Commemorating those Royal Scots who perished in Britain’s worst rail disaster
On Saturday 25 May 2024, The Royal Scots Regimental Association will hold its annual Memorial Service at Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street, Edinburgh, to remember all those who lost their lives in the Gretna Rail Disaster in May 1915, the worst rail disaster in the country’s history.
At approximately 06:49 on the morning of Saturday 22 May 1915 a troop-train carrying half (498 all ranks) of the 7th (Leith) Battalion, The Royal Scots (The Lothian Regiment) (7RS), who had been deployed to Gallipoli and were heading south, collided head on with a local passenger train.
The passenger train had been ‘parked’, facing north, on the south-bound main line at Quintinshill, just North of Gretna, to allow a following express to overtake it. The troop train overturned, mostly onto the neighbouring north-bound mainline track and, a minute later, the Glasgow-bound express ploughed into the wreckage causing the troop train to burst into flames.
16. (7.16) The funeral procession of the 7th Battalion passing through Leith, 1915.
Three officers, 31 NCOs and 182 soldiers of 7th Battalion The Royal Scots, the driver and fireman on the troop-train, and 10 others, mostly from the express train, died and many more were injured in what was the worst rail disaster in the country’s history.
Led by their Pipe Band and the Association Standard Party, The Royal Scots Regimental Association will parade from the cemetery entrance on Pilrig Street at 10:45 on Saturday 25 May 2024.
The service will be conducted by Rev Stephen Blakey, formerly padre of 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots, commencing at 10:55 at the Gretna Memorial which stands in the western corner of the cemetery. All are most welcome to attend.
Brigadier George Lowder, President of The Royal Scots Regimental Association, said: “Amidst all the sacrifices and loss of The First World War, the tragic loss of 216 Members of 7 RS in the Quintinshill Rail Disaster in the early morning of 22 May 2015 en route to embarking for Gallipoli was a huge blow to The Regiment, to Leith, and to Edinburgh.
“Leith marked their passing in a way that highlighted the close links between the Battalion and the Community. It was believed that every family in Leith was touched by the disaster and the Community continued to suffer as others injured in the crash subsequently died of their injuries.
“Our commemoration remembers not only those of 7RS who lost their lives but also the close tie between The Regiment and Leith that still endures today”.
A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of a series of domestic abuse offences in the Edinburgh area.
Brian Taylor, aged 54, committed these crimes over a period of 15 years.
He was previously found guilty of eight charges following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh and returned for sentencing yesterday – Thursday, 23 May, 2024.
Detective Inspector Mhairi Cooper of the Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit said: “Taylor is an abusive individual who showed no remorse for his violent and abusive behaviour.
“It is incredibly difficult for someone to confront their abuser and I would like to commend the women for their bravery in coming forward during the investigation. Their information was crucial in helping us build the case against him, and I hope this outcome provides them with some sense of closure.
“If anyone is experiencing, or has experienced domestic abuse, please do not hesitate to contact us directly or through one of our partner agencies.”
Next Tuesday 28th of May at 1pm Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) will be hosting a COPD workshop. If you have COPD, researchers from NHS Lothian and The University of Edinburgh, want to hear about your experience of having COPD, so they can design their research to meet you needs.
You can expect nice and welcoming atmosphere, a warm cup of tea and £20 voucher for you time.
If you are struggling to get to PCHP, transport can be provided too.
To sign up for workshop please fill in a form https://bit.ly/3WS3VCZ or use a QR code on a poster or Call Sammy Waite Patient and Community involvement in research officer 07385347040
~ Funding will support world-leading cardiovascular research at the university ~
The British Heart Foundation has awarded the University of Edinburgh £5 million funding to support its world-class cardiovascular disease research over the next five years, the charity has announced today.
Researchers at the University welcomed the announcement.
Professor David Newby, BHF Duke of Edinburgh Professor of Cardiology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to be the recipient of this prestigious award which will enable us to deliver a step-change in our research into heart and circulatory diseases, stroke, vascular dementia and diabetes.
“The award will accelerate our drive to identify new discoveries across disciplines and to establish the next generation of science and scientific researchers with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of our patients.”
The funding will support the University of Edinburgh to cultivate a world-class research environment that encourages collaboration, inclusion and innovation, and where visionary scientists can drive lifesaving breakthroughs.
The Edinburgh award is part of a much needed £35 million boost to UK cardiovascular disease research from the British Heart Foundation.
The funding comes from the charity’s highly competitive Research Excellence Awards funding scheme.
The £5 million award to the University of Edinburgh will support researchers to:
Investigate how hardening of the major arteries develops throughout the body to cause heart attacks, strokes and circulatory problems, and how this interacts with the body’s immune and nervous systems.
Discover how small blood vessel disease in the brain causes strokes and vascular dementia so that we can develop and test new ways to prevent and to treat these major health problems.
Accelerate our understanding of how the body’s metabolism in fat, immune and kidney tissue causes heart and circulatory problems throughout life: from the womb through to old age.
Deliver new ways of using routinely collected health data with DataLoch to identify those at risk of heart attacks or strokes, and to embed this into health records systems to prevent diseases before they occur.
Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to continue to support research at the University of Edinburgh addressing the biggest challenges in cardiovascular disease. This funding recognises the incredible research happening at Edinburgh and will help to further its reputation as a global leader in the field.
“With generous donations from our supporters, this funding will attract the brightest talent, power cutting-edge science, and unlock lifesaving discoveries that can turn the tide on the devastation caused by heart and circulatory diseases.”
David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “It is great news that the University of Edinburgh has once again been recognised as a centre of research excellence. Scotland has a strong tradition of leading the way in cardiovascular research and today’s announcement will further reinforce this for years to come.”
Research Excellence Awards offer researchers greater flexibility than traditional research funding, allowing scientists to quickly launch ambitious projects that can act as a springboard for larger, transformative funding applications.
The funding also aims to break down the silos that have traditionally existed in research, encouraging collaboration between experts from diverse fields.
From clinicians to data scientists, biologists to engineers, the funding will support universities to attract the brightest minds, nurture new talent and foster collaboration to tackle the biggest questions in heart and circulatory disease research.
First launched in 2008, the University of Edinburgh has previously received nearly £14 million funding through the BHF’s Research Excellence Awards funding scheme to date.
This funding has supported research that will lay the foundations for future breakthroughs, including:
A trial that showed that a simple scan could save thousands of lives every year by improving the diagnosis of people coming to hospital with chest pain. The scan is now recommended as a first-line diagnostic tool in NICE guidelines for people presenting at hospital with chest pain.
Development of an artificial intelligence tool that can improve diagnosis of acute heart failure. The tool uses AI to combine routinely collected patient information with results from a blood test for the protein NT-proBNP, which is made by the heart. The researchers are now investigating how it could be implemented into routine care.
Over the last 5 years, investing in the training and development of 12 doctors to become researchers who are increasing knowledge today and developing new life-saving treatments for tomorrow.
Consultation asks whether newly qualified dentists should commit to delivering a minimum amount of NHS work after graduating or repay some training fees
Proposals would require dental graduates to work in the NHS for several years after graduating or repay their training fees
Part of Westminster government and NHS plan to recover dentistry and boost the dental workforce through 40% training expansion
Training an individual dentist can cost up to around £300,000, of which costs in the region of £200,000 are not repayable by the student.
However, a growing proportion of dentists are opting to go straight into private practice or are choosing to deliver little to no NHS work shortly after completing postgraduate dental foundation training.
Of more than 35,000 dentists registered with the General Dental Council in England, just over 24,000 delivered some NHS care in England in 2022 to 2023. This means nearly one-third of registered dentists are not contributing to NHS dentistry and may be working solely in private practice.
Under its consultation, which will run for 8 weeks, the government is asking whether newly qualified dentists should commit to delivering a minimum amount of NHS dental care for a minimum number of years after graduating, and whether they should repay some of the public funding invested in their training if they do not.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “I want to make access to dentistry faster, simpler and fairer for everyone – and part of this is ensuring that dentists are supporting the NHS with their skills and expertise.
Taxpayers make a significant investment in training dentists, so it is only right to expect dental graduates to work in the NHS once they’ve completed their training.
“This builds on our dental recovery plan, which set out how we will create up to 2.5 million extra appointments this year alone and is already showing results with an extra 500 practices providing appointments.”
Thursday’s proposals form part of the government’s overall plan to accelerate the recovery of NHS dentistry from the COVID-19 pandemic and reform how NHS dentistry operates.
They build on the aims of NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to expand the dental workforce and improve access to NHS dental care, especially in under-served parts of the country.
The UK government believes working in the NHS will give dental graduates the best start to their careers, by giving them the broadest range of experience, great support from strong teams of dental professionals and the most comprehensive training.
Experience in NHS dentistry helps to produce well-rounded clinicians who can work alongside different professions and deliver high quality and safe patient care, and can be supplemented by additional work in private dentistry. The government believes this balance is better for our skilled dental workforce and better for the patients they treat.
NHS dentists are currently delivering a greater volume of NHS treatment than the year before, with ‘courses of treatments delivered’ increasing by 23% in 2022 to 2023, compared to the previous year.
Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “I want to thank our hard-working dentists for their efforts in treating more and more patients over recent years and helping us improve access to care.
“Through our dental recovery plan, we’re helping the sector recover from the pandemic and making NHS dentistry a more attractive career choice.
“Today’s proposals will ensure dental graduates benefit from the broad experience and comprehensive training of working in the NHS, while also delivering value for money for the taxpayer.”
There is currently no requirement for dentists to work in the NHS following the completion of their training. In contrast, a graduate medic in the UK must undertake a minimum of one year of foundation training to register as a doctor, followed by an additional year of foundation training and at least 3 years of general practice specialty training to become a GP.
Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, said: “Dental services were severely impacted by the pandemic, and it is a priority for the NHS to improve access, so it is easier for people to see a dentist.
“We launched our dental recovery plan earlier this year to deliver millions more appointments across England – and boosting the workforce is one step we can take to achieve this.”
Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, said: “We welcome the chance to engage with this consultation and ensure the NHS benefits from the skills of our graduate dentists.
“We need to see more trained dentists entering the profession and we will work with the government to ensure these proposals reflect the sector’s mixed economy and considers the needs of both NHS and private dentistry.”
Louise Ansari, CEO at Healthwatch England, said: “We welcome the opportunity for the public to have their say about these long-term proposals to address dental workforce issues, especially as access to NHS appointments continues to be one of the main issues we hear about from people across the country.
“We also look forward to seeing separate government proposals on reforming the NHS dental contract in the coming months, as set out in the dental recovery plan.
“In the meantime, NHS bodies that plan and fund dentistry across England should take concerted and imaginative action to ensure people in greatest need can get dental care quickly.”
The launch of the consultation is the latest milestone in the delivery of the Westminster government’s dental recovery plan.
Since the plan was published in February, the government and NHS have worked to:
introduce a new patient premium, supporting dentists to take on new patients – with more than 500 more practices saying they are now open to new patients compared to January
launch the ‘golden hello’ recruitment scheme to incentivise dentists to work in under-served areas
raise the minimum units of dental activity (UDA) rate to £28 this year, making NHS work more attractive and sustainable
Responding to the proposal that Dental graduates in England could be compelled to work in the NHS work or face repaying some training costs,Prof. Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, commented: “As most dental graduates already start their careers in the NHS and contribute to NHS patient care as an undergraduate student and during their early professional career, we are uncertain of what practical benefits this proposal will have.
“Most dental graduates have also accrued significant personal debts to complete their dental training, usually in excess of £100,000. Therefore, we believe this proposal is likely to make NHS dentistry even more unattractive for dentists to provide NHS dental care as their career develops.
“As per our election manifesto, we believe a more constructive approach is needed that focuses on creating a positive working environment to encourage sustained delivery of NHS practice. This means reforming the current dental contract, improving workforce planning and a renewed emphasis on preventative health and reducing health inequalities.
“We believe positive rather than punitive steps are required to lift morale, improve dental recruitment and retention, and improve access to services for the benefit of patients and the population.”
School libraries across Scotland are set to benefit from a £150,000 funding boost for projects supporting literacy, numeracy and mental health support, as part of the 2024/25 School Library Improvement Fund (SLIF).
The national funding programme, administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government, supports creative and innovative projects within the school library sector.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth, announced the launch of the fund during a visit to Leith Primary School on Wednesday (22 May) where she officially opened the newly refurbished school library.
Ms Gilruth said: “School libraries have an important role in inspiring children and young people to read for pleasure, while providing vital access to resources that support learning and helps to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
“I’m very grateful to the staff here at Leith Primary School for showing me around their new refurbished library, which I have no doubt will be of huge benefits to the pupils here.
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that our school libraries continue to grow and thrive, which is why I am delighted to announce £150,000 of investment from the Scottish Government through the School Library Improvement Fund.
“This year’s fund will support more creative and innovative projects that align with our commitment to improve both literacy and numeracy across Scotland’s schools.”
Available to all state-run nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools in Scotland, the 2024-25 fund will prioritise project applications which support the key aims of ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools’ – the national strategy for the development of school libraries in Scotland.
A particular focus will be put on three key priorities of the strategy:
promoting literacy and numeracy (especially targeting 4-8 year olds)
information and media literacy
mental health support
The 2024/25 SLIF brings the total investment from the Scottish Government to £1.85m over the lifetime of the funding scheme.
Last year, SLIF supported anti-racism and racial equality projects, including the creation of a ‘Holistic Inclusion Hub’ to help parents and pupils from diverse backgrounds feel more included in the school community in Edinburgh; changes to the curriculum in Inverclyde to teach pupils Black, Asian and minority ethnic history as part of learning on local, historical links to slavery; and a new ‘Lending Library’ scheme in East Ayrshire designed to support families who have recently arrived from Ukraine, Poland and Russia.
Grants were also awarded to a series of initiatives specifically aimed at English as an Additional Language (EAL) school communities, including the ‘Traditional Tales – Story Gathering with Roma Communities’ project in Glasgow, created in partnership with local community organisation Romano Lav, to improve the literacy skills of children from the Roma community.
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive of SLIC, said: “School libraries play a central role in helping children and young people gain the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for learning, life and work. They ensure every young person has the chance to fulfil their full potential with equal access for all.
“From physical and digital resources to collaborative workshops and initiatives, SLIF grants can help school libraries improve and expand the services they offer to empower their pupils, staff and the community around them.
“We would encourage every nursery, primary and secondary school to consider how they can help lead the way in developing our school library services and apply for a SLIF grant today.”
Schools can apply as an individual or collaborative application, with SLIC accepting up to two individual applications per local authority and an unlimited number of collaborative applications, to ensure equal opportunities across Scotland.
The School Library Improvement Fund 2024-25 is now open. Applications will close on Wednesday 4 September 2024.
The Centre, Livingston welcomes the Big Kid Circus to the shopping centre for the first time, which is packed with a fantastic variety of performances by talented acrobats, trapeze artists, daredevils and clowns from Wednesday, 29th May until Sunday, 2nd June.
The show by the circus company, which started in 2005 by talented acrobatic performers Biliana and Kiril Kirilov is entitled ‘Illuminations’ and is currently on tour around the UK.
It features a host of exciting performances by artists from around the world, including Europe’s only all-female motorbike stunt riders inside a mesh sphere ball and heart-warming comedy by twin brothers Rolando and Matrakita from Mexico, under the big tent spotlight, situated behind Primark.
Gary Anderson, Operations Manager at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Big Kid Circus to The Centre, Livingston for the first time.
“The ‘Illumination’ show will be a big hit with our visitors, of all ages, whether you are a circus fan or new to it, with lots of brilliant performances guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.”
For tickets and more information check out Eventbrite and Itison.
Big Kid Circus on 13th February 2024 – Gyle Shopping Centre, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Scotland (Photo by Allan Maxwell)
Local rugby club, The Boroughmuir Banshees, had a once in a lifetime opportunity to train with Scottish internationalist Pierre Schoeman.
The programme was launched by Scottish Building Society when it became the main club partner of Edinburgh Rugby and sees youth rugby teams apply for a training session with various rugby stars.
Held on Monday 6 May, the team were put through their paces by the loosehead prop alongside Glen Young, lock, Harri Morris, hooker and Sarah Denholm, fly half from Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby women’s team.
Training at Hive Stadium, they were joined by Howe of Fife under 18’s girls team, Muntly under 15’s boys club and Falkirk Rugby Club under 15’s for an incredible opportunity to train with their heroes.
Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland, prop, Pierre Schoeman said: “It was an incredible day out and it was great to see all the teams come along to Hive and give their all in the training sessions.
“There are a few players who I will need to keep my eye on in the coming years. This might be the first of many games they play here at Edinburgh!”
“I would like to thank Boroughmuir Banshees for all their effort and wish the girls all the best in their upcoming games”.
Paul Denton, chief executive, Scottish Building Society said:“When we first launched this programme back in 2022 we wanted to give youth teams a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience to train with rugby players who are at the top of their game.
“We have now held three sessions with 10 teams joining Edinburgh Rugby stars for an inspiration level of access to elite athletes that would otherwise not be possible.
“We at Scottish Building Society hope all four teams had a fantastic day and thank them and of course Pierre Schoeman and the rest of the Edinburgh Rugby players for hosting this session for us.”
First Minister John Swinney has declared the priorities that his government will focus on as part of his vision to deliver for all of Scotland.
The Scottish Government will focus on four areas targeted to have the most immediate benefits for people in their everyday lives. They are:
Eradicating child poverty
Growing the economy
Tackling the climate emergency
Improving public services
In order for work to be prioritised immediately, the First Minister confirmed he will present his first Programme for Government before the Scottish Parliament’s summer recess.
He also committed to work with Members across the chamber to realise Scotland’s potential, in the spirit of the opening of Parliament 25 years ago.
The First Minister said: “In setting out my approach to government, I am acutely aware of the economic and fiscal realities we face.
“With that important context, today, I will outline the four priorities that will guide my government’s decisions on policy and budget; the four priorities around which I will work to secure cross-party support, for the good of the people of Scotland.
“Eradicating child poverty, growing the economy and tackling the climate emergency all link together to support my fourth key priority – to improve Scotland’s public services – not as a cost, but as a vital investment in our future health, equality and prosperity.
“I will set out how my government and my cabinet will take practical steps to deliver in these four areas of priority when I present my Programme for Government before the summer recess.
“The Programme for Government will be central to a wider range of decision-making that will happen before the summer on key issues on energy, on oil and gas, on reform of the health service and on taxation. Action will be set out on each, tackling the challenges facing Scotland today.”
The date for Programme for Government will be confirmed in due course, subject to Parliamentary timetable.
Hibernian Community Foundation is delighted to be hosting a multi-cultural meal on Tuesday 28th May!
In partnership with Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society – SABS – we will be opening the doors to the Hibernian Supporters Club for a warm and welcoming multi-cultural meal
