NSPCC’s Letter from Santa

Dear Editor,

As Christmas draws ever nearer, why not get the little ones excited for the big day with a Letter from Santa? It’s a great way to bring joy to your own family, whilst knowing you’re making a positive difference to the lives of children who may need it most this Christmas.

The letters can be tailored to your child with name, age, hobbies and a personal message to get Christmas in your household off to a magical start. There are eight new designs to choose from including Reindeer Flying Practice’, ‘Christmas Disco’ and ‘Elves are Ready to Go!’

We know that on average at least two children in every primary school classroom has suffered some form of abuse. You can help us be there for them and provide the necessary support at Christmas and all year round. For every Letter from Santa, we suggest a donation of £5, which goes a long way to helping children.

With £8 we can cover the cost for our volunteer counsellors to answer two calls to the NSPCC’s Childline service. On average, a child contacts Childline every 25 seconds. It provides a safe, confidential place for children with no one else to turn to, whatever their worry, whenever they need help. They can get in contact 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.

A £10 donation could help us answer two calls to the free NSPCC Helpline from adults worried about a child. It is open every day of the year for any adult worried about a child on 0808 800 5000 or nspcc.org.uk. Our practitioners provide advice and support, listen to concerns about a child, and offer general information about child protection.

To get creating your family’s personalised Letter from Santa, and start spreading the festive cheer, visit the NSPCC website.

Paul Cockram,

Head of fundraising for NSPCC Scotland

From Scotland with Love on St. Andrew’s Day

To mark St. Andrew’s Day (Saturday, November 30th), why not join us from 3-4:30pm for a special free screening of From Scotland with Love ? A 75-minute documentary created entirely from archive film material from the National Library of Scotland and Scottish Screen Archive.

It is purely visual with no voiceover – only a musical soundtrack by King Creosote. No age restriction – everyone welcome!

Labour’s manifesto: ‘A nightmarish Marxist scenario’ or a win for all?

Corbyn
The Labour Party’s manifesto has, unsurprisingly, provoked markedly different responses.

Business leaders are scathing. Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director General, said: “Labour’s default instinct for state control will drag our economy down, rather than lift people up. 

“Policies ranging from major renationalisation and a four-day week to the ill-conceived plan to remove 10% of shares from public companies will hurt employers, employees, savings and pensions. It’s the most vulnerable in society who will pay the price for this economic experiment.

“Significant hikes in corporation tax, threats to important investment incentives and windfall taxes on oil and gas will set alarm bells ringing for globally mobile businesses.

“Business shares Labour’s goals for a close trade relationship with Europe and a fairer, greener and more inclusive economy at home.

“We support Labour’s ambition to build more affordable homes, upskill the economy with more apprenticeships and reform business rates. However, without business investment, insight and expertise, it won’t be possible to drive the economy forward or improve vital public services.

“The door is open for Labour to work with business. We urge them not to close it.”

Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party’s ‘radical Marxist manifesto’ will bring far-reaching economic chaos for Brexit-battered Britain, affirms the boss of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.

The founder and CEO of deVere Group, Nigel Green, spoke out as the Labour leader unveiled his party’s manifesto yesterday ahead of next month’s general election.

Mr Green said: “Labour’s Marxist manifesto is the most radical and dangerous in decades. It would bring far-reaching economic chaos for a Brexit-battered Britain already on the brink.

“Corbyn and McDonnell’s agenda would create a nightmarish scenario that would hit those very people the most that it is proclaiming to try and support and protect.”

He continues: “There are three fundamental reasons why the Corbyn-led Labour manifesto would damage the UK economy.

“First, it would drive down already stagnate business investment in the UK. The mammoth nationalisation programme will leave companies thinking ‘who’s next?’

“Plus, the snatching of 10 per cent of the shares in every big company and a significant increase in trade union power, including a return to collective bargaining, will leave UK and international investors justifiably concerned that their investments will not be safe under Labour.

“This will seriously erode any attempts to generate long-term, sustainable economic growth.”

Mr Green went on: “Second, it would trigger an exodus of some of the most successful and wealthiest individuals.

“This would likely be due to concerns regarding Labour’s stance on inheritance tax, income tax, stamp duty and capital gains tax, potentially even capital controls, and the slashing of pensions tax relief.

“Typically, these people have the resources to move to safe lower tax jurisdictions if the tax burden in Britain becomes too great.

“Should these largely job and wealth-creating, tax-paying individuals quit Britain, the government’s finances will suffer significantly because they contribute a disproportionately large amount to the state’s coffers. Indeed, they prop-up the system.

“And third, a renegotiation of the Brexit deal, which would be put to a second referendum, would create many more months of uncertainty for businesses.

“Labour’s economic agenda is a risky gamble. Its potential for serious adverse consequences is massive. And whilst the radical plans are already far-reaching, this might be just the beginning, with more misguided policies to come.”

A risky gamble? Not so – it’s a fantastic offer, says the leader of Britain’s biggest trade union:

Unite is the UK’s largest trade union with over 1.25 million members. Reacting to the launch of the Labour party’s manifesto yesterday, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “This is a fantastic offer from Labour to the electorate.

“I urge all Unite members and the general public to listen to what Labour is saying.

“When Labour wins nurses win, teachers win, manufacturing workers win, car workers win, young people win and pensioners win.

“When Labour wins, we all win. Come home to Labour.”

The TUC’s Kate Bell says the Labour manifesto delivers for working families:
“Working families desperately need change at this election. The manifesto launched by the Labour Party today has the ingredients we need to deliver it.

This is the most important election in a generation for working families. No matter who we are or where we come from, all of us should have a chance to get on in life.

“We’re assessing each of the party manifestos on their plan to put working families first. Here we set out why we think the Labour manifesto delivers.

Test 1: Get wages rising faster for everyone – not just top earners

The Labour manifesto sets out a comprehensive plan to end the longest pay squeeze for generations.

  • They’ll bring in a real living wage of £10 now for everyone.
  • There’s new rights promised so that workers can bargain through their unions for fair pay, including access rights to workplaces for unions, and a commitment to make it easier for workers and unions to establish collective bargaining in their workplace and to introduce sectoral collective bargaining. We know that’s the best way to get pay rising for everyone. And international institutions agree with us – just this week the OECD (the organisation of rich nations) called for countries to ‘revamp collective bargaining to prevent rising labour market inequalities ’.
  • Worker Directors will be elected to make up a third of company boards and given a say over executive pay.
  • There’s a real commitment to tackle pay inequality, with new reporting requirements to expose race and disability-based pay discrimination and plans to ensure employers have to take action on closing the gender pay gap.
  • And what’s more, the UK will be brought in line with the rest of Europe with four new bank holidays.
  • Test 2: Ban zero-hours contracts nd guarantee everyone the security at work we need

This manifesto offers real change for working families and a return to decent secure jobs.

  • Zero-Hours Contracts would be banned – a change desperately needed for the 900,000 people still faced with this form of unfair and insecure work
  • And Labour would go further by ensuring that cancelled shifts are paid and people are given reasonable notice of when they’re expected to work.
  • Every worker would be given day one rights in their job, including the right to redundancy pay and family-friendly rights. And Labour have promised never to return to the unfair employment tribunal fees that priced workers out of justice.
  • Workers would get a right to flexible working from day one.
  • And there’s new rights to make sure that workers have say in the future of work, including a legal right to collective consultation on the implementation of new technology in workplaces.

Test 3: Rebuild our NHS and the public services we all rely on – don’t cut taxes for the rich

Labour are promising the investment are schools and hospitals are crying out for. And they’re funding it by ensuring the rich and big corporations pay their fair share.

  • Labour’s NHS plans include a 4.3 per cent uplift in funding a year, plus new money for building hospital and upgrading investment. This would repair the long-term damage caused by ten years of austerity that’s left us with nurse shortages and long waits to see a GP. And there’s a plan to give public sector workers the pay increase they deserve, with a five per cent rise across the board.
  • The plan for a national care service with free personal care for older peoplewould help address the urgent social care crisis and relieve pressure on the NHS too.
  • On schools, Labour’s plans would not only reverse the cuts, but address the historic underfunding of education in too many parts of the country. And the plan for universal free school meals will make a real difference to families across the country, as well as boosting learning.
  • Labour plan to pay for this with a fair plan for taxation. The highest earners – those who earn over £80,000 – will pay a little more tax. If you’re not in that top five per cent, your taxes won’t go up. Tax on big business (corporation tax) will go up to help fund public services, but it will still be lower than in 2010.

“Working families desperately need change at this election. This manifesto has the ingredients we need to deliver it.”

Make up your own mind: see Labour’s manifesto below:

Real-Change-Labour-Manifesto-2019

 

 

Housebuilder Supports STEM Curriculum at Pirniehall

Award-winning housebuilder Urban Union is fostering STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) talent among primary pupils in north Edinburgh by running a competition designed to test innovation and creativity.

The competition with Pirniehall Primary, which is located less than a mile from Urban Union and the city council’s Pennywell Living development, saw primary 4 – 7 pupils create house models from scratch using woodwork skills.

24 Pupils picked up awards for their efforts in architectural design, property layout and execution of the marketing brochure.

Ross Neilson, STEM coordinator at Pirniehall Primary School said: “Working with Urban Union on this competition has been a fantastic way to bring the lessons the children have learnt in class to life.

“Through building the wooden models of their house designs, the pupils have learned how to safely cut with saws, measure accurately and glue their structures together. They also learned how to sell these designs, creating architectural drawings and marketing materials for brochures.

“The team at Urban Union came in to give a presentation and provide further insight into the construction industry, demonstrating to pupils how the skills they are learning in class translate into working life.”

STEM is a curriculum which groups subjects science, technology, engineering and maths together, teaching them in an interdisciplinary and applied approach rather than as four separate subjects.

Lauren Jenkins, Architect at Barton Willmore said: “It has been a great experience working with the pupils of Pirniehall Primary School – the work that the children put in was incredible and some of the designs were really incredible. 

“It was a particularly special activity for me to support – while at primary school I took part in a similar workshop and the experience and learnings I took from it inspired me to go on to train to become an architect.  I hope that we’ve managed to inspire future generations of architects from the work we’ve carried out at Pirniehall.”

Neil McKay, Managing Director at Urban Union said: “At Urban Union we are always looking for ways to engage with the schools, be that through sponsorships, donations or with a more hands on approach like this competition.

“It has been rewarding to see the amazing designs of the pupils at Pirniehall Primary. Working with the school to help give context to its STEM curriculum has been a remarkable experience and one that we hope to replicate.

“Huge congratulations to all of the winners today. We have seen some amazing talent and there is certainly a bright future ahead for the pupils at Pirniehall Primary.”

Pennywell living is part of a housing-led regeneration programme being delivered through a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and Urban Union.  It is located only two miles from Edinburgh City Centre and is in the catchment area of a number of great local primary and secondary schools.

The development is in prime position to make the most of the many shops, bars and restaurants the capital has to offer and has a wealth of useful amenities in the area, making it perfect for young professionals and families.

To find out more about the houses on offer at Pennywell Living, visit: www.urbanunionltd.co.uk/pennywell-living

Book your place: a new chapter for Central Library

Culture Convener CLLR DONALD WILSON writes about exciting literary developments with plans to transform Central Library, National Mobile Libraries Day and Scottish Book Week:

Mobile Library

They say things come in threes and that’s definitely the case in Edinburgh with all things literature at the moment!

Today we are celebrating the first National Mobile Libraries Day and Edinburgh is one of best local authorities in the country for providing this valuable service.

Edinburgh has five  vehicles which is more than any other city in Scotland (Glasgow doesn’t have any), making  over 5,800 stops every year and lending out nearly 100,000 items from books to dvds and also providing services such as storytelling sessions and craft activities.

Mobile libraries are a real lifeline for communities and using them gives people a sense of belonging and helps to reduce loneliness and isolation.

They are so much more than books which leads nicely onto this week being Scottish Book Week. Edinburgh was the first City of Literature in the world so it’s only right we celebrate Scottish Book Week with lots of fun and educational events in our libraries, schools and across the city. Why not pop down to your local library to see what they’ve got planned?

One exciting new development is the news of our ambitious plans to transform the Central Library.

Last week the Culture and Communities Committee approved proposals to create a project team to develop an imaginative, accessible and engaging future vision for one of the Capital’s most iconic buildings.

We fully realise this is a major undertaking but it’s one we are embracing with open arms as we aim to create an inspiring and inclusive learning and cultural destination.

There will undoubtedly be many challenges on the long journey but we need to transform the Central Library to meet 21st Century needs and the evolving expectations of both present and future generations.

One of the major issues facing us is poor accessibility as many areas are off limits to wheelchair users and extremely challenging for others.

Public space is limited with only about 35% currently available however our two public proposals would increase this to 75% and 95%.

Funding will be another challenge but one where there are potential options we can explore.

Doing nothing is expensive and doesn’t deliver best value – we need to be preventative rather than reactive.

We have already shown what can be achieved with the refurbishment of the Children’s Library, Music Library, Edinburgh and Scottish Collection in 2014. These spaces are now modern, bright and welcoming which has led to an increase in visitors.

Transforming the Central Library is key to widening access and inclusion, to offering an outstretched, welcoming hand for all. Sparking discovery, creativity and imagination through the power of reading and learning, in all its forms.

As Andrew Carnegie said in a telegram to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh on 27 April 1886: ‘There is one point upon which all true Scotchmen are agreed, that no city in the world compares to Edinburgh’. Edinburgh deserves a Central Library of the highest quality that matches or exceeds those anywhere else in the world – let’s all work together to deliver one!