Tag: Health and wellbeing

“Wee Forest” heading to Granton Crescent 

Call for volunteers to join tree planting

LOCAL residents are being encouraged to sign up for a community tree-planting session next week to help create a new woodland in Granton.

Granton Crescent is to be home to Edinburgh’s latest Wee (or Tiny) Forest as part of the Council’s work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The creation of the new Wee Forest has been made possible by funding from Banister Charitable Trust.

The City of Edinburgh Council, in partnership with Earthwatch Europe and Edinburgh Lothian Greenspace Trust, is hosting a special planting day on Thursday 2 March from 1pm – and all are welcome.

A Wee Forest is a dense, fast-growing, native woodland about the size of a tennis court and is capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first three years. It also provides rich opportunities for engaging young and old alike with the environment and sustainability.

Earthwatch is pioneering the initiative in the UK, using a forestry management technique developed in Japan by Dr Miyawaki in the 1970s. By encouraging the trees to grow in tightly packed formation, fighting each other for sunlight and nutrients, they will grow ten times faster than a traditional forest.

The new Wee Forest – which will be planted at Granton Crescent by local residents and local primary school pupils – will not only be attractive locations for wildlife, but for people too, and will provide a range of benefits in the fight against climate change.

Volunteers can book a place on any of these dates via Eventbrite.

Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Val Walker, said: “Our newest “Wee Forest” allows residents to be directly involved in tackling the nature and climate crises by being involved in the planting, maintaining and development of the forests in their own community. The Wee Forests will also help us work towards our goal of being a Million Tree City by 2030 and to be net zero.

“A Wee Forest brings the benefits of a forest – connecting people with nature, raising awareness of the environment, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and supporting urban wildlife – right in the heart of our community within urban spaces in the city.

“For each Wee Forest, we look to engage a core group of volunteers called Tree Keepers to act as ambassadors for their local forest. Volunteering as a Tree Keeper is a great chance to get more involved in your Wee Forest’s development and track the amazing environmental impact of the site and I would encourage everyone to find out more by contacting Earthwatch.

“I hope residents will join the planting on 2 March. The planting is free to attend and open to all ages. Equipment is provided on the day but feel free to bring along your own gloves and spade.”

Louise Hartley, Tiny Forest Programme Manager at Earthwatch Europe, said: “Tiny Forest provides rich opportunities for connecting young and old alike with the environment and sustainability.

“It’s vital that we give people the knowledge and skills to protect our natural world and inspire them to take positive action. We are delighted to be working with City of Edinburgh Council to bring these inspiring spaces to the Capital.”

Charity calls for families with young disabled adults to seek support

Families caring for young disabled adults at home are being offered help by a forward-thinking national charity to improve quality of life. 

Faced with three times higher costs to bring up disabled children, the continuing cost-of-living crisis is placing families in financial jeopardy. It is therefore even  harder to afford the things that improve their disabled young adult’s day-to-day living.  

National charity Family Fund is now urging families with a disabled 18-24 year-old living at home to apply for wide-ranging grants through its Your Opportunity scheme. 

Set up four years ago, to help young disabled adults lead more fulfilling lives and realise ambitions – the scheme offers grants to support the transition to adulthood and includes technology, training and leisure activities.

Your Opportunity has supported over 1,200 families across the UK in the last 12 months and immediate funds are now available to help many more.

Family Fund is the UK’s largest grant-making charity for families living on a low income, raising disabled and seriously ill children and young people. Last year, it provided over 170,919 grants and services worth over £37 million to families across the UK.  

The charity’s latest research, based on polls with the families it supports, shows that over four out of five families (82%) say they cannot replace worn out furniture and nearly four out of five (78%) say they cannot afford to repair or replace major electrical goods such as cookers, fridges or washing machines.

For nearly half of families with disabled children and young people, paying for a beneficial activity or hobby for their disabled child is out of the question.

Cheryl Ward, Family Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We continue to see families with disabled or seriously ill children and young people increasingly struggling to afford the most basic household essentials like food and heating as costs rise and many face mounting debts. 

“This means there is  very little room for the extras which improve a young person’s quality of life- yet when a child reaches 18, they lose an average of 57% of the support and benefits they had before they reached adulthood.

“Raising a disabled or seriously ill child is three times more expensive than raising other children and this financial cliff-edge at 18 can be very tough for parents and carers of young adults. With the cost of living continuing to increase, we’re urging families to apply to us for grants as soon as possible, through our Your Opportunity scheme.”

Your Opportunity grants include:

  • computers or tablets to support young people with further education, online hobbies and the overall building of independence;
  • transport costs for bus fares for appointments, or to support independent travel to clubs or hobbies;
  • help with the cost of membership fees, season tickets, computer games, and music systems to promote recreation and days out; 
  • help with the cost of buying a provisional driving licence, and other learning materials to support driving ambitions;
  • white goods to help with independence, or help make mealtimes easier for carers;
  • sports, or lightweight, wheelchairs to enable participation in sport activities, or access to activities that would not be possible with a day-to-day wheelchair. 

The Your Opportunity scheme was initially set up in 2019 by Family Fund,  with funding from Edward Gostling Foundation, Pears Foundation and funding raised by Family Fund.

Cheryl Ward added: “We are extremely grateful to The Edward Gostling Foundation and Pears Foundation for recognising the need to support our work in improving the lives of young people across the UK.” 

Families are eligible to apply if the young person lives at home with their parent or main carer. 

Families interested in making an application for a young person should go to: 

Your Opportunity: Help for 18-24 year-olds | Family Fund

George’s story:

George, 22, has Down’s Syndrome and autism. He lives in Derbyshire with mum, Jemma, step-father Shaun and brother Charlie, 19, has breathing problems and requires an oxygen machine when asleep.  

Jemma said: “The cost-of-living crisis has impacted our lives hugely. I worry about it a lot because when you have a child, like George, who requires the use of an oxygen machine overnight, your bills are horrendous. 

“After George turned 18, a lot of the support finished but life didn’t get any easier. Our lives didn’t change, and we still need support. 

“I’ve always been frugal with things but it’s getting to a point where I think I literally can’t cut back anymore. I shop in the cheaper supermarkets and buy the reduced items. I do everything that I can but it comes to a point where there’s nothing more that you can do. We don’t ever eat out or have takeaways. 

“We’ve not been on holiday, or go on day trips. Also, because I’m a carer, I can’t even do more hours at work because I don’t have anyone else to look after George. Everything is going up but we don’t have any more money.

 “The biggest worry for me is the cost of electricity and running George’s oxygen machine. I genuinely have no idea if I’m going to be able to run that at Christmas. If the cost goes up even more then I probably won’t be able to. 

“Furthermore, the cost of fuel is huge. It’s got to the point where I only drive to work and back. I used to take George on drives to visit places, but we can’t afford to do that anymore.”

George enjoys singing and performing arts at his specialist college and his family are anxious to be able to support activities that further improve his quality of life at home.  

Grants from the Your Opportunity scheme have helped the family purchase items  – a swinging garden chair and a computer – which they could not otherwise have afforded.

Jemma added: “George absolutely loves the chair. He never used to sit outside before, but now he spends hours on it rocking, so when the weather is fine he is able to sit out and enjoy time in the garden.

“George also uses the computer for his specialised programmes that help his conditions through education and entertainment. He loves technology.” 

Picture shows: George in his swinging garden chair

BT Group adds £1.5 billion to Scottish economy 

·       BT Group’s activities provided estimated boost of £1.5bn to the Scottish economy last year and supported nearly 15,000 jobs across Scotland

·       Estimates include the knock-on impact of the spend of employees and payment to suppliers in local economies in all parts of the country 

·       The company spent £190m with suppliers based in Scotland last year 

The activities of BT Group added £1.5 billion to the wider economy of Scotland last year and supported nearly 15,000 jobs, according to a new report published today. 

The report from consultancy firm Hatch looked at the spend of employees and suppliers of BT Group – which includes EE, BT, Plusnet and Openreach – and the estimated knock-on impact that has on economies across the country.

The report found that BT Group, the UK’s largest telecommunications company which employs more than 7,500 people in Scotland, made a direct contribution to the Scottish economy estimated at £1billion in the last financial year (2021/22).

Through the company’s employees and its supply chain, and their subsequent spending, Hatch estimates the resulting boost to the Scottish economy came to a total of £1.5 billion.

The company’s spending with suppliers based in Scotland came to a total of £190 million. According to the study, BT Group’s combined activities supported a knock-on total of  14,900 jobs across Scotland.

The report highlights BT Group’s presence across Scotland and its current major investment in the rollout of full-fibre broadband and 5G across the country. It also profiles the range of activities by BT Group colleagues across the UK, from the volunteers helping care home residents avoid isolation and loneliness, to the teams protecting customers and the country from cyber threats. 

BT Group is also transforming its offices and contact centres across the UK and has already announced plans to open a brand new contact centre on Dundee’s waterfront which will become home to around 1,000 colleagues and is currently carrying out a multi-million pound refurbishment of its Glasgow office which will also house approximately 1,000 colleagues.  

It is part of the company’s Better Workplace Programme, one of the largest workplace improvement schemes of its type ever undertaken in the UK. The five-year programme will see the company shift from having around 300 locations in the UK to around 30, with a focus on creating new, modern workspaces. 

Philip Jansen, Chief Executive of BT Group, said: “BT Group plays a vital role at the heart of the Scottish economy. We’re one of only a handful of companies that serves customers in every corner of the country. 

“We’ve continued our major investment in building next generation full fibre and mobile connectivity rapidly across the UK. We’ve already reached 9.6 million premises with full fibre, and our 5G mobile network now reaches 60% of the UK population. The benefits to families and businesses are huge: new jobs, economic growth and innovation, across every nation and region.  

“We’re also transforming BT Group so that we’re fit to power the Scottish economy of the future. Our new state-of-the-art offices, spread across the UK, are a central part of that, bringing colleagues together in brilliant spaces that will enable collaboration and help us to better serve our customers.” 

The Group, via its digital network business Openreach, is already delivering ultrafast full-fibre broadband across Scotland while its mobile business EE is a leader on mobile coverage.

EE’s 5G network is  across many cities, towns and now expanding to rural communities, while 4G mobile coverage is at 75% of Scotland’s landmass.

The Group has recently announced contract wins with major Scottish companies such as Scottish Power, supporting their global growth, and it provides innovative, secure connectivity solutions over broadband and mobile to the public sector across the country. 

Healthy Tip: Avoiding Hidden Sugars

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Avoiding Hidden Sugars

Reducing our intake of sugar can have a beneficial impact on our heart health and reduce our risk of cardiovascular diseases. Consuming some sugar in our diet is perfectly fine, and many healthy foods such as fruit contain naturally occurring sugars.

However, it is the added sugar we need to be cautious of as this is usually what pushes our intake above healthy levels. We all understand that table sugar, soft drinks, sweets, and cakes contain high levels of added sugar and we can choose to eat these in moderation. However, many foods that we may not be aware of can contain high levels of sugar.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is a great source of calcium and protein, but it can also be full of hidden sugars.

Opt for natural, unsweetened yogurt and avoid flavoured varieties, you can add fruit if you want to add some natural sweetness. It’s also a good idea to choose a live yoghurt, meaning it contains beneficial bacteria that our guts love, look for the word live on the packet.

Condiments & sauces

Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments worldwide. Most of us probably know it’s high in sugar, containing on average one teaspoon of sugar per one tablespoon of sauce.

However, many other shop-bought condiments and sauces we don’t think of as sweet can contain high levels of added sugar. Always check the label when shopping and consider swapping your shop-bought sauces for homemade, added sugar free versions like this veggie-packed tomato sauce.

Fruit juice

Although 100% pressed juice does contain vitamins and minerals, it’s devoid of fibre and very high in sugar.

Swap your fruit juices for eating the whole fruit which contains lots of fibre which also protects the heart. Save the fruit juice for special occasions, as you would other soft drinks, and only drink it alongside a balanced meal.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at:  

www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

NHS Inform: useful links

If you need help or advice this weekend, here are some quick links that can save you time on the way to feeling better ⭐

NHS inform symptom checkers

https://nhs24.info/symptom-checkers

When to phone 111

https://nhs24.info/when-to-phone-111

Find your local pharmacy

https://nhs24.info/servicedirectory

Mental wellbeing support

https://nhs24.info/mental-wellbeing

Please share 💙

Boyack: Scottish Government must commit to new Eye Pavilion

Following reports on the projected cost of Edinburgh’s New Eye Pavilion, rising by more than £10m,  Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian, asked the First Minister “to reassure patients across the Lothians and South-East Scotland that Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion will be priority for the Scottish Government.”  

Sarah Boyack called on the Scottish Government to commit that Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion will be delivered by 2027.

Nicola Sturgeon restated her government’s support for this project, she did not, however, confirm that the new Eye Pavilion will indeed be delivered by 2027, raising questions about the expected operational date.

Commenting Sarah Boyack MSP said: “ We’ve seen the impact of inflation and rising costs – it’s catastrophic for people, businesses and development projects.

“Although I welcome Nicola Sturgeon’s commitment to Edinburgh’s new Eye Pavilion, I find worrying that she was unable to confirm that the new eye hospital will indeed be delivered and ready for patients to use by 2027.

“We cannot afford to delay the construction of the new Eye Pavilion – delaying it is bad for people, staff and our NHS.

“We have yet to hear the answer to a simple question: will the Eye Pavilion will be open to the public by 2027?

“The FM and her Government must provide that commitment now.”

Successful campaign to reduce street drinking and disorder to continue

A successful campaign to reduce street drinking and disorder will be rolled out to more towns and cities across Scotland.

The “It’ll Cost You” campaign to deter adults buying alcohol for minors was developed by the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership (SAIP), Police Scotland and Community Alcohol Partnerships. It ran throughout the summer of 2022 and was the first time the campaign had been delivered nationally.

The campaign was a mix of social and traditional media and direct consumer engagement in targeted areas across Scotland.

Asking an adult to buy alcohol for under 18s is one of the most common tactics used by young people to access alcohol. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 states that it is an offence for a person to “act as an agent for a child in purchasing or attempting to purchase alcohol”. This is also known as proxy purchase.

An evaluation of the summer 2022 campaign showed it was an effective way to communicate the consequences of buying alcohol for minors and demonstrated the benefits of partnership working between retailers and Police Scotland.

Community Alcohol Partnerships will also utilise the campaign in areas where it operates in Scotland to help reduce alcohol harm among children and young people.

Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland, said: “We welcome the evaluation report into last summer’s It’ll Cost You proxy purchasing campaign.

“Protecting vulnerable people is one of our top priorities and this includes protecting young people from the associated risks of alcohol. We know that vulnerability increases when alcohol is a factor and this vulnerability is heightened in young people.

“This campaign showcases the benefits of key partners working together and utilising each other’s resources to inform the public of dangers associated with underage drinking, as well as the criminal consequences for supplying those under 18 with alcohol. Proxy purchasing is an offence, which can result in a fine, a prison sentence, or both. Please do not risk it.

“I look forward to continued working with our partners to build on the campaign’s success in 2023”

Luke McGarty, Chair of the SAIP Campaigns Group and Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Scottish Grocers Federation said: “We welcome the publication of the evaluation report and the key learnings from delivering the “It’ll Cost You” campaign nationally for the first time.

“Reducing underage drinking and anti-social behaviour linked to alcohol is one we support and ties in with SGF’s position of promoting responsible community retailing. We will continue to work with the campaign going forward.”

Graham Clarke, Community Alcohol Partnership Advisor for Scotland, said: “Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) was delighted to be a partner in the “It’ll Cost You” campaign and to support activity in each of our CAP areas. 

“The campaign gave CAP an opportunity to carry the “It’ll Cost You” resources and messaging in local communities, highlighting the dangers of buying alcohol for young people.  We worked closely with Police Scotland and the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers to make sure that this messaging was carried through all our engagement activity and look forward to supporting the campaign again in 2023.”

Community Safety Minister Elena Whitham MSP said: “The Scottish Government welcomed the publication of the evaluation report. We remain committed to protecting young persons and children from harm.

“Underage drinking can cause short and long-term harm to health and put young persons in dangerous situations when drunk. Purchasing alcohol for someone under 18 is a criminal offence, and we were pleased to support collective efforts to help reduce the attempted purchase of alcohol for those underage.

“The 2022 National campaign illustrated the value of strong collaboration and regular engagement between partners, which helped to deliver shared aims to help reduce underage drinking and anti-social behaviour as a key step to help keep communities safe.”

A copy of the Evaluation report can be found here.

Experts offer mindfulness tips to help employees in the workplace

Employees are being advised on the best ways to create a mindfulness routine at work. 

Building a healthy relationship with work and creating a positive routine pattern is important for individual well-being, especially when heading into a new year at work. 

Leading CBD company, Joy Organics, have given some top tips for reducing stress and creating positivity as part of a workplace mindfulness routine.



Introducing goal-setting, breathing exercises and journaling are just a few of the techniques experts recommend to become more mindful throughout the working week.

Here are Joy Organics’ 10 top mindfulness tips for the workplace:

Give yourself a moment

Before starting the day and tackling the ever-growing to-do list, take a moment to set intentions for the day ahead. Putting aside time in the morning to mentally check in and be present, means the challenges of the day can be seen with greater focus and clarity. 

Lend an ear

Creating a mindfulness routine in the workplace is as much about including colleagues as it is about the self. Providing a safe space for others to share opinions, ideas and general chit-chat is a positive tool for creating a happy and warm environment at work.

Be conscious of tech

Being conscious of how tech is used throughout the day can dramatically improve focus and productivity whilst at work and reduce stress. Emails especially can become a source of distraction throughout the day, so try to set a limit or schedule when and how often they are checked, where possible. Putting other devices on do not disturb modes can also help to prevent temptation.

Practise breathing

Taking a breathing break is a great tool to help refocus and feel present in the moment. Focusing on deep breath work throughout the week to release any built-up tension due to stressful aspects at work.

Stop multitasking

It’s a common misconception that performing multiple tasks at the same time is the most productive way of working. Directing attention to a singular task can help avoid context-switching and prevent simple mistakes, which will in turn help to lower stress levels.

Create a growth mindset

Setting personal goals at work that are separate from objectives set out in the job role is essential for personal development. These goals don’t have to be extravagant or complex, but small achievable tasks that can help boost happiness and accomplishment at work can accumulate over time.

Go for a walk

This may seem like a generic wellness tip, but it is common for a reason. Going for a walk and getting away from the workspace can help improve productivity. Moving the body is a great mood booster. Placing items around the house/office, away from the working space, can provide a reason to move about during the day.

Journal your time

Having a work journal alongside a regular notepad at work can be useful to track important feelings and emotions on a day-to-day basis. After a while, these journal entries will compound and can serve as an important benchmark to track stress, satisfaction and career objectives.

Slow down

Many work environments can be fast-paced so it can be hard to know when it is appropriate to slow down. Becoming too overstimulated can lead to increased stress and dissatisfaction with the working week. Leaving time between meetings to grab a drink and take a breather, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with a busy schedule so it’s important to switch gears to avoid burnout.

Channel your commute

Whether it’s on the morning commute or a lunchtime break it can be easy to slip the earphones in and dive into a gripping podcast or the trusty daily playlist. However, being present in the moment is a great way to unplug and be free of any distractions. Taking in the surroundings is a wholesome way of grounding throughout seemingly repetitive parts of the week.

A spokesperson for Joy Organics said: “Regardless of whether you work from home, in the office or a bit of both, it’s essential to establish a routine to help reduce stress and create positivity in the working environment.

“Trying to completely overhaul the working day with the tips we’ve provided is not advisable. Pick one or two to start with and try to slowly incorporate them into your routine to see how you feel.

“Some may be useful, whilst others maybe not so much, it’s all about finding simple methods that work for the individual, and this can take time.”

Record year for nominations as charity prepares to recognise first aid heroes across Scotland

St Andrew’s First Aid celebrates its 10th year of the Scottish First Aid Awards

Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, St Andrew’s First Aid, has received a record number of nominations this year ahead of hosting its 10th annual Scottish First Aid Awards.

The ceremony, which has grown year on year over the last decade and is now a highly anticipated event in the Scottish calendar, has had more than 65 nominations across the nine categories, which recognise individuals and groups who have demonstrated first aid excellence or helped save a life using first aid.

Lifesavers spanning from Stirling to The Shetland Isles have been submitted for consideration at this year’s event, which will take place at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu on 31st March.

With first aid heroes as young as six honoured in last year’s awards, the evening celebrates both the incredible nominees and winners, sharing their stories to help inspire Scotland to become a nation of lifesavers.

Brothers Callum and Fraser McAteer, aged just nine and seven, were amongst the winners at the 2022 awards.

Having saved their younger sister Erica (aged two) from choking on a 10p coin, by using back slaps to dislodge the item, the boys were commended for their quick thinking and intervention.

First responders who have saved lives using both physical and mental health first aid will also be recognised. Mental health issues rose sharply during the pandemic, with St Andrew’s First Aid rolling out its mental health first aid training as part of an initiative to help people spot the sings of mental ill health in others and equipping them with the skills and knowledge to step in, in a mental health emergency.

In 2019, Glasgow City Council worker George Duff was awarded for saving the life of a man who was standing at the top of a suspension bridge. George used his mental health first aid training to talk with him for 25 minutes, before persuading him to move to safety. 

With nine award categories including Community First Aid Champion, Emergency Services First Aid Hero and Young First Aid Hero, lifesavers across Scotland will be celebrated at the event, attended by more than 400 guests.

Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Each time we host the Scottish First Aid Awards, we are recognising the exceptional bravery and selflessness of individuals from around the country.

“It’s fitting that our 10th year has resulted in a record number of nominations.  Throughout the last decade, our nominees and winners have demonstrated how pivotal quick reactions can be in emergency situations and shone a light on the importance of first aid knowledge and skills.

“We look forward to delivering another outstanding event in celebration of those people who choose to put others first, and in doing so, save a life.”

Still Game star, Sanjeev Kohli, will host the ceremony. With live music and entertainment, auctions and more lined up, the event is set to be another huge success.

Tickets are available to purchase through the St Andrew’s First Aid website now: www.firstaid.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/events/scottish-first-aid-awards/