North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Foodshare Group has updated their information factsheet to include more useful teleohone numbers.
The network of community groups expects hear to about funding to help meet demand in the local area later today. The fund is being administered locally by the city council and EVOC.
Final, Final! North Edinburgh Food Network Info UPDATED 17 APRIL 2020
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick on the government’s response to COVID-19, additional funding for local government … and Captain Tom:
Good afternoon,
Welcome to the coronavirus press conference from Downing Street.
I’m joined by Steve Powis, national medical director of NHS England.
Steve will provide an update on the latest data on coronavirus shortly.
But, first, let me update you on the steps we are taking to defeat it, and the decisions we have taken today.
Our fight against this virus is happening all across the country, in every home, in every community.
Today’s data shows that:
460,437 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out across Great Britain, including 21,389 tests carried out yesterday
114,217 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 5,526 cases since yesterday
17,759 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in Great Britain, down from 18,711 yesterday
And sadly, of those hospitalised with the virus, 15,464 have now died. That’s an increase of 888 fatalities since yesterday.
These are heart-breaking losses for every family affected.
Every part of our government, from Whitehall to your local town hall is working together in this national effort.
And nowhere is that clearer than on the front lines in our communities.
And today as Community Secretary I want to provide an update.
Councils are delivering essential supplies to clinically vulnerable people – those we have asked to shield themselves, paying out financial relief to businesses to enable their local economies to weather the storm as much as is possible, ensuring our bins continue to be collected, ensuring that schools remain open for the children of key workers and vulnerable families are kept in regular contact, and they are helping rough sleepers off the streets to protect them from the virus.
This effort, alongside the endeavours of all our public servants, is making a difference in this fight.
But I know it is our responsibility in government to make sure that those front-line workers have the resources they need to keep up this essential work.
At the beginning of this emergency I told local councils that we would give them the resources they need to do the job. And I meant it.
And that is why today I am providing an additional £1.6 billion of new funding to support councils with the pressures they face as they respond to COVID-19. This funding takes the total amount given to councils to help them through the pandemic to over £3.2 billion.
We are backing councils to ensure vital services such as adult social care, children’s services, support for vulnerable people and waste collection continue despite the increased pressures.
We are also helping councils with inevitable cashflow challenges by deferring £2.6 billion in business rates payments to central government and paying them £850 million in social care grants up front this month.
Working with councils and charities, we’ve made huge progress in protecting the vulnerable during this national emergency.
Our plans to shield the most clinically vulnerable people have progressed well.
Three weeks ago I reported at this press conference that the first government organised boxes of supplies had been delivered by wholesalers to those at highest risk across the country. Today 250,000 have been delivered. The packages include cereal, fruit, tinned goods, teabags, biscuits, toiletries and other essentials.
And this coming week we expect to be delivering 300,000 boxes – all from a standing start just a few weeks ago.
And our call centre is making up to 130,000 calls a day to those who are shielded, to see if they need this service, to see if they still need it or want to move to a priority delivery slot at their local supermarket.
In addition to this, councils are organising their own calls, often led by volunteers, including our 750,000 NHS volunteers, to check in and chat with the shielded.
And they have organised their own efforts to support those who may not have one of the clinical conditions to be shielded but are nonetheless vulnerable or isolated. And there are truly extraordinary efforts underway in this regard, in every village, parish, town, ward, estate and city, the length and breadth of the country.
We have all been humbled by the gestures, large and small, by people across the country to show support for those working so hard to protect the NHS and to save lives. None more so than Captain Tom Moore, who has raised an astonishing £23 million this week for NHS charities.
I can’t think of a more worthy person to be the guest of honour at the opening of the new Nightingale hospital in Harrogate next week – also, fittingly, the county of his birth, Yorkshire. I am sure everyone will join me in thanking Captain Tom for his truly heroic effort.
I have also been proud of the effort of councils to help vulnerable people in their areas, including securing safe accommodation for rough sleepers.
And our plan to protect rough sleepers has resulted in over 90% being offered safe accommodation.
I want to thank all those who have made this possible, including local councils, charities and other organisations and those continuing to help the small number of people still regrettably on our streets today.
Of course, this is not the end of rough sleeping. And there is a great deal of work to be done and my departments and I will be at the heart of that.
I want to also say something about support for our high streets and local businesses by local councils.
I’m delighted that so many cafes, restaurants and other businesses have taken up the opportunity to switch to offering delivery, takeaway and click and collect services. This expands the supply of food available to people alongside the supermarkets, as well as allowing businesses that would otherwise have closed to remain open and keep paying staff.
This simple freedom has been taken up by enterprising people the length across the UK. The same enterprising people whose enguinity, sometimes assisted by government in modest ways like this, will help us to rebuild our economy.
Councils have worked hard to pay out over £1 billion worth of business grants from government.
But it’s vital that we all ensure that all eligible businesses get the support that it needs, and I urge councils who have been slower in making progress to their accelerate efforts in the days to come.
Let me address two other topics that I know are of concern to people.
Firstly, there have been examples of some parks around the country closing.
This cannot be right.
While the virus does not discriminate, we know that the lockdown is much harder for people who don’t have a lot of living space, who don’t have a garden, and who don’t have anywhere for their children to run around.
People need parks.
That’s why I have made it clear to councils that all parks must remain open.
For the health of the nation, people should be able to safely enjoy fresh air and green space.
And, for the health of the nation, people must abide by social distancing rules and not congregate in groups in parks.
Secondly, there have been some reports of mourners being turned away at funerals.
The tragedy of the death of Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, a 13 year old boy from Brixton, was compounded by the fact that his family were unable to attend his funeral.
That is not right and it shouldn’t have happened.
For clarity – funerals can go ahead with close family present.
Social distancing measures must be respected, but families must have the opportunity to say a respectful goodbye to those that they love.
We will be publishing more guidance on this shortly. And I’m also asking councils to keep open or indeed reopen cemeteries and graveyards. Not for people to congregate in. That must not happen. But for people to make that private visit. To seek solace in a word at the grave of someone you have loved. Or to privately lay flowers. There have been times in my life when I have needed to do that. I’m certain there are people who need to do it today.
These are small steps. But small mercies can make a big difference.
And local councils, at their best, can help to make life, even in times like this, more liveable and more humane.
They represent and can harness the networks of familiarity and loyalty upon which a society is based.
The sense that we belong together. And that we will stand by each other in a real emergency.
Those relationships can only be built from below, by people, to people, in communities.
To all the unsung heroes of local councils. For all you are doing for us all.
Thank you.
A charter flight carrying essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and NHS supplies has landed in Scotland.
The cargo which included around 10 million face masks as well as infusion pumps for Intensive Care Units and virus collecting kits for use in health laboratories, landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport from China on Saturday morning.
Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation Ivan McKee said: “Scotland’s health and social care system is facing unprecedented demand.
“Protecting staff working on the frontline is an absolute priority which is why we have been working at pace with the NHS and manufacturers both in Scotland and internationally to improve and increase the supply of PPE.
“This charter flight, carrying additional equipment ordered by the Scottish Government, is significant and we will be focusing the distribution of these supplies to health and social care settings over the coming days.
“In these incredibly challenging times the Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to make health and social care staff feel as safe as possible in their workplace.”
Jim Miller, Director of Procurement, Commissioning and Facilities at NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), said: “This delivery is the result of a painstaking collective effort involving multiple partners working together to provide our NHS and social care colleagues with the PPE they need to keep them safe.
“Together with supply partners and Scottish Government, NSS continues to work 24/7 to source and supply the PPE that Scotland needs to fight COVID-19.”
Scotland will receive an additional £155 million in funding from the UK Government to help tackle coronavirus.
UK Government minister Douglas Ross said: “The UK Government is doing whatever it takes to help people across the UK during the coronavirus crisis.
“This extra £155 million follows additional funding from the UK Government for council workers who are at the forefront of local efforts in keeping people safe and keeping public services open for those that need them the most.
“The new money for Scotland is on top of the substantial coronavirus funding package that has already been announced, meaning that Scotland will receive a total cash boost of more than £3.4 billion to help tackle coronavirus.
“We know that the current measures will remain in place for a further three weeks and people are facing many challenges. I would like to thank everyone who is following the advice to stay at home, as we protect our NHS and save lives.”
Other UK Government support available to people in Scotland includes:
● Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme enables any employer in the country to contact HMRC for a grant to cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 per month.
● Self-employment Income Support Scheme pays self-employed people, who have been adversely affected by Coronavirus, a taxable grant worth 80% of their average income over the last three years, up to £2,500 per month, for at least three months.
● deferring VAT and Income Tax payments so VAT-registered businesses can defer any payment due between 20th March 2020 and 30th June 2020 until a later date if they want and self-assessment tax bills due by 31st July 2020 can be deferred until 31st January 2021.
● A Statutory Sick Pay relief package will repay employers the current rate of SSP that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness due to coronavirus starting on or after 13th March 2020.
Over 100 patients are taking part in a clinical trial for COVID-19 treatment at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Patients in Glasgow have started receiving potential treatment for COVID-19 as part of a clinical trial at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with 120 patients recruited so far. The RECOVERY clinical trial is one of the fastest growing trials looking at potential treatment of COVID-19.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde anaesthetists, respiratory physicians, emergency medicine consultants, pharmacy teams and nurses are leading the board’s involvement in this UK-wide study, funded by the UK government.
The RECOVERY trial aims to find effective treatment for coronavirus patients by testing pre-existing medicine. This includes steroids, antivirals and antimalarial agents. Antibiotics may also be added at a future amendment.
The trial is adaptive in design so treatments that show promise will be used more frequently.
All patients with COVID-19 that are treated at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, IRH and RAH will be offered to take part in the clinical trial. It is a randomised-controlled trial where patients are given an active drug or standard care.
This is part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s efforts to move forward research and development related to COVID-19 as fast as possible.
Dr Jennifer Armstrong, Medical Director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, welcomed the move and said: “Our teams have been incredible in rising up to the challenge of COVID-19.
“Not just in the care and treatment of patients but also their dedication to improving our knowledge of the virus through clinical trials. This means our patients are receiving the most up to date treatment available.”
Professor Julie Brittenden, Research and Development Director, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “I want to thank all of our staff for their efforts during this incredibly challenging time.
“Our research, development and innovation teams are working hard to improve the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
“We’ve been able to rapidly mobilise our teams to take part in clinical trials like RECOVERY and this is a testament to their dedication to the cause.”
Dr Kathryn Puxty, Intensive Care Consultant at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said: “As we care for more and more patients with COVID-19, we are seeing first-hand the need for effective treatment.
“We will be asking patients with COVID-19 who we treat in hospital, if they want to be involved in this study in the hope that we can improve care as quickly as possible.”
Working with partners across UK, Scotland is leading, enabling and delivering world-class COVID-19 research as part of coordinated efforts to gather reliable evidence.
Facilitated through the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of Scottish Government and NHS Research Scotland, a single, national prioritisation process for COVID-19 research draws on expert advice across the UK. This prioritises studies which hold the most potential, prevents duplication of effort and ensures the resources and capacity of the health care system are not exceeded.
Charles Weller, General Manager, NHS Research Scotland said: “RECOVERY has been the fastest growing clinical trial in medical history; and a crucial part of our efforts to better understand and tackle COVID-19. I want to thank all teams for their commitment and professionalism to this national priority study.”
The city council has partnered with the national homelessness charity, Bethany Christian Trust, in providing further hotel accommodation and specialised support for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough.
Working together on a range of services, this latest initiative ensures single occupancy en-suite bedroom accommodation as an alternative venue for Bethany’s Care Shelter and provides additional temporary accommodation for the local authority.
Bethany is relocating its Care Shelter team of 14 professional support staff to the Old Waverley Hotel on the capital’s iconic Princes Street and our Council staff are working flexibly at short-notice to join the team during daytime hours to provide advice, support and positive move on options for guests in this new environment.
The project is dependent on the tremendous good will of hundreds of volunteers who also provide the fresh ingredients for the two course hot meals prepared in advance to serve at the hotel with current safe distancing measures. Providing a safe place to sleep, three meals a day and a range of support from experienced staff and multiple partner agencies including health, housing and advocacy support, the service will be a lifeline for many over the next three months.
With an estimated 16.8 million more people across the UK staying at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, concerns have been raised over vulnerable households in Scotland facing higher fuel costs as their energy consumption increases during the lockdown.
Bills are expected to rise by about 30%** in the coming months as, even with the weather starting to turn warmer, households are using more power to run their hot water, heating, computers and other appliances during the day when previously the home would be empty.
Whilst the government has signalled it may step in to support vulnerable households and the initial crash in the price of oil has provided some relief to the 135,000 oil heated households in Scotland, there is concern many will still struggle, particularly if they face reduced incomes or additional costs of looking after relatives.
In response OFTEC, the trade association for the oil heating industry, is alerting households to the support available and providing advice on how to reduce energy consumption. This includes:
“During these unsettling times, many households may be feeling anxious about higher energy bills because they are spending more time at home during the day”, says Malcolm Farrow of OFTEC.
“However, new announcements about the support available are being made every day by the government and energy suppliers so it’s important to identify those which apply to you, or to family and friends who you know are struggling.
“The warmer weather will help to reduce reliance on heating and other measures such as adjusting timers and radiators may seem trivial but, over several weeks and months, the savings can really add up. They are also usually simple jobs most people can do themselves.”
More information and advice, including what to do if your heating systems needs emergency repair work during the Covid-19 lockdown, is available here: https://www.oftec.org/consumers/covid-19-consumer-information.
Edinburgh Napier is using its resources to boost the national drive to increase testing for COVID-19 by sending equipment from its School of Applied Sciences to support health authorities on both sides of the border.
The move follows a request for help from the Health Secretary. Matt Hancock wrote to Principal Andrea Nolan on April 10 about the critical need for lab equipment to support the national effort to defeat coronavirus, and listed a number of priority items.
Professor Gary Hutchison, Dean of Applied Sciences, secured permission to return to the Sighthill campus with his family during the national lockdown to identify materials on the Government help list which have now been collected by a team from the army as a temporary loan.
The equipment loaned by the University includes four thermo cycler machines, used as part of the molecular biology process to determine if a patient test is positive or negative for the virus.
Following collection by the army, they will be sent to test centres across the UK to support the drive to increase testing.
In a separate development, Professor Hutchison has been in dialogue with NHS Scotland procurement and NHS National Services Scotland to make them aware of what equipment the University has.
As a first step, Personal Protective Equipment including body suits, masks, gloves and aprons is now being gathered for collection to support staff involved with the COVID-19 testing programme and other frontline activities.
Professor Hutchison said: “Assembling the correct equipment to meet testing needs in this time of national emergency is a huge logistical challenge.
“As Dean I am proud that our School is doing what it can to support the national scientific effort, our local scientists and frontline health professionals as best we can in this time of need.”
Staff at the University’s Merchiston campus have also been supporting health workers, by making scores of face masks on a laser cutter, and a training ventilator has been transferred from the University to the intensive care unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma gave the 17 April 2020 daily press briefing on the UK Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Good afternoon. I am joined today by the government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Dr Yvonne Doyle who is the medical director of Public Health England.
Before I talk about some decisions taken today, and Sir Patrick provides an update on the latest data, I would like to set out the steps we are taking to defeat coronavirus.
Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of the virus so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.
At each point we have been following scientific and medical advice and we have been deliberate in our actions – taking the right steps at the right time.
We are also taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by dramatically expanding the numbers of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line to give people the care they need when they need it most.
This is why we are instructing people to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.
I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:
A total of 438,991 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus, that includes 21,328 tests carried out yesterday.
Of those, 108,692 people have tested positive.
That is an increase of 5,599 cases since yesterday.
18,978 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in the UK.
And sadly, of those hospitalised with the virus, 14,576 have now died.
That is an increase of 847 fatalities since yesterday.
We must never forget that behind every statistic is a family member or a friend.
And all our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.
These figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidance. And as the Foreign Secretary outlined yesterday, the current social distancing measures will remain in place for at least the next 3 weeks.
And there are 5 tests that must be satisfied before we will consider it safe to adjust any of the current measures.
First, we must protect the NHS’s ability to cope. We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.
Second, we need to see a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate from coronavirus, so we can be confident that we have moved beyond the peak.
Third, we need to have reliable data from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board.
Fourth, we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.
Fifth, and most importantly, we need to be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelm the NHS.
The worst thing we could do now, is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and hit the British people.
So I want to thank each and every person across the UK who is following and supporting the government’s advice to stay at home, in order that we protect our NHS and, ultimately, save lives.
I know we are asking you to make sacrifices. And it is challenging. But we need to keep going. Working together, we will defeat this invisible enemy.
Now is not the time to let up. The risk still persists – not only for yourself, but for the people around you. So we must stay vigilant.
But of course, the point we hope to get to, one of the ways we can defeat this virus, is to find a vaccine.
Just as Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine in the eighteenth century, we need to apply the best of British scientific endeavour to the search for the coronavirus vaccine.
To that end I can announce today, that the government has set up a Vaccines Taskforce to co-ordinate the efforts of government, academia and industry towards a single goal:
To accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine.
This taskforce is up and running and aims to ensure that a vaccine is made available to the public, as quickly as possible.
The taskforce, reporting to me and the Health Secretary, is led by Sir Patrick and Professor Jonathan van Tam.
It comprises representatives from government, industry, academia and regulators.
Members include Government Life Sciences Champion Sir John Bell, as well as AstraZeneca, and the Wellcome Trust.
The taskforce will support progress across all stages of vaccine development, at pace.
It will back Britain’s most promising research, positioning the UK as a leader in clinical vaccine testing and manufacturing.
The taskforce will co-ordinate with regulators to facilitate trials which are both rapid and well supervised.
And it will work with industry in the UK and internationally, so we are in a position to manufacture vaccines at scale.
This will build on the Prime Minister’s announcement last month of a further £210 million for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the international fund to find a vaccine.
I can confirm that the government has green lighted a further 21 research projects to help fight coronavirus.
In total, these projects will receive £14 million from a £25 million government research investment and include backing the development of a vaccine at Imperial College London.
This follows support for 6 projects, announced last month, including vaccine development led by Professor Sarah Gilbert at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute. This is already carrying out preclinical trials and, with government support, will shortly move into a clinical trial phase.
And we are looking forward. So when we do make a breakthrough, we are ready to manufacture it by the millions.
One tool in this fight will be the UK’s first Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre based in Harwell.
A project that will help build our capacity to develop and mass produce vaccines here in the UK.
The government will be accelerating the building of this facility.
The Bioindustry Association is also working closely with our taskforce and bringing together a whole range of businesses keen to use their expertise to mass produce vaccines, as soon as one is ready.
I want to pay a heartfelt tribute to all the scientists and researchers, working tirelessly, on these projects.
Yet even with all their efforts, we should be under no illusions.
Producing a vaccine is a colossal undertaking.
A complex process which will take many months.
There are no guarantees.
But the government is backing our scientists, betting big to maximise the chances of success.
I am proud of how, again and again, Britain has stepped up and answered the call to action.
An enormous challenge being tackled through a vast national effort.
Where problem-solvers, from science, business and government join forces to beat this invisible killer.
We cannot put a date on when we will get a vaccine.
But we live in a country with a rich history of pioneering science.
And with the government backing our scientists we have the best chance to do this as quickly as possible.
A food distribution network to support Edinburgh’s most vulnerable citizens is set to be rolled out thanks to a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, third sector organisation EVOC and the wider community and voluntary sector.
The news comes fully four weeks after community projects in North Edinburgh first joined together to get food and essential supplies out to neighbourhood’s most vulnerable residents.
The latest plans will see over 3,000 emergency food parcels delivered across the first fortnight to people who are having difficulty accessing food as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. Further roll out will take place following this, based on demand.
The partnership, created from the Capital’s £1.65m share of the Scottish Government Food Fund, will see the Council identify those most in need for the food and essential items with EVOC responsible for the distribution.
The network will follow Scottish Government guidelines on eligibility which includes:
The supplies will be stored at four school hubs acting as depots for the packing and distribution. Demand will be regularly reviewed to make sure the parcels are being targeted to those most in need. Hot meals will also be provided to those in greatest need, who for a variety of reasons, may be unable to prepare their own meals.
This funding is in addition to the ongoing support for the wider third sector through the Scotland-wide £350m charity support fund made available last month.
The partnership will also provide support for voluntary organisations who want assistance with applying for funds from the Scottish Government’s Wellbeing Fund and an initial £50k will be available from the Council to provide targeted support to smaller scale community groups in their efforts to help vulnerable residents.
In addition, the partnership has signed a strategic agreement with Volunteer Edinburgh on matching volunteering capacity to citizen and service demand as it emerges. This puts us in a strong position to ensure that there is close collaboration and coordination to meet the needs of vulnerable groups in the city.
The city council, EVOC and Volunteer Edinburgh already work together as part of the city’s strategic Edinburgh Partnership.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This food distribution network is going to tackle the very real and emerging demand from those vulnerable people who find themselves without enough food because they’re self-isolating.
“We’re committed to supporting them through these unprecedented challenges and we’ll do everything in our power to help them thanks to this £1.65m boost from the Scottish Government.
“We’ve already been delivering thousands of food parcels across the city to those in our care and families who are struggling to cope. These supplies are not a short-term fix – we will make sure they continue for as long as they are needed.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Everyone has seen the amazing response from communities coming together to reduce the risk of food poverty and EVOC with the wider community projects are ideally placed to be our partners for this new network.
“In addition to this citywide support system help with access to the Wellbeing Fund and targeted support will benefit community organisations working in local areas. Joining with third sector organisations is so important as they are working in the heart of our communities and are best-placed to provide that essential support to reach those families who need it most.
“This food network will supplement the many other measures we have taken to help families such as Free School Meal payments, our own emergency food parcels and crisis grants.”
Ella Simpson, Chief Executive of EVOC, said: “For the last four weeks the third and community sector have been absolutely outstanding in their response to the needs of their community.
“This partnership complements and reinforces that incredible work and brings together the capacity, skills, knowledge, experience and trust within our communities to respond to this international crisis.
“By working together, we will be able to coordinate the delivery of food to vulnerable people across Edinburgh. This support to our colleagues and volunteers who are preparing and delivering the food to people will ensure we can sustain this heroic effort for as long as it is needed.
“If you know someone who is in need please use the national helpline 0800 028 2816 and I can assure you support is there for you. If you are a local community organisation delivering food not already part of this amazing network, please contact EVOC on info@evoc.org.uk.”
News that the funding is to be made available at last will come as a huge relief to community organisations whose resources have been stretched to the limit as they have battled to get aid to vulnerable and isolated people during the coronavirus pandemic.
North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Food Group has been urging local politicians to get funding through to the grassroots for weeks now. On Monday, they hope to hear what funds will be made available to support their efforts.
