TUESDAY 19th APRIL 6.30 – 8.30pm
Police online recruitment event
Healthy Heart Tip: Alternatives to chocolate for a healthier Easter
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Easter weekend marks the end of Lent and this is a time when chocolate eggs are traditionally exchanged with family and friends.
Chocolate is high in fat, saturated fat and sugar and consuming too much can increase your risk of weight-gain and heart disease. In this healthy tip, we provide ideas for cutting back on chocolate this Easter.
Avoid temptation when shopping for groceries
Long rows of chocolate eggs appear in supermarkets several weeks before Easter and it can be difficult to avoid temptation. Easter-themed treats are often heavily discounted in the weeks following Easter, which adds to the temptation. Avoid visiting the Easter-themed aisles in supermarkets and try to stay focused on your grocery shopping and finding healthier snacks.
Buy non-edible Easter gifts
A large Easter egg can contain your entire daily energy requirement. Replacing Easter eggs with non-edible gifts, such as toys, games, books, egg cups or flowers, can be a way to help your loved ones avoid over-indulging this Easter.
Get outdoors and step away from the chocolate
Make the most of the Spring weather and get outdoors. Remember to leave the chocolate and other high-calorie Easter treats at home.
Going for a walk, run or bike ride can be a good way to shift your focus away from food and stay healthy.
We hope you have a happy and healthy Easter holiday!
For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.
To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.
Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
Life’s a beach!
The transition from Pool Lifeguard to Beach Lifeguard
As we head towards the summer are you looking for a new challenge? Pool lifeguards have a unique opportunity to upskill to become a beach lifeguard and gain invaluable skills for life.
As an island, the UK has miles and miles of beautiful coastline, and every year people flock to our beaches to enjoy the sea, surf, and sometimes the sun! With more Britons holidaying in the UK, our beaches are more popular than ever, which means the role of the beach lifeguard has never been more important!
If you’re a pool lifeguard and enjoy the great outdoors as well as being part of a tight-knit team, then a beach lifeguard could be the job for you during the summer season! The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is looking for recruits to spend the summer working on some of the most popular beaches in the UK.
Read on to discover how you can transition from pool to beach lifeguard and set yourself up for your most fun and rewarding summer yet!
Why become a beach lifeguard?
RNLI lifeguards patrol more than 240 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. They play an essential role in supporting the RNLI to reduce the number of people who drown at the coast, as well as helping to keep people safe by providing essential local safety advice to the thousands of holidaymakers who visit our coastline every summer. To give you some idea of the scale of the work involved, RNLI lifeguards helped more than 25,172 people in 2020 alone.
“We welcome applications from RLSS UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) holders. In our experience, the training and experience these highly qualified professionals have already achieved give them the knowledge and skills needed to transition efficiently to beach lifeguards, to protect thousands of beachgoers,” says Peter Dawes, General Manager Lifeguard Operation, RNLI.
The work is rewarding and challenging, and no two days are ever the same.
“The best thing about being a beach lifeguard is being outside and having the opportunity to meet interesting people while reassuring visitors and sharing safety messaging,” says Jo Thompson, RLSS UK’s Events and Accreditation Manager and former beach lifeguard supervisor.
Ninety-five per cent of a lifeguard’s work is preventative. They monitor sea conditions, set up the appropriate flags, watch people on the beach, and offer safety advice.
“With most seasons starting in May and finishing by September, a beach lifeguard is the perfect job for university students to help fund their studies. It’s also great for fitting around other commitments. I know of a mum who would work a few days a week every season while her sons were young. Now that they are older, she is a full time beach lifeguard,” added Jo.
Through the RLSS UK’s National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ), you will receive world-class training in search and rescue, lifesaving and casualty care techniques, good rates of pay, and the chance to develop valuable skills for a future career. And as an internationally recognised qualification, you can work all over the world.
How do I upskill to be a beach lifeguard?
The NVBLQ is the national standard for beach lifeguarding and endorsed by the National Water Safety Forum as well as the RNLI. The NVBLQ gives candidates the skills and knowledge to protect the public at the beach – which is why it is the leading qualification for pool lifeguards who want to work on UK beaches.
The course covers beach lifeguard theory, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and sea skills. It lasts a minimum of 40-hours and is physically demanding, including swimming to set times. The NVBLQ has four modules, and you have to pass all of these to receive the qualification.
Pool lifeguards with an existing NPLQ qualification can show evidence of prior achievement (from their NPLQ), which means they are exempt from some sections of the NVBLQ course (a maximum of 12 hours accreditation for prior learning may be claimed), allowing them to complete it more quickly.
Your NVBLQ is then valid for two years from the completion date.
Click here to find out more about the NVBLQ.
Find a course
With summer on its way, recruitment is now open for the RNLI’s 2022 lifeguard team. If you’d like to be part of this critical lifesaving service – helping to prevent incidents and rescuing those in difficulty, book yourself onto a NVBLQ today.
Become a beach lifeguard and put yourself on the frontline of lifesaving to make this a summer to remember.
Corstorphine Community Centre latest
Statement from CCC management committee 13/04/22:
Following on from the previous update provided in terms of the future temporary location of the Hub and shop, various options for alternative sites have been assessed and either rejected or investigated further.
At this point, CCC’s Management Committee are in negotiations concerning a locally, Corstorphine-based property which we anticipate will house all activities currently undertaken in the Hub, including the workshop.
It is fully accessible and will provide space for the shop to continue operating.
Subject to successful lease negotiations, it is planned that all operations will move in advance of June 23rd when the lease on our current site at 191 St John’s Road expires.
We will continue to update staff, volunteers, our members and the local community as we make progress in securing this alternative site for CCC’s operations whilst we continue with the Community Asset Transfer.
Scotland’s green businesses urged to enter VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards
Scottish businesses championing environmental practice and products have until April 29 to apply to showcase their eco-excellence to be in with a chance of securing a prestigious VIBES Scottish Environment Business Award.
The VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards are a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.
More than 2,500 applications have been received since the awards began in 1999. Since then, more than 270 businesses of all sizes with a green ethos, who have identified ways to tackle the impact on the planet by reducing consumption on its resources, have been recognised.
This has included products and services which increase recycling, facilitate active travel, reduce the use of raw materials by adopting a more circular approach and many more.
Two new categories have been introduced for VIBES 2022:
· The Nature Rich Scotland Award – open to businesses being proactive in protecting or enhancing nature and connecting people with wildlife.
· The Energy Transition Scotland Award – open to businesses demonstrating decarbonisation and a significant change in the ways they use or produce energy to minimise their impact on the environment.
There will be awards in 12 categories at VIBES 2022.
Last year, Brewster Bros was a VIBES Outstanding Achievement Award winner. The firm specialises in sustainable resource management for the construction industry at their Livingston recycling plant by processing construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste into industry standard recycled aggregates and other recycled products, which are then sold back to the construction industry.
Brewster Bros impressed the judges with their commitment to a circular business model and their drive to change behaviours within the construction sector.
Scott Brewster, managing director of Brewster Bros, said: “We run our plant on a renewable energy tariff and so far, we have managed to recycle 90% of our process water. We also fuel our HGVs on hydrotreated vegetable oil rather than traditional diesel and operate a ‘backload’ system to ensure as few empty lorry loads as possible enter/exit our facility.
“80% of our vehicle movements are loaded which results in 1000 tonnes of CO2 savings per year.
“We are passionate and committed to continual improvement, working with partners to identify new opportunities and develop learning. We would like to thank the VIBES judging panel for recognising our efforts in reducing our environmental impact. The application process highlighted our environmental good practice to our staff and uncovered further room for improvement.”
All VIBES applicants receive tailored feedback and guidance and signposted to further free help, where appropriate. More information on this can be found on the VIBES website.
Bob Downes, chair of SEPA and head of the VIBES judging panel, said: “Many firms are showing that environmental innovation and best practice can also bring economic benefits, which is helping highlight Scotland as a leader in climate change action.
“Every business can play a role in leading Scotland to Net Zero. The VIBES awards recognise those businesses that are leading the transition to a net zero emissions economy through innovation, partnerships, circular economy, adaptation and a commitment to making the environment a key factor in decision making.
“Creative and pioneering organisations will be those who champion best practice and create sustainable goods, products and services through leadership, innovation and ambition, making a positive environmental impact protecting our planet for future generations.
“If your business fits that bill, there is still time for you to showcase how you are achieving your environmental business goals ahead of April’s submissions deadline.”
Finalists will be announced in June 2022.
To obtain an application form please contact vibes@sepa.org.uk . Businesses have until 5pm on 29 April 2022 to submit their free application.
For more informant on VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards, please visit https://www.vibes.org.uk/.
Cockburn Association: Manifesto for the City
As we head into the Local Council elections in May, the Cockburn Association has set out its “asks” of current and prospective councillors.
In doing so, we also set out key areas for policy and management to carry Edinburgh forward post-Covid during the next administration between 2022-27.
Read and download our full manifesto by clicking here, then get in touch with the candidates in your ward and ask them if they will commit to the following:
The next five years will need to be about building a new, resilient future for the City. Maintaining the quality of our streets, buildings and neighbourhoods should be at the forefront of governance priorities.
Professor Cliff Hague OBE, Chairperson of the Council of the Association commented: “We need to move from an exploitive linear economy to one that cherishes and reuses its built and natural environment and places community well-being at the heart of decision-making.”
The Cockburn discussed some of the ideas in this latest Manifesto for the City in greater detail in our recent publications Our Unique City (2019) and the revised version, Our Unique City: our future after coronavirus (2020).
NHS Lothian RFU staff and patients take four million steps for Ukraine
NHS Lothian staff and patients at the Robert Fergusson Unit (RFU) have walked four million steps in under a month to raise money for Ukraine.
Four million steps is how many it would take to walk the distance between the RFU and Kyiv. A step challenge, rather than a distance challenge, ensured patients with limited mobility could also take part.
The RFU, based at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, is a national NHS neuro-rehabilitation service for patients with acquired brain injury and associated behavioural disturbance.
Helen O’Leary, Occupational Therapist at the RFU, said: “Our staff and patients really wanted to do their bit to help the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
“Though some of our patients have a reduced ability to interact with the world, they are still aware of what goes on globally and are incredibly generous and kind.
“It’s so wonderful to see patients who wouldn’t otherwise be so active get up and walk around, and for such a good cause.”
The RFU team raised £2,358 in donations and £446 in Gift Aid, which will go to the British Red Cross to help provide aid to the people of Ukraine.
The team’s efforts have also resulted in improved long-term activity among both patients and staff. This is key to relieving stress and managing neurological conditions and some patients are continuing to count their steps even after they have reached their goal.
Recipe: An Easter Feast with a taste of the Middle East
– JAMES STRAWBRIDGE’S HARISSA ROAST LAMB & HERBY COUSCOUS –
Forget the abundance of chocolate eggs or a buttery hot cross bun. If there’s one thing that screams Easter, it’s a traditional lamb roast dinner!
But if you’re looking to spice things up a little this year with something a bit more special, celebrity chef and 44 Foods partner, James Strawbridge has you covered, with an epic Easter feast that combines traditional roast lamb with a taste of the Middle-East.
Think warm, smoky, spiced tender lamb laid on a bed of zingy, herby couscous, guaranteed to silence everyone at the Easter dining table… In a good way of course!
Recipe:
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
For the lamb:
2 kg Scotch rolled shoulder of lamb
300ml red wine
250g chopped tomatoes
250g Medjoul dates
230g Odysea sun-dried tomato meze
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp harissa paste
1 tbsp Tracklements traditional mint sauce
1 tbsp Tracklements fresh chilli Jam
1 bulb of garlic, broken into cloves but keep the skins on
1 bulb of fennel, roughly diced
For the couscous:
200g Suma couscous
½ pomegranate seeds
½ cucumber, diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp Crespo capers
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
To serve:
200g Odysea feta & Greek yoghurt spread
2 tsp Tracklements traditional mint sauce
1 tsp Odysea PDO Kalamata extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of cumin seeds
Method:
- Rub your rolled lamb with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot pan on all sides to brown the meat.
- Next, brush the lamb with a mixture of harissa, mint sauce and chilli jam. Place in a roasting tray on top of a bed of garlic cloves, roughly chopped fennel and a full jar of sun-dried tomato meze. Pour in a tin of chopped tomatoes and half a bottle of good red wine.
- Cover the roasting tray with tin foil and roast for 15 mins at 200˚C. Then reduce the heat to 160˚C and cook for 4-5 hours.
- While the lamb is resting, make the couscous by cooking it in a saucepan with hot oil for 1-2 mins and then cover with boiling water. Place a lid on the pan, take it off the heat and after 10 mins, fluff up the couscous with a fork.
- After a further 5-10 mins once the couscous has cooked and started to cool down, toss it in a large bowl with plenty of chopped herbs, pomegranate seeds, cucumber, capers and a pinch of salt.
- Serve the lamb at the table by spooning the couscous in a lovely serving platter and laying the lamb on top. Spoon over the sauce to keep the lamb moist and the juices to soak into the couscous.
7. Mix some extra mint sauce into the feta yogurt to accompany as a side and sprinkle with a pinch of cumin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the spiced lamb for a cooling dip.
Fancy giving it a go?
The majority of ingredients can be found at www.44foods.com or, why not save yourself some time with the 44 Foods recipe bundle that gives you everything you need for your perfect Middle-Eastern Easter feast – all you’ll need to do is the cooking.
Stepped up mental health support for veterans of Afghanistan
Samaritans are to launch a new veterans support helpline, backed by more than half a million pounds of government funding, to provide peer-to-peer emotional support to veterans.
The new helpline is one of more than 50 projects announced today from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs Afghanistan Veterans’ Fund, totalling £5million.
Around £150k is being provided to RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity, who will improve the wellbeing of veterans through volunteering with Afghans who now live in the UK, including Afghans who worked with the UK military and were evacuated during Operation Pitting.
Other projects include:
- Providing veterans in Scotland with opportunities to engage with mindfulness and recovery in nature, through the charity Mindfulness Scotland
- Encouraging veterans to connect with one another through sports such as rugby, golf, climbing and horse riding.
- Increasing access to assistance dogs for veterans struggling with their mental health in England to assistance dogs to help alleviate symptoms and triggers of PTSD.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans Leo Docherty said: “We are forever grateful to those who served in Afghanistan and members of the Afghan community who worked with them. Their courage and commitment to this country will never be forgotten.
“This targeted funding for charities across the country will ensure that, regardless of location, those who have served and their families can access services easily.”
The Afghanistan Veterans’ Fund was announced by the Prime Minister last year, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The fund supports the Afghanistan veteran cohort with help adjusting to civilian life.
The fund, which is being distributed by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, will also increase dedicated support mechanisms for young veterans and their families. The £5 million boost will also help increase the user friendliness and accessibility of services, better signposting veterans to the range of state and charitable services available to them.
The Samaritans project will see volunteers from the military community trained to provide peer-to-peer support by the charity, to encourage improved mental resilience and wellbeing in the armed forces community.
Chief Executive Officer of Samaritans Julie Bentley said: “Samaritans is proud to be supporting our Armed Forces community, many of whom have put their physical and mental health on the line to serve their country, with the creation of a new dedicated support service for military veterans.
“Sadly, we know from calls to our helpline that veterans consistently make up over 70% of the calls from the military community, and that they are almost twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts compared with the general population.
“That’s why it’s so important that veterans facing a crisis can easily access support and contact a trained veteran volunteer to help improve their wellbeing.”
Chief Executive Officer of RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity Alistair Halliday said: “The funding from the OVA will enable RFEA The Forces Employment Charity to deliver vital support. We will be working with UK Veterans to support Afghan people who are arriving in the UK and who worked alongside our UK Armed Forces during the 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan.
“The aim of our programme will be to enable those arriving from Afghanistan to access employment providing financial independence and inclusion in UK society. The sustained links that we will create between UK veterans, many of whom served in the Afghanistan conflict, and those arriving from Afghanistan will create long-term benefit for both groups”.
200 years in the making – Royal Highland Show to livestream across the globe
The Royal Highland Show will take to the small screen to livestream this year’s 200th anniversary event across the globe.
In what has been described as a ‘game changer’ for the Royal Highland Show, organisers have successfully secured £200,000 of funding from the Scottish Government to drive this ground-breaking initiative.
The funding will be administered by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The free-to-view RHS TV will see a dynamic mix of live and pre-recorded content broadcast throughout the four days, featuring the perfect balance of livestock judging, equestrian classes, culture, interviews, food & drink and of course, the grand parade. Presenting RHS TV in the mornings will be Dougie Vipond, with Sarah Mack taking the reins in the afternoons.
Not only beamed across the globe, RHS TV will also be transmitted across the showground on giant screens throughout the four days. The content captured will be available to watch back on the Royal Highland Show YouTube channel.
The exciting announcement follows on from the success of the Royal Highland Showcase in 2021, which saw a total audience of 345,701 viewers watch the action online from across 97 countries.
Bill Gray, Chairman of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), organisers of the Royal Highland Show, said: “This is a hugely exciting announcement which will allow us to bring the best of food, farming, and rural Scotland to audiences across the globe.
“The value the Show brings to the economy and also to Scotland the brand is reflected in the level of support we have received from the Scottish Government, for which we are very grateful.”
The announcement is just one of many exciting new initiatives planned to make the 2022 Show, which marks 200 years since the first Show took place, a spectacular event.
Bill added: “RHS TV also presents great opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors to extend their reach beyond the 200,000 people expected to attend the event.
“This is yet another way in which we can add value and also generate revenue which allows RHASS to fulfil its charitable activities.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “The support of the Scottish Government has ensured the organisers of the Royal Highland Show are able to continue to embrace innovation and build on the success of last year’s Showcase with RHS TV.
“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and the dynamic mix of live and pre-recorded content to be broadcast via RHS TV will enable audiences both around the world and at home to connect, enjoy and share in the memorable experience that is the Royal Highland Show, one of the country’s much loved major events.”
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “I know how important events like this are to farmers, crofters and rural communities more generally. As the Royal Highland Show celebrates its 200th anniversary this year I’m delighted that this important and high profile event will be welcoming people in person again.
“The Show, which brings together Scotland’s world famous food and drink, traditions and culture to be enjoyed by attendees from around the world, will once again support Scotland’s events supply chain which has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
“I am delighted that Scottish Government funding will enable the Royal Highland Show to showcase online all that rural Scotland has to offer and celebrate, significantly increasing the reach of this event and enabling people across Scotland and all around the world to experience the rich variety of activities the Show has to offer.”
Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on 23-26 June 2022.
Tickets, including for car parking, must be pre-purchased online this year and no tickets will be available to buy on the gate. Tickets are limited in number this year with sell out days anticipated, so it is advised to purchase early. Children aged 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult (free ticket must also be reserved in advance).
For further information and to purchase tickets please visit: