Edinburgh College is hosting its annual Clearing Events to help students across the region and beyond to secure their place on a College course during session 2020/21.
While the college can’t welcome applicants on to campus as normal for clearing, prospective students can contact the College’s admissions and course teams to secure a place on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August.
The College will open its Clearing call centre at 10am each day and is encouraging those interested in starting a new course to help them take the first step on their chosen career journey, or to reskill and upskill to support them in achieving their dreams during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, to make that call.
As well as the opportunity to secure a place on a course starting in September, the Clearing call centre will also provide school leavers, adult returners, or those in employment with an opportunity to: talk to course specialists about the best study options for them; speak with college student support staff who can provide advice on course delivery and additional support requirements; find out about student funding options and course fees.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming new and returning students to Edinburgh College for session 2020/21 – albeit in very different circumstances than in previous years.
“We still have places available across a range of courses, and we’d encourage anyone considering the first or next steps in their career to contact our teams during our Clearing Events to assess the best available study options for this year and beyond.”
To secure a course place during Edinburgh College’s Clearing Events, applicants and prospective students should call 0131 297 8300 between 10am and 4pm on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August.
Those who wish to seek advice during the Clearing Events but would prefer not to call, can contact the college via email: clearing@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.
Barratt Homes, one of the UK’s largest house builders has donated and fundraised over £6,800 to help local initiatives across the east of Scotland.
From January to June, the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, PlayMidlothian, Cramond Playgroup, Social Bite, Edinburgh’s Women’s Aid and Ashlee’s Neuroblastoma Appeal, all received £1,000 as part of Barratt Homes East Scotland’s Community Fund.
The donations have helped provide food, school uniforms and essential packs for families, redecorate refuge accommodation and new sustainable toys for children, as well as general running costs and challenges arising from these unprecedented times.
Barratt Homes’ Community Fund pledges £1,000 every month to a charity or organisation, which supports local people across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Charities are nominated and voted for by employees of Barratt Homes and the focus for the fund continues to be on organisations that improve the quality of life for those living in the area.
Barratt Homes East also carried out a number of activities to fundraise a further £890 for chosen charities. These involved a walking, running and cycling for an hour challenge which raised £500 for the Edinburgh North West Foodbank, a virtual walk from Lands’ End to John O’ Groats raising £320 for Chas and a baking challenge raising £70 for Barratt East’s annual charity Love Gorgie Farm.
Speaking on the donation, Josh Littlejohn, CEO of Social Bite said: “We were very grateful to have the support of Barratt Homes during the challenging time when many families were stuck in isolation.
“Since March 20, we have been producing and distributing free food to homeless people and other vulnerable groups. We had given away an incredible 150,000 emergency food packs and Barratt’s donation allowed us to scale up our production and delivering 6,500 food packs every single day since April.”
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Scotland East added: “All of the charities we’ve donated to provide an invaluable service, and have carried out vital work in this difficult time for children, families and women across Scotland. We are very pleased we have been able to help them with these donations and look forward to supporting them where we can in the future.
“At Barratt East Scotland we are committed to supporting the communities we serve, and through the Community Fund and our fundraising activities, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the services that make a positive impact on so many lives.”
For more information on Barratt Homes, visit the website.
A Scottish Parliament Committee has warned that more needs to be done to ensure that young people who need help with their mental health can access support at the earliest opportunity.
A Scottish Parliament Committee has warned that more needs to be done to ensure that young people who need help with their mental health can access support at the earliest opportunity.
In a report published yesterday, the Public Petitions Committee has said that despite efforts to improve the provision of early intervention mental health services, more needs to be done to ensure that young people feeling low or anxious, or both, can access advice and support.
The Committee’s inquiry into mental health support for young people in Scotland was driven by petition PE1627, which called for consultation with, and consent from, a parent or guardian before prescribing medication to treat mental ill health if the patient is under 18 years of age. The petition was lodged by Annette McKenzie following the tragic death of her daughter, Britney, from an overdose of prescription medication.
While there was limited support for the primary action being called for in the petition, the Committee backed the current guidance, which asks GPs to encourage patients to speak to their families and seek support.
MSPs were however concerned by the evidence heard highlighting serious concerns about the experiences of young people seeking help for their mental health, particularly for the first time.
Some young people explained that they felt cast aside by their GP, despite their obvious signs of distress, and in some cases, the distress escalated to self-harming and attempting suicide.
During its inquiry, the Committee found that young people, and those supporting them, are often unaware of the availability of initial support services. As a result, young people are often inappropriately referred to specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) only to be rejected for not meeting NHS board criteria.
While the Committee welcomed the Government’s commitment to ensure every secondary school has access to counselling services, it warned that this alone will not address the wide-ranging needs of young people. It can therefore only be part of a larger package of measures, complementing existing services and forms of support.
To achieve this, the Committee has made recommendations for the Scottish Government, COSLA, integration authorities and Education Scotland.
These include:
• That authorities set out clear pathways to support for young people seeking help by the end of 2020. • That there should be local ‘inventories’ of mental health services in each area so it is clear to professionals what support is available in each area. This work should be completed no later than by the end of 2020. • That work is undertaken to identify how to support parents and carers in accessing information about their children’s mental health, as well as signposting them to the right services. • That the provision of school counsellors is reviewed to ensure they are delivering their services most effectively; and that Personal and Social Education (PSE) becomes more relevant and empowering for young people.
The counsellor review should be reported to Parliament by early 2022, with the Government review of PSE due to be implemented in March 2021.
• That teachers are empowered to identify and support young people with their mental health. Mental health first aid training should be included in Initial Teacher Education by the start of academic year 2021/22. • That the Government should consider ways to help employers of young people fulfil their duty of care when it comes to supporting their mental wellbeing.
The Committee also recognised the efforts and dedication of all those supporting young people, and hope that this work will allow young people themselves, as well as parents, carers, teachers, medical professionals, and others working with young people to feel able to find the right help.
Committee Convener Johann Lamont MSP, said: “The Committee wants to recognise the work of Annette McKenzie, who has shown such courage in highlighting the concerns in her petition. She has done so in circumstances which no parent should ever have to face.
“During the Committee’s work on the inquiry, we have found a troubling picture.
“Though anyone can experience low mood, anxiety, or both, at some point in their life, when it comes to seeking support, young people often find themselves facing a cluttered and even confusing landscape, which too frequently does not provide the support needed.
“While the Committee welcomes those measures announced by the Scottish Government to improve the situation, these are not enough to address the substantial gap that remains in the provision of mental health services, or to improve understanding of the help available.
“Therefore, we believe that the Government should work urgently with authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible, both for young people and those they are turning to for help.
“The need for this work will only be increased by COVID-19, and its consequent impact on young people’s mental health.”
Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty has denounced Scottish councils for not spending the money given to them by the Scottish Government to disburse to needy people via the Scottish Welfare Fund.
In response to the Covid-19 emergency the Scottish government added £45 million to the Scottish Welfare Fund, more than doubling its funding. But despite this, local councils – who administer the Fund – are actually paying out LESS in grants to needy applicants than they did during the same period last year!
The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) supports people in real need, and the government promised that by boosting the fund Councils would have greater flexibility in making SWF payments “ to ensure they can fully support people in financial crisis, including workers in the ‘gig economy’.
But Scottish Government figures reveal that while in April and May 2019 Councils disbursed a total of over £6.5 million in SWF grants, in April and May 2020 less than £6 million was paid out to needy people.
Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP) say: “It’s a disgrace – despite having more than twice as much money to make grants, and despite soaring need, at the height of the pandemic Scottish local authorities have actually REDUCED the SWF grants.”
Shirley Anne-Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, stated in the Scottish Parliament on 27/3/20 that the guidelines normally limiting crisis grants to 3 per year were scrapped.
But an investigation by ECAP has revealed that virtually every Scottish local authority still declares on its website that Crisis Grants are normally restricted to three per year. The Highland Council website even declares : “You should not apply for a Crisis Grant if you have already had three crisis grants or awards made to you in the last 12 months”.
Wrongly Refused
One applicant in Edinburgh, applying for a Crisis Grant during the pandemic, was wrongly told that they could not be awarded a Grant because they had already had three grants in the last 12 months.
When ECAP challenged and denounced this as wrong, the City of Edinburgh Council then did pay the applicant a Crisis Grant.
ECAP say: “ How many applicants are being wrongly refused Grants? And how many people are being put off applying by Councils wrongly stating that the Crisis Grant limits still stand? This denial of support to people in need is unacceptable.”
In a statement, ECAP insist: “ The Councils in Scotland must pay out the extra cash they have been given as grants to people in need. Councils must make clear the 3 Crisis Grants per year limit is scrapped and make payments accordingly.
“And the Scottish Government should tell local authorities they must widely publicise the extra support available, massively increase payments, and implement the new rules ending the restriction on Crisis Grant payments.”
Council outlines plans for stepping up capital’s response to Black Lives Matter
A review of Edinburgh’s links to slavery and colonialism and a series of work strands to enhance diversity and inclusion across the City at the heart of a Council-wide response to Black Lives Matter.
Following calls from elected members in June to see the Council strengthen it’s commitment to tackling discrimination and response to BAME issues, officers have started work on an action plan which was approved by the Policy and Sustainability Committee on Thursday (23 July).
The plan features work to appoint a panel to lead a series of workshops in the coming months, with the aim of reviewing features like street signs and statues, the Council’s employment policy and procedures and projects looking at diversity in schools.
This independent Review Group will develop parameters and a workplan to be presented to Council with support from the Equalities Champion and Equalities Working Group.
The report also outlined the strengthened approach to equalities and the Council’s commitment to develop a policy on Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh is one of the most inclusive, diverse and welcoming cities in the world yet we must always strive to do better. Our ambition is to consign racism and prejudice to history.
“There is absolutely no place for intolerance in Scotland’s Capital City in 2020 and the Black Lives Movement has provided us with a real opportunity to have an open and honest conversation with ourselves and with our communities.
This report offered ideas for enhancing diversity where we can and I’m looking forward to the appointment of the Independent Review Group with emphasis on imput and leadership from the wider BAME community.
“I want to see us consider all options for rectifying the glorification of slavery and colonialism in our streets and for supporting diversity in our city, right across the Council and in each of our schools.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “This is an important and timely piece of work which will help us to build on our equalities programme, making sure we take action where we can in response to lessons learned from the Black Lives Matters movement. It’s important we listen to and act upon the views of the BAME community.
“In recent months we’ve already committed to review our museum and gallery collections through the lens of BAME history. We’ve also put a temporary plaque in place to more accurately tell the history of the statue of Henry Dundas, a man who had links to the slave trade.
“We’ll also look at how we can highlight this side of Edinburgh’s history to our young people, parents and teaching staff so that they have the support and tools they need to make black history a core part of school life.
“Steps like these can help us understand the wrongs of the past and dismantle their harmful and persistent legacy in present day racism, so that prejudice can finally become a thing of the past.”
A new funding stream for the independent museums sector to help bolster resilience following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
The £4 million Museums Resilience and Recovery Fund will provide support for Scotland’s museums and galleries and will be administered by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS).
The fund will aid the return of staff from furlough and the wider reopening of museums and galleries.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Museums are the places where we hold memories of our people. They play a big role in delivering social impacts in education, health and wellbeing and also generate a considerable amount for the economy, with £1.04 billion directly attributable to heritage, tourism, rural employment and apprenticeships.
“Sadly, many of these wonderful institutions are now at a critical juncture in making decisions about whether they can afford to reopen, looking at possible redundancies, cancelling events and putting off critical repairs. I am pleased to announce this much needed support for the sector to help them get through the rest of the financial year.
“We all need to come together to support our local museums and galleries. As part of the campaign to encourage Scots to staycation this summer, I would encourage everyone to consider visiting their local museums, galleries and heritage attractions, if they are open. Scotland’s communities are relying on our continued support.”
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland said: “We warmly welcome this funding from the Scottish Government. The burden of uncertainty has been one of the hardest hitting consequences of this pandemic – affecting us all.
“This financial support will enable us to alleviate the intense pressures felt by our independent museums and heralds a precious opportunity for the passionate and skilled people working in this sector to plan, to collaborate and to deliver vital services with and within communities.
Museums and galleries are a vital part of the fabric of our towns, cities and communities the length and breadth of this country and we welcome the Scottish Government’s recognition of their important role through this support.”
New funds for cycling and walking infrastructure awarded to City of Edinburgh Council must be used wisely if traffic jams and unsafe roads are to be avoided as lockdown lifts, the Scottish Greens have warned.
City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded £5m as part of the £30m Spaces for People fund, to make social distancing and active travel possible as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
The funds are possible because of the budget deal won by the Scottish Greens, which saw the active travel budget raised to £100m for the first time ever.
However, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors across Scotland have already resisted the establishment of temporary safe spaces for walking and cycling, prioritising congestion over common sense.
Green MSP for Lothian, Alison Johnstone, has urged City of Edinburgh Council to put public safety, air quality and the economy first by investing the funds in a way which keeps people moving.
Alison Johnstone MSP said: “I welcome the fact Edinburgh has applied for and been granted £5m to make our streets safer. This funding can make a real difference here, but only if it is invested wisely.
“If people avoid public transport in the near future, there is a real danger our streets will be clogged up with traffic jams, causing dangerous levels of pollution and preventing anyone getting anywhere.
“New infrastructure must be visible and useful not tokenistic, such as on main arterial routes which people will need when they start to go back to work. It also needs to be given the option to become permanent once the benefits become clear.
“Roads exist to serve people, not just cars, and there is some incredible work being done in France, Italy and across Europe to redesign them to keep people moving. I urge City of Edinburgh Council to ignore the retrograde naysayers who are obsessed with 1960s-style town planning and look instead to the needs of citizens.”
A huge thank you again to everyone who submitted a comment on the 48-50 Iona Street planning application back in May.
As a result, the developer has made some changes to the proposal. While some of these changes are welcome, many aspects of the development remain unchanged, such as building height, density, student accommodation.
**MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN COMMENT ON THE AMENDMENTS TO THE APPLICATION UNTIL FRIDAY 14 AUGUST**
Any previous comments and objections are still valid on aspects of the development that are unchanged.
As before, Save Iona street will be pulling together some notes to help those who wish to comment on the these amendments.
Funds raised by the DEC appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps.
The UK Government is doubling its support to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Coronavirus Appeal, following a huge response from the British public, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced yesterday.
This increase of match funding up to £10 million follows donations of £9.8 million in 9 days – a donation of £25, when matched by the UK Government, could provide two families with essential hygiene kits.
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal is helping to provide lifesaving aid to refugees, who are living in overcrowded camps where social distancing is impossible and therefore face a higher risk of catching coronavirus.
Funds raised by the appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, making up the DEC, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps by:
providing frontline doctors and aid workers with equipment and supplies to care for the vulnerable and sick;
making sure families have enough food to prevent malnutrition, particularly amongst children; and
giving families clean water and soap, as well as information about the dangers of the disease.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The British people have been incredibly generous and compassionate in donating to this life-saving appeal. To double the impact of their kindness the UK Government will match a further £5 million of donations pound-for-pound.
“Together our support is protecting millions of people in the developing world from coronavirus, including those escaping conflict. This will in turn help stop future waves of the disease.”
The announcement takes the total amount of UK aid pledged to end the pandemic globally to £774 million.
This week’s announcement by WFP warns that Covid-19 is contributing to a ‘perfect storm’ of problems that could throw millions of Yemenis into a deeper food crisis.
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Chief Executive Saleh Saeed says the situation is so acute in Yemen that much more needs to be done now, before hunger levels rise again in the coming months, as forecast in the report.
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal launched last week to help people displaced by conflict and instability in some of the most fragile places in the world – including Yemen – who are now facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
DEC members are already responding in the country and say that many families have lost almost all means of accessing food. In a country that imported 90% of its food even before the war, the ongoing financial crisis and restrictions on imports by warring parties have resulted in massive increases in the price of food.
Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “This new data shows how bleak the situation is for the millions of Yemenis struggling with hunger as conflict has decimated infrastructure, restricted food imports, and led to mass unemployment.
“For millions the Covid-19 pandemic is the final blow, causing a slump in vital remittances and squeezing food imports even tighter.
“I worry that Yemenis are having to choose between dying at home from hunger or risking getting the virus by going out to find food. We really need donations to keep supporting and saving the lives of the most vulnerable people.”
Alex Nawa, Yemen Country Director, Action Against Hunger said: “In Yemen the cost of food has doubled in the last two weeks. In some rural areas it has gone up three times. We think severe malnutrition will increase by 10% in the next few months.
“Food prices have increased because of inflation and because fuel prices have shot up so the cost of transporting food to shops and markets has risen. Fuel shortages have hampered delivery of clean water and caused problems with water pumping.
“There is a lack of knowledge about the virus. When people die they are buried within 12-24 hours. I have seen the number of burials at cemeteries increase over the last few weeks. There is no testing to see if people have died of Covid.
“Families are responsible for burial and don’t wear any PPE, often burying their loved ones with their bare hands. I am very worried that they could then get infected with the virus. It’s a grim outlook here – Covid is having a massive impact.”
Saleh Saeed, DEC Chief Executive, said: “I could never have imagined this happening to my ancestral home country … my friends and family in Yemen share with me how desperate the situation has become and how it has got worse for many.
“First came the war and destruction, then came the hunger and cholera and now the deadly threat of coronavirus making the situation unbearable and the hunger even worse. Some have simply accepted their fate and die quietly at home.”
He thanked the public for donations to the DEC appeal for the seven places it is prioritising. “The UK public have once again demonstrated their generosity and compassion. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the DEC Coronavirus appeal so far, helping us to raise over £14 million.”
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal will help the most vulnerable people in six of the world’s most fragile states: Yemen and Syria; Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Afghanistan. A total of 24 million displaced people live in crowded temporary shelter in these countries.
The appeal also includes the world’s largest refugee camp – in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where more than 850,000 Rohingya refugees have sought sanctuary.
Despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic, the 14 DEC member charities are already present and working in refugee and displacement camps. They urgently need more funds to scale up their operations and save lives.
Stay up to date with developments by following the DEC on Twitter or Facebook.
Hotel QE2 has now been open in Dubai for just under two years. She’s a little bit of Britain fighting her corner in the world’s toughest hotel market.
The QE2, the most famous ocean liner in the world, now has a new home in Dubai. And, a new life as a floating hotel. This magnificent vessel is bigger than Titanic and has transported rockstars and royalty, and sailed over 6 million miles, circumnavigating the globe 25 times.
Hotel QE2 has now been open in Dubai for just under two years. She is a little bit of Britain fighting her corner in the world’s toughest hotel market.
With a multimillion pound refurbishment ongoing, and a new team at the helm, will it be sink or swim for Hotel QE2?
QE2: Bigger than Titanic, she’s transported rockstars and royalty, and sailed over 6 million miles, circumnavigating the Globe 25 times before she was retired.
In tonight’s episode …
At 52 years of age, Hotel QE2 is one of the oldest landmarks in Dubai. Millions have already been spent on her refurbishment, but she’s still only 40% complete.
With more than 100 five-star hotels, competition in the Dubai hotel market is fierce. Designer Chris needs to launch new superior suites on the ship’s top deck to keep up. The first VIP guests are due to check into them in just a few days. But the rooms are far from ready.
Not only that, but there’s a glamorous new arrival coming to town. The QE2’s bigger and younger sister, the Queen Mary 2. And it’s Queen Mary 2 passengers who are due to be checking into the new rooms. But first, QE2’s Head of Tours Peter is hoping to a sneaky peak at the new rival to size up the competition.
Meanwhile, Executive Chef Dino and his team have a big event booked in: a traditional Burns night supper for 200 guests. The QE2 was built on the Clyde, so it’s a matter of pride to get everything absolutely right. But where do you find haggis in the UAE??
And there’s an even bigger headache on the horizon. The Burns Night shindig is due to be held in the historic Queens Room, which played host to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, back in the day. But it’s also undergoing a bit of a facelift – which also isn’t finished…
Can the QE2 team pull out all the stops to get everything ready in time and impress the best?
QE2: The World’s Most Luxurious Hotel
starts TONIGHT – Friday 24th July – at 9pm on Channel 5
