The NEN – North Edinburgh News – Page 3812 – The community media resource for north Edinburgh

Careful now!

DIY stands for Don’t Injure Yourself this Easter!

AS MANY people in Scotland prepare to make the most of the Easter holidays and the onset of spring by reaching for the tools or lawnmower, a major health campaign is urging DIY and gardening enthusiasts to be prepared.

As part of the NHS Scotland Be Ready for Easter campaign, DIY and gardening enthusiasts are being urged to take care and be prepared to deal with any minor accidents before tackling those all-important home and garden improvements.

By taking a few simple steps and knowing when their GP surgery is open, re-stocking their medicine cabinet and first aid box if needed, and using local pharmacies to seek advice and to treat any minor cuts, bumps, bruises and scrapes, any enthusiastic painters, builders and gardeners can help ensure they stay healthy this spring.

Sheena Wright, Executive Director of Nursing and Care at NHS 24, said: “Every Easter we see an increase in calls resulting from DIY accidents and we would encourage Scots to be prepared before they open the toolbox or garden shed.

“We are encouraging DIY enthusiasts to keep treatments for minor injuries, such as plasters and antiseptic, in the first aid box, visit their pharmacist for health advice and know when they can get an appointment at their GP surgery.”

“With many GP surgeries closed for four days over the Easter weekend, these are a few simple steps people can take to stay healthy.”

Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, many GPs will be working throughout this period supporting out of hours services across Scotland.

The key steps that Be Ready for Easter recommends this spring are:

Restock your medicine cabinet if needed

Minor injuries such as small-scale burns, scratches, knocks and cuts can often be effectively treated at home with readily available treatment such as pain relief, plasters, iodine, antiseptic cream and wipes, gauze and tape. Parents are also reminded to restock their medicine cabinet with child-friendly remedies.

Use your local pharmacy

Your pharmacist can offer advice or help if you need over-the-counter remedies or have run out of any prescribed medication.

Know when your GP surgery will be open

Your local doctor’s surgery may be closed for four days during the Easter weekend from Friday April 18 to Monday April 21.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

Happy birthday, Bedroom Tax?

North & Leith MP joins anti-bedroom tax protest

On the first anniversary of the introduction of the so-called ‘Bedroom Tax’, Mark Lazarowicz MP has reiterated the pledge that a future Labour government will scrap the legislation altogether. The Welfare Reform Act, to give it it’s proper name, has hit over 4,600 people in Edinburgh and over 71,000 people across Scotland.

Mr Lazarowicz spoke at a protest organised by Unite trade union outside Westminster to mark the anniversary earlier today.

The Scottish Labour and the SNP Scottish Government reached agreement in February over funding to protect tenants in the social rented sector in Scotland from eviction as a result of the Bedroom Tax alone but that is only an interim solution as the extra funding has to come from elsewhere in the overall budget.

Mark Lazarowicz MP said: “Getting on for 5,000 people in Edinburgh have been hit by this cruel and costly tax with arrears totalling £5 million according to the Scottish Housing Regulator.

“Those affected are often amongst the most vulnerable people in society: Citizens Advice Scotland found that two-thirds of people coming to them for help because of the Bedroom Tax were disabled and another one in ten cared for a disabled person.

“Scottish Labour took the lead in campaigning for the Scottish Government to provide additional funding, and I am glad that the SNP government eventually agreed to do so. It should have done so earlier, but I nevertheless welcome the fact that it did so. The long-term answer, however, is to axe the Bedroom Tax, and Labour is fully committed to do that.

“The Government said the Bedroom Tax would save money but the housing benefit bill continues to rise. It won’t listen to reason, Labour is clear: we will scrap the Bedroom Tax.”

Girl hospitalised following Gypsy Brae fall

A ten year old girl was treated in hospital following a fall from a zip line at Gypsy Brae on Sunday night.

Firefighters from Crewe Toll, Tollcross and Newcraighall responded to reports that a 10 year old girl had fallen from a zip line at Gypsy Brae, off West Shore Road at around 9pm.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s line rescue specialists lowered themselves down to reach the girl and secured her to a stretcher before lifting her to safety.

The child suffered a suspected broken arm and was attended by Scottish Ambulance Service staff before being taken to Royal Sick Children’s Hospital for treatment.

Welfare cuts: the worst is yet to come?

Reforms to the welfare system could see Scottish welfare spending reduced by around £6 billion over the six years to 2015-16, according to new analysis published today.

The reforms will see a reduction in support for families, children and those with disabilities.

The majority of the total reduction in welfare expenditure in Scotland, nearly 70 per cent, is expected to be in 2014-15 and 2015-16, with the largest reductions in expenditure brought about by changes to how benefits are uprated, tax credits and child benefit.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“We are committed to mitigating against the harmful effects of Westminster welfare reforms where we can – but the majority of the cuts are still to come.

“These changes to the budget will not only impact on the most vulnerable in our society, they will also set our progress on tackling poverty back by at least ten years.

“Child Poverty Action Group has suggested that, after housing costs have been taken into account, 100,000 more children in Scotland will be pushed into poverty by 2020 because of these reforms.

“And according to the Trussell Trust, the number of people using food banks is increasing with 56,000 people needing help between April 2013 and February 2014.

“We want to develop a society that not only provides fair support and decent opportunities for all but also protects the vulnerable in our society. The only way to guarantee that is to have possession of the powers to deliver it. Only then can we finally stop these reforms from harming people who need our help.”

Speaking yesterday, Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith defended changes to the welfare system, saying they would save the taxpayer £50 billion by the end of this Parliament.

Mr Duncan Smith said: “I think the work programme is now for the first time ever working with people, who were once on sickness benefits and who are now not, going back to work.”

Mary Erskine’s to represent city in referendum debate

Mary Erskine School will fly the flag for Edinburgh in the final of a TV schools debate on Saturday.

Eight secondary schools from across Scotland will battle it out on STV in the final of a national debating competition next Saturday (12 April at 1740).

The half hour programme, Referendum: The Next Generation, sees four pupils from each school take part in knock out rounds before the winner of the final debate picks up the trophy.

The other schools to compete are the Nicolson Institute (Western Isles), Douglas Academy (East Dunbartonshire), Montrose Academy (Angus), Lockerbie Academy (Dumfries & Galloway), St Andrews Academy (Renfrewshire), Grove Academy (Dundee) and St Josephs Academy (East Ayrshire).

STV teamed up with Debating Matters in 2013 to give secondary school pupils from all 32 local authority areas, many of who will be eligible to vote in the referendum on independence, the opportunity to research and discuss issues which will affect the future of Scotland.

The Scotland wide competition was open to secondary five and six pupils who had a chance to compete with other schools in their local authority area last summer before taking part in eight regional heats in November 2013. The final of the competition was held at The University of Glasgow and the programme is hosted by STV’s Gordon Chree.

Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV, said: “This programme is the culmination of a series of lively debates between secondary schools throughout the country. We are committed to providing a platform for debate on all the big issues and it is fantastic that secondary school pupils have the opportunity to research and discuss issues that matter to them. We hope people tune in to see which school picks up the winner’s trophy.”

Claire Fox, Director of the Institute of Ideas, said: “Debating Matters is delighted to have worked in partnership with STV to provide an intellectually demanding and rigorous platform for students across Scotland to engage in serious discussion of the big philosophical, cultural and political questions relating to Scotland’s future direction society, and to debate the key issues around the Scottish Independence referendum. The Institute of Ideas values substance over style and emphasises the complexities beyond the headline and beyond sound-bites, so important when young people are considering something as important as the future of Scotland constitutionally. Based on the debates we saw in the autumn and this spring, those young Scots we met rose to that challenge more than admirably.”

Good luck, Mary Erskine!

Free swimming for kids at Ainslie Park

Yes, it’s the Easter holidays … no money for trips and kids bored already? Well, holiday activities needn’t be too expensive – and sometimes they’re even FREE!

There’s free swimming for Primary School children this Easter break (5 – 21 April) when Edinburgh Leisure are running free swimming sessions for primary school children at three Edinburgh Leisure swimming centres.

This month, Primary School children can swim for free during ANY listed Public Swim session at Ainslie Park, Dalry and Gracemount (Wester Hailes Education Centre is offering free swims too).

Remember the earlier you get there the more fun you can have so Edinburgh Leisure recommend arriving no later than half an hour before the Public Swim session’s finish time.

Telephone Ainslie Park Leisure Centre on 551 2400 for more information – see below for pool programme details

AinslieParkPoolProg_2014

Jobseekers must ‘hit the ground running’

New rules ‘treat people like adults’

Simply ‘signing-on’ for benefits will be a thing of the past under new rules coming into force at the end of this month which will mean jobseekers will have to do more to find work.

Employment Minister Esther McVey has hailed the new rules as a ‘fundamental shift in expectations’ which helps put to an end the one-way street to benefits where people start claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) by just signing-on without first taking steps to make themselves attractive to employers.

From the end of this month, jobseekers will be expected to take the first basic steps to make themselves employable before meeting with a Jobcentre Plus adviser. More regular meetings with their adviser – weekly instead of fortnightly – are also planned ‘so they get more support up front’.

Minister for Employment Esther McVey (pictured below) said: “With the economy growing, unemployment falling and record numbers of people in work, now is the time to start expecting more of people if they want to claim benefits. It’s only right that we should ask people to take the first basic steps to getting a job before they start claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance – it will show they are taking their search for work seriously.

This is about treating people like adults and setting out clearly what is expected of them so they can hit the ground running. In return, we will give people as much help and support as possible to move off benefits and into work because we know from employers that it’s the people who are prepared and enthusiastic who are most likely to get the job.”

To prepare for their first interview with a Jobcentre Plus adviser, jobseekers will be asked to do things like preparing a CV, setting up an email address and registering for the government’s new jobs website. This change will mean people start their JSA claim ready to look for work and will show they are serious about finding a job as quickly as possible.

People who need it will also have more regular meetings with their Jobcentre Plus adviser – weekly rather than fortnightly – to ensure they are doing everything they can to look for work and to quickly identify any gaps in their worksearch.

All new JSA claimants will also now have a quarterly review with their adviser where they will review their progress and job goals to identify what more they can do to move into work. This will mirror reviews that are carried out in the workplace to look at achievements and areas for development.

The Westminster government says that the employment picture is improving across the country. They say the new measures are being introduced as figures show the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell by over 363,000 on the year, the largest annual fall since 1998. The number of young people claiming JSA has been falling for the last 21 months.

Office for National Statistics figures also show that the employment rate has hit a 5-year high and a record 30.19 million people are now in jobs. Private sector employment has increased by 1.73 million since 2010, showing the government’s long-term economic plan is proving successful.

The latest figures also show the number of job vacancies increased in the last 3 months by 23,000 to 588,000.

The number of people who are unemployed fell by 63,000 in the last 3 months, with the number of people who have been unemployed for over a year falling by 38,000. The number of unemployed young people also fell by 29,000 and has been falling now for the last 6 months.

The government says it is committed to helping people off benefits and into work and the vast majority of people move off JSA quickly – over 75% of people end their JSA claim within 6 months.

Do you think the new rules help get more people into work? Let us know ..

Malcolm Chisholm to step down

Lesley Hinds to contest North and Leith

Popular Labour MSP and former health minister Malcolm Chisholm has confirmed that he will step down at the next Holyrood election. The member for North and Leith said that representing his local area for over twenty yeats has been the ‘greatest privilege of his life’.

It’s been known for some time that the former teacher – who has represented the constituency at both Holyrood and Westminster for over twenty years – has been planning to retire, and he’s now officially confirmed that he will not contest the next Holyrood election.

Macolm Chisholm said:: “”Politicians sometimes say they want to spend more time with their family, and in this case it is true, as I have young grandchildren who play a big part in my life.

“I have served as the MP and then MSP for our area for over 20 years, and we’ve seen huge progress in that time but there is still a great deal more to do.

“I can think of nobody who is better placed than Lesley Hinds to campaign on the issues that matter to local people and hopefully to represent the constituency in the Scottish Parliament in due course.”

Inverleith councillor and former city Lord Provost Lesley Hinds has been selected to contest the Holyrood seat for Labour in 2016.

She said: “Malcolm Chisholm has been an outstanding public servant for our area, both as our MP and MSP, and we wish him a long and happy retirement when he steps down in 2016. I know he will be working hard every single day until then.”

D Mains Park is 90!

Art exhibition kicks off birthday celebrations

A number of activities have been planned to celebrate Davidson Mains Park’s 90th birthday this year.

Getting the party started is an exhibition of art created by pupils from Davidson’s Mains Primary and the Royal High School. The exhibition can be viewed in Holy Cross Church Hall on Quality Street next week.

The exhibition opens on Thursday 10 April from 3-8pm (private view in the evening), Friday 11 April 3-8pm and on Saturday 12 April from 11-4 pm.

All welcome – don’t miss it!