Tag: Health and wellbeing

Finding Peace of Mind Walk 2026

Starting in the Shetland Islands on 1st January 2026 – and arriving into Edinburgh on 25th February – Jonathan Kemp, Viscount Rochdale, will embark on an incredible 10-month, 296-day, 4,200km journey across Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland to raise £80,000 for four mental health charities and to spark open conversations about mental health.

Along the way, Jonathan will give talks in workplaces, schools, universities and community groups on his own powerful story of living with bipolar disorder, depression, addiction and dyslexia. 

Jonathan is keen to invite members of the public to walk alongside him for a mile, a day, or more – or simply offer support from the side-lines. For more information visit: www.jonathankemp.com/walk and for the full press release, route maps and photographs visit: https://bit.ly/FindingPeaceMedia

For the first 40 years of his life, Jonathan battled undiagnosed mental health conditions, and contemplated death by suicide. He spent years trying to distance himself from family expectations, searching for a sense of well-being as a punk, a cowboy in Australia, a London bricklayer, a Metropolitan Police sergeant, and later an entrepreneur. He shared his story in his powerful memoir, Finding Peace of Mind (Troubador, October 2025). 

Now, he wants to share his journey from mental illness to a life of purpose and hope, normalising conversations about mental health, reducing stigma, and inspiring others to keep going, while raising money for four charities:

SAMH – Scotland www.samh.org.uk

Around since 1923, SAMH is Scotland’s national mental health charity.

They operate over 70 services in communities across Scotland, providing mental health social care support, addictions and employment services, among others.

Mind – England & Wales www.mind.org.uk

Mind is the national mental health charity in England and Wales that fights for everyone to get the mental health support they deserve.

Mind provides a wide range of services, including a national Infoline, legal advice, online resources, and support through local branches.

Mind’s work focuses on offering support, fighting for mental health policies, and breaking down societal stigma.

AWARE NI – Northern Ireland www.aware-ni.org

AWARE NI is the Depression Charity for Northern Ireland.

Based in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast, they have an established network of 24 support groups across the country alongside online support group options, welcoming people with low mood, anxiety, depression and bipolar as well as carers for people with mental ill-health.

AWARE – Ireland www.aware.ie

Founded in 1985, AWARE is a voluntary organisation based in Ireland which aims to assist people affected by depression, bipolar disorder and related mood conditions.

They offer support and self-care groups for people who experience depression or bipolar disorder, a support Line, support mail and training and education programmes.

Anyone can donate here: https://rebrand.ly/FindingPeaceWalk

Jonathan says, “This isn’t just a walk — it’s a living symbol of the mental health journey. Beginning in the cold, dark days of January reflects those times when life feels tough, when all you can do is keep going one step at a time.”

Jonathan Kemp, Viscount Rochdale, is a survivor, author, and relentless innovator. He is an entrepreneur, former law enforcement official and mental health advocate who was unaware that bipolar disorder, depression and dyslexia were shaping his life.

He has appeared on Times Radio, BBC Radio, TedX and in the Times and Tatler. He won the British Dyslexia Association’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award in 2011 and has worked with organisations and academic institutions using SmartWisdom to support people to excel at work and study. www.jonathankemp.com. 

Gillespie Macandrew donates £53,000 to Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope

Scottish law firm Gillespie Macandrew has donated a record £53,000 to its charity partners, Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope, as part of the firm’s long-standing commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.

The partnerships, announced in March, reflect the firm’s dedication to supporting charities nominated by staff through fundraising initiatives, volunteering, and financial contributions.

Richmond’s Hope provides children and young people aged 4-18 years old with the support, tools and space to process their grief after losing someone close to them.

Change Mental Health is a national mental health charity delivering non-clinical, person-centred support to people affected by mental illness in communities across Scotland.

Over the past nine years, Gillespie Macandrew has donated more than £350,000 to Scottish charities demonstrating the firm’s dedication to aligning with sustainable development goals that help strengthen communities and drive positive social change.

Amy McDowell, Partner and Head of Gillespie Macandrew’s ESG Committee said: “We are delighted to mark the first year of our partnership with Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope with a record donation.

“At Gillespie Macandrew, we believe it’s our responsibility to support organisations making a real difference in our communities. These charities provide vital services to people facing some of life’s most challenging circumstances, and we are proud to play a part in their work.

“Our charity partnerships are central to our award-winning ESG activities, which includes a strategic commitment to donate a percentage of pre-tax profits each year.

“The charities were chosen by our colleagues through a democratic process, ensuring the causes we support truly resonate with our team and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals we strive to advance.”

Alison Cairns, Chief Executive at Richmond’s Hope added: “We are excited to be working with Gillespie Macandrew as a charity partner for 2025-2027. This funding will help us reach more bereaved children and families and have a meaningful impact on their futures.

“Thank you to everyone at Gillespie Macandrew for the funding and the partnership over the next two years.

“We are also delighted to recognise the wider support shown through volunteering, the generous furniture donation towards our new Edinburgh base, and facilitating the online training session with the Gillespie Macandrew team which has strengthened our partnership and benefited the children and families we support.”

Jonny Cobbold, Director of Development at Change Mental Health said: “This first period of our partnership with Gillespie Macandrew, alongside Richmond’s Hope, has been incredibly fruitful in enabling us to change attitudes and tackle stigma around mental illness.

“Their keen interest in our work has been demonstrated through their participation in our new mental health training offer. We were also delighted to welcome colleagues from their team to our inaugural People First Summit in Edinburgh.

“This pre-tax profit donation is vital in ensuring we can support more people across Scotland and do more to raise awareness across Scottish communities.

“We cannot wait to see what’s in store for the remainder of the partnership over the next year or so, ensuring we can continue to fight for a future where no one faces mental illness alone.”

Gillespie Macandrew has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, advising clients on all areas of land and rural business, private client, commercial real estate, renewable energy, tax and disputes, combining a personal approach with industry-leading expertise.

With a strong emphasis on ESG and charity involvement, the firm actively supports its local communities through financial contributions, fundraising, and volunteer work.

Scotland’s first neurodevelopmental support summit aims to shape co-ordinated national approach

Scotland’s first summit on neurodevelopmental support takes place today – Monday 15 December.

The event will bring together people from clinical services, education, local government, academia and policy.This will support a shared discussion on how Scotland can improve access to, and the availability of, neurodevelopmental support. 

The aim of the discussion is to work towards ensuring neurodivergent people get the right help at the right time, ensuring consistent support, assessment, and diagnosis, where required.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur, who is chairing the summit, said: “Demand for assessment and support has risen sharply, putting pressure on health, education and social care services. Too many families are waiting too long for help. 

“Our system must change so people get support based on what they need, not how long they wait for a diagnosis. We’re making progress through our work with COSLA and the Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce, and we’ve invested an additional £500,000 this year to improve access to care. 

“But we must go further. Real change comes from us all working together. My aim is that the summit gives us a stronger shared understanding of what needs to change and a collective determination to make that happen.”

Neurodevelopmental conditions include autism and ADHD. There has been a large increase in the number of people seeking neurodevelopmental support, assessment and diagnosis in recent years. This is creating significant pressure on a number of services, with long waiting lists being held by health boards for diagnostic assessments.

Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopmental Support

The National Neurodevelopmental Specification: Principles and Standards of Care for Children and Young People specifies the standards that all children’s services should follow to ensure access to support is effective and consistent across Scotland.  

The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA, has undertaken a review of the implementation of the National Neurodevelopmental Specification which will inform improvements to support health boards and local authorities to deliver the Specification.

It has also set up a new Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce to drive forward these improvements, and are providing an additional £500,000 funding this year to enhance the support available to children and families.

The Taskforce has now met twice, in October and December 2025.

Adult Neurodevelopmental Support

The Scottish government funds the National Autism Implementation Team, which is currently supporting NHS Boards to develop, enhance and redesign existing local adult neurodevelopmental services.

We have launched the next phase of our £2.5m multi-year Autistic Adult Support Fund, which aims to help autistic adults understand what neurodivergence means for them and improve their wellbeing.

We continue to fund NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) to deliver professional learning on neurodevelopmental conditions. 

IBCA opens first claims for deceased infected and affected people

  • First 15 claims for those infected and who have died begin 
  • First 15 claims for affected people also started on Thursday
  • This follows November’s announcement of first living infected but never compensated claims starting.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has opened the service to the first people in the next two groups of compensation claims, bringing in 15 claims for each group initially.

Since being established last year, 3,600 living infected people who are registered with a support scheme have already been contacted to start their claim, and IBCA has offered more than £2.2 billion and paid more than £1.7 billion in compensation. 

Last month, IBCA opened the service to the first 60 living infected people who have never been compensated for the harm done to them by the infected blood scandal. Now the first people in each of the next two groups can begin making their compensation claims, before the compensation service scales up further.

These first people to claim have been identified through IBCA’s register your intent service, which opened in early October. They are claims for those infected who are now deceased, and those who are affected by the infected blood scandal (for example parents, partners, siblings, children or unregistered carers of infected people).

Speaking about this next step in IBCA’s compensation process, David Foley, Interim Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are committed to paying each and every person who is eligible, as soon as we can.

“We’ve been working with infected blood community members to create a compensation claim service that meets their needs. This next step allows us to work on more types of claims, before we then grow the service further for more people and begin processing claims for all groups in parallel. 

“We’ll be prioritising claims for those who are sadly nearing the end of their lives, followed by older age groups, as recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry.

“We recognise that the festive period can be a challenging time for many in the community. Receiving contact from IBCA may bring up difficult emotions, and we want to reassure those who have been contacted from the next groups to begin their claim that they can begin their claim at a time that’s right for them.”

Just over one year ago, IBCA opened to the first group of people to begin their claim, starting with small numbers and then growing the service with feedback from the community. 

IBCA has now opened the service to some people from every group eligible to make a claim, again starting small before scaling up. The number of claims for each new group will initially be low before increasing, once the claim service is ready to widen out further. IBCA is not processing supplementary claims at this time.

Anyone who intends to make a claim with IBCA for compensation should register now with IBCA’s recently opened register your intent service.

This is an online service open to all groups who intend to make a claim – please follow this link to register so we can contact each person as soon as their claim can begin.

Seizure that revealed Edinburgh man’s brain cancer saved his life before Christmas

Doctors told an Edinburgh man that if it hadn’t been for the seizure which revealed his incurable brain cancer, he wouldn’t be here to see Christmas. 

Jerry Kerrisk, 66, was fit, active, and showing no symptoms when he suddenly collapsed in June 2025 during a seizure. The episode, which happened while visiting his twin sons, Conor and Brendan, 25, led to the discovery of a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain cancer.  

Now, the Kerrisk family are helping to raise awareness of the Brain Tumour Research Christmas Appeal, which is calling on the public to fund pioneering research and help change the story for brain tumour patients. 

More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with a brain tumour or the long-term effects of their diagnosis, yet research into the disease remains severely underfunded. 

Jerry’s wife, Janice, 62, said: “Jerry has always been a kind, practical man who appreciates all things in life. He loves being outdoors, walking our dog Rua, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends. He is an electrician by trade; hardworking, dependable, and good-humoured. His colleagues often describe him as “one of life’s true gentlemen,” and that could not be truer.

“The morning of his collapse, he seemed quiet and a little distracted. As we were heading out shopping, he suddenly said, ‘We need to write our wills and decide where we’ll put our ashes.’ It was such an odd comment that it stopped me in my tracks, but I thought he was worrying about his prostate cancer, which is under control.

“Less than an hour later, we were visiting our sons when he suddenly roared, lifted his arm towards the sky, and collapsed face down on the grass in a violent seizure. By the time the paramedics arrived, Jerry had suffered two further seizures. He was unconscious, bleeding from his mouth and nose. It was absolutely horrific to watch.”

Jerry was taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he experienced a third seizure. Initial CT scans appeared clear, but when he failed to recover fully, doctors ordered further tests. 

An MRI scan revealed a brain tumour, and the following week the family were told it was a 4cm glioblastoma, with a typical prognosis of 12 to 18 months.  

“The diagnosis was devastating,” Janice said. “I had prepared myself for bad news, but Jerry hadn’t. He thought the surgery would remove it and he would recover. When the consultant said the words ‘grade 4 glioblastoma’, he was in shock.

“He turned to the doctor and said quietly, ‘I feel like I’m a dead man walking.’ I will never forget those words. I sat taking notes while he stared at the floor in silence. We left the hospital numb.”

Jerry underwent surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible and was discharged within days. Further testing showed it was “unmethylated”, meaning resistant to temozolomide – a key drug for glioblastoma. 

He began six weeks of radiotherapy and oral chemotherapy following surgery and is now on maintenance cycles of treatment. Despite ongoing fatigue, he continues to walk Rua twice a day, plays golf, and enjoys fishing. 

Now, ‘Team Jerry’ have channelled their energy into supporting Brain Tumour Research by completing the 99 Miles in November challenge. Janice, her son Conor, her sister Anne, nephew Niall, and his partner Gordon walked a combined 500 miles, raising more than £15,700, including Gift Aid, for the charity. 

The sum is enough to fund more than five days of research, such as that taking place at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, a game-changing collaboration with the Beatson Cancer Charity. The Centre is focused on developing kinder treatments and finding a cure for glioblastoma, the same type of tumour that Jerry is living with. 

Janice said: “What I want most is a breakthrough, for Jerry and for others like him. The prognosis for glioblastoma is so cruelly short. 

“I dream of the day when people no longer hear that this diagnosis is terminal. Jerry does not talk much about the future, but every so often he will say something that stops me in my tracks. The other night, after being out with friends for a birthday lunch, he said, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be here next year’. I told him we have to stay positive, because we do. That is how we get through. 

“Our lives have changed completely, but our love, our humour, and our faith in one another remain. Jerry is still Jerry – gentle, strong, and quietly brave. I hope we can help make a difference so that, one day, families like ours will have real hope for the future.” 

Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer. Yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002. 

Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Janice and her family have shown incredible strength and positivity since Jerry’s diagnosis. Their determination to raise awareness and fund research is truly inspiring.

“We are so grateful to Team Jerry for supporting our 99 Miles in November challenge and Christmas Appeal, and for helping to fund vital research such as the work taking place at our new Scottish Centre of Excellence. Every step they take brings us closer to finding a cure for this devastating disease.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.   

To support the Brain Tumour Research Christmas Appeal, visit:  

www.braintumourresearch.org/christmas

To support Team Jerry’s fundraising efforts, visit:  

https://www.justgiving.com/team/jerry

NHS Lothian to introduce flu prevention measures in hospitals

NHS Lothian is taking some urgent precautions to help protect patients and staff against flu this winter.

A surge in flu cases is being anticipated in Lothian, similar to those already identified across Scotland and the UK.

To prepare and protect, all staff are being urged to get vaccinated and to wear face masks in front door and high-risk areas, such as Intensive Care or cancer wards, in a bid to stop the spread.

Visitors are still very welcome in hospitals, but NHS Lothian is also asking for help to minimise the risk of transmission between the community and hospital to protect some of the most vulnerable patients.

Relatives and friends are being asked not to visit if they have a temperature, flu-like symptoms or any vomiting or diarrhoea symptoms.

From 8am on Monday December 15, they are also being asked to reduce the numbers of visitors to one or two and where possible not to bring children under the age of 12 into hospital for visiting.

Visitors and those attending hospital for outpatient appointments are also being encouraged to consider wearing a mask or face covering, and use the hand gel provided.

Point of care testing will also continue in the Emergency Department for children’s and adult services to identify patients who have flu and ensure they are cared for in isolation or with other patients with flu on admission to hospital.

Michelle Carr, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “We are monitoring the situation across Scotland and the UK very closely and we are keen to take some actions to protect our patients, staff and services to help minimise the effects of flu.

“Vaccination is the first line of defence against flu. If you are eligible, we would urge you to make an appointment as soon as possible.

“We are also taking some common sense steps to protect our hospitals, our patients and our teams. We are asking visitors not to come if they are feeling unwell, to reduce the size of their visiting party and not to bring children under the age of 12. Members of the public should consider wearing a face covering or mask when attending our hospitals.

“These steps will help us reduce the spread of flu and protect our lifesaving services so they are there for those who need them most.”

For information on visiting go to: Visitors – Going to Hospital

Scotland’s Resilience committee meets to discuss winter flu

Hospital admissions rise as cases continue to increase

Justice Secretary Angela Constance chaired a resilience meeting yesterday to discuss the rising number of flu cases and the subsequent pressure on health services.

She was joined by the Health Secretary, the Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith and Public Health Scotland Head of Health Protection (infection Services) Jim McMenamin.

Flu cases have risen 24% in the past week, with hospital admissions up 15%. Ministers heard of measures being taken to alleviate the pressures on health and social care services and ensure they have enough resources.

This includes additional support to NHS24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as a £20 million investment to support social care and front door pressures to improve flow.

Yesterday, the Health Secretary Neil Gray convened a meeting of the Winter Pressures Oversight Group to ensure health and care services have the resources needed during peak demand. He said: “We are seeing an increase in flu cases earlier this year and we know flu hits harder for some people, especially the most vulnerable members of our communities.

“Vaccination remains the best protection against the virus and I encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward for theirs if they have not yet done so.

“New evidence from Public Health Scotland and early evidence from UKHSA shows that this year’s vaccine does a good job of preventing hospital admissions for the strains currently circulating.

“As of 7 December, over 1.2 million adult flu vaccines have been delivered – over 97,000 more than this point last winter. In addition, more than 470,000 children have had their vaccine, bringing the total number of flu vaccinations delivered this season to over 1.7 million.

“But as flu typically peaks in late December or January, driven by the socialising we do over Christmas and New Year, we are urging those eligible to get vaccinated before the holidays and help protect each other and our NHS this winter.

“We are taking a range of measures to ensure our health service is as resilient as possible over the next few months £20 million has been allocated for health board initiatives to increase social care capacity and relieve pressure on acute services.”

New evidence from Public Health Scotland published yesterday (Dec 11) shows that the flu vaccine provides important protection against severe illness.

PHS found so far this winter, children in Scotland are 78% less likely to be admitted to hospital with flu if vaccinated; with vaccinated adults in Scotland aged 65 and over 37% less likely to be hospitalised. 

As of 7 December, over 1.2 million adult flu vaccines have been delivered – over 97,000 more than this point last winter. In addition, more than 470,000 children have had their vaccine, bringing the total number of flu vaccinations delivered this season to over 1.7 million. 

Healthcare support over winter – gov.scot

Right care right place | NHS inform

Winter vaccines | NHS inform

Charity invites Edinburgh’s youth workers to access new resource spotlighting health issue of vaping illicit substances

ASH Scotland is encouraging youth workers in Edinburgh to access the charity’s new resources on vaping illicit substances to build their knowledge and confidence in starting conversations to help educate young people to protect their long-term health.

The charity’s ‘Understanding illicit substance vaping’ briefing features insights from young people across Scotland which were shared with the charity’s Youth Conservations Hub.

The resource is published at a time when the emerging major public health issue of youth vaping and the availability of illicit substances in e-cigarettes is causing immense concern for people working with children.

The briefing provides up-to-date facts covering a range of important topics including how younger people are accessing vapes. and the risks and side effects associated with vaping illicit substances such as Spice (man-made drugs designed to mimic the effects of cannabis) and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol which is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis).

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive for ASH Scotland, said: “With concerned youth workers across Scotland regularly contacting us for advice about vaping cannabis, THC and Spice, it is vital that those working with young people in Edinburgh can access robust, evidence-based information to engage and empower youngsters to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

“Our new ‘Understanding illicit substance vaping’ briefing can enable youth workers to promote a vape-free culture and encourage the younger generation in Edinburgh to understand the risks associated with vaping illicit substances and make positive choices to protect their physical and mental health.”

The new resource can be downloaded at https://ashscotland.org.uk/illicit-substance-vaping/, and people who work or volunteer for youth groups can join ASH Scotland’s Youth Conversations Hub at www.ashscotland.org.uk/hub.




Flu cases on the rise: Pop-Up Vaccination Clinics across the city

With flu cases continuing to rise, NHS Lothian has organised a number of pop-up vaccinations in community facilities across the city:

TODAY (THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER)

HAYS COMMUNITY HUB, (PLACES FOR PEOPLE) HAY AVENUE

Tron Kirk Moredun-1-Vaccination 1 (1)Download

TOMORROW – FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER

TRON KIRK MOREDUN CHURCH, CRAIGOUR GARDENS

Royston Wardieburn-1-Vaccination 1 (1)Download

MONDAY 15 DECEMBER

ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE, PILTON DRIVE NORTH

Craigentinny (1)-1-Vaccination 1 (2)Download

THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER

CRAIGENTINNY COMMUNITY CENTRE, LOANING ROAD

Gorgie Church-1-Vaccination 1 (1)Download

FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER

GORGIE CHURCH, GORGIE ROAD

Richmond Craigmillar Church (1)Download

TUESDAY 23 DECEMBER

RICHMOND CRAIGMILLAR CHURCH, NIDDRIE MAINS ROAD