A lot of pregnancies are unplanned. It’s common to feel stunned, scared, embarrassed or isolated when facing an unplanned pregnancy (writes LORNA FROST).
Deciding whether or not to continue with the pregnancy can be very straightforward and obvious for some people while others can find it a difficult and complicated decision. It’s important that the decision as to whether or not to continue with a pregnancy is made by the person it most affects.
Early medical abortion involves taking two sets of pills. Since April 2020, in light of COVID-19 and the importance of minimising risks of spreading the virus, abortion care providers in Scotland have been able to allow early medical abortions (taking both sets of pills) at home. This avoids travel to GPs and hospitals to access abortion services. It is a way of keeping abortion safe and accessible.
Now the Scottish government is seeking views on the future arrangements for early medical abortion at home. The responses will affect whether the current arrangements continue once there is no longer a risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Surveys have found that most people are pro-choice. They think that deciding whether or not to continue with a pregnancy is a personal decision that should not be interfered with. If you agree please take 10 minutes to respond to the Scottish government’s consultation on early medical abortion at home.
Please do this now – the deadline for responses is 5th January 2021.
Just click on the link for guidelines which suggest how to respond.
Which? reveals the UK’s favourite walks to blow away the cobwebs over the holidays
The Buttermere Circuit in the Lake District has been named the UK’s top-rated walk in a survey of more than 50 popular routes, ranging from gentle strolls to full-day hikes.
With the UK continuing to face coronavirus restrictions, limiting opportunities for socialising indoors over the festive season, Which? has revealed the UK’s favourite walks, as voted for in a survey of nearly 3,000 Which? members.
The Buttermere Circuit in the Lake District, a 4.5 mile lakeside walk, took the top spot of the table, receiving a walk score of 88 per cent.
It was awarded five stars for scenery, thanks to its combination of a rippling silver lake next to dramatic mountains. Visitors also rated it favourably for accessibility, peace and quiet, and places of interest available on the route.
It was followed by Helvellyn, a tough eight-hour hike up the third-highest peak in the Lake District.
It received a walk score of 87 per cent, with hikers giving it five stars for its stunning scenery and views from the Striding Edge Ridge. While not one for the faint of heart – Which? recommends only experienced walkers tackle this route – the path is well trodden, and the chances of real danger are slim. Which? gave this walk five out of five for difficulty though, and facilities along the route are limited to non-existent, so walkers should come prepared.
The Rhossili Headland in Gower and Solva to St David’s route in Pembrokeshire, both coastal walks in Wales, also received walk scores of 87 per cent.
These routes were both ranked two out of five for difficulty, making them both nice options for a pleasant but invigorating stroll. Those who enjoy a bite to eat or a drink as part of their walk should head to Rhossili, awarded five stars by visitors for food and drink, while nature fans will be rewarded on the walk from Solva to St Davids, where they may even spot grey seals and porpoises – an indication as to why visitors gave it five stars for wildlife.
Receiving the third highest score – and the accolade of Scotland’s best walk – was the Anstruther to Crail stretch of the Fife Coastal Path, with a score of 86 per cent.
A comfortable saunter between two fishing villages, this route was given five stars for peace and quiet and should only take a couple of hours to complete. The path is clearly waymarked too, allowing walkers to find their way easily while making the most of the views across the Firth of Forth.
Other routes also receiving 86 per cent were the Botallack Mine Walk in Cornwall, the Craster, Dunstaburgh and Low Newton Circuit in Northumberland, and the Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District.
Dunseverick Castle to the Giant’s Causeway was named Northern Ireland’s best walk, receiving a score of 85 per cent and five stars for both scenery and places of interest.
The five-mile route, including a descent down the 162 Shepherd’s Steps to take in the view of the 40,000 basalt columns at the end, is well-maintained and was rated two out of five for difficulty by Which?, with visitors also awarding it four stars for facilities along the way.
Ben Lomond in Scotland was also given a score of 85 per cent, along with High Force & Low Force in the Durham Dales, Housesteads to Steel Riggs along Hadrian’s Wall, and the Mawddach Estuary in Wales.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“Whether you’re looking for easygoing strolls to fill the space between Christmas and the new year, or you’re after a breathtaking hike to help you shake the dust off your feet after this year, our rundown of the country’s favourite walks should provide plenty of inspiration.
“While coronavirus restrictions might prevent us from travelling to some of the farther-flung destinations on our list, the good news is that we are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to stunning walks across the UK, meaning there are walks to be enjoyed wherever you are in the country.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is warning of the dangers of using fireworks in private events over the festive period.
With many public events cancelled due to COVID-19, families and communities are being reminded that using fireworks in gardens and common areas can have devastating consequences.
Improper use of fireworks can cause serious injuries, distress pets and neighbors and impact on the work of Scotland’s emergency services.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Alasdair Perry, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Head of Prevention and Protection, said: “With public events unable to go ahead, we may see people hosting private events in their gardens to mark the festive season and perhaps New Year’s Eve.
“However, we must warn communities that fireworks are explosives at the end of the day, and if not used properly their use can cause life-changing injuries.
“I would urge anyone considering purchasing fireworks to be well aware of both the dangers and the essential safety guidance.”
The SFRS has created a Fireworks Code to help keep communities safe.
DACO Perry added: “If you are going to buy fireworks, then make sure it is from a reputable seller.
“Always follow the instructions carefully and follow our firework code. We want everyone to bring in the new year safely, so please do not take any risks as we say goodbye to a difficult year for all of us.”
The call has also been backed by the Scottish Government. Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “This Festive season is going to feel very different and at this usual time for celebration I urge everyone to follow the rules on meeting up with other households to help stop the spread of the virus.
“It is vital that on Hogmanay the public adhere to the rules restricting travel between different local authority areas and meeting up with other households. Under both level 4 and level 3 restrictions it is not possible to meet up indoors or in large groups outdoors on Hogmanay.
“With large, organised Hogmanay firework displays cancelled this year – we know that some people may consider using fireworks in their back gardens. If you do plan on using fireworks please do so responsibly and safely. If we all play our part we can ensure that Hogmanay this year is safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
To view the fireworks code and find more information on how to stay safe around fireworks, visit:
● Actor and broadcaster Cel Spellman launches a nationwide art competition, Creative Earth, in collaboration with COP26 and WWF
● Competition launched at a surprise event in a school in Great Yarmouth
● Young people from across the UK are competing for a chance to have their artwork
displayed at the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow
● The work seeks to inspire world leaders, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to create a better planet for future generations
An art competition has been launched for young people across the UK, with the winners having their artwork displayed at the COP26 Climate Change conference next year in Glasgow.
The Creative Earth competition is part of a UK Government initiative, Together for our Planet, and launched in collaboration with the WWF to encourage young people to use the power of art to capture their hopes and dreams for the planet in the future.
To kickstart the competition, Cel Spellman, star of Netflix’s White Lines and BBC Radio 1, surprised a group of year seven students at Ormiston Venture Academy in Great Yarmouth via a special Zoom call.
Cel invited the children to be the first to get creative. The students were then given the opportunity to talk about their chosen artwork creations with Cel and explain why it is important to them.
Cel, who is a WWF ambassador said: “The Creative Earth art competition is such a unique and exciting opportunity for children from across the UK to have their voice heard and show world leaders exactly the kind of world they want to live in, inherit and pass on to future generations.
“I’m asking as many under-16s as possible to please get involved and be part of something special as we aim to create a better, greener, sustainable future and call on world leaders to commit to making that a reality and bring about the change we so desperately need to see, reminding them it’s young people who will live with the consequences of our actions now.”
Creative Earth artwork entries will be judged by a celebrity panel and COP26 President Alok Sharma in Spring 2021.
Special prizes will be awarded for the best artwork in each age group. Judges will also select the best pieces to be displayed at the COP26 summit in November next year.
Alok Sharma, COP26 President said: “Across the world, young people are leading the call for climate action and we want to make sure this is properly recognised at COP26 in Glasgow. That is why I hope young people from across the country will seize this opportunity to showcase their vision for a greener future.”
Simon Gilbert-Barnham, Principal at Ormiston Venture Academy, said: “It’s not every day that pupils get a chance to influence the UK Prime Minister and world leaders!
“This competition is an incredible opportunity for young people to present their vision for a greener, healthier and happier planet. Everyone at Ormiston Venture Academy is over the moon to be taking part in the Creative Earth art competition and we can’t wait to see the entries that come in from young people around the country.”
The Together For Our Planet campaign aims to work with businesses, civil society groups, schools and the public across the UK to help build awareness around the importance of tackling climate change in the run up to the COP26.
Find out more about the competition and enter now on the Together for our Planet website.
Councillor George Gordon, Chair of the Edible Edinburgh Partnership, writes about work to reduce food poverty and promote local growing:
Writing in my role as the Chair of Edible Edinburgh Partnership, I wanted to highlight the superb food hamper distribution programme recently launched by UNICEF in association with the Partnership and Edinburgh Community Foods.
As you would hope and expect, UNICEF recognises the devastating effect the pandemic is having on individuals and families in the lower income bracket who are now experiencing food poverty and insecurity.
This is the first time the charity has directly invested in the UK as they, like we do, recognise that this has created a situation that will take a considerable length of time to fix* (see below – Ed.). Yes, we can see light at the end of the tunnel as we roll out a UK-wide vaccination programme, but this will take time to achieve.
Edible Edinburgh is working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and other partners to try and tackle poverty right here in Scotland’s capital city – a very real and unacceptable situation.
Thanks to the work of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, published earlier this year, there can be no doubt that this support is desperately needed – and I’m delighted that the Council has committed to ending poverty in our city by 2030.
This specific programme will supply 450 individual families with the necessary food they require to survive through this Christmas period. I hasten to point out these are all newly identified families who have not been part of any previous existing programmes put in place by the Scottish Government or the Council. The vast majority are delivered through the third sector, who are predominantly charitable organisations.
I could fill this whole column with praise for the organisations involved and with the statistics and individual testimonies from those hardest hit – the many people I’ve spoken to in my various positions as a Councillor about the real hardship many of our fellow citizens are faced with.
I also want to take this opportunity to highlight another key piece of work that Edible Edinburgh are doing in association with the Council – that is the provision of areas of land for food growing as part of the Community Empowerment Act.
Our aim is to identify areas of food growing through allotments, community growing space and at least four areas for market gardens which will be run and maintained by community groups and organisations. A fine example of this is what is being currently built at Lauriston Farm and I look forward to seeing progress over the next couple of years.
My request to you is simple: get involved! Please take the time to give your views (before the closing date on 18 January) and remember there are no stupid ideas. This is hugely relevant and important as we move toward providing more locally produced sustainable food sources for our city and our country.
By doing so we can live better while helping to reduce food insecurity, carbon emissions – and, of course, poverty.
In response to comments made in the House of Commons about Unicef UK’s funding of UK food programmes last week, Anna Kettley, Unicef UK’s Director of Programmes and Advocacy, said:
“Unicef UK is responding to this unprecedented crisis and building on our 25 years’ experience of working on children’s rights in the UK with a one-off domestic response, launched in August, to provide support to vulnerable children and families around the country during this crisis period.
“In partnership with Sustain, the food and farming alliance, over £700k of Unicef UK funds is being granted to community groups around the country to support their vital work helping children and families at risk of food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Unicef will continue to spend our international funding helping the world’s poorest children. We believe that every child is important and deserves to survive and thrive no matter where they are born.”
Aldi encourages customers to donate unwanted Chrsitmas socks to people who need them most
This December Aldi will launch a thoughtful new initiative encouraging customers to donate any unwanted or extra unused socks they received as Christmas gifts to charities supporting homeless people across Scotland.
Every year millions of people receive socks for Christmas and they are often a gift that no one really wants or needs. However, they are one of the things homeless charities always run out of over winter and Aldi’s ‘Not Socks Again?!’ initiative aims to put these gifts to better use by donating new and unused socks to local homeless charities.
Aldi’s ‘Sock Amnesty’ boxes will be in stores across Scotland from 27th December to the end of January where people can drop off their unused Christmas socks to help keep homeless people warm this winter.
Aldi has linked up with three charities across Scotland who will benefit from the initiative; Simon Scotland,Aberdeen Cyrenians, and Trust in Fife, who work tirelessly to provide care and support for the most vulnerable people in society.
Hugh Hill, Director of Services and Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: “As you can imagine, Scottish winters are absolutely freezing, and we often just don’t have enough socks to go round.
“We’re so pleased that Aldi has launched this initiative and we’re so grateful to Aldi and their customers for helping to keep the people we support warm this winter.”
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said:“We wanted to do something to support homeless charities this Christmas who are working day in day out to support the most vulnerable people in society.
“One thing that homeless charities say they are always looking for is socks, so we thought, why not allow our customers to donate any unwanted socks they are given as a Christmas present to people who will really value them.
“Aldi will also contribute a £250 donation to each charity in the hope of helping the most vulnerable during winter.”
Aldi’s Sock Amnesty boxes will be in store from 27th December and customers are invited to drop off any unwanted, new and unused, socks which will be donated to the charity in their local area.
This initiative builds on Aldi’s commitment to supporting communities across Scotland. Since 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund has supported over 458 local clubs with more than £240,000 worth of donations. Aldi is also Kiltwalk’s official ‘Supermarket Partner’ and in 2019 was responsible for fuelling over 20,000 Kiltwalkers across events in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Dumfries.
Since July 2019 Aldi has helped over 200 charities provide over a million meals to vulnerable people across Scotland through its partnership with community engagement platform, Neighbourly.
The supermarket is also set to relaunch its popular Supermarket Sweep programme next year in support of local foodbanks.
Five years into the Paris Agreement – and in the lead-up to the 2021 UN climate negotiations in Glasgow – UK cities are taking bold climate action. Cities worldwide have much to learn from their UK peers’ successes and challenges, according to a new report by the 1000 CITIES Initiative, which aims to mobilise 1,000 cities to respond to the climate crisis.
“Leading British cities are responding to the climate emergency by moving forward with effective and innovative climate policies, including ambitious targets, carbon budgets, and unique approaches to community engagement,” said Rebecca Foon, co-founder of the 1000 CITIES Initiative. “Other cities should take note of their approaches to cutting carbon emissions. Communities around the world need to accelerate climate action to hit the Paris Targets.”
UK cities have some of the world’s most ambitious climate targets, with many adopting goals to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2030, according to the 1000 CITIES Climate Action Best Practices in UK Cities report.
In contrast, many leading North American cities have action plans that aim to reach the same goal by 2050. Others are planning for an 80% or smaller emissions reductions over the next three decades—an aspiration that we now know will not prevent dangerous levels of global warming.
“One of the key messages which Glasgow is issuing to the world as host city for COP26 is that it is cities which are leading on the delivery of national ambitions for a low-carbon and climate resilient future,” said Duncan Booker, Chief Resilience Officer and COP26 Stakeholder Manager at Glasgow City Council.
“It was our cities that generated the first industrial revolution and it will be our cities that lead a just transition to a greener, cleaner economy and society.”
One notable strategy that has enabled British cities to set ambitious targets is their approach to community engagement, according to the report, which is based on research on 12 UK local governments, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford and Somerset.
The research was carried out by Sustainability Solutions Group (SSG), a leading North American climate planning consultancy, and funded by the Rothschild Foundation, a UK-based charitable trust focused on the arts and humanities, the environment, and social welfare.
“Almost every city we studied had some sort of community coalition or engagement process that brought together charities, businesses, academic institutions, and other local groups. The communities collectively took ownership for climate action,” said Julia Meyer-MacLeod, Principal at SSG.
“In some cases, the community coalitions themselves were responsible for or even helped to write the local climate action plan,” added Meyer-MacLeod. “This not only gave Councils confidence to pass ambitious climate plans, but enabled cities to hit the ground running with climate actions that were pre-approved by local industry and community groups.”
For example, in 2019, Oxford became the first city to create a citizens assembly on climate change. The assembly, which was livestreamed on social media, brought together a group representative of the City, including members from all major political parties, climate and social scientists, business sector representatives, and community organisations.
These citizens identified a widespread desire for Oxford to be a leader in tackling the climate crisis, prompting the City to commit an additional £1,040,000 to its climate action efforts and laying the foundation for it to undertake the most ambitious smart grid trials in the UK.
Applying a “climate lens” to all Council decisions is another best practice highlighted in the report. More than half of the 12 cities featured in the report have implemented a climate lens. The City of Leeds, for example, requires all reports to Council to provide details on the climate implications of proposed decisions. In addition, a report is presented at each Council meeting outlining progress towards emissions reduction targets.
“Climate lenses help to ensure that councils stay accountable to their climate pledges,” said Meyer-MacLeod. “Leading cities have also taken their accountability measures to the next level by creating carbon budgets that set a cap on how much greenhouse gas they can emit – ever.”
More than half of the 12 local governments have implemented or are considering carbon budgets, which set annual, declining caps on GHG emissions, aligned with the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“By implementing carbon budgets, cities like London, Manchester, and Oxford are doing their part to significantly limit the severity of extreme heat, sea level rise, and other effects of global warming,” said Meyer-MacLoed. “It is critical for cities around the world to follow their lead to limit catastrophic climate change.”
The complete 1000 CITIES Climate Action Best Practices in UK Cities report can be found here.
Independence only way to regain full benefits of EU membership
The Brexit deal agreed by the UK Government will remove Scotland from the European Single Market – hitting jobs and the economy at the worst possible time, Constitution Secretary Michael Russell has said.
Against its will, and in the middle of a pandemic and economic recession, Scotland is being removed from a market worth £16 billion in exports to Scottish companies – and which by population is seven times the size of the UK – as well as the Customs Union.
The Scottish Government will do all it can to mitigate the worst effects of the deal on businesses and communities.
However, Mr Russell said this “hard Brexit” reinforces why it is so important for people in Scotland to have the right to decide their own future and to regain the full benefits of EU membership as an independent country.
Contingency plans already in place include vital measures to help protect health services, the economy and communities.
However, the UK’s deal will still have a profoundly negative impact on Scotland:
Scottish Government modelling estimates that a deal of the type that appears to have been agreed could cut Scotland’s GDP by around 6.1% (£9 billion in 2016 cash terms) by 2030 compared to EU membership
all goods sectors will face the impact the higher costs of trading with the EU as a result of the additional customs and borders procedures and paperwork. For key service sectors, access to EU markets will be reduced compared to EU membership
extra costs could make Scottish businesses uncompetitive in some markets: manufacturing, food and drink, agriculture and forestry are particularly at risk
lamb and beef exports will be hard hit by the extra costs of exporting to the EU
businesses trying to access UK and EU markets will face additional bureaucracy and costs. For example the seafood sector will require new certificates and changes to business practices to continue to export to the EU
justice and security cooperation will be seriously impacted, with Police Scotland and the Crown Office having to use slower and less effective tools in the fight against crime
reduced EU migration will also have a significant negative impact on the economy, population and wider society and culture. It will increase shortages in key areas like health and social care
Scotland and its students will no longer be able to participate in Erasmus, along with a number of other EU programmes which the UK decided to exclude from the deal. On the key science programme Horizon Europe, while it is included in the deal, the UK government have not made clear the details, including the level of access which will be available.
Scottish fishing industry will see only a fraction of the additional quota promised and the compensation arrangements agreed if the UK Government restricts access to UK waters, means that this is control of UK waters in name only.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “A no deal outcome has thankfully been avoided but in the midst of a pandemic and economic recession Scotland is now being forced to cope with a hard Brexit in less than one week’s time.
“Leaving the European Single Market and Customs Union would be damaging at any time but in the middle of the current crisis it is unforgiveable and completely unnecessary.
“We are doing everything we can to mitigate against the consequences of the UK Government’s actions.
“Measures are being taken to protect trade and critical supply chains, to reduce the risks of disruption of goods and people crossing borders and to provide Scottish businesses with the vital advice and information they need to continue operating effectively after 31 December.
“We are also working with UK administrations to ensure patients get the medicines and medical supplies needed and we are also confident that the flow of vaccines will be protected.
“Throughout this entire Brexit process the Scottish Government has sought to engage constructively with the UK Government on preparedness and we will continue, as we always have done, to advocate for the interests of Scottish businesses and of Scottish people whenever possible, but we simply cannot avert every negative outcome.
“People in Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and have the right to determine their own future rather than face the long-term damage of a hard Brexit.
“Scotland is at heart a European nation, and shares it values. The UK Government has ignored our calls for a continuing close relationship with the EU and it is clearer than ever that the only way to regain the benefits of EU membership is for Scotland to become an independent country.”
Refreshed advice, guidance and support to help all Scottish businesses be ready for the end of transition is available on the Prepare for Brexit website – www.prepareforbrexit.scot, including the EU Exit Helpline, self-help checklist, webinars, articles and newsletters.
The Council has outlined its revised service arrangements ahead of the city entering level four of the Scottish Government’s COVID restrictions framework.
Short-term plans have been drawn up in light of new rules, which come into effect at 00.01 on 26 December, and these will be reviewed in the New Year and in line with any future revisions by the Scottish Government.
Changes will include the suspension of library services and the reduction of Council house repairs and shared repairs surveys to essential work only. The City Art Centre will close and community centres will be limited to essential services, such as emergency shelter and providing meals for the homeless.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We know how difficult the tightening of restrictions over Christmas will be for people. This has been an extremely challenging year for everyone – individuals, families, communities and businesses – and the prospect of not being able to see family or loved ones as much as expected, or to reopen businesses after Christmas Day, will be another huge challenge for us to get through.
“The stricter guidance shows how dangerous the situation still is and this Christmas we can’t afford to let our guard down. It’s essential that we listen to the advice of public health experts if we are to minimise the impact of COVID, and that means sticking to the guidance. This will be a festive period like no other, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and together we can look forward to a brighter 2021.
“I’d like to wish people a very Merry Christmas, and to thank you for your sacrifices and working so hard to adhere to restrictions throughout 2020.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Christmas can be hard for many people at the best of times, so this year will be particularly tough as we face the threat of COVID and increased restrictions into the start of January at least.
“I want to reassure the public that we’re doing everything we can to make this period as easy as possible and will be working hard to support those in need while keeping Council services running smoothly. I would encourage people to check the Coronavirus pages on our website for any changes or updates.
“If we work together to follow guidance, staying within our local authority area, reducing contact with others and observing physical distancing and hygiene advice if we do form a bubble, I know we can enjoy a safe, peaceful Christmas Day, with minimum impact on the health of our city.”
On 19 December, the First Minister announced that protections against COVID would be significantly strengthened from Boxing Day to prevent the spread of a new, highly contagious strain of the virus.
Level four restrictions include the closure of non-essential retail and hospitality and a ban on travel out of the area, unless it is for essential reasons.
The planned easing of restrictions around Christmas has also been limited to Christmas Day with a maximum of eight people from three households allowed to meet. However, people are encouraged to celebrate the festive period at home in their own household and meet with others outdoors.
This year has been a difficult year, because we all miss our usual means of support, the comfort of gathering with friends and family, Shattering of plans, and not being part of our traditions, etc.
Challenging times often make people reflect on the importance of the people in their lives and the gratitude for those who helped them get through the year.
As 2020 comes to a close, I would like to send you a heartfelt Thank you for all your support in 2020, which we know has been a challenging year.
Our best wishes to you and your family for health and happiness in the coming year.
