Class Of Your Own

An update from Team ESTEEM:

Class Of Your Own (‘COYO’) is a social business dedicated to inspiring young people and their teachers to discover built environment careers through bespoke STEM education.

Our flagship ‘Design Engineer Construct’ learning programme has enabled hundreds of students to enter university and the world of work with excellent knowledge and skills and a genuine appetite for the sector.

Every year, Class Of Your Own launches an inter-school challenge to inspire young architecture, engineering and construction professionals to create an exciting design project.

This year, to celebrate our long established relationship with Heriot Watt University and the amazing achievement of Team Esteem in the Solar Decathlon Middle East, we decided to create a challenge that focused on the education of the people who might live in a solar house in Dubai.

Could young people design a learning centre to teach a whole community how to think and live green …? And how would the climate and location impact the design?

The challenge was launched at the beginning of March, but when national procurement framework Scape Group put out a call for ideas to help the hundreds of 14/15 year olds who would miss out on work experience due to Covid-19, they were pointed in COYO’s direction.

Work on our pilot virtual work experience programme had just concluded, so it was great to say: “we can help!” I immediately contacted my good friends, Associate Professor in Architecture Alex MacLaren and HWU Team Esteem members, to ask for their help.

Within a few weeks, academics and undergraduates had put together a series of videos to support an extraordinary virtual work experience programme hosted on the pioneering ‘Learn Live’ platform from 18th – 22nd May.

This ‘safe space’ enabled 2000 young people across the UK to experience an extraordinary week by accessing these fantastic, informative broadcasts and ‘chatting’ with university and industry ambassadors in an entirely safe environment.

I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve all achieved together – the feedback from students, teachers and parents has been fantastic. It’s been an amazing collaboration and Heriot Watt University’s input, and impact, has been unbelievable. I’m honoured to be part of such a great institution.

Jairis Alvarez Trujillo

Project Leader Alison (follow website for more information):

Comments from students in Team ESTEEM:

 

Luke Convey:

My COYO experience was extremely rewarding, the students brought up some very interesting points and often made me think hard to answer their questions. Seeing the student’s creativity in using 3D modelling outside of software Team Esteem would typically uselike Sims and Minecraft impressed me a lotand showed their commitment to the project.

I was also impressed by the standard of a lot of the questions we were asked, which showed their enthusiasm and willingness to learn about the sustainable methods which Team Esteem are looking to employ in our project.

Sonia Piorek:

Working remotely is a challenge in a way. I moved back to my parents for the epidemics so to the place where I spent time when I am free. Thus, it is difficult to motivate myself to wake up early everyday and focus on tasks. Nevertheless, it saves me a lot of time which I usually spend on commuting. 

There are also pros and cons of being far from the University – many software and programs are accessible only on University’s PCs. However, due to the special conditions nowadays many companies allow us to install their products for free for some period, especially due to our partnerships between companies and Team ESTEEM.

Pietro Donatelli:

Shifting quickly to the virtual experience of working remotely was a challenge for ESTEEM Members. As a team, one of our greatest commitments were surely our recurrent meetings held on campus where we had the chance to discuss, engage and solve problems collectively.

Luckily, we tried to keep our weekly schedule as intact as possible and our sponsors flexibly moved to virtual meetings as well, making the whole process easier. To me, working remotely has become the new normal, but I’m not going to lie, it’s easier to forget your ‘virtual’ schedule than a live meeting. 

For this reason, I will always be grateful to Outlook Calendar for its 15 minutes reminder.

Just three days left to support #Richards6kChallenge 

For many years Edinburgh and Penicuik local Richard Vallis has worked to setup, champion and support a range of brilliant organisations and charities in the city and beyond.

Richard didn’t let the pandemic put a stop to his work and on 20 May he started his Three Charities Walk in Penicuik, walking 100 laps (around 6k) of his garden – an undertaking which presents a significant personal challenge having lost his leg 24 years ago to bone cancer and having had to learn to walk again as a result.

Richard embarked on this epic task very much driven by his own altruistic spirit, a need to help others and an awareness of specific challenges given his own disability; and to continue to support three organisations which are very dear to his heart.

All funds raised will be split equally between the following; Lothian Disability Sport, who promote sport & physical recreation for people with a disability which Richard has supported for many years, earning him the wonderful experience of taking part in the Queen’s Baton Relay in 2014 before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Lung Ha Theatre Company, the leading theatre company in Scotland for people with a learning disability which Richard co-founded in 1984 and Scottish charity Friends of Chitambo, which aims to support health measures in the hospital and surrounding Zambian district, a charity which was set up by Richard’s wife Jo who grew up in Zambia.

You can support Richard at

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/three-charities-walk

but there are only three days left! 

Updates from Richard’s challenge are shared across social media channels from each charity using the hashtag #richards6kchallange:

Lung Ha

Facebook – www.facebook.com/lunghas/

Twitter – @LungHasTheatre

Instagram – @lunghatheatre 

 

Lothian Disability Sport

Facebook – www.facebook.com/LothianDisabilitySport

Twitter – @LDS_Sport

 

Friends of Chitambo

Facebook – www.facebook.com/friendsofchitambo

Twitter – @FriendsChitambo

NHS Lothian thanks big-hearted volunteers

NHS Lothian has paid tribute to the hundreds of volunteers and those who stepped forward to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Volunteer Week kicked off NHS Lothian took the opportunity to thank people from all walks of life who offered help in many different ways when it was feared that the NHS may be overwhelmed by the virus.

The response from hundreds of people keen to help in the early days of the pandemic was overwhelming and around 620 new volunteers bolstered the ranks of the existing community of 494 volunteers.

They went on to become ward helpers, take up a role in shopping and distribution of donations or laundry, or become meet and greet/stop and gel volunteers in sites all across Lothian, dressed in their purple T-shirts.

Fiona Ireland, Deputy Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “It has been quite heartening to see the response from the public, and to welcome so many new faces to our volunteer network.

“Volunteers really do provide so much across our sites – whether it’s helping patients to video call loved ones, transporting personal laundry to pick up points , fulfilling patients’ shopping requests or assisting with meal times – the friendly faces of our volunteers are having such a huge impact on both our patients and staff.

“It seems fitting, that during Volunteers Week, we take a moment to recognise and celebrate the contribution that every single volunteer is making every single day. Thank you for your continued support.

“The pandemic has seen our volunteering numbers swell, there are positive benefits of volunteering, not only for the recipients but for the volunteers as well – it would be a positive legacy of this situation if we were able to sustain this level of volunteering .”

John Naismith, 59, from Edinburgh, began volunteering as a ward helper when the country moved into lockdown. John, a keen fiddle player, often plays to entertain the patients in the ward where he was posted as a helper in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The engineer and his wife Serena, 59, were both keen to show their support and Serena, a dyslexia specialist teacher, took up a post providing patients with a shopping service in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

John said: “We both felt really strongly that we needed to do something to help and show our support. We thought that the NHS was going to be overrun and thankfully that has turned out not to be the case.

“It has been really rewarding for both of us and we have felt as though we have made a difference.”

Dan Williams, 17, from Edinburgh, was volunteering at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh as a ward helper before the pandemic and continued to help as the virus continued to grow.

The secondary school pupil, who hopes to study medicine, took on an additional commitment as a meet and greet/stop and gel volunteer and has clocked up 100 hours in this role alone so far.

Dan said: “I have been volunteering since before the COVID-19 pandemic began and thoroughly enjoy it. Since school closed, volunteering has helped to provide a sense of direction, the opportunity to see and interact with different people and some structure to my week.

“I’m hoping to study medicine at University, so it is great to spend time in a busy hospital, getting a flavour of what the job might be like.”

Volunteering in NHS Lothian is supported by Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation, the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and the Pears Foundation.

SFRS commits its support to Pride Month

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is underlining its commitment to building an inclusive and diverse workforce as the country celebrates Pride Month 2020.

Pride Month is an annual event which brings together communities in celebration of the LGBT+ community. It is an opportunity for people to stand together in unity as well as protest against discrimination in all its forms.

The SFRS has already been recognised by Stonewall Scotland as a Diversity Champion, and continues to work closely with Stonewall and other partners to encourage people from all walks of life to consider a career with the service.

The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the ongoing need to socially distance has seen many Pride events postponed or moved during June.

However the national service will be taking part in socially distanced or virtual Pride events whilst also promoting positive discussion and debate for staff around building a more inclusive workforce.

The rainbow flag is also flying over SFRS’ regional headquarters at Dyce in Aberdeenshire, Newbridge in Edinburgh and Hamilton in Lanarkshire as well as over the national headquarters and training centre in Cambuslang, near Glasgow.

Meanwhile, a rainbow version of the SFRS crest is proudly displayed on internal platforms and digital channels and rainbow lanyards are being made available for staff.

Less than one per cent of the SFRS’ 8,000 strong workforce across Scotland currently identifies as belonging to the LGBT+ community.

Liz Barnes is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s director of human resources and organisational development. She said: “It is imperative that our service reflects the very diverse communities we serve.

“There is clearly much work still needing to be done – but we will continue to make every possible effort to achieve this ambition by working alongside our partners and our communities as well as our staff.

“We are therefore delighted to celebrate Pride Month 2020 and not only fly the pride colours from our buildings across the country but take part in active discussion and debate throughout the course of this month.”

She added: “We recognise that nothing can change overnight, and that true equality and diversity is earned through hard work and consistently challenging discriminating behaviours.”

For more information on Equality and Diversity within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and working for SFRS, visit /about-us/equality-and-diversity.aspx or https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/emergency-services/scottish-fire-and-rescue-service/equality-diversity

Scran thanks ‘sensational’ volunteers

Scran Academy passed a major milestone during Volunteers Week as they passed the 50,000 meals delivered mark – and it’s likely that the local organisation will pass another milestone today when they reach their fundraising target!

When the coronavirus struck in March, Scran – three part time staff members under the leadership of former Big Brother winner John Loughton – quickly reorganised and transformed itself into a highly-organised and efficient production line getting thousands of free, healthy / nutritious, home-made, ready meals (heat at home), safely distributed to the most vulnerable people of Edinburgh during the coronavirus lockdown.

They have achieved this through their Scran Meals Programme, a community meals scheme, initially targeted at people living in North Edinburgh but now citywide. The service is delivered through a Scran Meals Coalition of partners:  Scran Academy, Prep Table Scotland, Pilton Equalities Project, Fet Lor Youth Club, Out of the Blue Leith, The Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College.

Their main source of incoming is through a crowdfunding campaign:

(https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/scranmeals)

and this Sunday morning are now just £51 short of their target of £40,000!

At the end of #VolunteerWeek 2020, Scran said a huge thank you to their team of volunteers who have helped deliver over 52,000 meals, through over 11,400 drop offs to over 1,500 people.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Scran said: ‘All 153 of you are HEROES, especially the 1 in 5 of you that are young people. You have given Edinburgh over 10,000 hours of your time in the last ten weeks. Sensational!’

Give us our money!

UK Government pressed on £10 million gap

Tens of millions of pounds of lifeline funding has been fast-tracked to charities by the Scottish Government since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis – despite delays in clarity over Barnett consequentials, Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell has said.

Highlighting the key role the third sector has played in delivering vital support during the pandemic, Ms Campbell urged the UK Government to be clear in its support for vital services, by indicating when a £10 million shortfall in funding would be resolved.

In April, £35 million of consequentials was earmarked for the Scottish Government in respect of charity support direct grants, but this was later amended by the Treasury to £25 million.

Ms Campbell said: “Charities and third sector organisations have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 crisis to ensure food, essential supplies and other vital services reach those most in need in our communities, as donation streams and other funding routes dried up overnight.

“Now more than ever these organisations deserve clarity.

“Had we not acted quickly at the start of the crisis to ensure tens of millions in funding reached the frontline, many organisations would not have been able to provide the level of service they have delivered in communities across Scotland, and that would have been hugely damaging to the people who rely on them.

“The Finance Secretary has already written to the UK Government seeking clarity on this funding (below). A fortnight on and we are still in the dark over this £10 million shortfall, undermining the Scottish budget at a critical time.”

kate forbes letter

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes wrote to the UK Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay on 22 May to raise the Scottish Government’s concerns (above).

Charities across Scotland receive funding from the Scottish Government, directly and via local authorities, through a £350 million package of emergency funding to help those most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, including:

  • the £50m Wellbeing Fund
  • the £40m Supporting Communities Fund
  • the £25m Third Sector Resilience Fund

Charities with property overheads can apply for the £10,000 Small Business Grant Scheme, expected to result in an additional £31 million in support.

 

Police seek witnesses to road collision

Police Scotland is appealing for information following a collision involving a police vehicle and a motorcycle in Edinburgh. The incident happened around 1.40pm yesterday (Friday, 5 June) on Marionville Avenue.

The collision involved an off-road Kawasaki motorcycle and a marked Police Scotland BMW X5.

The 36-year-old male motorcyclist was taken to hospital for treatment to non-life threatening injuries. Neither of the officers in the police vehicle were injured.

The road was closed to allow for an investigation at the scene.

Sergeant Stephen Quinn of Police Scotland’s Road Policing Unit said: “We are working to establish the circumstances which led to this collision and would urge anyone who may have seen the incident or who has any other information to come forward.

“We would be keen to speak to other road users who were in the area at the time, particularly if they have dashcam footage.

“Anyone with information can call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 1726 of 5 June.”

Support Stockbridge and Leith markets and their traders

Hi all,

Please help support Stockbridge and Leith markets and their producers: we want to be able to come back safely when its time 🙂
Stay Safe, Stay Distanced – but eat well with us! 🙂

help spread the word …

Regards

The Market team
At the Market Limited

Sign Up for StoryCon

Young people encouraged to sign up to free online conference, 18-19 June

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the six teenage writers and illustrators who have been recruited to steer the nationwide What’s Your Story? programme, aimed at helping to increase opportunities for young people to access and contribute to literary culture across Scotland.

Niamh Weir (below) from Clifton has been selected for the What’s Your Story? programme. Niamh, 16, is a short story writer and enjoys building worlds and creating suspense in action-packed stories while taking inspiration from issues, events and trends happening in society currently.

She has been working with her mentor, Julie Bertagna, children’s and young adult author of the award-winning Exodus (Young Picador).

This team of young writers and illustrators have been responsible for planning and hosting StoryCon 2020, Scotland’s biggest creative writing and illustration conference for young people.

This year, it will be hosted online, through Zoom workshops and how-to videos. Bestselling author Juno Dawson, comic artistic Frank Quitely and award-winning writer and journalist Patrice Lawrence are among the line-up.

StoryCon will run from Thursday 18 June to Friday 19 June, and young people can sign up for free registrations on EventBrite.

Gaelic content will also be available, supported by the Gaelic Books Council. Poet and author Morag Ann MacNeil and author Tim Armstrong will offer tips on comedy writing and sci-fi.

Young people across Scotland will also be encouraged to submit a story around the idea of ‘see you in ten years’. A selection of the work will be published and put in a time capsule, which will be re-opened in a decade’s time.

More information can be found at the What’s Your Story? website.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “This is the fifth year of the What’s Your Story? programme, which nurtures new and upcoming talent in the Scottish literary scene.

“We are grateful to our funders for making this programme possible, and also to our mentors for providing life-changing support and advice to the young people. Although it is disappointing we cannot hold StoryCon in person, we have a fantastic line-up planned, which will support young people currently learning at home.”

 Niamh Weir said: “I applied to What’s Your Story? to challenge myself to explore and develop my abilities as a writer. I hope to build my confidence and have the best time working with inspirational mentors and like-minded teens.

“I am so excited to be on the StoryBoard and to be involved in this amazing, creative community.”

The What’s Your Story? participants have been involved in creative development: benefitting from an induction programme with the National Library of Scotland, professional mentoring in their chosen forms and genres, and a week-long retreat at Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s creative writing centre, where they had dedicated time with their mentors.

The programme will culminate with a showcase, presenting the work the young people have created throughout the year. Industry experts will train the teens to perform their work live, against a background of visuals and music.

What’s Your Story? is free to take part in and travel expenses will be covered for all participants. The programme is funded by Badenoch & Co., Kiran’s Trust and private individuals.

Six teens in total were selected by a judging team, which included representatives from Creative Scotland, the National Youth Arts Advisory Group, the Super Power Agency and Scottish Book Trust. Participants were selected on the enthusiasm and dedication they expressed for teenage participation in creative and literary culture.

Chief Constable: Don’t have house parties this weekend

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM joined First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch at yesterday’s coronavirus briefing.

He said: 

As we enter early June and the summer months I’d like to start on a point I’ve stressed on a number of occasions recently, and that’s by underlining the close bond that exists between policing and the communities of Scotland we serve.

It’s a precious bond of trust forged over many years. Policing in Scotland takes its authority and legitimacy from the people.

It is testament to the common sense and good judgement of the people of Scotland, and their police service, that during this national public health emergency the relationship, if anything, has gone from strength to strength. Of course, the bond will be tested, during difficult times like just now during the pandemic, or when critical incidents occur, where tragedy arises, when human life is lost.

And I know the role of the police, the coercive authority policing at times exercises in the name of our fellow citizens to protect us all, will rightly be subject to robust scrutiny, focus and challenge. I welcome that, I welcome open and direct conversations about policing, it is absolutely vital for democracy and fairness.

Like everyone, as Chief Constable and as a man, I was shocked and distressed by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent events that transpired and continue to transpire in the United States. Racism in all forms is disgraceful and unacceptable.

I fully understand the desire of people in Scotland to make their voices heard this weekend over racial injustice. The right to be heard; to protest; to campaign, is of vital importance and policing has a key role in enabling, supporting such freedoms to be exercised fully and safely.

Our duty in policing is to enable you to have your voice heard in a way that is safe for you and safe for others. Please do so in a way that does not risk spreading coronavirus. Policing in Scotland will help in this regard.

I know there are a number of planned events this weekend and we are in touch with some of the people involved in organising them to try to help them do that in a safe manner.

As Chief Constable, I urge everyone to follow the regulations and guidance, as the majority of people have thankfully done over the last 10 weeks; to keep themselves and others safe and to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

I would reiterate the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf, because the threat of coronavirus is still with us. People should not attend mass gatherings which pose a clear risk to public health. Please find a safe way of making your voice heard.

I know the fatigue and strain many are feeling as the stay at home period continues, albeit with some restrictions lifted is one felt in families and households across the country. As the First Minister has made clear, the desire for easement to all enjoy greater freedoms, is understandable.

The small changes made last week following 10 weeks of strict lockdown rules, did coincide with particularly good weather and, in my judgement, perhaps did lead to some people feeling and acting a bit ‘demob happy’.

Gatherings at parks, beaches, beauty spots were concerning, leading policing to make a little over 2,000 separate dispersals over the 72 hour weekend period. At the same time, we saw non-coronavirus related crime returning to levels which are more in line with business as usual, and in fact we made over 1,000 arrests, none of them in relation to coronavirus regulations, placing acute demand on policing.

We continued to have high levels of engagement with people last weekend to offer advice and, in most cases that was met with support and co-operation.I pay tribute to everyone who is working together to save lives.

The majority of people continue to do the right thing because it is the best way to stop the virus spreading and, ultimately, to contribute to prevent people dying.

I don’t think the weather it to be quite as good this weekend, but I would ask that people do not travel to beauty spots and, crucially, do not hold house parties or gatherings indoors. The police service will take very robust action in that regard because it is vital to control the spread of the virus.

Don’t have house parties if the rain comes on. Don’t have your friends round.

I want to thank our officers and staff and specifically our special constables for their commitment to public service. They have been working round the clock to give help, give advice and to support communities the length and breadth of Scotland.

It is essential that everyone sticks with it, sticks to the rules. Do the right thing to prevent the virus spreading.

If we don’t, more of what is currently guidance may be brought into legislation. If that is the case, Police Scotland will continue to act in a fair and proportionate manner.Our approach won’t change. We will always work with the people to do the right thing.

We will rely on consent and co-operation, act with courtesy, but we will take enforcement measures when necessary.

I greatly value the trust of our fellow citizens and thank you for your forbearance during these difficult days.

Please – look after yourselves and each other, follow the rules and stay safe.

Thank You.