£250,000 to support Scotland’s science festivals
Science festivals will receive £250,000 of Scottish Government funding to support them in bringing science alive in a fun and accessible way, Science Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville has announced. Continue reading More funding for science festivals
Pilton Youth & Childrens Project, 1 – 4pm
Cats Protection has outlined a series of steps which can be taken to help keep felines safe throughout the year:
Although cats often enjoy exploring, their curiosity can lead them into trouble. A few simple measures can help keep cats away from danger and enjoying life.
Keep cats inside during hours of darkness. Cats are at increased risk of road injuries and theft after nightfall. Keeping cats indoors overnight and timing meals to coincide with rush hour will help keep cats away from busy roads.
Ensure cats are neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Making sure cats are neutered provides a host of benefits in addition to preventing unwanted kittens being born. Neutered cats are less likely to roam, lowering the risk of car accidents and less likely to fight and contract serious diseases which are spread by saliva. Microchipping offers a safe and permanent method of identification, while ensuring cats are vaccinated will protect against parasites and diseases.
Encourage cats to stay close to home. If cats are content, they are more likely to stay within their own home and garden. Planting cat-friendly plants such as catnip and lavender, providing logs for scratching and long grass for relaxing or to assist with expelling hairballs can all add to the creation of a cat-friendly space. Poisonous substances often found in the home or garden, such as antifreeze, disinfectants, insect and pest killers should be kept securely.
Certain plants can be toxic to cats, for example lilies can be lethal if any part of the plant is ingested. If your cat does show any signs of poisoning, you should seek veterinary advice as soon as possible. A full list of plants that are hazardous to cats can be found on International Cat Care’s website www.icatcare.org
Remain vigilant to possible acts of cruelty. If you suspect somebody is acting suspiciously towards cats in the area, report your concerns to the local police and/or Scottish SPCA, along with any descriptions and car number plates you may have noted. If there is a local Neighbourhood Watch, make them aware and inform your neighbours that there may be suspicious activity taking place.
Mark Beazley, Director of Operations for Cats Protection, says: “We often have reports coming into our branches and centres across the country of cats that have strayed, become injured in fights or been poisoned by seemingly harmless substances around the home. Simply following these guidelines and remaining vigilant can help keep cats safe and enjoying themselves throughout the year.”
For further advice and information on cat welfare-related issues please download http://bit.ly/CatSafeAdvice or for more detail http://bit.ly/CatSafeGuide alternatively call Cats Protection’s helpline on 03000 12 12 12.
New financial services company opens on Leith Walk
An annual cycling event, which has already raised more than £50,000 for Scotland’s leading Armed Forces charity, is returning to East Lothian even bigger and better. Continue reading Get on your bike for Poppyscotland!
A pop-up venue with iconic views of the historic Old Town has been praised by local musicians for providing a new platform for live music in the capital. Continue reading Festival Village provides new stage for local music talent
Mums and dads contemplating names for their new babies might want to consider how a name can affect their offspring’s future earning potential, with ‘Ed’s and ‘Liz’s earning the most, according to new research by job search-engine Adzuna.
The study, conducted in August 2017, analysed over 155,000 CVs of recent job seekers using Adzuna’s ValueMyCV algorithm, to reveal the average earning potential of workers with different names.
Traditional names top the list, with boys name ‘Ed’ and girls name ‘Liz’ proving the highest value. Workers called Ed can typically earn £61,400 per year, while those going by Liz can take home an average of £38,800. Following close behind the leaders, the next most valuable boys names are ‘Bill’ (£56,700), ‘Geoff’ (£54,000) and ‘Bob’ (£53,000), while female names ‘Jo’ (£38,700), ‘Michele’ (£36,300) and ‘Alexis’ (£36,200) are also top earners.
By comparison, workers named ‘Reece’ and ‘Paige’ are at the bottom of the wage pile with average potential earnings of just £23,000 and £20,200 respectively.
Those baby names currently proving most popular among new parents, ‘Oliver’ and ‘Amelia,’ are worth £35,500 and £27,600.* Meanwhile, names with a royal heritage are a steady bet for mums and dads, with ‘Will’s typically taking home £45,400, ‘Kate’s showing an average earning potential of £33,800, ‘George’s worth £37,300 and ‘Charlotte’s typically paid £26,500.
Overall, male names make up the top 186 highest value names, providing new evidence of the existing gender pay gap in the workforce.
Workers with nicknames earn more
The research also suggests that using a nickname at work could help you get ahead in the salary stakes. While the average earning potential of those named ‘Bill’ is £56,700, those going by ‘William’ are worth just £36,100 a year. Similarly, those named ‘Mike’ typically earn £53,000, topping ‘Michael’s at £38,700. The trend is also evident in female names, with ‘Sue’s earning £35,000 compared to ‘Susan’s’ £28,100.
Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, commented: “’Ed’ and ‘Liz’ top the chart of most valuable names in the UK, meaning workers with these names are worth the most to potential employers. As a rule of thumb, those with traditional names consistently rate as higher earners. New mums and dads may want to bear this in mind when christening their babies.
“It’s interesting that the most successful workers typically use a nickname in their professional lives. This could signal an informality and approachability that has helped them climb the career tree. Or it could reflect the confidence that comes with success. Either way, job seekers may want to try adopting a nickname to help secure the highest pay levels possible.
“Also of note, the top 186 highest earning names are typically seen as ‘male’ names, showing there is still work to do to close the gender pay gap. ‘Blind’ recruitment practices may help to correct this imbalance, at the same time as helping to eliminate discrimination against those with ethnic names. As the workplace becomes both more gender neutral and more diverse, we expect the weighting towards traditional male names to become less pronounced.”
Earning Potential of Most Popular Baby Boy Names*
Private independent schools and so-called ‘arms-length’ council companies like Edinburgh Leisure could lose their charitable status and resultant business rates relief under proposals published yesterday. The independent Barclay review group’s report on non-domestic business rates has made a number of recommendations to improve the current business rates system by stimulating growth, reducing administration and increasing fairness. Continue reading Private schools and arms-length council companies to lose rates relief?
Monday 28th August: meet 12:45 for 1.30 walk
Earlier this year the First Minister announced that the scheme was being rolled out to all primary school children, following a trial year among P4-P7. More than three quarters of all local authority primary schools in Scotland signed up to the First Minister’s Challenge in the first year of it being introduced when it was offered to older primary school children.
Research shows reading for pleasure drops off as young people reach secondary school and the expansion of the scheme is designed to ensure young adults continue to enjoy reading long after they have left primary school.
Speaking during a visit to one of the pilot schools, St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School yesterday, the First Minister said: “I am incredibly proud of the success the First Minister’s Reading Challenge has had in nurturing a love of reading for pleasure amongScotland’s young people which is why this expansion to secondary schools is so exciting.
“I am determined to ensure we continue to promote reading as one of life’s greatest pleasures – and that young people reap the benefits of the resulting educational attainment that can be achieved.”
Michael Wilkie, Literacy Coordinator from St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. Reading has been such an important aspect of our plans for raising attainment in the last few years, and this exciting initiative will be the drive to expand reading for pleasure across the entire school community.
“Plans are already in progress to engage parents to help their children be the best readers they can be, to support staff across the curriculum to confidently teach and assess reading, and to give pupils as many opportunities as possible to pick up a book and get reading. With an active and enthusiastic literacy committee and pupils who thrive on reading, we are certainly up for the challenge.’
Marc Lambert, CEO at Scottish Book Trust, which runs the programme, added:”This expansion of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge builds on the huge success of its first year and opens up the joy of reading for pleasure to all primary children. The secondary school pilot will focus on a key age group, among whom reading for pleasure can tail off due to the pressures on time that come with high school.
“The Reading Challenge will focus attention on this, giving pupils more opportunities to share and celebrate what they love reading, delve deeper into writing and discover different ways to enjoy books.”
