021 progresses.

We are proud of the streamed and broadcast works we have brought you over the past year. These projects have helped us experiment and evolve, and they will continue as a vital element in our work and engagement. But a Festival is at its heart a gathering, a celebration of community and shared purpose. The time is right to take the first careful steps back to live performance.

We are hugely grateful to the artists who are coming on this journey with us; to the stakeholders, donors and sponsors who have stood by us through a tough year; and to our audiences who have cheered us along throughout. We are excited by the prospect of seeing you all at the 2021 Edinburgh International Festival.

Welcome back to your Festival!

The International Festival team

‘Vaccine Inclusion: reducing inequalities one vaccine at a time’

Voluntary Health Scotland launches new report

Voluntary Health Scotland (VHS) has launched its briefing report ‘Vaccine Inclusion – Reducing inequalities one Vaccine at a time’.

The report explores the key barriers and enablers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine and how the vaccine delivery model can be improved to reduce inequalities and provide holistic support to those who need it the most.

The key messages from the report are that our health system has a clear moral and human rights duty to those vulnerable groups who fall through the gaps of public service provision to ensure that they are not failed by this crucially important public health intervention.

Some of the key demographics highlighted within the research are at very high risk if they do contract COVID-19, including people who are homeless, prisoners, people living in poverty, people who abuse drugs and alcohol, black and ethnic minority groups, gypsy travellers, refugees and asylum seekers.

The report calls against viewing the Covid-19 vaccine programme as a silo: the programme has to be part of a whole-system, preventative approach to public health and to health inequalities. This requires a joined up suite of interventions that not only help people access the vaccine but supports them to stay well afterwards and enables them to adhere to the Covid-19 regulations safely.

There are a number of recommendations calling for improvements in the communications relating to the COVID-19 vaccine, a need to prioritise collection and analysis of local data about uptake of Covid-19 vaccine by different communities and groups as well as the need to conduct active research into the ongoing vaccination programme.

The report also recommends developing a rolling programme of outreach vaccination clinics, services and events as well as provision of accessible, affordable transport to vaccine centres and clinics.

Finally, the report highlights the importance of involving third sector and community partners in the planning, communications and delivery of public health interventions that could help prevent, mitigate and reduce health inequalities.

The findings of the report will be shared with Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, NHS Boards as well as a range of key stakeholders across the third sector.

Holyrood Election – Five Calls from the Cockburn Association

Five questions for prospective local candidates in the upcoming Scottish Parliamentary election

For almost 150 years the Cockburn Association has campaigned to preserve, protect and promote the built heritage, natural environment and civic amenity of Edinburgh and its surrounding area.

Our passion has been backed by an array of professional expertise. The city we cherish today, with its dramatic skyline and World Heritage Site rather than motorway interchanges, owes much to those efforts.

However, recent years witnessed pressures as Edinburgh has increasingly become the main dynamo of the Scottish economy, at the same time as Holyrood and the City Council have set ambitious net zero carbon targets. 

In addition there are the challenges presented by Covid, which has highlighted the importance of freely accessible, good quality parks and other public space for health and wellbeing, as well as the need to tackle inequalities.

The Cockburn Association believes that the climate emergency, public health and the legacy from pre-pandemic inequality meant that “rebuilding” should not mean resetting the clock to 2019.

In particular, we urge those seeking to represent Edinburgh’s citizens in the Parliament to recognise that many Edinburgh residents, particularly those living in the city centre, have been alarmed by the over tourism of the past few years.

Another decade like the last one will drastically change the character of the city, leaving it less resilient in the face of the next crisis.

Those elected to Holyrood will face intense lobbying by representatives of interests keen to reaffirm their free reign to use the city’s parks, open green spaces and residential blocks for their respective private commercial benefit, including the events, festivals and short-term letting industries.

We ask our representatives to ‘build back better’ rather than re-enact 2019. The Cockburn’s “Our Unique City” manifesto presents the case for the path the capital should take.

As local residents make a decision as to which candidate they will vote for, the Cockburn has five “asks” to put to each person who wishes to represent the city of Edinburgh constituencies or the Lothians region:

Will you stop the commodification and privatisation of Edinburgh’s cherished public places?

Access to public streets, parks and open spaces should always be free and unrestricted and the availability of open space for physical and mental wellbeing has never been so important as it is today. When events are permitted, infrastructure, such as physical and visual barriers, must be minimised and removed as quickly as possible.

Soft-surfaced spaces should never be used for events that require significant constructions. Continual replacement of turf and the damage to trees resulting from events is unsustainable, expensive and simply wrong. Commercial interests should not determine how public spaces are used.

Will you commit to the regulation of Short Term Lets in Edinburgh and their overall reduction, returning these homes to permanent residential use?

The last decade has seen an exponential growth in unregulated short-term-let accommodation.

This has hollowed out the city centre, displacing permanent residents and replacing them with holiday guests and party flats. This trend must be reversed with clear and unequivocal regulation implemented urgently. The unsustainable number of current short term lets needs to be reversed, with significantly enhanced enforcement action.

Will you support better planning and building standards to improve the quality and amenity of new housing?

The global pandemic has illustrated the importance of quality spaces within the home and its immediate environs. More home working will require better minimum space standards to ensure healthy working habits.  Increased and innovative outdoor space in housing developments (both quantity and quality) would encourage greater well-being and active family environments. 

The UK has some of the smallest space standards for housing in Europe.  A return to the Parker Morris Standards of the 1960s (updated, of course) is required and a move beyond minimum standards for climate mitigation and carbon management.

Will you incentivise the maintenance and care of our traditional building stock by supporting the reduction of VAT on repairs to zero?

The most sustainable building is an existing building. In a city defined by its historic and traditional architecture, incurring VAT on maintenance and refurbishment costs is a significant financial burden. 

It results in less work for more money. It acts as a disincentive for homeowners to invest in the fabric of their homes, reducing sustainability and increasing fuel poverty.  The Cockburn first called for tax relief on heritage properties in 1935 and we do so again. 

Will you ensure that funding for tourism and events in Edinburgh results in direct support for local businesses and cultural organisations?

Edinburgh’s hospitality, service and cultural sector must be supported and championed, rather than face continued publicly subsidised and unfair competition from temporary ‘pop-up’ operators and event promoters, diverting much-needed trade away from struggling, long-established local businesses.

The Scottish Parliament regularly supports local community wealth-building initiatives elsewhere in Scotland, focused on micro rather than macro-economic recovery opportunities, this principle must also be applied in Edinburgh too, especially in the post-pandemic era.

We would be delighted if readers of this piece put one or more of these questions to their local Edinburgh constituency or Lothian List candidates.

Before going to the polls it is hugely important that you hear the thoughts of each prospective candidate on these vitally significant issues and receive a commitment to action each one during the next five years if successfully elected to the Scottish Parliament.

A full list of Edinburgh Constituency and Lothian List candidates can be found here.

UK health ministers’ statement on JCVI vaccination priority advice

A joint statement from the 4 UK health ministers on JCVI advice for phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme

The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has today published its final advice for phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, setting out that the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age.

In line with its interim advice, the JCVI has recommended an age-based approach with adults aged 18 to 49 prioritised in descending age order as follows:

  • all those aged 40 to 49 years
  • all those aged 30 to 39 years
  • all those aged 18 to 29 years

In addition, data indicates that in individuals aged 18 to 49 years there is an increased risk of hospitalisation in males, those who are in certain black, Asian or ethnic minority (BAME) communities, those with a BMI of 30 or more (obese/morbidly obese), and those experiencing socio-economic deprivation. 

JCVI strongly advises that individuals in these groups promptly take up the offer of vaccination when they are offered, and that deployment teams should utilise the experience and understanding of local health systems and demographics, combined with clear communications and outreach activity to promote vaccination in these groups.

Individuals who are at increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 are likely to be vaccinated most rapidly by an operationally simple vaccine strategy. JCVI will continue close monitoring of the programme in terms of safety, effectiveness and uptake, and will update its advice as required.

All 4 UK nations have agreed to follow the JCVI’s recommended approach, with the understanding that age is assessed to be the strongest factor linked to mortality, morbidity and hospitalisations, and because speed of delivery is crucial as we provide more people with protection from COVID-19 across the UK.

The UK remains on course to meet the target to offer a vaccine to all those in the phase 1 priority groups by mid-April, and all adults by the end of July.

The UK-wide agreement to follow the prioritisation advice of the JCVI for phase 1 of the vaccine deployment has allowed a consistent rollout of vaccines across the UK, and seamless coordination between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Signed:

Matt Hancock, Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care

Robin Swann, Minister of Health, Northern Ireland Executive

Vaughan Gething, Minister for Health and Social Services, Welsh Government

Jeane Freeman, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Scottish Government

Sanitising Your Golf Equipment

As lockdown measures ease, more golfers are preparing to get back out on the course – but it is essential that care is still taken before teeing off. Not only should we continue to observe social distancing but making sure golf clubs and equipment are cleaned to prevent the spreading of germs is vital.

Eager to help prevent spreading of the Covid-19 virus, experts at GolfSupport.com have provided tips on the best ways to clean golf equipment:

1. Golf club heads

After a long day at the course, your golf clubs are bound to collect dirt and debris. Follow these simple steps to keep them sparkling and germ-free:

  1. Add 2-3 teaspoons of dishwasher liquid or soap to a bucket of warm water (enough to cover the club heads). Ensure it isn’t hot, as this may loosen the club head from the shaft.
  2. Submerge dirty club heads into the water for 5-10 minutes to loosen any dirt.
  3. Remove each club one-by-one and use an old toothbrush or soft-bristle brush to scrub away any stubborn dirt, ensuring you catch the back, front, bottom and each individual groove.
  4. Run the cleaned club heads under water to wash away any remnants, avoiding getting the shaft and grips wet.
  5. Dry with a towel. Ensure nothing is left damp as this is when rust can develop.
  6. To give club heads an extra shine, gently rub in steel or chrome polish in circular motions and leave for a minute. Then ensure you remove all the polish – any remaining grease could negatively affect your game!

2. Golf club shafts
Golf club shafts can also be prone to dirt. To remove dirt, use a damp cloth and clear any grime from the shaft, drying it thoroughly with a towel afterwards.

If your club becomes rusty: 

According to a study by End of Tenancy London, vinegar comes out on top for the best multi-use disinfectant. So why not utilise it for your golf clubs too? Apply a little vinegar on the shaft with a cloth and gently remove any residue, ensuring you don’t scratch it. Finish by drying thoroughly.

3. Golf club grips

Golf grips are the most touched area of the club and can easily get dirty/worn from sweat, so they require regular cleaning.

Clean golf club grips after each session by using a damp cloth to wipe the entire grip’s surface, ensuring it isn’t too hot as this could damage it.

4. Golf balls

During a typical 18-hole round, golf balls are battered, beaten and subjected to all the elements. Not to mention the hundreds of tiny dimples that are experts at finding dirt.

Dirty golf balls can affect your game more than you’d think! Add soap, dishwasher liquid or our trusty friend vinegar (for a deeper clean) to a bucket of warm water and soak the balls for 15-20 minutes. If necessary, use a sponge and/or toothbrush to remove dirt that won’t budge. Don’t forget to dry them fully with a towel.

5. Golf bags and club head covers

Whilst unconfirmed and still a matter of debate, the coronavirus could live on clothing and canvas materials for up to two days. Remove this risk by cleaning your golf bags and club head covers as follows:

  1. Remove all contents from the bag/clubs from their covers.
  2. Depending on the material, lightly spray water all over the surfaces.
  3. Using a soap and warm water solution, scrub the bag and covers clean with a cloth. Be careful not to scrub too hard – you may damage the material.
  4. Use a hose to rinse/run them under clean water and assess for any further stains.
  5. Remove any stubborn stains by spraying with a stain remover, then allow them to rest. Gently scrub it if required.
  6. Once clean, allow the bag/covers to dry overnight – avoid leaving them to dry in the sun as this can discolour them.



6. Golf clothing

To clean dirty golf clothing, simply run them through the washing machine after each session. However, for clothes that smell or are particularly dirty, consider:

  • Avoiding using fabric softeners – they stop the odours and sweat from being washed out, in fact locking in the smell for your next practice.
  • Adding baking soda to laundry – one cup per wash deodorises and softens clothes.

We hope these tips on cleaning golf equipment can help avid golfers enjoy the wonderful sport whilst preventing the spread of coronavirus!

https://www.golfsupport.com/

Rathbones supports Scottish Ballet by becoming their Corporate Dance Partners

Sponsorship en Pointe!

  • Rathbones commits to a 12-month corporate sponsorship
  • Sponsorship is welcomed following a challenging year for the arts industry as venues across the country remain closed

Rathbones has committed to a 12-month corporate sponsorship with Scottish Ballet, supporting their return to the stage in the coming year.

Scottish Ballet strives for excellence across everything that it does, placing particular importance on being inclusive and sharing the joy and benefits of dance with everyone, regardless of age, ability and background.

Rathbones wants to support Scottish Ballet in this and is delighted to become a Corporate Dance Partner and support their transition back to live events.

Founded in 1969, Scottish Ballet is based in Glasgow and funded by the Scottish Government. The company performs regularly across Scotland, throughout the UK and internationally, inspiring on stage and beyond.

The past year has been a challenge for everyone in the arts industry with venues closed, loss of income and uncertainty on dates for a return to live performances. Rathbones’ sponsorship aims to support Scottish Ballet during this period of transition as restrictions ease and life returns to normal.

Throughout the last year Scottish Ballet has been delivering everything that it can online. From ballet classes for absolute beginners to advanced dancers, alongside a weekly programme of dance health classes for those living with neurological conditions.

As well as creating and sharing new dance films to presenting dancer and creative team talks to its membership, Scottish Ballet also produced a critically acclaimed full-length feature film The Secret Theatre for audiences last Christmas. All of which have kept audiences at home and abroad entertained.

Scottish Ballet’s ambitions to promote Scotland’s pioneering spirit far and wide and explore new styles and push creativity chimes well with Rathbones’ own aim to Look Forward.

As part of the sponsorship Rathbones will be able to offer exclusive access to upcoming virtual events to clients, as well as the opportunity to attend live events when possible.

Adam Drummond, Regional Director at Rathbone Investment Management comments: “Scottish Ballet celebrates Scotland, showcasing our collective drive, passion and creativity across the world. We are proud to be able to sponsor such a vibrant and talented organisation, particularly at this challenging time for the arts industry.

“While theatres and other performance venues went dark last March, Scottish Ballet has continued to delight, support and interact with its members online. We are looking forward to making the most of these virtual events while we can, and to returning as audience members to enjoy the company’s live performances.”

Christopher Hampson, CEO/Artistic Director at Scottish Ballet: “We are delighted that Rathbones Investment Management is supporting the arts of Scotland through joining the Scottish Ballet family as Corporate Dance Partners. 

“We look forward to welcoming their guests and clients to our events, online and in person as we work towards our return to the stage.”

Politcal parties must address voter priorities, says STUC

The STUC has called out politicians for the ‘suffocating and self-obsessed debate’ on the parliamentary tactics for or against a second independence referendum rather than addressing the concerns of most working-class people in Scotland.

The STUC remains committed to Scottish self-determination and supports a second referendum if that is the clear will of the Scottish people, but will challenge all parties contesting the election to also address the priorities of voters – a jobs recovery, tackling inequality and supporting public services.

The STUC campaign will call for commitments to restore the pay of public service workers and for the use of all available levers to push up pay in the private sector.

It will call on candidates to support a plan for good jobs with a focus on younger workers and a step-change in government investment to create green jobs.

It will also call for urgent action on the back of the Feely Review to remove the profit motive, tackle a flawed model of procurement, and end low pay through sectoral bargaining in the Care Sector.

The STUC was due to host a trade union hustings for leaders and senior party representatives yesterday, but this was postponed following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. It is hoped that the event can be rescheduled.

Later this month it will release “COVID winners and losers” research and a series of papers outlining the potential for jobs creation in the green economy with a proper industrial strategy.

STUC leader, General Secretary Rozanne Foyer said: “If we need a super majority for anything in this next parliament it should be for a radical plan to increase pay, create good jobs and for a Scottish National Care Service of which we can be proud.

“The STUC will challenge candidates of all parties to commit to a ‘People’s Recovery’, rebuilding a better economy and shifting power in favour of working-class people from day one of the new Parliament.

“That challenge will be carried directly to candidates by raising the voices of workers who have become all too used to being dictated to, rather than listened to, by the politicians.

“Whilst many companies have suffered during the pandemic, many others have profited greatly. Workers have borne the brunt of the suffering and very few of the profits.

“Over the past year more than half of people in the top income quintile continued to be paid in full, but this was only true for 28% of those in the lowest income quintile. We need urgent action to address this.”

UK Government hits vaccination target ahead of schedule

All adults over 50, the clinically vulnerable and health and social care workers have now been offered a life-saving Covid-19 jab, as the UK Government prepares to move into the next phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

The target was reached ahead of schedule, with the government having pledged to offer a first dose to priority cohorts 1-9 by 15 April.

Nearly 40 million vaccines have now been given in total, with adults under 50 expected to begin to be invited in the coming days.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We have now passed another hugely significant milestone in our vaccine programme by offering jabs to everyone in the nine highest risk groups.

“That means more than 32 million people have been given the precious protection vaccines provide against Covid-19.

“I want to thank everyone involved in the vaccine rollout which has already saved many thousands of lives.

We will now move forward with completing essential second doses and making progress towards our target of offering all adults a vaccine by the end of July.”

The JCVI are expected to publish their final advice on how the government should vaccinate those aged under 50. This advice will pave the way for the next phase of the vaccination programme, which is expected to begin this week.

NHS organisations in the four nations, in collaboration with devolved administrations, will decide how to operationalise that JCVI advice.

It is thought that people in England in their late 40s will be the first to be invited to book their jabs.

Over 7 million second doses have now been given – with a record 475,230 given on Saturday – and we remain on track to offer a first vaccine to all adults by 31 July.