People across Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to turn the spotlight on their heroes of the high street.
Nominations have opened for the 2024 Scotland Loves Local Awards, which will see the nation’s town of the year crowned, alongside other accolades.
Organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the awards recognise and reward the dedication, determination and innovation which is making communities fit for the future.
The categories nationally are:
Town of the Year
Most Enterprising Community
Place Leader of the Year
Eight High Street Hero Awards will also be presented – one in each of the Scottish Parliament electoral regions.
This will recognise a person or organisation who has gone above and beyond to support people and make their community a better place to live, work and visit.
STP Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “There are people working tirelessly across Edinburgh and throughout the Lothians whose desire to make a difference is driving a new future for their community.
“Hard work and innovation is helping people and places to manage the cost of living, tackle the climate emergency while transforming places to become better, fairer, more attractive and successful.
“The Scotland Loves Local Awards are a chance to shine a spotlight on the determination and collaboration which really is improving lives in so many ways.”
Spearheaded by STP and supported by the Scottish Government, Scotland Loves Local is the movement encouraging people to create a better future for their community by choosing local. This is the fourth year in which the awards have been held.
Technology solutions company Vicinity, which works with councils and business improvement districts to provide data and audience insights to promote local places and economies, is sponsoring the Town of the Year category.
Chief Executive Henry Jinmansaid: “Our work gives us a fascinating insight into what makes places tick and we are delighted to work alongside STP to help foster a culture of innovation and collaboration in Scotland’s Towns and Places.
“That is why we are delighted to be supporting the Town of the Year category, to shine a spotlight on fantastic work being carried out by organisations and individuals across the country, making a real difference to places and the people who live there.”
Award nominations can be made at www.lovelocal.scot/awards, where full category criteria can also be found. There, you can briefly share the details of your nominee and why you would like to see them recognised.
The closing date for nominations is 5pm on Friday, August 23rd 2024. Finalists will be announced in September with presentations made to winners in October.
The achievements of finalists will also be celebrated at the Scotland’s Towns Conference in Perth on November 27th.
The Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Bangladesh has called for action to promote educational links between Scotland and Bangladesh.
The CPG met on Wednesday 19th June 2024 and received updates from Convener Foysol Choudhury MSP and Deputy Convener Miles Briggs MSP, H.E. Saida Muna Tasneem, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the UK, Peter Brown, Director of British Council Scotland, Dr Ibrahim Rashid, PhD Fellow from Stirling University and members of the Scottish Bangladeshi diaspora.
The High Commissioner was also joined by Mohammad Hazrat Ali Khan, Deputy High Commissioner, Tanvir Mohammad Azim, Commercial Counsellor, Wing Commander Md Saifur Rahman, Assistant Defence Adviser and Moumita Zeenat, Counsellor (Political).
The CPG meeting focused on education and followed on from a CPG visit to Dhaka last November 2023, where the CPG met with H.E. Sheikh Hasina and the Foreign Minister Dr A.K. Abdul Momen to discuss the importance of generating shared links between education institutions in Bangladesh and Scotland.
MSP Choudhury and MSP Briggs updated the CPG on Wednesday night on how they have already met with Scottish Universities to start the conversation and discuss how to move forward with opportunities for education and research collaboration, specifically around agriculture, climate change and fishing.
MSP Choudhury said: “The CPG is all about building the relationship between Scotland and Bangladesh in areas of shared importance.
“There is a definite need to bridge a gap and reinforce educational collaboration with Scottish and Bangladeshi universities, such as via creating Scottish University campuses in Dhaka and beyond.
“We have already written to H.E. Sheikh Hasina, had discussions with High Commissioner, Saida Muna Tasneem, contacted Universities Scotland’s Connected Scotland Partnership and the British Council.
“It was fantastic to hear the update from the High Commissioner and British Council at the CPG meeting this week to hear their commitment to building educational links and opportunities between Scotland and Bangladesh-as well as from some students to learn why educational collaboration is so beneficial!
“We look forward to continuing this collaboration between Scotland and Bangladesh on education and other areas such as climate change, and seeing our global partnership go from strength to strength.”
The CPG also got an update on many more areas of development between Scotland and Bangladesh, including cultural endeavours via the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
The Scottish Parliament CPG on Bangladesh says it will continue to build these links and shared endeavours between Scotland and Bangladesh, exploring matters on the world stage and also for the domestic Bangladeshi diaspora in Scotland.
Join us in your Scottish Parliament to have your say on the issues that matter to you
The Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics returns this August with a five-day programme of over 30 events, taking place in the home of Scottish politics at Holyrood.
Our 20th Festival will take place between Monday 19 to Friday 23 August and will provide festivalgoers with informed debate and inspiring topics on a range of social, political, and environmental issues facing the world today.
This year we mark two significant milestones in Scotland’s political history, the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament and the 20th anniversary of the Holyrood building. With several events focusing on the future of the institution in Scotland.
Benedetta Tagliabue, architect, partner and widow of the visionary creative Enric Miralles, who designed the Scottish Parliament building will join the Presiding Officer in conversation on the opening day of the Festival.
This event will also feature excerpts from the opera ‘Mai per Atzar’ (Never by Chance) originally staged in 1997 for the opening of the Miralles Tagliabue EMBT studio in Barcelona, with lyrics by Valerio Ferrari and music by Roberto Cacciapaglia.
The excerpts from the original Opera, together with new music in honour of Enric Miralles, will be performed live by world leading composer and pianist Roberto Cacciapaglia in the Parliament’s Debating Chamber.
There will also be leading experts from the worlds of politics, the arts, business, the media, academia and the third sector who will join us for a deep dive into issues dominating the news agenda. Join in and have you say on everything from the impact of artificial intelligence to Scotland’s ambitions in the space sector, to young people and mental health.
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said: “Every year, the Festival of Politics aims to explore some of the big issues that feature in day-to-day politics, in the media and in wider civic Scotland.
“The Festival offers an opportunity to take up a seat in your Parliament, to hear from a range of experts, aiming to inspire debate and inform our thinking.
“This year as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we present an exciting and varied programme of events, music and exhibitions.”
In association with the Edinburgh International Festival, the first day of the Festival will also feature the impressive outdoor opening celebration of Healing Arts Scotland featuring a Scottish Ballet community cast accompanied by 200 musicians including performers from Oi Musica, Samba Y Bamba, The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and the piping super group TRYST.
The specially curated dance piece will be performed to ‘Mackay’s Memoirs’ by the late Scottish Celtic fusion artist Martyn Bennett. Healing Arts Scotland is a country-wide week-long activation, celebrating and advocating for improved physical, mental and social health through the arts.
In addition, there is a lively free programme of music, choirs, dance and exhibitions in the Festival Café Bar.
The Royal Highland Show saw continued success with its record breaking 2024 event as 55,000 show goers descended upon the Ingliston site in Edinburgh on its second day (Friday). The sell-out crowd was wowed with the best display of farming, food and rural life that Scotland has to offer.
Friday also marked the first night of the Royal Highland Hoolie, a celebration of Scottish Music with Peatbog Faeries, Nathan Evans and Tide Lines set to take the stage this evening.
The Hoolie will return for a second night on Saturday featuring Derek Ryan, Lisa McHugh and with an exclusive appearance from “Cotton eye Joe” chart toppers, Red Nex.
Mark Currie, Director of Venue for RHASS, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see record crowds at the Royal Highland Show this year.
“Day two has seen a fantastic array of competitions, events and exhibitors and we send our congratulations to all the winners so far. We look forward to two more action packed days.”
Ticket sales across the 2024 event are also up on previous years, with an increase of 15% on the same time last year.
Those attending the show in the next two days are reminded that Saturday car parking is also sold out and attendees without parking tickets are encouraged to utilise public transport.
For further information including travel information, booking car parking or Hoolie tickets visit www.royalhighlandShow.org.
A new digital pathway aimed at supporting stroke survivors has launched today (Friday 21 June) in Lothian.
The ‘Life After Stroke’ Pathway has been developed by a partnership comprising health charity Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, NHS Lothian and Pogo Digital Healthcare.
The pathway provides stroke survivors tailored information based on their personal experiences, symptoms, and concerns in order to better manage their condition, alongside support from the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland stroke nursing team who provide follow up support in the community.
When onboarded to the pathway, patients receive a self-assessment questionnaire to inform the health information they will receive. These questionnaires will be sent out bi-monthly to track changes in symptoms over time. Information will be sent to patients in the form of short slide presentations, which provide medical & health information, guidance, and signposting to further resources.
The Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland nursing team will be able to utilise the outcomes of the self-assessment questionnaires to better inform and tailor the support, education and advice that patients receive to support recovery.
Patients will only receive talks that are relevant to them, to avoid information overload and only focus on what matters to each patient. These tailored talks will be stored in the patient’s personal online portal, which can be easily accessed and referred to at any time.
Stroke survivor Jeremy Dearling, 67, was involved in the creation of the pathway as a public contributor.
Speaking about the launch, he said: “I have been delighted to have been part of the team developing this pathway with Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, a much-needed resource for survivors of stroke.
“As a public contributor, I have not only been heard and listened to, but as someone with lived experience of a brain injury and who was a staff nurse on a stroke ward, I have found a generous welcome to the team.
“There is a huge amount of support on offer using the newly launched Life After Stroke programme that is in addition to the existing resources available on the CHSS website. A stroke can be an isolating experience, unnecessarily so, so if you have had a stroke or care for someone with one, make use of the help available”.
Joanne Graham, Director of Service Delivery, at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland said:“We are delighted to be able to build on our existing relationship with NHS Lothian to support individuals post stroke through this digital pathway.
“Providing tailored health Information as early as possible is critical to support people to self manage their condition. This pathway will further support our charity’s mission to ensure every person with one of our conditions has access to quality supported self management and community recovery as part of our community health care support service.”
Jack Francis, CEO of Pogo Digital Healthcare, said: “I am delighted to be extending our digital self-management tool into a new Stroke pathway.
“As someone whose family was negatively impacted by a stroke, it is brilliant to be involved in a project that will give people and their families the support and information they need.”
Dr Charlie Chung, AHP Stroke Strategic Lead and Consultant Occupation Therapist at NHS Lothian said: “I am excited that the Life After Stroke digital pathway will commence testing with the staff and patients of the stroke unit in the Royal Infirmary.
“Stroke survivors consistently report that targeted and relevant information about their stroke would have been valuable at the time of their admission to hospital but provision was inconsistent.
“A key objective is that information provision will not happen by chance, but will be a routine part of service delivery which will ultimately support the self-management of stroke survivors.”
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)’s 2024 Rocking Horse Ball, sponsored by Thorntons Solicitors, has raised £95,000 (after costs) to help support children with life-shortening conditions and their families.
The annual event, which had an Aladdin ’Whole New World’ theme this year, took place at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh on Friday 7 June.
Guests at the event, which is recognised as one of the capital’s most-loved charity dinners, enjoyed a night of wonder with Aladdin-themed games amongst a backdrop of flying carpets and magic lamps.
Comedian and singer Jess Robinson hosted the event, supported by compere Alex Fleming, who entertained guests throughout evening, including during the live auction, while music was provided by Edinburgh band duo BLEEKER.
Guest of honour at the event was CHAS parent speaker, Andy White from Fife who spoke about the care and support he received from Rachel House hospice in Kinross when his son Leo died in March 2022, aged just six years old.
Leading full-service law firm Thorntons offers a full range of legal services to businesses and private clients across the country, with partners regularly volunteering and raising money for CHAS. Lead partner at the firm’s Edinburgh office, Clare Macpherson, is also a member of the Rocking Horse Ball’s event committee.
Diane Alton, CHAS’s high-profile events manager, said: “We are proud and privileged to have the continued support from Thorntons for a third year for our seventh Rocking Horse Ball.
“With their very generous sponsorship, we were able to wow our guests from start to finish, creating an incredible and memorable event that raised an incredible £95,000 after costs for CHAS.”
Clare Macpherson said: “It’s remarkable and humbling to witness the difference CHAS makes to families across Scotland.
“We’ve long supported the CHAS Rocking Horse Ball and this year’s event was yet another success, entertaining all who attended and raising funds for a very important cause. We look forward to continuing our partnership with CHAS and supporting its life-changing work.”
To celebrate some of the sporting events taking place this summer, including the Euro’s, Scottish Golf Open and the Olympics, The Centre, Livingston has invited three charities and a social enterprise to take part in its ‘Jump into Summer’ sports themed events programme, which includes a ‘Beat the Goalie’ challenge in a Euro’s football pop up, basketball and table tennis ‘try outs’ and 44 free daily workshops.
The action-packed event is designed to give visitors the chance to try out a new sport or improve their skills and join in the various free sessions for kids of all ages, running from Saturday, 29th June until Monday, 12th August, from 11am – 4pm each day.
In partnership with West Lothian Community Foundation, a Euro’s football pop up will be located at the activity hub near Waterstones from the 4th – 8th July where shoppers can take part in a ‘Beat the Goalie’ challenge and get help from the coaches on how to improve their technique.
Newly signed players from Livingston FC will also be joining in the fun on Friday, 5th at 1.30pm.
To tie in with the Scottish Golf Open, a golf simulator will also be in situ at the activity hub to encourage people to try their hand at the sport or improve their speed and swing from Friday 12th – 14th July.
Lothian Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club will also be taking part in the event with various demonstrations and opportunities for shoppers to see how many hoops they can shoot, from Friday 26th – Sunday, 28th July.
On the 3rd and 4th of August West Lothian Community Table Tennis Club, which is a charity based at The Centre, Livingston will also be providing taster and mini coaching sessions.
Leaderboards will chart the best results on the day at the sports pop ups with lucky shoppers being in with a chance of winning £25 Gift Cards.
To highlight the benefits of cycling, Livingston based social enterprise, West Lothian Bike Library, will be taking up residency next to Car Park 1 on Wednesday, 7th August from 11 – 2pm, where they will also be carrying out bike safety checks.
From the 29th June until the 12th August, on all 44 days, families can take part in a wide variety of free workshops with activity leaders from workouts and storytelling sessions to painting classes and a one mile lap of the shopping centre on Saturday, 10th August at 11am, with kids receiving a wooden keepsake medal at the end for taking part.
There will also be a ‘Spot the Sport’ trail to find pictures in 10 shop windows and on completion, families can enter a weekly prize draw to win a £50 Gift Card every week. All activities are free with the option to donate to any of the four summer charity partners.
Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “Our ‘Jump into Summer’ sports themed programme, which links into some brilliant events this summer, is packed with lots of free fun-filled activities for kids of all ages.
“This is a great opportunity for us to give visitors the chance to either try out a new sport or improve their skills with the help of some fantastic coaches.
“The event also gives us another opportunity to support and shine a light on the great work that our summer charity partners are doing in the local community, including West Lothian Community Foundation, Lothian Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club, West Lothian Community Table Tennis Club and West Lothian Bike Library.”
For more information on all free activities, check out www.thecentrelivingston.com.
Amendment will align Act with Court of Session ruling
Legislation to amend the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
The Act, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2018, sets an objective that 50% of a public board’s non-executive members should be women.
The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Amendment) Bill– will align the 2018 Act with a Court of Session ruling in 2022, which found that the Act’s definition of “woman” was not within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. Therefore, that definition will be removed from the statute book.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Gender equality is at the heart of our vision for a fairer Scotland and making sure women’s voices are heard across society is an important part of that.
“The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act continues to set the objective for 50% of non-executive public board members to be women, helping ensure greater equality at the highest levels of public life.
“The Bill passed today will amend the Act in line with the Court of Session ruling to ensure the statute book is accurate. This amendment does not change the purpose or objectives of the Act, and the Scottish Government remains committed to improving gender equality and representation of women across all areas of society.”
This Clean Air Day, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are supporting a day of learning where young people will be encouraged to lead change, tackle air pollution and protect the future of our environment through science.
Over 300 pupils were invited to a special event at the Glasgow Science Centre yesterday (Thursday, 20th June 2024) to celebrate the schools that have taken part in the “Our Amazing Air” Learning Lab programme run by the science centre in partnership with SEPA.
Young people visiting the centre on Clean Air Day enjoyed a range of themed activities including interactive exhibits and experiments, talks with experts from SEPA, University of Strathclyde and Nooku, and a brand new Our Amazing Air science show, which will run to the end of August as part of the centre’s public programme.
Launched in 2022, the Our Amazing Air programme is a STEM learning initiative aimed at P5 – P7 pupils that teaches young people about the importance of clean air, how the air environment functions, and the effects of air pollution on our health and the environment.
The programme includes training sessions and free lesson plans for teachers so they can support their learners to explore the air around us and investigate how it supports life through hands-on activities, group discussions and experiments. A total of 1200 pupils from 50 classes are taking part in the learning lab this term.
Dr Colin Gillespie, SEPA’s Air Modelling Unit Manager, said: “Good air quality is essential for a good quality of life, helping maintain our health and wellbeing and our climate and habitats. Everyone has a part to play in helping to improve air quality and tackle pollution – and education is a vital part of this.
“It’s fantastic to see so many young people engaging with issues surrounding air quality and inspiring to see them turn these learnings into positive actions that will make a real difference to communities and our environment.
“Clean Air Day gives everyone an important opportunity to consider how we can change or adapt our behaviour to improve the quality of our air and spread the positive message about the benefits of clean air.”
Tara Gibson, Senior Learning Coordinator at Glasgow Science Centre, said: “Our Clear Air Day activities have been made possible thanks to our partners ICLEI, University of Strathclyde and SEPA, resulting in us delivering a great programme of workshops and shows for hundreds of school pupils to take part in.
“The day’s events also allow us to showcase the wide range of engaging and accessible resources and experiences available to schools through our Learning Lab programmes.”
Tackling air pollution and raising awareness
While air quality in Scotland has significantly improved over the past three decades, air pollution still poses a significant risk to our environment and wellbeing.
Air pollution is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the biggest environmental threat to our health, with recent scientific evidence from the WHO supporting the development of more stringent guidelines for air pollutants due to the impacts on human health.
Children are particularly at risk due to their developing lungs, brains and immune systems, yet millions across the UK are still exposed to dangerously high levels of air pollution at home and at school, where traffic and idle vehicles at the school gates can be a real concern.
Coordinated by environmental charity Global Action Plan, Clean Air Day is a national air quality campaign that brings together communities, schools, businesses, local authorities and other organisations across the UK to address the issue and build awareness of the impact of air pollution.
Now in its eighth year, this year’s campaign is focused on promoting greener travel to reduce localised air pollution and ensure people have the option to travel in ways that are better for our health and the planet.
Clear Science for Clean Air
Alongside the Our Amazing Air event, SEPA’s air quality scientists also visited a school in North Lanarkshire this week to celebrate Clean Air Day with pupils and share the results from monitoring air quality around the school gates.
Working together with East Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire local authorities, SEPA have issued sensors to eight primary schools over the past few months to monitor the air quality, investigate the data produced and support teachers and pupils with initiatives such as encouraging active travel on the school run.
SEPA staff returned to St Brendan’s Primary School in Motherwell on Wednesday, 19th June to present pupils with their findings, which revealed elevated levels of air pollution in the area, particularly at drop off and pick up times.
The information gathered will support the ongoing anti-idling campaign championed by pupils at both St Brendan’s and Muirhouse Primary Schools, with youngsters aiming to reduce the number of vehicles at the school gates to cut down on localised air pollution.
Dr Colin Gillespie added: “It is encouraging to see young children keen to see the data produced from the air pollution monitors outside their schools and proactively lead change in their local communities.
“Making this information transparent and available to all allows young people and their families to make decisions on their behaviours and day-to-day activities which can have a positive impact on air quality, the wider environment and their health.
“With a long history of supporting air quality around schools in Scotland, we really recognise the importance of clean air, especially on young lungs, and promoting the fact that we’ve all got a part to play in protecting and inspiring the next generation of citizen scientists.”
