Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Get on your bike
During lockdown many of us ventured into the shed and dusted down our old bikes to escape from the house and get our daily exercise.
Cycling is a fun way to improve your overall health and wellbeing as well as enabling you to get out and explore your local area. As cycling is a low impact activity it is safer on your joints, whilst still strengthening your muscles and improving your cardiovascular system.
We have some tips to get you started with cycling this summer …
If you don’t currently own a bike …
Check whether your employer offers a Cycle to Work scheme as this can make buying a bike more affordable.
If cost is the issue have a look at some stationary pedals. These are pedals that can be used indoors without having to buy a full home-exercise bike or road bike.
Additionally, this way you can watch your favourite TV show whilst cycling and don’t have to be worried about getting caught in the rain!
Social cycle
Cycling can be a great way to meet up with friends or make new friends and be active together. Evidence shows that we are more likely to complete exercise when doing so with a partner or in a group. Additionally, we work physically harder when surrounded by others than when exercising alone.
Look up your local cycle groups, or have a look at Ride Social –
Get outside with your bike. Perhaps take the bike to a local cycling trail, woodland or park. Being outdoors will enable you to be more aware of your surroundings, thoughts, feelings and body.
This is a way to actively practice mindfulness without even realising you’re doing it. It doesn’t have to be a super-fast cycle, you’re still doing physical exercise, so go slow and take in the beauty of the world around you.
● Every school in Scotland is invited to bring the nation together on 18th June to take part in “Scotland Does The Daily Mile.”
● The Daily Mile Foundation is also very excited to announce Olympic athlete and teacher Eilidh Doyle as the first ambassador for Scotland Does The Daily Mile Campaign and The Daily Mile #TravelTo Tokyo.
● Elaine Wyllie, Founder of The Daily Mile says, “Getting our children active is more important than ever, and it is very encouraging to see so many schools already signed up to Scotland Does The Daily Mile. The past year has been challenging for everyone and we want to get that sense of community and comradery back. I hope you can all join us for our six week challenge which finishes with Scotland Does The Daily Mile event on the 18th June!”
● The Daily Mile currently has over 3 million children running a mile every day across 12,000 schools in 80 countries.
The Daily Mile Foundation supported by Scottish Athletics, INEOS and SAMH is to host its first national event across Scottish schools on 18th June.
Over 40% of schools in Scotland are already signed up to The Daily Mile and many more are expected to join across the country in coming weeks. The event aims to encourage children to be more active, to improve their physical, mental, social health and wellbeing.
The Daily Mile is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day. The initiative has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was started by Elaine Wyllie eight years ago when she was headteacher at a primary school in Stirling.
The Daily Mile Foundation is also pleased to announce Eilidh Doyle, Olympic medallist and Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete is encouraging schools across Scotland to get involved. Eilidh has been nominated as the ambassador for “Scotland does the Daily Mile”. Her love for running alongside combined with expertise as a teacher is inspiring for children up and down the country.
Eilidh said, “I’m delighted to be the Ambassador for The Daily Mile in Scotland and support this project as I think it is a really positive initiative to get young people more active. As a former teacher I approve!”
“It’s fantastic to see so many schools signed up so far and I’d urge as many schools as possible to get involved. I’m excited to be endorsing this programme because I feel passionately that youngsters should be given the opportunity to be active and that hopefully starts out at primary school. Exercising with friends is so much fun and being active from a young age has many benefits.”
Robert Nesbitt, Head of Physical Activity and Sport at SAMH said: “Over recent months children and young people have faced unprecedented challenges; with disruption to their routines, changes in their education and time away from their family and friends, which we know has affected their wellbeing and mental health.
“Now that schools have returned, physical activity is a brilliant way for children and young people to get involved and feel connected again, which is why SAMH is delighted to support The Daily Mile initiative, which encourages young people to come together to get active and in turn develop vital connections with their peers and teachers.”
The Daily Mile currently has over 3 million children running a daily mile across 12,000 schools in 80 countries but this is the first national event in Scotland of its kind. The hope is to capture the camaraderie that children have missed while schools have been closed, providing young people the opportunity to be active, have fun with their friends in this health and wellbeing initiative.
Elaine Wyllie, Founder of The Daily Mile says: “Getting our children active is more important than ever, and it is very encouraging to see so many schools already signed up to The Daily Mile in Scotland.
“The past year has been challenging for everyone and we want to get that sense of community and fun back in our schools. I hope you can all still join us for our Travel To Tokyo challenge which finishes with Scotland Does The Daily Mile event on the 18th June! There’s still plenty of time to get involved!”
“Scotland Does The Daily Mile” will also mark the finale of a six week challenge The Daily Mile #TravelToTokyo, which began on the 10th May encouraging teams of children to run, jog, or wheel the equivalent distance of Scotland to Tokyo, learning about different countries along the way, in a celebration for the upcoming events this summer.
Duke of Cambridge calls in at Spartans to talk mental health
Duke visits Spartans FC to hear about positive impact of the Heads Up ‘Mentally Healthy Football’ declaration in Scotland
Scotland’s spot-kick hero David Marshall joins Duke and other Home Nations players in zoom conversation on mental health
Mental Health League players engage in shooting drill with Duke and former Scotland international Steven Thompson
Spartans FC received a royal visitor yesterday when the Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, paid a visit to Pilton to hear about the progress made in putting mental health and wellbeing at the forefront of the game in Scotland.
The trip to Spartans was the Duke’s first stop on his visit to Scotland, and saw him meet with representatives from the Scottish FA, Breathing Space, Time to Tackle, the Hampden Sports Clinic and Bonnyrigg Rose to discuss the range of mental health initiatives running in Scottish football.
With the visit also coming on the eve of the Scottish Cup Final, the Duke met with former Scottish Cup winners Chris Iwelumo and Marvin Bartley, who previously won the Scottish Cup with tomorrow’s finalists St Johnstone and Hibs respectively.
David McPhee, Chair of the Scottish Mental Health and Wellbeing League, spoke with the Duke as they took in some action from small-sided matches featuring players from the League.
The League, which was previously run by the Scottish FA, was set up to support recovery and tackle stigma associated with mental health.
A number of the Mental Health and Wellbeing League players then helped the Duke test his shooting skills, as he took part in a friendly skills challenge with them and former Scotland striker Steven Thompson.
Scotland’s spot-kick hero David Marshall then joined the Duke and other Home Nations players in a zoom conversation to discuss changing the conversation on mental health and their experiences over the past year.
Also taking part in the catch-up ahead of UEFA EURO 2020 were Harry Kane for England, Julie Nelson for Northern Ireland, and Jess Fishlock MBE for Wales.
The plan, which supports the Royal Foundation’s Heads Up mental health campaign, aims to end the stigma around the issue in football and create an environment for people to talk openly about their mental health in the game.
The Duke learned of the success of the Scottish FA’s mental health e-learning platform, which has seen more than 9,000 players, staff, managers and officials in the Scottish football community complete mental health awareness training through the platform in less than a year.
This commitment saw governing bodies, leagues and organisations from across UK football join in recognising that mental health is as important as physical health, and pioneering a ‘team approach’ on this important issue.
Water Safety Scotland urges people to take precautions as incident data shows an increase in water-related fatalities
Water Safety Scotland (WSS) is urging people across Scotland to ‘Respect the Water’ when visiting and enjoying its waterways and coastlines.
This call comes at a time when the latest figures from the Water Incident Database (WAID), which is maintained by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), revealed that there were 99 water-related fatalities in Scotland’s waters, with 39 due to accidental drownings in 2020.*
79% of accidental fatalities happened at inland waters. This is a significant change from previous years, which have seen most accidental fatalities happen at the coast.
With drownings across the world currently in the spotlight after the United Nations (UN) recent General Assembly, there are growing concerns emerging with the announcement of these new figures.
As Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2021 is in full swing, WSS is keen to support people getting out and enjoying Scotland’s waterways with safety at the forefront of any activities.
In line with the NWSF ‘Respect the Water’ campaign, WSS is asking members of the public to follow Scotland’s Water Safety Code wherever they are in Scotland, and have, as a result, created a new webpage to support the ‘Respect The Water’ campaign.
Michael Avril, Chair of Water Safety Scotland said: “Every fatality in Scotland massively impacts the persons friends and family and we at Water Safety Scotland will continue to do everything within our powers to prevent future tragedies.
“2020 was an exceptionally difficult year in so many ways and the increased number of drowning fatalities may have been caused by a number of factors. Water Safety Scotland will continue to work in partnership to carry out prevention activity and to better understand the causes of these tragedies.
“We ask everyone to come together in Scotland to support the #RespectTheWater campaign and follow Scotland’s Water Safety code.”
With Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy in its fourth year, the four-year review of the strategy will be published next spring along with a planned RoSPA Water Safety Conference.
This year’s WAID statistics also includes a fatality figure from suspected suicides. The figure for Scotland in 2020 was 28, with the Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy average being 29.
Rachel Cackett, Executive Director for Samaritans Scotland and chair of the Water Safety Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Subgroup, said: “Suicide accounts for around 1 in 3 water-related fatalities in Scotland every year. Working to understand and reduce the risks of suicidal behaviour around Scotland’s waterways is important both for suicide prevention policy and for realising the overall aims of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy.
“Today’s figures are a reminder that it’s vital we continue to work with partners across national and local government, health, emergency and first response services, and the third and voluntary sector to develop knowledge and insight around suicidal behaviour around water-ways, and that we carry on working together to strengthen prevention and intervention.”
A Glasgow charity which gives support to people living with cerebral palsy is to benefit from a cash boost gifted by a regional builder.
Cerebral Palsy Scotland has received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes West Scotland to continue to provide virtual, face-to-face and phone-based therapy sessions for people with cerebral palsy across Scotland.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by an injury to a child’s brain at or around the time of birth. CP affects a person’s ability to control their movement, posture and balance and one in three people with the condition are unable to walk. Other areas of function can also be affected. One in four are unable to talk and 50% have learning disabilities. Many live with ongoing pain and epilepsy
The donation comes as part of the housebuilder’s Community Champions scheme, which will see a pot of £24,000 given out to local good causes throughout the region over the next 12 months.
Groups will be chosen every month to receive a match-funding donation with local community groups being encouraged to apply by completing an online form at www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.
Susan Sheridan at Cerebral Palsy Scotland, said: “We are delighted that Persimmon Homes West Scotland have chosen to support us. 60% of the people we support have told us that COVID-19 restrictions have negatively impacted on their mental health and we are working hard to reach out to them however we can.
“The £1,000 donation will fund our CP Connect service phone calls for five months providing free therapy and support for children and their families living with cerebral palsy.”
Chris Logan, managing director for Persimmon Homes West Scotland, said the community initiative was a way of supporting people across every city, town and village where the company works.
He said: “Cerebral Palsy Scotland make a huge difference to children and their families living with cerebral palsy and have found a way to support them despite the ongoing restrictions. Their tenacity in raising funds and quality of their application gave them the edge when it came to choosing the good causes to support but it is always a difficult choice.
“We now want to hear from more groups and charities as we look to allocate more funding over the next month. All we ask is that the group or charity has already worked hard to raise money themselves, and we will then match this effort with funding of up to £1,000.”
To find out more about Persimmon Homes development in Glasgow including The Boulevard, located just south of the city centre, Greenlees and Castle Gardens in Cambuslang, Sycamore Park in Darnley, or to apply for funding, visit:
WITH the easing of lockdown restrictions, an Edinburgh care home is resuming its physiotherapy-led falls prevention class which looks to prevent falls and support residents’ mobility and wellbeing.
Cramond Residence had been holding weekly classes with reduced numbers, led by the home’s lifestyle coordinators, but as of early April they have reinstated the specialist physiotherapists from Balanced to resume their classes as normal.
The classes are available free of charge to all residents and take place weekly. Prior to attending, residents are individually assessed by a physiotherapist and split into groups based on their physical ability.
Lisa Sohn, Lead Lifestyle Coordinator at Cramond Residence, said: “The falls prevention classes have been very popular amongst residents, we have quite a few regulars who attend.
“It’s a great way for residents to socialise while also encouraging mobility and helping to keep them safe. Although classes are not mandatory, we do encourage residents to take part as much as possible to build up and maintain their strength.
“The pre-class assessments mean that residents are split into either seated or standing groups, ensuring everyone gets the most out of their sessions.
“The aim of the classes is to prevent potential falls and give residents the confidence to move around either independently or semi-independently, based on their needs and abilities.”
The falls prevention programme has been part of the care home’s programme since it opened in 2018, and was temporarily facilitated by lifestyle coordinators during lockdown to minimise risk for residents.
Throughout lockdown, residents have been isolating in nine self-contained small-group living units within the purpose-built care home, to help with infection control.
Lisa added: “It’s great to have Balanced back to take over the classes and provide their specialist support – it’s another step towards ‘normality’ for the residents which is not only fantastic for their physical health, but for their mental wellbeing.
“We’ve recently been able to bring residents back together again in larger groups, following social distancing guidance, which has also helped greatly with socialisation.”
Alongside the fall’s prevention programme, the 74-bedroom care home offers customised individual care plans for each resident based on their care needs, and a varied activity programme to keep them both mentally and physically stimulated.
Cramond Residence offers high quality care utilising a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from our highly-trained team.
Beloved British children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has been re-released with entirely BLURRED text and illustrations to highlight the importance of children’s eyesight
The College of Optometrists has re-released one of the best known and most popular works of English literature fiction – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – with entirely blurred text and illustrations
The Blurred Edition has been commissioned as part of a public awareness campaign, after research1 revealed that up to 23% of parents don’t take their children to get their eyes tested
The classic 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll has been re-released by The College of Optometrists in entirely blurred text, to raise awareness of the importance of children’s eye health.
The new release named ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: The Blurred Edition’ has been launched after new research reveals that up to a fifth (23%) of parents have never taken their children to get their eyes tested.
Every single word of Carrolls’ classic, including the original illustrations by John Tenniel are out of focus in this newly released blurred edition.
As Alice herself thinks: “what is the use of a book without pictures or conversations?” – in this case, while the book cannot be read, its use is to reflect the deteriorating eyesight of many of our children and how the much-loved book could appear in their eyes.
Indeed, where iconic characters like the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts and the White Rabbit have lingered in sharp focus in the memories of millions, in this blurred edition these friends and foes in Wonderland appear on the page as little more than fuzzy shapes.
For parents that do get their children’s eyes tested, the most common reasons for visiting the optometrist are due to children commenting on things being blurry, not being able to see the board at school, and sitting too close to the television (18%).
Noticing that their children don’t enjoy reading is also a reason for taking a trip to the optometrists for 9% of parents. When it comes to their own eyesight, almost one third (31%) of adults have noticed their vision get worse during lockdown, and 40% believe their eyesight has markedly deteriorated in the past two years.
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, Clinical Adviser for The College of Optometrists comments: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: The Blurred Edition hasn’t been published for people to read, but instead for the public to consider what it could be like for a child living with deteriorating eyesight.
“Reading is so important for a child’s development, but to read well, you need to be able to see clearly. We’re committed to encouraging people to get their sight checked regularly and we hope this blurred classic will help illustrate what it’s like to not be able to see everything in focus. We need to alert people to the importance of taking care of their children’s eye health as well as their own.
“Things to look out for in toddlers and young children include having one eye turned in or out, rubbing their eyes a lot, watery eyes, clumsiness and poor hand-to-eye co-ordination, avoiding reading, writing or drawing, screwing up their eyes when they read or watch TV, sitting very close to the TV, or holding books or objects close to their face.
“Having behaviour or concentration problems at school, blurred or double vision, or unexplained headaches are also factors to look out for. If you notice any of these symptoms, make sure to book an appointment with an optometrist for your child.”
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: The Blurred Edition’ will be displayed in the College Museum. Although the museum is currently closed, when it re-opens, visitors can look through the illegible pages of blurred text themselves to understand the importance of eye health and eye examinations.
All optometric practices are following government guidance and optometrists wearing PPE, to ensure each patient visit is safe. If you have any concerns about your vision, book an appointment with your local optometrist, you can find a directory of College members on our patient website: www.lookafteryoureyes.org.
The College has created a series of patient-focused videos related to COVID-19 and eye care:
Edinburgh Leisure is joining forces with city-based charity, NappiRunz, to support families struggling with nappy poverty by offering free swim nappies at four of their swimming venues.
The swim nappies will be available at Edinburgh Leisure’s Gracemount Leisure Centre, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and the Royal Commonwealth Pool. Customers will be able to request a single nappy per child, per visit, no questions asked.
Ed Bethune, Duty Manager at Gracemount Leisure Centre said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Nappirunz in providing free swim nappies to families who might have found the cost of nappies prohibitive to come swimming and get active.
“All a customer needs to do to receive a swim nappy is to ask one of Welcome Hosts at the reception desk in each centre. No questions will be asked by us, other than to check what size the customer needs.”
The scheme will start on Wednesday, 19 May and will be dependent on stock levels. As Nappirunz receive more stock, they will deliver more to the four sites.
Set up in 2015 by Toyin Ware, NappiRunz provides support to families by collecting unused nappies from the local community and donating them to other charities and organisations that support families in need.
Toyin Ware said: “Nappy poverty can have such a huge impact on not just the hygiene and wellbeing needs of the child but for the parent or caregiver too.
“It’s great that another charity, Edinburgh Leisure, can help in our cause by distributing the swim nappies, meaning families will have one less barrier to keeping active.”
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity on a mission to help people lead healthier, happier, more active lives. They run over 50 sport and leisure venues and are committed to creating opportunities for everyone to get active and stay active.
Their Active Communities Programme harnesses the power of physical activity and sport to tackle inequalities and combat the effects of inactivity.
The STV Children’s Appeal has launched a new fundraising campaign focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people, following research that suggests the Covid-19 pandemic will have a damaging long-term impact on young minds.
Glasgow-born Hollywood icon James McAvoy has joined other top Scottish talent – TV presenter Gail Porter, Booker Prize-winning author Douglas Stuart, comedian Janey Godley, Love Island star Laura Anderson and singer-songwriter Joesef – in recording video messages of support for the campaign.
A lockdown survey* highlighted that 67% of young people believe the pandemic will be harmful to their mental health in the long-term.
In response, the STV Children’s Appeal – which was first launched in 2011 – will today begin airing a new TV campaign voiced by long-time trustee Lorraine Kelly, which asks viewers to consider the impact of a year of lockdowns on youth mental health, and donate to support the recovery phase.
The campaign highlights the particularly detrimental impact of the pandemic on the one in four children currently living in poverty in Scotland. Most lifelong mental illness begins in childhood and those living in deprivation are three times more likely to experience it, according to the British Medical Association.
100% of the money raised will be quickly distributed by the STV Children’s Appeal to fund vital counselling sessions and peer support groups in communities right across Scotland. It will also support local projects which give children access to sports, art, music and other means of essential peer-to-peer connection, of which they might otherwise be deprived.
Lorraine Kelly, STV Children’s Appeal Trustee, said: “It’s so important we help to raise funds and awareness of our children’s mental health. They’ve been through such a lot and we need to make sure they are looked after with kindness and compassion.
“I’m always so inspired by the response of the Scottish public who are incredibly generous and I’m sure we will be able to make life so much better for all the children who need that extra support.”
Jacqueline Cassidy, Director (Scotland) at children’s mental health charity and STV Children’s Appeal partner organisation Place2Be, said: “For some young people, this pandemic has been a nightmare. We are seeing increased levels of anxiety and emotional worry within the schools and wider communities in which we work.
“Our evidence shows when young people get the right support at the right time, their school performance improves and so do their life chances. And that stays with them as they grow.
“Thanks to the STV Children’s Appeal, we have been able to provide specialist support for parents and carers in Glasgow, as well as training for youth workers across Scotland to build their skills and confidence in responding to the mental health needs of children and young people.
“We are hugely grateful for STV’s support which means we can reach many more young people across Scotland before it’s too late.”
To donate £10 to the STV Children’s Appeal, text TEN to 70607 (standard network rates apply).
STREET Soccer Scotland’s free adult football session at Muirhouse starts back this Friday – for all abilities and anyone looking to improve physical and mental health get in touch!
