The crowds and noise of the city centre getting you down? Wind down and relax at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Davidson’s Mains this Saturday:
For further information telephone 333 3515 or email rkendrew@btinternet.com
NHS Lothian: Looking after our visitors
Western’s Minor Injuries Clinic: help for holidaymakers
They say Edinburgh’s population more than doubles at this time of year, and NHS Lothian is in the middle of another busy August as thousands of tourists have arrived in the city for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The Festival Practice has been created to treat the influx of tourists who are not registered with a GP in the city and is designed to ensure they receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Dr Sian Tucker, Clinical Director, Lothian Unscheduled Care Service, said: “Visitors should contact NHS 24 on 111 if they feel unwell. This phone number is available 24 hours a day. Patients will be directed to the most appropriate place for their medical needs. The NHS Inform website also provides advice and information on a range of medical conditions.
“Patients may be directed to a pharmacy, dentist, the out of hours GP service or a local GP practice and can treat a range of non-emergency conditions. This will help to relieve some of the pressure on our A&E departments which are normally busier at this time of year.”
NHS Lothian is also encouraging more people to visit the Minor Injuries Clinic, rather than attending the Emergency Department.
The clinic, based at the Western General Hospital, offers assessment and treatment as required and patients with less serious injuries can often be seen quicker, without an appointment.
If patients require non-emergency medical treatment, such as a sprain, cut or burn then they can receive swift treatment in the clinic, which is open seven days at week from 8.00am to 9.00pm.
Blackhall St Columba’s to host referendum hustings
Yes? No? Don’t know?
Craigleith/Blackhall Community Council is holding a Hustings meeting in Blackhall St Columba’s Church (Large Hall) on Queensferry Road tomorrow evening (Thursday 14 August) from 7 – 9pm.
Still undecided about the Referendum? This is the opportunity to have your questions answered directly by a panel of four politicians, two from each side and all from different political parties. Each will make a short presentation followed by questions from the audience.
All welcome.
Lottery boost for Haven project
West Pilton-based charity Circle has been awarded £10000 from the Communities and Families fund, an initiative supported by the Scottish Government and Big Lottery Fund. The grant will support activities at Circle’s Haven Project based at Craigroyston Primary School.
Announcing the awards earlier this week, Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said: “I’m delighted to announce today’s grants for projects that encourage healthy lifestyles, outdoor activities, and support with parenting skills. The aim of the Communities and Families Fund is to help give children the best start in life and we’re keen to hear from groups across the country that could benefit from this funding. Details of our simple application process can be found on our website or by calling 0300 123 7110.”
The £10,000 grant to The Family Service Unit Scotland (Circle) will help families in the Craigroyston area to improve their health and wellbeing by learning key parenting skills. As well as providing a series of outdoor trips and family events, the project will also encourage fathers to be more actively involved in their child’s development.
Anna Flaherty, Manager of Circle, said: “Circle Haven is a community based project providing support to children and families living in the area to improve the general wellbeing of the whole family. The project comes into daily contact with families experiencing hardship, as well as ill health, unemployment, family break up, drug and alcohol addiction.
“The funding will enable us to provide quality experiences that families otherwise would not have. We do this by delivering group work programmes for parents and children that ultimately encourages educational experiences for parents, children and babies, increases social networks, offers peer support and improves the participants’ general health and wellbeing.”
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Families, said: “I am delighted to see the wide range of projects the Communities and Families Fund supports and the latest projects to receive funding. I want Scotland to be the best place to grow up and our joint venture with the Big Lottery Fund aims to help families and communities flourish by supporting local projects that can make a big impact on improving the lives of children and families.”
The Communities and Families Fund has a budget of £4.5 million from The Scottish Government and £1.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Groups can apply for funding from £250 to £10,000.
To find out more about the scheme and how to apply, visit:
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund
or telephone 0300 123 7110.
NEN to lead on local communications project
North Edinburgh News (NEN) is to lead Contact in the Capital – North, a pilot programme to improve communications across the Forth and Inverleith areas.
A project board, comprising representatives from community councils, the local Young Peoples Forum and Neighbourhood Partnership conveners has met over recent weeks to agree performance targets with NEN, following a recent Neighbourhood Survey on local communications conducted by North Local Office.
The survey found that local people clearly like many different forms of communication, and get their news from a variety of sources! As the survey proved inconclusive, NEN will produce both digital and printed media – we plan to produce three newspapers before the end of this financial year and our digital presence will also be improved and enhanced.
And we’ll be working with community councils. schools, youth groups and community organisations to ensure that what we produce is what the communities of Forth and Inverleith want and need – and that it’s interesting, fun and informative.
We’ll be in touch over the coming weeks – and we’ll keep you updated on the blog – but in the meantime we would love to hear your suggestions, ideas and opinions. Why not comment on this article or email northedinnews@gmail.com?
New poll shows Scottish writers ‘have broad appeal and a bright future’
With this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival now well underway, a new poll suggests Scottish writers are proving as popular as ever …
Almost seven out of every ten (68%) Scottish adults claim to be buyers of new books by Scottish writers – and just under a third (28%) of Scottish adults purchase at least one new book by a Scottish writer every six months. These are some of the results of a new opinion poll commissioned by independent non-political charity the Saltire Society.
The poll results also indicate that contemporary Scottish writing has a broad appeal across different age groups. 18-24 year olds and those aged over 55 are the most likely to buy new books by Scottish writers, with 72% respectively in each age bracket claiming to ever do so. Adults aged between 45 and 54 are the least likely to buy new books by Scottish writers, with only 60% saying they ever do.
73% of women claim to be buyers of new books by Scottish writers compared to 63% of men. Conversely, only 23% of Scottish adults say they never buy new books by Scottish writers.
Glasgow has the highest proportion of people who say they buy new books by Scottish writers with 78% of the adult population claiming to do so. Meanwhile, those in the regular habit of buying new books by Scottish writers are most likely to be found in the South and West of Scotland. 8% and 9% of adults living in these areas respectively claim to buy new books by Scottish writers at least five times a year.
According to trade body Publishing Scotland, Scotland’s publishers typically account for an annual sales turnover of approximately £343m at invoice value, making the industry an important contributor to the Scottish economy.
Meanwhile, figures from the UK Publishing Association show there were 380 million new physical books sold in the UK last year with a total net invoiced value of £1.612 billion.
An omnibus survey of 2000 British adults conducted as part of an industry report[1] published by Book Marketing Limited in 2005 found that one third of the population never purchases books. Based on that finding, the new poll suggests new books by Scottish writers are achieving a high level of penetration amongst Scotland’s book-buying public.
The results of the poll have been released as nominations close for the 2014 Saltire Publisher of the Year Award. Organised annually by the Saltire Society, the Award is sponsored by Creative Scotland and offers the winning publisher a £4000 cash prize to assist further development of its business. The winner of the inaugural award in 2013 was Glasgow-based small independent publisher Saraband, who impressed the judging panel with their “shrewd and strategic business thinking in a shifting context” and “fresh thinking in their use of digital technology”.
The 2014 winner will be announced as part of the Saltire Literary Awards ceremony on the 11th November.
Saltire Society Executive Director Jim Tough said: “There’s a common misconception that Scottish writing is a minority interest and one that’s only likely to appeal to an older demographic. There is a growing concern also that the younger generation is turning its back on book buying in favour of modern screen-based entertainment.
“In fact, this poll shows Scottish writing and the purchase of new books by Scottish writers appeal to Scottish adults of all ages. The fact that such a high percentage of Scots claim to buy new books by Scottish writers, even if only occasionally, should be a real source of encouragement for the Scottish publishing industry.
“I think it’s also a real testament to the breadth of writing talent there is in Scotland, spanning all genres and including factual as well as fictional writing. By being creative and constantly seeking out new ways to attract a wider audience, Scottish publishers can help to ensure Scottish writing has a bright future for many years to come. That is exactly what the Saltire Publisher Award seeks to encourage and recognise.”
New look for Guides
Girlguiding launches a brand-new Guide uniform
Girlguiding has unveiled a brand-new uniform for Guides. It’s been nearly 14 years since the last major Guide uniform redesign – that’s a whole Guide ago!
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, with an incredible 100,000 dedicated volunteers supporting guiding activities across the UK. The organisation offers girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and their communities.
Naturally, Girlguiding felt it was important to invested in young female designers of the future – giving them a career-changing opportunity – and they worked with five young women studying fashion and children’s wear at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) to create a fresh, comfortable range of clothing.
AUB was chosen as it’s committed to promoting self-confidence through fashion. It was one of the first universities to run a course incorporating the All Walks Beyond Catwalk philosophy, which challenges fashion’s dependence on unachievable body ideals.
For the best fit possible, the design team also invested in state-of-the-art mannequins based on population data of UK girls and young women.
They spent the next year consulting with Guides about what they wanted and drawing up designs – and now girls have a choice of tops to wear, as well as a uniform dress and skirt.
Designer Jessica Gray, 22, said: ‘Knowing thousands of girls will be wearing our designs is so exciting, it has been amazing to work towards such a rewarding outcome and I can’t wait to see all our hard work being enjoyed and worn with confidence!’
Kate Facer, 22, added: ‘I feel extremely privileged and grateful to have been a part of this massive opportunity. To know that thousands of girls will be wearing clothing that we have designed is overwhelming, and so rewarding and exciting.’
Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said: ‘We’re exceptionally proud of the young women who have taken such care over this project. We are thrilled with the designs – they’re fresh, young and versatile. It was extremely important to select the right designers for this project and I am delighted we selected Arts University Bournemouth, as they are clearly committed to ensuring fashion embraces diversity.’
Scottish Government unveils jobs plan
Independence will equip Scotland for the first time ever with a fully-powered economic policy aimed at putting job creation in Scotland first, the Scottish Government says. Published today, A Jobs Plan for an Independent Scotland sets out a long-term, ten-point jobs plan for an independent Scotland.
The paper aims to show how, with control of economic and tax policy – ‘and – crucially – by bringing business, unions, government, and other partners together – we can build on Scotland’s strengths and create more and better job opportunities.’
The aim is to create the conditions where everyone able to work has the opportunity to do so.
Commenting on the plan, Finance Secretary John Swinney said: “Independence is a once in a lifetime chance to shift the balance of opportunity in Scotland’s favour – equipping our country with the powers we need to build secure, stable and rewarding employment for everyone who lives here.
“Independence is not a magic wand but the plan we have published today shows how future governments of an independent Scotland could tailor economic policy to put job creation first and deliver a long-term employment boost. With the right policies in place we could achieve full employment – giving our businesses a competitive edge and incentives to create more and better jobs here in Scotland.
“Few, if any, countries in the world, have the economic potential of Scotland. We have a talented and skilled workforce, world-leading universities, a modern college sector and a successful modern apprenticeship system.
“We have a strong international reputation for producing quality goods and services with notable success in sectors such as food and drink, the creative industries, life sciences and modern manufacturing.
“Our natural and energy resources are unrivalled: in 2012 we produced nearly six times our oil demand and we have huge renewable energy potential.
“With the limited powers of devolution Scotland’s economic performance has improved but far too many Scots still feel they have to leave each year to get a job or further their career.
“Of course many people will always want to travel and work elsewhere – but that must be a choice and not a requisite for those looking to succeed.
“With independence our economic policy would be tailored precisely to our own needs – for example in order to resist the gravitational pull of London, we would be able to cut the headline corporation tax rate by up three per cent which could boost employment by up to 27,000 jobs.
“The gains of independence will only happen if we work hard and use policy wisely. But what is clear is that no-one else is better placed to take decisions about the Scottish economy than the people who live, work and run businesses here.”
The Scottish Government has previously set out how improvements in productivity, employment and population could lead to additional tax revenues of £5 billion a year by 2029-30. The jobs plan will contribute to that increase by:
• Creating an education and training environment to equip our young people to fulfil their potential, with a target of 30,000 Modern Apprenticeship starts per year by 2020;
• Controlling the tax system to provide incentives for companies to base their operations and headquarters in Scotland and create jobs. A three per cent cut in the headline corporation tax rate, in part to resist the gravitational pull of London, could boost employment by 27,000 jobs;
• Using employment policy to bring together employers and unions to boost workforce participation, skills and productivity, in place of the UK Government’s confrontational approach. Boosting productivity by just 1 per cent could increase employment in Scotland by 21,000 jobs over the long term;
• Tailoring policy to boost key job-creating sectors in which Scotland has an international comparative advantage, such as renewable energy;
• Reindustrialising Scotland with a focus on strengthening manufacturing, promoting innovation and encouraging international trade and development;
• Boosting infrastructure and transport by establishing a rule which sets a minimum level for public sector capital spending as a percentage of GDP;
• Establishing a Scottish Business Development Bank as part of a strategy to improve access to finance for growth companies;
• Using a new overseas network of 70-90 embassies dedicated to boosting Scottish international exports. In the long-run a 50 per cent increase in exports could increase employment by over 100,000;
• Increasing opportunities for parents of young families to participate in the labour market by expanding childcare.
• Tailoring immigration policy to retain talented overseas students who want to contribute to the Scottish economy.
Opponents of independence argue that the ten-point plan has no credibility; they say that until the government provides an answer on what Scotland’s currency will be, then savings, pensions, mortgages, rents and jobs are at risk as the government’s economic plans are based on ‘guesswork.’
Robin Williams death: mental health charity comments
Holywood actor and comedian Robin Williams has been found dead at his California home in an apparent suicide. His publicist said he had been “battling severe depression”.
Following the tragic news of the death, Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of mental health charity Mind, said: “The apparent suicide of Robin Williams is a tragic and shocking event. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this very difficult time.
“We would urge anyone who is experiencing the pain and distress of suicidal feelings to try and speak to someone, whether friend, family, their doctor or a charity such as Mind or Samaritans.”
If you need information or advice about mental health problems, or need somewhere to turn for support, call the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 or call Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.
Carmichael welcomes positive economic report
A report highlighting positive signs for Scotland’s economy has been welcomed by Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael.
The Bank of Scotland’s latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) survey says business activity rose at the fastest rate in six months in July, supporting continued employment growth. It also reports a ‘robust increase’ in overall new business and adds that Scotland’s private sector output increased at a “sharp and accelerated rate”.
The bank’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) – a measure of the month-on-month change in combined manufacturing and services business activity – was at a six-month high of 56.8, up for the second straight month from 55.9 in June and 54.0 in May.
Commenting on the latest economic report, Mr Carmichael said: “Today’s PMI report shows that being part of the UK with its larger market, stronger and growing economy and stable currency is creating more jobs and better opportunities for Scotland.
“As we move into the second half of 2014, this report shows that Scottish employment has grown for the 20th straight month. This builds on the encouraging economic signs so far this year, such as reaching a record high in employment, more Scottish women in work than ever before and the UK’s economy being predicted to grow faster than any other G7 economy.
“It is also very encouraging to see a rise in the number of new Scottish businesses. Backing small businesses is a vital part of the government’s long term economic plan. Since 2010, 3,300 entrepreneurial Scots have moved from Jobseekers Allowance to becoming their own boss and since its introduction in April this year, 57,000 Scottish businesses have already taken advantage of our employment allowance.”
