Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, returns to the Capital on Sunday November 6th and will feature a parade, music, dance and fireworks. Entry is free
For more information please visit: https://edinburghdiwali.co.uk
Celebrate Diwali this Sunday
More children and family support
Early learning and childcare savings
Families of more than 83,200 children are saving around £5,000 per eligible child per year, thanks to the Scottish Government’s Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) offer.
Latest figures show a year-on-year increase in children accessing funded ELC.
The number taking up the full offer of 1,140 hours a year is also up from this time last year. If families paid for this themselves, it would cost them around £5,000 per eligible child per year.
A total of 93,902 children aged two to five were accessing funded ELC at the start of September – a 3% rise from the same time last year. Of those, 83,237 – 89% – were benefiting from the 1,140 hours offer.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “Scotland is the only part of the UK to offer 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds.
“This offer saves families a significant amount of money, which is particularly important at a time when so many are struggling with cost of living pressures. It also supports parents into work, training or study.
“High-quality ELC benefits children, too, by enriching their early years and giving them the confidence and skills they need to prepare them for school.
“We intend to expand our childcare offer even further, including building a future system of school age childcare and a new early learning and childcare offer for one and two-year-olds, starting with those who need it most.”
COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “I’m pleased that today’s figures confirm that nearly 94,000 two to five-year-old children are accessing funded Early Learning and Childcare delivered by Scotland’s Councils and their partners, which represents a 3% increase on the position a year ago.
“A greater proportion of children are accessing the full 1,140 hours entitlement, compared with April this year. The increased availability of funded ELC is allowing children more time to play and learn, and more opportunities for parents and carers to work, study or volunteer, as well significant financial savings for families at a time when this is so desperately needed.”
Secondary breast cancer advocacy initiative goes nationwide
Charity brings new hope to patients with incurable cancer
A pioneering Scottish initiative to help secondary breast cancer patients is being rolled out UK-wide.
The Patient Trials Advocate service (PTA) introduces people with the incurable disease to clinical trials which can help to improve outcomes and extend life.
Since it began north of the border last year it has received a 100% approval rating and brought fresh hope to patients living with this largely unknown type of breast cancer which kills 1000 women in the UK each month.
The initiative was developed by charity Make 2nds Count which campaigns to raise awareness of, and fund research into, secondary breast cancer – also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer – a form of the disease which has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of cancer.
But there is evidence that early access to innovative new treatment options can improve the outcomes of men and women with secondary breast cancer and the bespoke service sees specialist nurses support patients and link them up with clinical trials.
The PTA scheme, which was the first of its kind in the UK, initially covered Scotland through nurses based in Edinburgh, the Borders and the Highlands. Now the team is extending the service across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Patients have an initial one-to-one, hour-long phone consultation with one of the nurses who advises about clinical trials and answers any queries, searches for suitable trials and supports patients in discussing them with their clinician.
“Many secondary breast cancer patients have never had a conversation with their clinician about clinical trials and we want to empower them to change that,” says PTA nurse Vivienne Wilson, a senior research nurse at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.
“Sourcing the right information about available trials and understanding the association complex information can be very difficult. But we aim to make every patient with secondary breast cancer aware of them and give them the knowledge and the potential to participate in trials as part of their treatment pathway.
“The Patient Trials Advocate service has been so well received that it’s a natural progression to make it available beyond Scotland and we’re delighted to be able to help people across the rest of the UK. This service really is one-of-a-kind and sharing our knowledge and guiding patients to help them explore their options is a real privilege.”
Since the service piloted last year almost 150 patients have been supported and 100% backed the initiative, with 95% saying they would talk to their clinician about the possibility of accessing clinical trials.
One of those who knows the value of a clinical trial is Edinburgh mum-of-four Lesley Stephen. Diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer out of the blue in 2014, the disease had already spread to her lungs, liver and bones.
Two years later she was told she had run out of treatment options. But she subsequently got the chance to take part in a clinical trial and is still living with the disease more than six years later.
Lesley says: “I had undergone 18 months of treatment, which was unsuccessful, when I heard of a friend who was taking part in a clinical trial. That inspired me and gave me hope that there just might be another option.
“I researched potential trials myself, which was not easy, and I realised that there was a lack of awareness. But because of the trial I took part in, I have had another six years of life I never expected to have. This just shows why the patient advocacy service is so important. People need to know that there, perhaps, is another possibility out there for them.”
To find out more about the Patient Trials Advocate service visit:
https://www.make2ndscount.co.uk/funding-research/patient-trials-advocate/
Foreign Secretary visits Glasgow
- Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Scotland one year on from COP26 in Glasgow. He went to the University of Strathclyde to meet scientists and engineers developing lower cost, recyclable battery tech
- UK government funded research aims to improve clean energy access for 25 million of world’s poorest people and save nearly 2.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions
- Foreign Secretary also visited the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s joint HQ in East Kilbride, which employs almost 1,000 staff in Scotland
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly met with scientists and engineers developing revolutionary battery technologies in Glasgow – a year on from world leaders gathering in the city for the COP26 climate summit.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Faraday Institution and researchers from the University of Strathclyde and the University of St Andrews, through its Transforming Energy Access (TEA) programme to help offer lower cost, more recyclable battery technology to developing countries.
The UK government announced £126 million of new scale-up funding for TEA during Energy Day at COP26 – focused on reducing carbon emissions by 2.5 million tonnes and securing better access to clean energy for 25 million people.
Since TEA was launched in 2015, it has provided 16 million of the world’s poorest people with improved access to clean energy and generated 96,000 green jobs.
The Foreign Secretary also visited the FCDO’s joint HQ at Abercrombie House, in East Kilbride, where almost 1,000 staff are at the heart of shaping and delivering UK foreign policy on issues such as climate change, including through the TEA programme.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Today’s visit is hugely important for me, to see first-hand how people in Scotland are building on the legacy of the UK’s COP Presidency in Glasgow to make progress in the fight against climate change.
“Scotland is famous as an innovation superpower. It has given the world the television, telephone and penicillin, so it was wonderful to learn how Scottish scientists are continuing this rich tradition to develop the revolutionary new batteries of the future fuelled by cleaner energy.
“The UK government is proud to support vital work at the universities of Strathclyde and St Andrews which will help developing countries to access battery technologies to drive green growth and give millions a ladder out of poverty.”
Nearly a tenth of the world’s population – 733 million people – do not have access to the electricity they need to light their homes, refrigerate their food, or keep cool in rising temperatures. Around 2.4 billion people rely on dirty biomass fuels such as charcoal, firewood, or animal waste for cooking.
The Foreign Secretary used his COP26 anniversary visit to witness the start of refurbishment work at the FCDO’s joint HQ in East Kilbride.
The Foreign Secretary was shown a research project led by the University of Strathclyde, which is developing a low-cost battery which is expected to last longer and be more easily recycled.
St Andrews demonstrated battery technology made from common salt, which could enable a move away from materials such as lithium and cobalt which are more expensive, rarer and harder on the environment to source.
Both technologies are expected to be ready to test this year.
BGT star Colin Thackery’s moving tribute on Edinburgh Poppy Day
Britain’s Got Talent winner Colin Thackery paid an emotional tribute to fallen comrades as he performed at the city’s annual Poppy Day yesterday (THURS 3rd NOV).
The Chelsea pensioner and Korean war veteran, who became the talent show’s oldest ever winner in 2019, joined the fundraising concert at St Andrew Square, hosted by BFBS The Forces Station.
He performed alongside the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, acclaimed folk musician Alan Brydon, Royal Navy veteran Richard Kerr, and George Heriot’s Pipe Band, while visitors also enjoyed a display of historic vehicles in the square.
The city centre blossomed with poppies as scores of collectors hit streets, supermarkets and shopping centres to support the Scottish Poppy Appeal. They were boosted by groups from Legion Scotland, the Armed Forces, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and local and national businesses.
Poppyscotland’s Bud mobile museum opened its doors to the public on Waverley Bridge, inviting people of all ages to explore the history of remembrance and try their hands at making their own poppy.
The event is the Scottish Poppy Appeal’s largest fundraising event in the Capital, with the aim of raising thousands of pounds to supports its welfare work with the Armed Forces community.
Colin, 92, who served in the Royal Artillery, will also be performing at the Festival of Remembrance at Dundee’s Caird Hall on Saturday night (NOV 5th).
Colin said: “The response here in Edinburgh has been extraordinary and it is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the volunteers. Having done it for many years myself, it is great to see so many out collecting on the streets, in all weathers.
“It’s very gratifying to see how much support there is, and I find it heart-warming to see people wearing poppies. I have been in battles and the people we are remembering are the guys who didn’t make it home.
“For veterans, it is always good to know that Poppyscotland is there if they or their families ever need support, or even just a friendly face.”
Collector Ian Foster, from Falkirk, who served for 15 years with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, said: “We’ve had a wonderful response from the public today. This is a very special time of year for me, and I always feel humbled and grateful when I see people wearing poppies and showing their support.”
Hamish McGregor, a volunteer Area Organiser for Poppyscotland and Royal Army Medical Corps veteran, said: “For me, the poppy is symbolic of a young person’s heart. Every time I give someone a poppy, I think of the young people who gave their lives over the years.”
Gordon Michie, Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising and Learning, said: “There’s been a fantastic atmosphere today, and we’ve been delighted to see all the talent on show at the concert. The public has really taken Colin to their hearts.
“We have had magnificent support from the Armed Forces community, Edinburgh businesses, and all the volunteers who have given up their time to help today.
“We were also pleased to see so many people of all ages taking the chance to explore Bud, and learn more about the history of the poppy and role of remembrance in Scotland.
“Our Armed Forces do remarkable things to protect us and our way of life, despite never having met us. Wearing a poppy is a way to show that you care, and that their service and sacrifices will never be forgotten.
“All funds raised will help Poppyscotland continue it vital, life-changing work supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families throughout Scotland.”
For more information on the 2022 Scottish Poppy Appeal visit poppyscotland.org.uk. Tickets for the Festival of Remembrance cost £12 and are available from Dundee City Box office via their website or by calling 01382 434940.
Greendykes deaths: man charged
A 65-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the deaths of two men on Greendykes Road in Edinburgh. A second man, 40, has been arrested and enquiries remain ongoing.
Officers were called to a flat in the area around 8.25pm on Tuesday, 1 November.
The two men, aged 66 and 37, were pronounced dead at the scene and their next of kin have been made aware.
Their deaths are being treated as suspicious and a murder inquiry is now ongoing, led by officers from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team.
The 65-year-old man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Friday, 4 November).
Detective Chief Inspector Susan Balfour, of the Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts are very much with the families and friends of both men at what is a very difficult time for them.
“We have a dedicated team of officers in the area working on this investigation. This is likely to continue in the coming days and I would like to thank the local community for their understanding as our work continues.
“We understand that this is an upsetting incident for the local community and I would urge anyone with concerns to speak to one of our officers.”
Starts Today: Empty Kitchens Full Hearts offers free soup on Fridays
We’re pleased to now be able to offer weekly on-site hot food service in Granton!
Starting TODAY (Friday 4th November), you can pop in for some soup between 1pm and 2pm each Friday.
We’ll keep timings and dates up to date on our website, social media channels, and on-site signage.
Extension to Edinburgh’s LEAP recovery service
Residential rehabilitation capacity increased through Scottish Government funding
Additional residential rehabilitation and detox capacity has been created at a life-saving drugs service in Lothian with almost £3.3 million of Scottish Government funding.
Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) has added eight residential rehabilitation places and four detox places – bringing the total number to 28 and 12 respectively – in one of the first projects to be funded through the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme.
This contributes towards the Scottish Government’s aim to treble the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements to 1,000 by 2026.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “I am pleased to launch these additional services at LEAP which provide invaluable, life-saving care to people affected by substance use in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“Of course, work on residential rehab is not just about creating more beds. We want to improve pathways through and out of residential rehab, and LEAP is a perfect example of good practice in this area with their three-month holistic programme of therapeutic care.
“We are investing £250 million over the course of this Parliament in a range of different treatments and services in order that all those affected, and their families, can receive the support which is right for them when they need it. £100 million of this is available for the development of residential rehabilitation services and associated aftercare.”
LEAP Clinical lead Dr David McCartney said: “We are thrilled to be launching significant developments to the LEAP residential rehabilitation service including improved access, greater capacity and more comprehensive aftercare.
“These improvements are being made possible due to investment from the Scottish Government and the Lothian Alcohol and Drug Partnerships. LEAP and our partners will see improved outcomes for our patients and their families who are struggling with addiction to substances, helping them move to recovery – something that will benefit individuals, families and communities.”
SFRS: Follow the Fireworks Code
It’s safer to attend an organised event this Bonfire Night if you can.
the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website has a list of events and advice on keeping safe:
Think of others if you’re hosting your own celebrations and always follow the Fireworks Code.
Britain’s best known female street artist and LUAP join anonymous art auction for charity
Harry Styles, Rihanna and Adele all have one – and now you have the chance to snap up one of Bambi’s works for yourself. The London street artist is joining several other famous artists in this year’s ‘anonymous heART project’.
Bambi’s identity remains a closely guarded secret and her contemporary art is loved by many and can be spotted across London. She first came up on the art scene in 2010, when her tag appeared by a stencil portrait of Amy Winehouse in a doorway in Camden.
Now you can buy one of her works for yourself, possibly for a bargain price!
The artist, who often uses social commentary in her art, will take part in Heart Research UK’s annual ‘anonymous heART project’, where artworks created on A5 postcards are auctioned off with all money raised going to the charity.
How is it anonymous? Though the list of artists will be available to all bidders, the artist of each individual piece will be kept anonymous, only being revealed once the auction is over.
This year, Bambi joins Heart Research UK patrons Paul Insect and Robert Smith, as well as Ralph Steadman and LUAP in providing pieces of art.
The artist known as LUAP is famous for his paintings and photographs of a giant pink bear. The bear suit follows him to remote locations across the world where he photographs himself in the suit, tackling themes like the climate crisis, mental health and isolation.
Heart disease is something that has been prevalent in LUAP’s family.
LUAP said: “My Grandad was in his late 40’s when he had his first heart attack and retired by his 50’s due to having had several more.
“My Mum’s partner died at 43 with a heart attack whilst riding his bike – this was a huge shock as he was very fit and active so came as a total surprise.
“Home is where the heart is, and that’s where my connection to the disease starts as I am sure it is with many other families. The heart is a symbol of life and of love, and I would do all I can do to help with that.”
The project is entering its fifth year, which will see hundreds of anonymous artworks go under eBay’s virtual hammer and has so far raised over £200,000 for the charity’s pioneering research.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive at Heart Research UK, said: “Everyone at Heart Research UK is so thrilled to be back with the anonymous heART project for the fifth year in a row. We can’t wait for the auction to open and for people to be able to start bidding.
“As always, we’re incredibly grateful to all the artists who have contributed and sent us such amazing pieces, and we’d like to send a special thank you to our patrons Robert Smith and Paul Insect for their continued support.
“This project really is both a fun and vital part of our fundraising, with all the money raised being invested in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.”
Law firm Walker Morris is back as sponsors for the project, after successful partnerships in 2018 and 2021. This year’s auction will be live on eBay from the 4th – 13th November and you can bid on your favourite piece here: