Count Me In!

Young carers call for educational equality and an end to isolation

Thousands of children and young people across the UK will take part in activities today to highlight the need for far more support for young carers from government, schools and local authorities.

The call comes on Young Carers Awareness Day, an annual event led and organised by Carers Trust. The day aims to raise awareness of the pressures experienced by young carers – children who need to look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol.

Count Me In! Young carers call for educational equality in UK schools

Scottish Government figures estimate the number of young carers in Scotland to be around 29,000. However, further research by Carers Trust shows that as many as one in five secondary school children may be a young carer. For many, the caring journey begins long before they reach secondary school.

But whatever their age, the need to provide care can have a negative impact on the wellbeing, education and future prospects of young carers. Caring responsibilities all too often lead to an inability to complete homework, late arrival at school or even non-attendance.

Research indicates that young carers on average receive lower grade in their public exams than their peers who do not have caring responsibilities at home.

But despite the challenges faced by young carers, far too many remain unidentified and hidden away from support. These problems are less likely to build up if young carers are proactively identified as early as possible.

Once identified, young carers’ circumstances at home can be better understood. This will help schools ensure that young carers are receiving the additional support they need to address their vulnerability to lower than average educational attainment.

This is why Carers Trust has made Count Me In! the theme for this year’s Young Carers Awareness Day.

To ensure as many young carers as possible are identified in future, Carers Trust and young carers are calling on:

  • compulsory education providers to acknowledge their unique position to identify young carers at an early stage so appropriate support can start as soon as possible; and to recognise young carers as a vulnerable group of learners who require additional support so they can engage in their education and go on to lead enjoyable, fulfilled lives.
  • The Scottish Government to monitor implementation of legislation relating to young carers, including how many young carers are identified and supported; and to ensure that local authorities receive appropriate funding so they are able to fulfil their statutory duties to provide young carers and their families with the support they need; and collect attendance and attainment data on all identified young carers in education.

Gareth Howells, Carers Trust CEO, said: ““I know as a former young carer myself that it’s hard enough for young carers to have to juggle all the pressures of school and exams with caring for family members.

“They are often dealing with complex problems which many adults would struggle to deal with – from disability and terminal illness to mental health problems, alcoholism and substance misuse.

“The need to support hundreds of thousands of young carers right across the UK could not be clearer. But far too often the needs of young carers are ignored, leaving them unnoticed and unsupported.

“Our colleagues in local authorities, education and government need to be doing far more to identify young carers at as early a stage as possible so they can achieve their potential at school and lead happy, fulfilled lives.”

Tackling mental health for National Breathing Space Day

Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians Rugby Club has teamed up with Breathing Space, Scotland’s mental health phone service, to encourage Scots to take some time out for their mental health.

The initiative is part of a wider partnership between Breathing Space and Scottish Rugby, to raise awareness of the confidential support the phoneline provides for anyone feeling low or stressed.

A video featuring GHA players and their top tips on how to de-stress, will be shared online on National Breathing Space Day (1st February).

Tony McLaren, Breathing Space National Coordinator, said: “Rugby is a challenging sport, it’s inspiring to hear how these young players stay mentally healthy through physical activity.

“We’re also getting the message across that our helpline is available in the evenings and weekends for anyone who is struggling and needs a listening ear.”

Breathing Space receive around 8,000 calls each month from people across Scotland struggling with their mental health. Trained advisors are able to give support and advice on a wide range of issues, including loneliness, relationship issues and anxiety.

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said: “Breathing Space do important work to support people across Scotland who are feeling low, stressed or anxious. Taking steps early on to improve mental wellbeing by caring for ourselves and for others is so important.

“Our Mental Health Strategy stresses that we want to see a Scotland where more people are more active, more often, in part because being active is good for our mental wellbeing. So I think it’s great that Breathing Space are linking up with GHA Rugby Club to support the role that sport and physical activity can play in maintaining good mental wellbeing.”

Brian Tracey, President of GHA RFC, added: “When I took over the presidency it coincided with a couple of tragic events surrounding players at nearby clubs.

“It made me determined that we as a club put in place a framework of help and support. Breathing Space have been part of that network and we value their partnership with GHA.”

Breathing Space is available on freephone 0800 83 85 87, from 6pm to 2am weekdays and 24 hours at the weekend.

GHA will be taking part in the U18 Scottish Cup Semi Final vs Hawick on 1st February.

Local Choir Announces Scottish Lottery Prize

A local Gaelic Choir was in the spotlight this week as they took part in People’s Postcode Lottery’s £3 million prize reveal on Facebook.

Còisir Dhùn Èideann (The Edinburgh Gaelic Choir) were invited to help reveal that the North Uist and Berneray sector, HS6 5, has been drawn as the winner of the lottery’s Postcode Millions prize.

Choir members were interviewed as part of the reveal before closing the show with a live performance of ‘An teid thu leam, a ribhinn og.’

Paul Chilver, 52, has been with the choir for almost five years. Originally from London, he fell in love with the Gaelic language after a trip to the Western Isles.

Paul said: “I just got curious about the language, I saw it on road signs and heard it from locals and just got curious. I love the music, the songs are really beautiful.”

Katie Cullen, 32, and her mother Fiona are new to the choir having joined last year.

Katie said: “I joined on impulse with my Mum and I love it, it’s really such a lot of fun. I’d tell people who are interested in joining the Gaelic choir to just do it!”

Choir Committee President Nora, 74, also sang at the event. She said: “Gaelic has a huge variety of songs, lots of which were written by women, these days Gaelic singing is my main hobby!”

The choir is always looking for new members. Nora said: “People can be involved as much as they want, they can sing, learn the language, and it’s a really fun evening each week.”

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson announced the winning postcode sector along with the local singers. He said: “What a great performance! It was amazing to a hear a song in Gaelic performed live. What better way to announce that People’s Postcode Lottery is going to be heading to the Outer Hebrides.”

Players on the island will share £3 million in prizes and will find out exactly how much they have won at an event held on the island on Friday 31st January 2020.

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This month’s Postcode Millions draw was promoted by the Postcode Animal Trust which supports charities and good causes that are educating, supporting and promoting animal welfare and conservation.

Many local causes have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can apply for funding now.

Còisir Dhùn Èideann meets every Wednesday between 7.30pm and 9.30pm in Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, 12 Bellevue Crescent, EH3 6NE.

For more information on People’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook  and Twitter.

Assault in St Andrew Square: Can You Help?

Police have released images of two men they wish to speak with in connection to an ongoing investigation into a serious assault in the city centre.

The incident took place around 2.20am on Tuesday, 15 October, 2019, in St Andrew Square. A 23-year-old man was assaulted outside a restaurant on the square, close to the junction with George Street and was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was treated for a serious facial injury.

Officers believe the men pictured may have information to assist their investigation and anyone who recognises them is urged to come forward.

The man in images one and two is described as white, aged between 18-22, of slim build with short brown hair. He is seen in the images to be wearing a black coloured polo shirt with a design on the collar, and is believed to have been wearing knee-length dark coloured shorts and white trainers.

The man in image three is also described as aged between 18-22, of slim build with short dark hair. He is seen wearing a black t-shirt with white writing to the chest and is believed to have been wearing black jeans and white trainers.

Detective Constable Tom Kerr of Gayfield CID said: “The victim was subjected to an unprovoked attack which left him with a serious facial injury that required surgical treatment in hospital.

“I would urge anyone with information as to the identity of the men pictured to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0260 of 15th October 2019. Alternatively please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”

Toiletries: make it clear!

The battle against plastic waste is being held back by a mountain of poorly-labelled bathroom products that could go unrecycled, Which? is warning.

Which? analysed the recycling information on the labels of 20 common toiletries, as well as the type and volume of packaging, to determine how clearly the products are labelled and how difficult they would be to recycle.

The consumer champion found that 12 out of 20 (60%) products had no recycling information on the label, despite most of them being partially or wholly recyclable.

Only six of the products (30%) that Which? looked at seemed to be getting the labelling right – advising consumers that the products should be recycled and with specific instructions on how to do so.

The consumer group is concerned that this lack of coherent labelling could cause confusion among consumers and lead to significant numbers of recyclable products being sent to landfill.

Which? found that while two-thirds (67%) of people think recyclability of packaging is important when supermarket shopping, a majority (65%) of Which? members said they were not cutting back on plastics in the bathroom.

A third (33%) explained that this was because it would be too difficult to replace bathroom products they regularly use, while a quarter (23%) hadn’t thought about it before. One in six (16%) explained that they don’t know how to cut back on bathroom plastic.

Experts at Which? found that Head and Shoulders classic clean shampoo (500ml), L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect conditioner (400ml) and Listerine Total Care mouthwash (500ml) had no clear labelling regarding recycling, despite being made of recyclable materials.

While many brands fell short of the standards Which? expected, Carex’s Complete Original handwash (250ml) displays clear labelling about how to recycle the bottle, and encourages people to do so. Radox Feel Refreshed shower gel (250ml) gives similarly clear instructions.

For most people, the recycling habit has taken hold more effectively with groceries and other kitchen products. Previous Which? research found that on average 58 per cent of packaging for grocery products was clearly labelled.

Which? is concerned that many toiletry brands are not doing enough to offer consumers clear information about whether or not their bathroom products are recyclable.

The onus is now on these brands to make significant changes to the way they approach the production of plastic packaging and how they communicate with their customers.

Which? is also calling on the government to make recycling labelling simple, clear and mandatory and ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place to make it easy for everyone to recycle, regardless of where they live.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “Recycling and sustainability are a high priority for many consumers – so the lack of clear information on the products we looked at is inexcusable in this day and age.

“With the packaging of many recyclable bathroom toiletries going into landfill in the UK, brands must take action to ensure bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are clearly labelled and can be disposed of in an efficient way.”

Which? advice for consumers:

  • Items such as shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles can usually be recycled by emptying, rinsing and replacing the lids.

  • When recyclable products have pump dispensers, you usually need to remove the pump and throw it away separately.

  • Some retailers offer refills for certain branded toiletries so you don’t have to buy another container.

  • A lot of plastic-free options can actually save money, such as using a soap bar and buying refills in bulk. Other plastic-free options include:

    • Reusable face wipes

    • Solid shampoo / conditioner bars

    • Bamboo toothbrushes

    • Toothpaste and mouthwash tablets

    • Menstrual cups

    • Plastic-free deodorant

    • Recyclable / plastic-free toilet paper

Full table of products

Product

Packaging

Recycling information provided on label

Recyclability

Andrex: Classic Clean Toilet Paper (4 rolls)

Cardboard, plastic film

Tube – widely recycled

Cardboard collected at kerbside, plastic film not widely recycled

Sure Men: Invisible Ice aerosol anti-perspirant deodorant (150ml)

Aluminium

Widely recycled

Collected at kerbside

Sure Women: MotionSense Invisible Aqua deodorant (50ml)

Plastic (unspecified)

Widely recycled

Collected at kerbside

Simple: Kind to skin vital vitamin day cream facial moisturiser (50ml)

PP and cardboard

Please recycle me. Jar and lid are PP; carton is cardboard

Collected at kerbside

Simple: Kind to skin vital vitamin face wash (150ml)

PE and PP

Please check if packaging is recyclable in your country. Tube is PE. Cap is PP.

Collected at kerbside

Radox: Feel Refreshed shower gel (250ml)

PP

Widely recycled, please recycle but remove cap first

Collected at kerbside

Complete: Original handwash (250ml)

PET

Widely recycled, reuse our pump, recycle our bottle

Collected at kerbside when pump removed

Nivea Men: Rehydrating moisturiser (75ml)

Cardboard and LDPE

Mobius loop image

Cardboard collected at kerbside; LDPE not widely recycled – check local recycling

Gilette: Fusion5+ 10-blade men’s razor

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, razors non-recyclable (except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Gilette Venus: Swirl women’s razor

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, razors non-recyclable

(except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Gillette: Fusion 5 shaving gel (200ml)

Steel

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Head and Shoulders: Classic clean shampoo  (500ml)

HDPE

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

L’Oreal: Elvive Colour Protect conditioner (400ml)

HDPE

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

VO5: Matte clay hair styling product (65ml)

Aluminium

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Oral B: Indicator 35 medium toothbrush

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, toothbrush non-recyclable (except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Colgate: Total Original toothpaste (125ml)

Cardboard packaging and mixed plastic tube

No recycling labelling

Cardboard collected at kerbside; tube non-recyclable

(except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Listerine: Total Care mouthwash (500ml)

PET

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Tampax: Pearl Compak regular tampons (18 pack)

Cardboard packaging and plastic applicators

No recycling labelling

Cardboard collected at kerbside; mixed plastic applicators not widely recycled

Neutrogena: Hand cream (50ml)

LDPE

No recycling labelling

Not widely recycled – check local recycling

Radox Scent Touch Feel Fresh shower gel (200ml)

Mixed plastic

No recycling labelling

Not widely recycled

 

FUSE event at Festival Theatre

There’s an Open Day at the Festival Theatre on Nicolson Street for care experienced families on Sunday February 1st.

This is an opportunity to take part in a FREE takeover day with a host of arts activities to engage the whole family. Light buffet lunch will also be provided.

If you would like any more information, please contact Cat Sheridan on catrin.sheridan@capitaltheatres.com

Scotland’s new £10.5m fire training centre opens at Newbridge

Firefighters staged a dramatic ‘rescue’ at a new multi-million-pound training facility officially opened by Scotland’s Community Safety Minister yesterday.

The crews raced to a fire at a petrochemical facility and snatched a casualty to safety before dousing the flames during the realistic practical scenario.

They showcased their technical skills to mark the official launch of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s new £10.5million facility at Newbridge.

The facility is now the second largest fire training site in Scotland. It will equip 1,600 personnel from across 65 fire stations with the knowledge and skills to respond safely and effectively to fires within domestic, industrial and commercial buildings.

Firefighters will also be trained to respond to a wide range of other incidents such as road traffic collision, urban search and rescue, mass decontamination, rope rescue and water rescue.

And they will further be equipped to use new firefighting technologies such as Ultra High-Pressure Lances (UHPL).

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham was joined at the official opening by SFRS Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent and Chief Officer Martin Blunden.

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “I was very impressed to see firefighters being put through their paces at the new training facility.

“Training is an essential component in ensuring firefighters maintain the skills and professional competencies needed to keep our communities safe.  Having these fantastic facilities in the east of Scotland also allows training to be delivered closer to home, enabling firefighters to spend less time away from their core duties and their families.”

Chief Officer Blunden said: “This is truly a landmark occasion for our national Service.

“This state-of-the-art training facility will ensure our firefighters receive the best training to respond to a very wide spread of emergency incidents including water rescue and urban search and rescue.

“It will also support a total of 42,000 training hours each year for those 1,600 operation personnel. It is imperative that they are equipped with the skills and the knowledge to stay safe when responding to some of the most challenging and dynamic incidents.

“This investment is therefore good news for the communities we serve and protect.”

Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent added: “It is a pleasure to be here today to mark the official opening of what is indeed a very impressive facility, and this significant investment signals our very clear commitment to both firefighter and community safety.

“This facility was delivered seamlessly, built in one single phase over just 20 months and I commend our teams who worked so hard to make this possible.

“It even includes a Smoke Cleaning unit which will ensure there are no smoke emissions, therefore minimising our environmental impact which is also to be welcomed.”

Edinburgh College opens its doors to prospective students

Edinburgh College is encouraging prospective students to find out more about the range of courses available at the College in 2020 at two campus open days this week.

The College’s Milton Road Campus (above) will welcome guests tomorrow (Thursday 30 January) from 4pm until 7pm, while Granton Campus’ open day is taking place on Saturday 1 February between 10am and 2pm.

Those in attendance will have the opportunity to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer at each campus and to discover the best study options available to them.

Prospective students can also get advice and guidance on funding and fees, tour the College’s facilities and even apply for their chosen course on the day.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We look forward to welcoming prospective students to the College and I encourage anyone thinking of studying with us to come along to the open days to find out more about the courses we offer.

“We have courses to suit everyone, from school leavers, to people wanting to improve their job prospects, boost their qualifications or learn new skills in 2020.”

To find out more about the courses on offer at Edinburgh College visit the college website:  www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/opendays.

Further open days will be held at Sighthill and Midlothian Campuses on Saturday 22 February and Saturday 29 February respectively.

NHS Lothian’s Nightingale Challenge set to inspire next generation of future leaders

NHS Lothian has launched its Nightingale Challenge to inspire nurses and midwives across the board to become future leaders.

The challenge, which is taking place around the world, forms part of the celebrations for the Year of the Nurse and Midwife and marks 200 years since the birth of Florence Nightingale.

The Nightingale Challenge encourages health employers to provide leadership and development training for their young nurses and midwifes during 2020. To date, more than 570 employers in 66 countries have signed up, involving around 25,000 nurses and midwives worldwide.

Across NHS Lothian, the focus for the challenge is ‘Inspiring the Next Generation.’ Through a programme of work NHS Lothian wants to promote the diversity of nursing and midwifery roles, and to highlight the various pathways to joining the professions. Already around 50 students and registered nurses and midwives across Lothian have signed up to take part.

The launch event on 24 January provided an opportunity for attendees to share their journeys into nursing and midwifery and to get involved in developing ideas to support the programme of events taking place throughout 2020 to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

Professor Alex McMahon, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professionals, NHS Lothian said: “I am delighted that NHS Lothian is joining the celebrations to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and that as part of this, will be getting involved in the Nightingale Challenge.

“The skills and experiences that I gained from my nursing days really have supported and enabled me to move into a range of leadership roles.

“I hope that through the Nightingale Challenge, we can inspire and encourage our young nurses and midwives to see themselves as future leaders, who will help to shape and support our NHS for years to come.”

NHS Lothian’s promotional activities in support of the Nightingale Challenge and the Year of the Nurse and Midwife can be followed by searching the hashtags #LothianYNM2020, #NightingaleChallenge, #ScotNurses2020 and #ScotMidwives2020 on social media.