Soft Play Christmas Parties
Looking for something different for your child this Christmas?
Bring them along to our Soft Play Parties for some festive fun with a disco, party games and more!
Spaces can be booked by visiting the venue of your choice:
Know how to stay on top of prescriptions – festive advice from NHS 24.
NHS 24 are advising people in Scotland to check their prescription medication and ensure they have enough to last throughout the festive holidays.
Dr John McAnaw, a pharmacist and NHS 24’s Associate Clinical Director, explains why it’s essential that people put health at the top of their festive ‘to-do’ list,
‘Over the holidays every year, NHS 24 receives thousands of calls from the public who have run out of essential prescribed medication. This can obviously be a very stressful situation for most people, however, by being organised and ordering any required prescriptions in advance, this would avoid this scenario and ensure that the 111 service can help more people who require urgent healthcare advice.
‘Due to both Christmas and Hogmanay falling on a weekend this year, many pharmacies and healthcare providers will be closed for a period of four days on each occasion. Therefore it is so important that people plan ahead, order only what they need and pick it up in plenty of time before these holidays.
‘To ensure you have all medication you require, please check what medication you already have and order any additional supplies you need by Friday 16th December. This will give both your GP practice and pharmacy time to process requests at what is already a very busy time of year for them.’
Dr McAnaw’s advice is part of a NHS Scotland national health campaign ‘Healthy Know How.’ The campaign provides advice on how to stay well and enjoy the festivities, avoiding the need to get medical help over the holidays.
Tips include:
More details on the Healthy Know How campaign can be found here –
More than 50,000 customers have used the app to make £50 million in Self Assessment payments since February 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
Customers have been able to pay their Self Assessment tax bill via the free and secure HMRC app since February 2022.
Thousands of people are now choosing to use the app to make Self Assessment payments because it is a quick and easy way to manage any tax they owe. In October, more than 6,700 Self Assessment customers paid almost £5.9 million in tax via the HMRC app, compared to around 2,500 customers in February 2022, who paid £1.8 million.
The deadline for customers to complete their tax return for the 2021 to 2022 tax year and pay any tax owed is 31 January 2023.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We’re seeing more and more people embrace the convenience and flexibility the HMRC app offers. Self-Assessment customers can pay the tax owed through the HMRC app, which is a secure and convenient tool that can be used at a time and place to suit them.
“To find out more search ‘HMRC app’ on GOV.UK.”
For anyone yet to start their tax return, the HMRC app can also provide information to help complete it including the customer’s Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), National Insurance number, information from any PAYE employment for the 2021 to 2022 tax year, or details of any tax credits payments.
App users will need a user ID and password to access their personal information. They can set this up while using the app.
The app’s Self Assessment function is also available in Welsh. Customers can enable Welsh language options from the settings screen.
Self Assessment customers can learn more about the different ways to pay at GOV.UK.
Those who are unable to pay their tax bill in full can access support and advice on GOV.UK. HMRC may be able to help by arranging an affordable payment plan, known as Time to Pay. Customers should try to do this online; go to GOV.UK for more information. Alternatively, they can contact the helpline.
HMRC has a wide range of resources to help customers complete their tax return, including guidance, webinars and YouTube videos.
How do I use the HMRC app to make a Self Assessment payment?
People completing a tax return are at increased risk of falling victim to scams. Check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK.
• Downturn in permanent staff hires accelerates
• Vacancy growth continues to soften
• Further sharp rise in starting pay
According to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs survey, hiring activity fell across Scotland again in November amid greater economic uncertainty and strong cost pressures.
For the second month running, both permanent staff hires and temp billings fell, with the former recording the quickest reduction since June 2020. While staff availability continued to deteriorate, demand for labour expanded at a softer, but still strong rate.
The ongoing imbalance of labour demand and supply led to further rises in both starting salaries and short-temp pay.
Downturn in permanent placements gathers pace
For the second successive month, permanent placements fell across Scotland in November. The rate of reduction quickened from October to the fastest since the initial phase of the pandemic in June 2020 and was sharp overall. Increased market uncertainty and candidate shortages were blamed for the latest drop in permanent staff appointments.
Permanent placements also fell across the UK as a whole for the second month in a row, albeit at a softer pace than that seen in Scotland.
November data highlighted a fall in temp billings across Scotland for the second consecutive month. Adjusted for seasonality, the respective index pointed to a slower and modest pace of decrease. According to anecdotal evidence, concerns about the outlook weighed on labour market activity.
In contrast to the trend seen for Scotland, temp billings expanded modestly at the UK level.
Supply of permanent staff falls steeply in November
As has been the case since February 2021, the supply of permanent staff across Scotland contracted during November. Furthermore, the rate of deterioration was the most severe since May and among the fastest on record. Recruiters stated that a combination of labour and skill shortages, Brexit and economic uncertainty reduced the supply of candidates.
Notably, the downturn in permanent staff supply across Scotland outstripped the UK average for the eighth month in a row.
A twenty-first successive monthly fall in temporary candidates across Scotland was recorded during November. The rate of reduction accelerated on the month, and was the sharpest since June. The decline also exceeded that seen across the UK as a whole. Recruiters blamed the fall on a stronger preference for permanent roles, candidate shortages and economic uncertainty.
Upward pressure on starting salaries intensifies in November
Latest survey data signalled a further rise in salaries awarded to permanent new joiners in Scotland for the twenty-fourth successive month in November. The rate of pay inflation ticked up from October’s 16-month low, and was rapid overall. The latest rise in salaries was attributed to competition for labour amid staff and skill shortages.
For the second month running, Scotland noted a quicker rise in starting salaries than recorded at the UK level.
Average hourly wages increased further across Scotland in November, thereby stretching the current sequence of inflation to two years. The rate of pay growth accelerated from October’s 18-month low and was sharp overall. Scottish recruiters commonly noted that acute skill and candidate shortages continued to exert upward pressure on wages.
Further slowdown in growth of demand for permanent staff in November
November data pointed to another monthly increase in the number of permanent vacancies across Scotland, extending the current run of expansion that began in February 2021. That said, while growth remained strong, the rate of increase weakened to the second-slowest in the aforementioned sequence.
Across the monitored job categories, Nursing/Medical/Care reported the quickest rise in vacancies. Executive & Professional and Hotel & Catering reported reduced demand for permanent staff.
Recruiters across Scotland signalled a twenty-sixth successive monthly rise in temporary vacancies during November. However, the rate of expansion cooled since the previous month and was the softest seen since February 2021.
IT & Computing registered the quickest upturn in short-term vacancies, followed by Accounts & Financial.
Sebastian Burnside, Chief Economist at Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “Following the post-pandemic hiring boom, the latest Report on Jobs survey indicates that recruitment activity lost further momentum in November amid a slowdown across the economy.
“Greater uncertainty around the outlook and candidate shortages have taken a toll on staff hiring across Scotland. Latest data indicated a notably steeper contraction in permanent placements, while temp billings fell for the second consecutive month.
“At the same time, labour scarcity resulted in strong growth in pay, with both starting salaries and hourly wages rising at sharper rates during November.
“The steeper drop in candidate availability across Scotland, which was often blamed on a generally low unemployment rate, fewer foreign workers, worries over the economic climate and cost of living crisis, is likely to add further upwards pressure on pay in the months ahead, particularly if firms want to attract and secure the skilled workers they need.”
The SPFL Trust have teamed up with Prostate Scotland to launch Prostate Football Fans in Training, a new 12-week pilot project for men living with prostate cancer.
An initial phase of this project will take place in the capital at Tynecastle, delivered by Heart of Midlothian FC.
The pilot is a tailored version of Football Fans in Training (FFIT) the SPFL Trust’s flagship health and wellbeing programme which takes place at football clubs across the country, helping people to get active and feel fitter, healthier and happier.
Working together with experts from Prostate Scotland, the University of Glasgow Health and Wellbeing Institute and The Exercise Clinic, the programme has been developed based on clinical guidelines for men living with prostate cancer, which recommend a structured 12-week exercise programme.
Prostate FFIT is open to all men living with prostate cancer, who can self-refer online, or be referred by a clinician.
As well as getting the opportunity to take part in exercise supported by trained coaches, participants will learn more about nutrition. They will also receive a personal workbook to help them follow the course and have access to specifically developed videos to continue exercise at home.
Crucially, Prostate FFIT will create space for men affected by prostate cancer to meet others in a similar situation, offering informal peer support.
For more information about the Prostate FFIT, visit: spfltrust.org.uk/prostate-ffit
SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid said: “Football Fans in Training is our flagship health and wellbeing programme, with over 7,000 people completing the initiative over the last 12 years.
“In this time we’ve learnt that a key strength of the programme is the environment – the familiarity of a football club can go a long way in encouraging people to take that first step.
“We are delighted to have been able to work with partners to tailor FFIT for men living with prostate cancer. Exercise is such an important part of their treatment, and we feel privileged to be a small part of their journey.”
Director of Prostate Scotland Adam Gaines said: ““Research and clinical guidelines show the importance of exercise for men with prostate cancer. This new and innovative exercise programme is aimed at helping tackle the impact prostate cancer can have on the lives of men living with prostate cancer, especially for those on hormone therapy.
“The benefit of Prostate FFIT courses, offered in professional football clubs, is in providing engaging, beneficial and helpful exercise and healthy lifestyle courses in line with clinical guidelines. There are too few specialist exercise courses for men with prostate cancer in Scotland. We aim to close that gap.
“We are delighted to have developed Prostate FFIT with our partners the SPFL Trust and the University of Glasgow.”
Chris Cottrell who lives with advanced prostate cancer and is co-founder of The Exercise Clinic who helped to develop the Prostate FFIT said: “My message is that for many, exercise is one of the best ways to get back some control of your life during a period when I certainly felt I was at risk of losing control.
“There are few things that are more bewildering and disempowering than being told that you have cancer, so regaining a sense of agency is vital. There is now strong evidence that men with prostate cancer who exercise consistently have a better survival rate.”
Gregg Veitch, Community Football Officer at Heart of Midlothian, said: “We are delighted to be involved in the pilot delivery of Prostate FFIT. We have seen first-hand how beneficial FFIT can be to our supporters and are delighted to be able to offer this programme to even more people.
“Prostate FFIT will kick off Tuesday 17th Janaury at Tynecastle. To get involved, contact Gregg Veitch by emailing GreggVeitch@homplc.co.uk “
Join us at Edinburgh Children’s Library for our very exciting Teddy Bears’ Sleepover!
To book, click the link below which will take you to our Eventbrite page.
Local authorities have published their plans for closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
Councils across Scotland have set their own “stretch aims” for children and young peoples’ progress in literacy and numeracy levels, for senior phase qualifications achieved, as well as for the number of young people participating in education, training, or employment.
For both overall attainment and in terms of closing the poverty-related attainment gap in literacy and numeracy, the collective stretch aims of local authorities demonstrate ambitions to work towards achieving the biggest two-year improvement recorded since the introduction of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
This work will be supported by the Scottish Government’s £1 billion Scottish Attainment Challenge, with £43 million in Strategic Equity Funding allocated to local authorities this year. In total more than £130 million has been distributed to schools so far this year to help close the poverty-related attainment gap.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We are committed to substantially eliminating the poverty-related attainment gap and councils have a crucial role in driving this national mission forward at a local level.
“Given the effect of COVID-19 on children and young peoples’ achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels in 2020/21, these collective aims represent significant local ambition for recovery back to and beyond the national position pre-pandemic, aiming to narrow the poverty related attainment gap by over seven percentage points in both primary school literacy and numeracy compared to 2020/21.
“These will drive an enhanced focus on outcomes for children and young people, ensuring they have the opportunities and support they need to reach their full potential.”
Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will announce a package of over 30 regulatory reforms to secure the UK’s place as the world’s foremost financial centre during a visit to Edinburgh today,
The “Edinburgh Reforms” will build on the unparalleled strength of the UK’s financial services sector, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the UK’s exit from the European Union to tailor regulations to suit the country’s needs.
Today the Treasury will publish its plan to rigorously review, repeal and replace hundreds of pages of EU regulation ranging from disclosure for financial products to prudential rules for banks, creating a tailor-made UK regulatory framework based on international best practice that balances burden on business with protection for the consumer.
Rules that hold back growth will be reviewed, with overbearing EU rules which put companies off listing in the UK being overhauled, among dozens of regulations within scope of the Financial Services and Markets Bill.
The Government will also announce changes to ringfencing rules which currently require major banks to separate their retail and investment arms, and retail banks have to comply even if they don’t have an investment arm, a time consuming regulatory exercise.
Reforms will cut red tape and boost banking competition in response to the Skeoch review by freeing retail focused banks from ringfencing rules while maintaining protections for consumers. The UK’s world leading regulatory regime has evolved over the past decade and will continue to protect consumers and safeguard financial stability.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: “This country’s financial services sector is the powerhouse of the British economy, driving innovation, growth and prosperity across the country.
“Leaving the EU gives us a golden opportunity to reshape our regulatory regime and unleash the full potential of our formidable financial services sector.
“Today we are delivering an agile, proportionate and home-grown regulatory regime which will unlock investment across our economy to deliver jobs and opportunity for the British people.”
This builds on the reforms to Solvency II announced in the Autumn Statement which will unlock over £100 billion for productive investment from UK insurers over the next decade, such as clean energy infrastructure.
The Chancellor is also expected to issue new mandates to the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority setting out how they will help deliver growth and promote the international competitiveness of the UK.
The financial services sector is vital for Britain’s economic strength, contributing £216 billion a year to the UK economy. This includes £76 billion in tax, enough to fund the entire police force and state school system, while employing over 2.3 million people – with 1.4 million outside London and 163,000 people in Scotland.
While in Edinburgh today, the Chancellor will meet with top financial services CEOs to discuss these reforms and how the sector can further drive investment and growth in the UK.
As confirmed in the Autumn Statement, the government will look to announce changes to EU regulations in four other growth industries by the end of next year, including digital technology, life sciences, green industries and advanced manufacturing.
With the colder months of the year now upon us the city council has announced the official launch of a network of Warm and Welcoming Spaces across the capital.
Council Leader Cammy Day formally launched the initiative yesterday during a visit to Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.
Council venues such as libraries, community centres, museums and galleries, alongside partner and community spaces, will put on free activities for a variety of age groups and provide a space where people feel safe, warm, and at ease.
In certain spaces residents will be able to access information to help alleviate food/fuel poverty and other support available to them.
At this stage, there are more than 60 Warm and Welcoming Spaces across the city. The council ia also working with a network of partners to provide and promote further spaces.
Residents will be able to find out more about the initiative and find their nearest ‘Warm and Welcoming Spaces’ via an interactive map on a dedicated webpage.
Please also visit our dedicated home energy page for advice on how to keep your homes warmer, save money or if you’re worried about your bills.
If you are an organisation and want to get involved in Warm and Welcoming, please email us on warm.welcoming@edinburgh.gov.uk
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We are now in the midst of one of the most challenging winters in recent times with the cost-of-living crisis, rising energy prices, and inflation. Many of our residents will rightly be concerned about heating their homes in the months ahead.
“The Warm and Welcoming Spaces initiative brings together a host of spaces across the city where people can connect with others, learn new skills, and relax.
“These spaces are also key in combatting social isolation, boosting mental health and welling, and allowing people to access services and support in a respectful and friendly manner.
Biddy Kelly, Managing Director at Fresh Start, said: “As we head into what we know will be a difficult winter the need on our communities is ever growing. That is why it has been so important that we work collectively to ensure that we have community spaces, both statutory and in the third sector open and that people are aware of where they can go and when.
“Working in this collaborative manner ensures that we have places open that people feel supported in a dignified manner and where they can access a wide breadth of services and support. The co-ordinated Warm and Welcoming website will allow both staff and people access on site to find vital information.”
Ian Brooke, Deputy Chief Executive of Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC), said: “The voluntary sector always plays a part in supporting communities during difficult times and will have a key role to play in the Warm and Welcoming Spaces programme.
“Our shared priority is to offer meaningful opportunities for people to gather together within their own community, activities that can also help combat issues of social isolation, loneliness and mental health.
“Our priority to Edinburgh’s voluntary sector is getting cash into people’s pockets, as the primary solution to combatting the issues of poverty that have been worsened so much by the current cost of living crisis.
“The Warm and Welcoming spaces programme is and must continue to be supplementary to that.”
Mix 1 Radio based in Stockbridge have been on air for just under a year and are attracting some big names to join them as guests on air.
The station which has a mixture of music and conversation is exploiting the gap in the local radio marketspace as the larger stations are consolidating shows across the whole country. With presenters giving regular updates on local news, traffic and weather along with promoting local business’s the station is pulling in listeners across the capital and beyond.
The special guest on this weeks Edinburgh Weekender Show on Friday 6 till 8pm is London’s First Lady of Soul, PP Arnold who made her breakthrough as backing singer with Ike and Tina Turner before carving out her own successful career with hits like Angel of The Morning and The First Cut Is The Deepest.
She has a fascinating story to tell and listeners of Mix 1 will enjoy a great conversation with PP Arnold and Mix! Presenters Big T and Clayton P.
PP Arnold talks about her audition in Tina Turners front room. Moving to London and becoming the Boyfriend of Mick Jagger and her bond with Bee Gee Barry Gibb.
Previous guests on Mix 1 recently have been Tim Hower, lead singer of Mike and The Mechanics, Steve Smiley Barnard who played drums in Robbie Williams band, Craig Eddie winner of The Voice 2021 and Paul McCarthy star of TV’s Grange Hill.
There are more exciting guest lined up over the next few months.
The interview will be broadcast on Friday from 6pm on The Edinburgh Weekender Show. You can listen to Mix 1 Radio on your Alexa, just ask Alexa to enable the Mix 1 Radio Skill then Alexa Play Mix 1 Radio or listen online via their website Mix1Radio.co.uk
