The NEN – North Edinburgh News – Page 3743 – The community media resource for north Edinburgh

Clegg launches search for Mental Health Heroes

The Deputy Prime Minister is calling on people to nominate unsung mental health heroes in their local area as part of his campaign to raise awareness of mental health problems.

One in four people will experience a mental health problem this year but for many the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health will make it harder for them to speak out and seek the support they need. That’s why the Deputy Prime Minister is calling for nominations for local Mental Health Heroes to celebrate those from every region – from healthcare professionals to next door neighbours – who have gone above and beyond to help, support or inspire people with mental health conditions.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

It could be the woman sitting next to you on the bus, the dad picking his child up at the school gates or a colleague from work – everyone knows someone living with a mental health problem.

I want to celebrate those who have gone that extra mile, whose passion and commitment have helped someone get through their darkest days and helped challenge the taboo around mental health which has existed for far too long.

It is my ambition to bring mental health out of the shadows and create a fairer society where people can speak up about how they feel and get the support and treatment they need to live the life that they choose.

To nominate someone complete and return the nomination form.

The winning nominees will be invited to a ceremony in London on Thursday 5 February, which will mark Time to Change’s ‘Time to Talk Day’ to encourage people to speak out about mental health and spread the message that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of.

Norman Lamb, Care and Support Minister, said:

Mental illness touches us all and, everyday, people in our communities are doing amazing things to improve the lives of those affected. We want to recognise and reward them.

I am determined to end discrimination faced by people with mental illness, which us why we’re continuing to fund Time to Change and support Time to Talk Day. Everyone has a part to play in tackling stigma and this is an important opportunity to start the conversations that will make lasting change.

The awards are part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s ongoing work to bring awareness and treatment for of mental health in line with physical health. In Government he has helped build a strong foundation for the improvement of mental health services, securing:

The UK’s first Mental Health Taskforce to combine the efforts and resources of ministers from across the Coalition
£400m investment expanding talking therapies
£150m investment in treatment and support for children and young adults with eating disorders
£120m investment in mental health to include the introduction in April 2015 of the first ever waiting time standards for mental health in the NHS
£54m for the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme
£7m investment to fund 50 new inpatient beds for children and young people.

If you would like to nominate someone for the Deputy Prime Minister’s Local Mental Health Hero Award complete the nomination form.

Closing date for applications is Tuesday 27 January

We are looking for people who are changing lives through one or more of the following:

Helping to break the stigma around mental health.
Inspiring others in addressing or overcoming mental health problems.
Making it easier for people to access mental health support and advice
Supporting people experiencing mental health problems to stay in or return to work
Pioneering new or innovative ways of supporting people with mental health problems and/or their families.

Statistics on mental health:

1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year
3 children in every classroom have a diagnosable mental health condition
Only a quarter of people with a common mental health problem get treatment, mostly in the form of medication
2.3 million people with a mental health condition are out of work and mental health conditions are the primary reason for claiming health related benefits.
OECD estimated that mental ill-health costs the economy an estimated GBP 70 billion a year, equivalent to 4.5% of GDP, through lost productivity, social benefits and health care.
The most common mental health problem is depression which is experienced by 8 to 12% of the population.

Lighten the Load: help to deal with debt

Campaign to highlight money advice service launched

A campaign to signpost people struggling with debt to the full range of money advice services available has been launched by the Scottish Government.

The Lighten the Load campaign raises awareness of the Scotland’s Financial Health Service website, which provides links to bodies offering information and advice on debt, managing money, housing, homelessness and ethical lending, encouraging those with money worries to take the first steps towards regaining control of their finances.

The campaign, which is aimed at people from all walks of life in Scotland seeking credible answers to issues connected with debt and money, includes a new television advertisement themed around how everyday tasks become more difficult when people are burdened with debt.

The Scottish Financial Health Service website was created by the Accountant in Bankruptcy and was launched by Business Minister Fergus Ewing in December.

Mr Ewing said: “January can be a difficult time for families when the bills associated with the festive period start to come in, but it can also be a time when people turn their attention to their finances for the year ahead.

“This campaign is intended to encourage people to access the full range of financial advice services available to help them manage their money in the months ahead.

“Since it was launched by Accountant in Bankruptcy last month, Scotland’s Financial Health Service has already been making a difference to people seeking guidance on how to prevent worries about money turning into a crisis.

“Launching this campaign will empower even more people to lighten their own money load and take back control of their finances.”

As well as providing access to debt support services, the Scotland’s Financial Health Service website also signposts users to practical credit and protection solutions offered by credit unions across Scotland.

Frank McKillop, Policy Manager at ABCUL Scotland (the Association of British Credit Unions Limited), said: “Helping people get – and stay – on top of their finances is a key part of what credit unions are all about.

“We welcome this campaign, and hope that through Scotland’s Financial Health Service, more people from all walks of life will turn to credit unions and take a responsible approach to saving, borrowing and budgeting.”

Scotland’s Financial Health Service website is available from today at:

http://www.lightentheloadscotland.gov.uk/

Future Starts here

£145,000 Scottish Government support to help young people into jobs

New pilot projects to help young people find work are to be rolled out in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and North Lanarkshire this year.

The Prince’s Trust will deliver Future Starts in collaboration with schools, colleges and employers with the support of £145,000 investment from the Scottish Government and a further £173,000 from The Wood Foundation.

The projects are specifically targeted at young people in education who are at risk of disengagement by helping them raise their ambitions and build up their confidence so they can move towards vocational training or employment.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “A few weeks ago the Scottish Government published a new Youth Employment Strategy, which followed on from the work of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“Helping more young people into vocational education is a fundamental element of this work and I am very pleased to be able to fund these Prince’s Trust pilots which will intervene early in the lives of a number of young people to ensure they do not slip off our radar.

“While last month’s statistics on leaver destinations and recent employment figures have been very encouraging, there are still too many young women and men unable to fulfil their potential for a variety of reasons. I am determined to do everything we can to help them succeed.”

Allan Watt, director of The Prince’s Trust in Scotland said: “Our Future Starts pilot responds to recommendations from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce. It means that with our school, college and private sector partners, we will reach out to those young people who face the greatest challenges moving from education to employment with relevant, engaging vocational experience and qualifications.

“With this funding from the Scottish Government and the Wood Foundation we can build relevant career options for those young people and help them create brighter futures for themselves.”

Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of The Wood Foundation said: “The Wood Foundation (TWF) is pleased to work in partnership with the Scottish Government to support the development and delivery of Future Starts, a new Prince’s Trust Scotland pilot programme. This builds on the best practice of Get Into, a Prince’s Trust programme into which TWF have invested £716,000 since 2008.

“Future Starts engages with employers to offer students, who are at their senior phase of school, the opportunity to sample potential career options and develop their skills. This programme, to which we will be contributing £173,000 over the next two and a half years, is a good fit with TWF’s Developing Young People in Scotland portfolio and also with my report for The Scottish Government – Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“I believe Future Starts will be successful in providing relevant and practical knowledge of careers and the workplace to Scotland’s next working generation whilst they’re still at school, and should ensure as many youngsters as possible leave with a positive destination into employment or further education.”

New Year babies welcomed into the world

Parents at hospitals around Scotland have welcomed the first new babies of 2015.

The first baby to arrive was in Glasgow, where Lucas King was born just after the bells at 00:02 at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

Lucas’ mum Ashley said: “It’s really nice to have had him at this time, especially as he was due on the 27th, so we didn’t expect it.” Proud dad Mark said his new 7lb 3oz boy is ‘a wee cracker’.

Lucas was followed soon after by another Lucas – this time in the Highlands. Lucas Brown was born at 00:20.

Reagan Brown arrived at 2am at St John’s in Livingston and at 02:22 Nicole Gemmell gave birth to Kasie-Leigh at Forth Valley Royal in Larbert.

Dylan Gault from Aberdeen made his debut at 04:55 and Mason Marshall was the first 2015 baby delivered at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary two hours later.

Relief for payday loan customers as costs are capped

‘Today’s crackdown on the payday lending market comes not a moment too soon’

A cap on the cost of payday loans has come into effect. Payday loan rates will now be capped at 0.8% per day of the amount borrowed, and no-one will have to pay back more than twice the amount they borrowed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said those unable to repay should be prevented from taking out such loans.

Payday loan customers will see the fees and interest they pay capped from today amid moves to stop such debts spiralling out of control.

The new rules mean that people using payday lenders and other short-term credit providers will see the cost of their borrowing fall – and those who cannot afford to repay their debt on time will never pay back more in charges than the sum they initially wanted to borrow.

For all high-cost short-term credit loans, interest and fees must not exceed 0.8% per day of the amount borrowed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which oversees the industry, said the move will lower costs for most borrowers and ensure that charges are proportionate to the size and duration of the loan.

Default fees for borrowers who fail to repay on time will be capped at £15 under the measures, which are the latest in a string of clampdowns on the much-criticized sector.

The new rules mean that, for example, if someone borrows £100 for 30 days and pays back on time, they will not be charged more than £24. Someone who borrows £100 but struggles to repay their debt will never pay back more than £200, including fees and charges.

Short-term lenders said the caps will lead to fewer people getting loans from a smaller group of lenders. They said that initially at least, the cost of a payday loan will generally be at or near the cap.

Stricter rules for credit brokers are also being applied from today. Concerns have been raised that consumers have often mistaken credit brokers for lenders.Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) recently highlighted a case involving someone looking for a £100 loan who ended up being charged £700 because their details were passed to 10 different middlemen firms.

The FCA has previously seen evidence of fees being taken by credit brokers without informed consent and under hidden or misleading terms and conditions. Under the new rules, a firm will not be able to request a consumer’s bank details or take a payment without their explicit consent first.

Martin Wheatley, chief executive of the FCA, said the payday loan cap will make the cost of a loan cheaper for most consumers.

He said: “Anyone who gets into difficulty and is unable to pay back on time, will not see the interest and fees on their loan spiral out of control – no consumer will ever owe more than double the original loan amount.”

Consumer group Which? said its 2014 research found that an average of 880,000 households took out a payday loan each month.

It’s ‘Clear Up Credit” campaign said the regulator should look to make it easier for people to compare the cost of different types of debt, including unauthorised overdrafts and credit cards.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: “Today’s crackdown on the payday lending market comes not a moment too soon. Lenders must now start competing on price and treating their customers fairly.

“The regulator has clearly shown it’s prepared to take tough action to stamp out unscrupulous practices, and they must keep the new price cap under close review. It’s now time to turn the spotlight on unfair practices in the wider credit market.

“We want to see an end to excessive fees that also make it hard to compare different loans, including those charged for unauthorised overdrafts and credit cards.”

The payday loans industry has undergone a series of shake-ups since coming under the regulation of the FCA last April.

The Office of Fair Trading, FCA’s predecessor body, expressed concerns that some payday firms appeared to base their business models around people who could not afford to pay back their loans on time, meaning the cost of the debt ballooned as they were forced to ‘roll it over’ – and extra fees and charges were added on top.

After coming under the FCA’s supervision, payday lenders were banned from rolling over a loan more than twice and and they can only now make two unsuccessful attempts to claw money back out of a borrowers’ account.

Russell Hamblin-Boone, chief executive of the Consumer Finance Association, which represents short-term lenders, said: ” This is the start of a new era for short-term lenders who are operating in an entirely new lending landscape under the FCA.

“We expect to see fewer people getting loans from fewer lenders and the loans on offer will evolve but will fully comply with the cap.

“The commercial reality is that the days of the single-payment loan are largely over – payday loans are being replaced by higher value loans over extended periods.

“Initially, prices of loans will be at or near the cap. In time we may see risk-based pricing, but innovation could be stifled by the threat of the regulator as lenders seek FCA authorisation.”

The FCA said the reforms needed time to bed down before their effect was assessed but that it would be monitoring the situation carefully. The reforms will be reviewed in two years.

Records reveal the Scots who went to war

Records of births in 1914, marriages in 1939 and deaths in 1964 from the National Records of Scotland reveal details of Scots at the start of two World Wars

New online releases of births, marriages and deaths published today (1 January) by the National Records of Scotland reveal how patriotism gripped parents of babies in 1914, and how the outbreak of war in 1939 prompted couples to marry.

The final few months of 1914 witnessed a new fashion for naming boys Kitchener after Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War. Field Marshal Lord Kitchener’s face adorned the famous recruiting posters at the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. He was responsible for increasing the British Army from six regular and fourteen divisions to seventy divisions by the creation of the ‘New Armies’ named after him.

Among the 123,394 births in 1914, record-keepers in the National Records of Scotland (NRS) found 21 boys given the first or middle name of Kitchener, including John Kitchener Hay, born 13 December 1914. His mother Beatrice registered her son’s birth, because her husband John was already in uniform as a lance sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

NRS have also identified three girls who were given Kitchener as a middle name; all were born in 1916, the year that Lord Kitchener perished when HMS Hampshire was sunk off Orkney. Between 1914 and 1918 a total of 73 Scottish children were named Kitchener, and 9 boys named Horatio Herbert, the Field Marshal’s first names. 43 boys were named Jellicoe during this period, after Admiral John Jellicoe, Commander of the Fleet and from 1916 First Sea Lord.

At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, there was a surge in the number of marriages in Scotland, as young couples rushed to wed before the men were posted overseas. There were 7,541 more marriages than in 1938. The total of 46,257 marriages came very close to the peak of 46,754 that occurred in the record-breaking year of 1920. This made 1939 the year with the second-highest number of marriages recorded to date in Scotland.

One couple tying the knot were Alexander Thomson Arundel, aged 21, lance corporal in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who was based at Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth, Wiltshire, and Jane Fulton from Glasgow, a 19-year old who worked in a fruit shop. He survived the war and died in 1973.

Some well-known Scots born in 1914 include Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969), naturalist and author of Ring of Bright Water, who was born on 15 July 1914 at House of Elrig, Mochrum, Wigtownshire. Norman McLaren (1914-1987), documentary film-maker, was born William Norman McLaren, on 11 April 1914 at 21 Albert Place Stirling, the son of William McLaren, a master housepainter. He went on to become an award winning film-maker who made films for the GPO film unit, the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation and the National Film Board of Canada. Not among the release of 1914 births is Tom Weir (1914-2006), the climber and broadcaster, whose birth on 29 December 1914 was not registered until January 1915.

Tim Ellis, Registrar General and Keeper of the Records of Scotland, said: “We know that the latest additions to our online resources on ScotlandsPeople will be very useful for family history and other researchers, particularly as the registers for 1914 contain information about Scots at the start of the First World War”.

New Year … and the gloves are off already

2015 is a General Election year and the Westminster parties are off to a flying start – David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have all issued New Year messages to kick off their campaigns.

In a video message, Prime Minister David Cameron insists the government’s economic plan is working and said Britain faces a choice between ‘competence and chaos’.

Ed Miliband, however, says people he has spoken to all across the country are desperate for change and he has promised an economic recovery that reaches people’s “kitchen table” if he becomes Prime Minister in May.

And Nick Clegg’s getting in on the act too …

Never mind, only five more months campaigning to go until the election … Happy New Year!

Two face court following Ferry Road drugs raid

Two people have been charged after £3,000 of the drug diamorphine was found at a flat on Ferry Road.

Police carried out an intelligence-led search of the address on Tuesday and seized diamorphine and diazepam tablets along with other various items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also found £910 at the property.

A 32-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

First Minister’s New Year message

Nicola Sturgeon highlights priorities for coming year

Speaking from the maternity unit at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The staff who work here are just some of the tens of thousands across our National Health Service who give up time with their loved ones over Christmas and New Year to care for the rest of us.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of them and to the many others who work so hard, not just over the festive period, but all year round to provide us with the best possible care.

“The terrible events in Glasgow last week reminded us again of how much we owe our emergency services. Day in, day out, our police, ambulance and fire services go beyond the call of duty to look after us.

“Our thoughts and prayers today remain with the bereaved and all those affected by last week’s tragedy; and our heartfelt thanks go to those who are rallying round to provide them with love and support.

“As we look forward to a new year, it is worth thinking about the babies in this maternity ward – and about the sort of country we want them to grow up in.

“These young children are lucky to have been born into an NHS that is free at the point of need.

“Your Scottish Government – a government that I am now proud to lead – is determined to protect that principle, and we will work every day to support and improve our public national health service.

“As the boys and girls here grow up, we also want them to benefit from high quality pre-school care. That’s why in 2015, we will significantly expand childcare for two year olds – and move forward with our even more ambitious plans for the future.

“And as these babies become young adults, we want to ensure that they have the opportunity to fulfil their potential in whatever career they choose.

“I am proud that this government restored the principle of free higher education – a principle I benefitted from as a young girl.

“Now I am determined that we will step up our work to close the attainment gap between schools in different parts of Scotland, so that more young people can take advantage of that free education.

“We will also continue to support a record number of modern apprenticeships, to give our young people the skills they need and help our businesses to innovate, export and expand.

“And we will strive to create opportunities for all. The baby girls in this maternity unit deserve the same chances in life as the baby boys – the chance to succeed in fields like science and engineering, and to become senior managers, board members, even First Ministers.

“The simple fact is that if we can give every child here a fair chance to fulfil their potential, we will build a stronger, happier and more successful country.

“Doing everything I can to make that a reality is my New Year resolution and it is one my government – in partnership with many across our country – will be focussed on throughout next year.

“Despite the great sadness of recent days, there is no doubt that 2014 has been the most extraordinary year for our country. Our economy has grown and unemployment has fallen. We hosted a hugely successful Ryder Cup, and staged the best ever Commonwealth Games.

“And we had a referendum recognised around the world as a shining example of democratic engagement. A referendum that – regardless of which way you voted – empowered all of us in this country like never before.

“As the bells chime on Hogmanay, I hope that the spirit of empowerment that so lit up 2014, will guide us into the New Year. Let’s resolve not to slip back to business as usual.

“Instead, let us harness the wonderful enthusiasm and engagement of 2014 and use it to build a fairer and more prosperous Scotland for these babies to grow up in.

“Wherever you are, in Scotland or around the world; at home with family and friends, or at work – let me wish each and every one of you all the very best for a happy, peaceful and prosperous 2015.”