Tag: Health and wellbeing

Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy accepted by Scottish Medicines Consortium

·       A drug called Translarna can help treat an underlying genetic cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

·       Muscular Dystrophy UK, Action Duchenne, Duchenne Family Support Group, and Duchenne UK appeared before the Scottish Medicines Consortium in March

·       The Scottish Medicines Consortium has accepted the drug for use on NHSScotland over the next three years

·       The drug company must now submit a plan to Scottish Government before it can be given on NHS Scotland

A DRUG that can treat an underlying genetic cause of a muscle-wasting condition has been accepted for use on NHSScotland, it has been announced.

This will pave the way for the drug to be made available across the next three years, through a system called the ‘ultra-orphan pathway’.

The news comes after Muscular Dystrophy UK, Action Duchenne, Duchenne Family Support Group and Duchenne UK appeared before the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) last month, following an earlier joint submission to accept Translarna for use on NHSScotland.

The drug can help treat patients with an underlying genetic cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), called nonsense mutations. This condition primarily affects boys and causes muscles to weaken and waste over time, with most of those affected needing to use a wheelchair by the age of 12. The life-limiting disease also causes other severe health problems to the heart and breathing muscles.

In yesterday’s announcement, the SMC said it accepts that Translarna meets the definition of what is known an ultra-orphan medicine, used to treat extremely rare conditions.

It means that eligible DMD patients aged two or over and who are able to walk should be able to have the treatment on NHSScotland under the ultra-orphan pathway for at least the next three years. This is provided that the company manufacturing Translarna submits a data collection plan to the Scottish Government.

The plan should outline how further data, including evidence outlining the experiences of patients and carers, will be collected over the next three years. At the end of this period, the drug company should provide the SMC with an updated submission for reassessment. The SMC will then review the evidence before deciding if Translarna can be routinely used on NHSScotland.

In the announcement, the SMC acknowledged that Translarna “may allow affected children to retain the ability to walk for longer, potentially leading to increased independence”.

More information can be read here.

Provided that the drug company has submitted its plans to the Scottish Government, Translarna will be given in addition to the current standard treatments on NHSScotland.

Families and individuals should speak with their clinician to find out more about eligibility. More information will be shared with relevant patient groups accordingly.

A spokesperson on behalf of the four charities said: “Muscular Dystrophy UK, Action Duchenne, Duchenne Family Support Group and Duchenne UK are delighted the SMC has accepted Translarna for use on the ultra-orphan pathway for the next three years.

“Today’s announcement is excellent progress in our bid to help those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy access appropriate treatment in Scotland, especially because every day is a race against time to slow down the condition.

“We believe that the physical and mental health benefits of Translarna have the potential to improve lives for so many families living with Duchenne. The four charities are therefore very much looking forward to hearing the drug company’s plans going forwards, so that patients can start to access treatment as quickly as possible.”

Jog for Jugs founder sets cheeky new fundraising goal after busting original target in under two hours

Bosom buddies now aim to reach milestone of £8008 as star-studded social media campaign goes viral

From Dundee to Dubai and New York to New Zealand, Jog for Jugs – the new charity campaign that launched on Saturday – has captured the imaginations of social media users across the globe.

With over 40,000 views in just 24 hours, the tongue-in-cheek launch video, starring a host of Scottish celebs including Lorraine Kelly and Emma Louise Connelly, has been shared far and wide as participants helped spread the word to raise breast cancer awareness. 

Jog for Jugs’ original target of £1000 for breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! was smashed in under two hours of the campaign going live, and the team has now upped the ante by aiming to reach £8008 (to represent ‘BOOB’) within the next four weeks. 

The campaign has been a labour of love for a group of ‘boomerang buddies’ who have temporarily moved back to their hometown of Dundee after over a decade of living elsewhere, to support each other, friends and family through the pandemic. 

During lockdown, Becky Chapple (28), a Regional Manager for Amazon, received the unfortunate news that her mum Susan had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, the signs were caught early, and swift treatment has meant that her future looks bright.

However, after researching the disease over the course of her mum’s treatment, Becky discovered that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lives, and that regardless of gender everybody should be checking themselves regularly. 

Becky and her friends devised the Jog for Jugs campaign to shine a spotlight on the issue and to help reduce the stigma of talking about boobs.

Participants in the campaign are encouraged to jog/walk/cycle/swim/SUP (any way they can move their body) 8km, to donate £8 to the dedicated JustGiving page and to nominate 8 pals to do the same and – most importantly – to share a ‘check yourselfie’ on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #JogForJugs, to represent getting into the habit of regularly checking boobs or pecs for concerning changes. 

The campaign is particularly timely due to the recent news that 2 in 5 people have been too scared to visit their doctor due to Covid-19, and CoppaFeel! is deeply concerned that this will result in a flurry of late-stage diagnoses once lockdown restrictions are fully lifted.

Becky commented: “Those who know me know that I am very rarely lost for words, but on Sunday evening as I reflected on all of the craziness and kindness of our launch weekend, I was genuinely speechless.

“Our close-knit Jog for Jugs committee has been working on the campaign development for a couple of months now and we all thought we had a nice concept. However, we couldn’t have imagined that it would reach so many people in so little time.

“Our minds are totally blown and there aren’t enough words in the world to convey my thanks to each and every person who has donated or spread the word about Jog For Jugs so far.

“After such a challenging year for everyone, it really does show that light can come from the darkest of places. Our ambitious new target of £8008 would make such a tangible difference to the fabulous folks at CoppaFeel! who have suffered from a dip in donations due to Covid-19. I hope, with a lot of help from our friends, that we can achieve it.’ 

To donate to the Jog for Jugs Campaign please visit:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jogforjugs 

You can follow the journey on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Low fat diets decrease testosterone levels in men

A new study conducted at the University of Worcester and published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has found low fat diets decrease men’s testosterone levels by 10 – 15%.

Optimal testosterone levels are critical to men’s health. Low testosterone levels are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Healthy testosterone levels are also key for men’s athletic performance, mental health, and sexual health.

Since the 1970s, there has been a decrease in men’s average testosterone levels and rates of hypogonadism (medically low testosterone) have been increasing. Low risk dietary strategies could be a useful treatment for low testosterone.

The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis, which combined together the results of 6 well-controlled studies with a total of 206 participants. These studies first put men on a high fat diet (40% fat), and then transferred them to a low fat diet (20% fat), and found their testosterone levels decreased by 10-15% on average. Particularly bad were vegetarian low fat diets causing decreases in testosterone up to 26%.

The authors linked their results to similar studies conducted in humans and mice. These studies found high intakes of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts may boost testosterone production.

However, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats predominantly found in vegetable oils, may damage the cells’ ability to produce testosterone. This is because highly unsaturated fats such as polyunsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation, which causes cell damage.

“Low testosterone levels are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.”

The authors stated that further research needs to be done in this important area.

The lead researcher Joseph Whittaker said, “Ideally, we would like to see a few more studies to confirm our results. However, these studies may never come, normally researchers want to find new results, not replicate old ones. In the meantime, men with low testosterone would be wise to avoid low fat diets”.

Dietary fat is a controversial topic in nutritional science, with proponents of various diets often in stark disagreement (low fat vs low carbohydrate). The benefits of low fat diets such as reduced cholesterol levels, should be weighed up against the potential downsides, such as decreased testosterone levels.

Traditionally, dietary guidelines have focused on limiting fat intake, with the current UK and US guidelines limiting fat intake to less than 35% of total calories. However, as more research on the benefits of high fat, low carbohydrate diets is done, this traditional view is coming under increasing scrutiny.

In recent years, high fat diets have been shown to decrease triglycerides, decrease blood pressure, increase HDL cholesterol (aka ‘good cholesterol’) – and now, with this latest research, increase testosterone levels.

For the published article please see:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960076021000716

Heart Research UK Healthy tip – Keeping Healthy After Easter

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Keeping Healthy After Easter

The Easter weekend marks the end of Lent, along with the exchange of chocolate eggs with family and friends. It is therefore easy to see why it may be hard to maintain good habits both during and following the Easter weekend, as many of us tuck into the chocolate we have received and begin to once again enjoy what we gave up over Lent.

Yet research indicates that it can take around 66 days to develop a long-term habit and therefore the 40 day Lent period offers a great base for developing a positive life-long habit.

With this in mind, here are some tips for doing just that:

Allow Yourself Occasional Indulgences

It’s easy to feel disheartened when we relapse from a positive habit but creating a positive relationship with food is all about moderation and therefore the occasional indulgences shouldn’t be seen as a problem

Return to Your Habit As Soon as Possible

The longer we maintain a habit, the more ‘ingrained’ it becomes. If we are able to return to our habit straight away, we are more likely to continue it going forwards

Consider What Worked for You

Everyone is different and therefore the method used for creating a long-term habit will be different for everyone. Think about what led to your success over Lent, perhaps it was planning and preparation, changing your environment or taking on the challenge with a frend

Use Up Spare Chocolate

Perhaps you would like to continue to eat healthily following the Easter Break, but you just have too much chocolate left over! Visit our website for ideas on how you can use up that spare chocolate, or perhaps consider giving it away

Think Rationally

Sometimes, our thinking patterns can work against us and we can start to think things like ‘I’ve ruined it now’ or ‘there’s no point carrying on’. Consider if these kinds of thoughts are helpful or rational and challenge them, as sometimes this can be the difference between maintaining and relapsing.

JOG FOR JUGS: Lorraine Kelly launches breast cancer campaign

Jog for Jugs, a new campaign aimed at raising awareness and money for breast cancer officially launches today (Saturday 10th April) in a bid to encourage men, women and non-binary individuals to check themselves so that cancers can be caught and treated early.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1380777723744899074

A star-studded, tongue-in-cheek, video to promote the campaign, introduced by the nation’s sweetheart, Lorraine Kelly and featuring other Scottish personalities including model Emma-Louise Connolly, actress Joanna Vanderham and presenter Lee McKenzie, has been released to mark the launch.

Inspired by her mum’s courageous response to her own breast cancer diagnosis last August, Dundonian, Becky Chapple hopes to encourage others to check themselves regularly and seek medical support straight away if anything feels abnormal.

Becky commented: “Throughout the pandemic, fewer and fewer people have been visiting the doctor when they find concerning changes to their boobs or pecs which is a real and worrying problem.

“Jog for Jugs is our small way of first and foremost encouraging everyone to check themselves, then jogging or walking 8km to raise vital funds for CoppaFeel!, a brilliant charity which raises awareness of breast cancer in young people and the importance of early detection.”

Jog for Jugs will be promoted across social media, with participants encouraged to jog or walk 8km, donate £8 to CoppaFeel!, check their boobs or pecs and nominate 8 friends to do the same by sharing a selfie of themselves with their hand on their chest and tagging their pals’ social handles.

The number ‘8’ symbolizes the devastating statistic that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

Becky added: “While we are, of course, hoping to raise some vital funds for CoppaFeel! the campaign is more about awareness than anything else.  

“We want people to know all of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and we specifically want to dispel the myth that if lumps are painful, they’re unlikely to be cancerous – any unusual changes are worth getting checked out.

“My family feel very fortunate that mum discovered her cancer early and we want to give everyone else the chance to do the same by spotting any changes in their boobs and seeking medical advice, regardless of lockdown.”

CoppaFeel! aims to ensure that all breast cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage possible by educating people on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, encouraging them to check regularly and instilling the confidence to seek medical referral if they detect abnormalities.

Currently 5% of diagnosed cases are already at stage IV with breast cancer being the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 30 in the UK (181 new cases diagnosed and 12 deaths annually). CoppaFeel! is the third most recognized breast cancer charity amongst young people and those aware of CoppaFeel! are 58% more likely to check their boobs regularly than those not aware.

The charity’s recent research showing that a worrying 2 in 5 young people are avoiding contact with the NHS due to coronavirus, prove that normalising chest checking and empowering young people to speak to their doctors about any concerns has never been more important.

Katie from CoppaFeel!, commented, “We are thrilled to be supported by the Jog For Jugs campaign. The work that Becky and her friends in the team have put into this project is truly inspirational, and the awareness and funds it will raise in aid of CoppaFeel! will help us in our mission to stamp out the late detection of breast cancer. 

“The generous support of everyone involved will make a huge difference to our work in educating and empowering young people. After such a trying year, it is important now more than ever to spread awareness of the importance of getting to know your body, checking regularly and speaking to your GP if you notice any concerning changes.”

To donate to the Jog For Jugs Campaign please visit:

 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jogforjugs 

and follow the journey on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Rathbones doubles support for The Outward Bound Trust

  • The Outward Bound Trust’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”
  • The pandemic forced the charity to adapt away from their residential courses
  • Rathbones stepped in to double donations after loss of government support

Rathbones has doubled its donations to The Outward Bound Trust to help the charity continue to support young people during the pandemic.

Founded 80 years ago, Outward Bound’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”.

Prior to the pandemic, this was done chiefly by hosting over 5,500 young people from all across Scotland per year at the charity’s Loch Eil centre. By bringing children to the wildest places in the UK the aim is for them to learn and develop vital life skills such as communication, self-motivation and resilience.

However, when the pandemic hit the UK in March 2020, it was no longer possible to offer the residential courses at the Loch Eil centre.

To continue to help young people when they needed it most, Outward Bound decided to adapt. During the last year the charity also saw its Scottish government funding decrease, meaning it required additional financial support in order to make these changes.

The Outward Bound Trust was already the chosen charity for Rathbones’ Edinburgh office, but Rathbones stepped up to double its original donations to assist the charity with its vital work. The focus on supporting the UK’s young people and aiding their long-term development fits well with Rathbones’ own purpose to Look Forward.

With more support from Rathbones and other donors, Outward Bound can now provide two new propositions to help young people readjust, reconnect and thrive post pandemic. These are:

1.                   In School Adventures – taking Outward Bound to schools until students can come to their residential centres.

2.                  Opening residential centres for activity days in the holidays.

Euan MacDonald, Investment director at Rathbone Investment Management comments: “We are proud to continue our support of the fantastic work carried out by The Outward Bound Trust.

“The mental health impact of the pandemic on young people is hugely concerning. We have been encouraged by The Trust’s ability to innovate in times of deep uncertainty and to continue offering access to the vital life skills that will be required in an uncertain future.

“Realising the requirement for financial support during this period we were happy to double our previous years donation.”

Martin Davidson, director of Scotland and Innovation at The Outward Bound Trust comments: “COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the charitable sector, with the majority of non-NHS charities experiencing a drop-in funding in the last year- at the exact time when our help is most needed.

“We are grateful to Rathbones and our other donors – Swagelok Scotland, Mowi Scotland and Northwood Charitable Trust- for their incredible support during this time.

“We know that the pandemic has had put a severe toll on young people’s mental health, and it is our hope through our work that we can help today’s younger generation to recover from the events of the past twelve months. And it is thanks to our donors that we can undertake this vital work.”

Lead the Way members produce case study on University of Edinburgh Hockey Club’s mental health initiatives

Three members of Scottish Hockey’s Lead the Way initiative who have been involved in the mental health work undertaken by the University of Edinburgh Women’s Hockey Club have produced a case study to help others.

Eilidh Campbell, Emma Lambert and Hana Nasser from the 2020-21 Lead the Way cohort, alongside club Welfare Officer Iona Grant, developed it to share with hockey and sports clubs across Scotland as a means of promoting and supporting mental health initiatives within clubs.

Eilidh explained: “Emma and I are both on the Lead the Way programme. During one of our discussions, we talked about mental health in hockey, especially over the lockdowns, and about what our clubs had done to help members and support people.

“Edinburgh University has done a really good job, so we talked about everything we had done as well as what worked well for us personally and for the people we know.

“Then Scottish Hockey got in contact and asked if we would be interested in putting a case study together on the things we had done and its impact.”

Eilidh and Emma approached Iona Grant and Hana Nasser to help with the case study as they had both played a role in the club’s approach to mental health.

Hana had come up with the idea of having the club post anonymous stories on its social media pages detailing members’ personal mental health experiences. People could submit their stories via an anonymous online form to shine a light on mental health while tackling stigma.

Hana said, “I was doing a masters degree at Edinburgh University and had always been intrigued by athletes’ mental health. I saw that people did not really talk about their mental health, especially if they are athletes, so I put forward an idea to the hockey club then watched it grow arms and legs.

“Iona, as Welfare and Inclusivity Officer, took it on, with Eilidh and Emma getting involved. I had got the idea from the Humans of New York Instagram page – it is run by a New York photographer who takes photographs of random New Yorkers then asks them to tell him their stories. I thought it would be interesting to do that from the angle of mental health in sport.”

Emma, then Publicity Secretary for Edinburgh University, said: “Reaction from the first post was great, and because it was an anonymous submission everyone got on board because they saw it as a positive step.

“It was good to hear what other people were going through. We may all think we know what is going on in our club and team, but then you realise that you do not. So, to hear what was really going on was a positive step.

“We operated through a Google form, and the link is in every post and on the bio of our Instagram and Facebook. Anyone can post. You do not have to be anonymous, and a lot of people have chosen not to be. It is your call whether or not you self-identify.”

One of the main findings was that the Welfare and Inclusivity Officer role at the club has been vitally important in supporting members with mental health issues and promoting inclusivity within the club.

Iona explained, “Welfare and Inclusivity is a big role; mental health problems are so common. We all have our own mental health awareness and the stigma that continues to be attached to mental health issues is highly detrimental.

“As a club, we believed it was important to start tackling the stigma surrounding mental health. What we saw was a gap between people coping with their mental health on an individual level and opting to seek professional help.

“My role sought to help bridge that gap. I promote all the services that are available in Edinburgh, many that people do not even know exist, but I am also a face that people in the club recognise and one that is there to help and support them throughout whatever they are going through.

“I am not there to solve people’s problems, I’m not a councillor or a healthcare professional, but I’m there to lend an ear and promote the services that are available.”

Edinburgh University has been working on expanding the welfare officer role across its entire sports offering, highlighting especially the success of the position at the hockey club. 

Recent graduate Hana is now also using her experience to work with her new committee at Watsonians Hockey Club to establish an Inclusivity and Diversity Officer role and to showcase the importance of such roles across Scottish sport.

The Lead the Way: University of Edinburgh Mental Health Initiatives Case Study is attached or can be found here: 

https://www.scottish-hockey.org.uk/lead-the-way-members-produce-case-study-on-university-of-edinburgh-hcs-mental-health-initiatives/ .

Dentists urge action on ‘shameful’ oral health inequalities

The British Dental Association has urged all candidates contesting the Scottish election to pledge to commit to tackling the shameful inequalities in oral health set to go into overdrive as a result of the pandemic.

Unpublished data from Public Health Scotland has shown a dramatic reduction in NHS dentistry due to COVID, which is hitting those in most deprived communities the hardest. Between April and November 2020, the number of courses of treatment delivered was 83% lower than during the same period in 2019.  

Official figures show that primary school children from the most deprived communities experience more than four times the level of tooth decay compared to children in the least deprived areas. Latest data also shows that in 2020 children and adults from the most deprived areas were less likely to have seen their dentist within the last two years than those from the least deprived areas (73.5% compared to 85.7% of children and 55.9% compared to 67.1% of adults) and this gap has widened compared to the year before.   

The impact is now being felt in all corners of the service. The Public Dental Service– which treats specific patient groups including care home residents, children with additional needs and adults with disability – also faces a huge backlog, with many of its staff redeployed to urgent dental care centres. 2,500 children are now estimated by the BDA to be on waiting lists for dental extractions under general anaesthetic, which may take years to clear.   

High street practices continue to face wide-ranging restrictions, which have radically reduced patient numbers, including the need to maintain gaps between most routine procedures where surgeries are left ‘fallow’ to reduce risk of viral transmission.

Governments in Northern Ireland and Wales have already offered millions to help practices invest in new ventilation systems to cut down this time, and hence significantly expand patient volumes. The BDA is seeking commitments from Scotland’s parties to follow the same path.      

The BDA says prevention is now more essential than ever. The pioneering Childsmile programme, delivered via primary schools and nurseries, has secured record-breaking reductions in decay but has been suspended for much of the last year, with many core elements like supervised brushing yet to resume.

Restarting that programme, and providing additional support in high needs areas is at the centre of the BDA’s plan, alongside calls for Health Boards to be supported to conduct feasibility studies on water fluoridation. 

Dentistry challenges are now likely to be exacerbated by workforce problems. None of Scotland’s dental schools is on track to graduate classes at the usual time this year, which will have a domino effect on workforce planning for years to come. The BDA has called for a long-term strategy to ensure Scotland has the dentists it needs to meet this threat, and parallel challenges – including Brexit.   

Oral cancers kill three times more Scots than car accidents – and the country has one of the highest rates for the condition in Europe.

Residents in Scotland’s most deprived communities are more than twice as likely to develop and die from oral cancer as those in more affluent areas. The BDA is therefore seeking action on smoking cessation, and assurances that a rapid catch up programme will be in place to ensure school children are protected from the Human Papillomavirus via vaccination.

HPV is an important risk factor for oral cancer, and while steps were in place to extend the programme to boys in the last academic year, the programme continues to face massive disruption as a result of school closures.   

The Association is making direct contact with every candidate seeking election to Holyrood to ask them to commit to addressing oral health inequality.  

Robert Donald, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council said: “A wealthy 21st century nation shouldn’t accept that a wholly preventable disease remains the number one reason its children are admitted to hospital. Sadly, COVID risks undermining hard-won progress, while leaving our dental service a shadow of its former self.  

“The result is that from decay to oral cancers, Scotland’s oral health gap is set to widen, and we need all parties to offer a plan. 

“In this campaign we need candidates to do more than talk about ‘prevention’. From helping practices boost capacity, through to expansion of the sugar levy, we have set out simple steps that can put that principle into action, addressing inequality, and restoring services to millions.”

The BDA Scotland manifesto: Bridging the Gap: Tackling Oral Health Inequalities (PDF)  

Free online event will look at impacts of pandemic on children and how best to support families in Edinburgh

Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online event being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.

The virtual event has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.

Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the event, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.

Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.

Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling. There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.

“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This event will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”

Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “We know that even as we move out of lockdown, people will continue to experience the impact of the pandemic on their lives.

“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.

“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”

Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.

In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown. 

This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.

The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.

The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus.

To sign up for the online event visit bit.ly/3w3UCjK or email allofus@safefamilies.uk.

For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.

47% rise in Scots cycling

Scotland has seen a surge in the number of people cycling in the past 12 months, according to data from the nation’s cycling organisation.

Statistics released today (Tuesday 6 April) by Cycling Scotland show 47 per cent more cycling journeys were recorded between 23 March 2020 and 22 March 2021 compared to the same period 2019­–2020.

Since Covid-19 restrictions first came into force on 23 March 2020, the nation’s cycling organisation has released regular updates on the number of people cycling in Scotland, using its nationwide network of automatic cycle counters to compile the data.

Increases of 68 per cent in April, 77 per cent in May, 63 per cent in June, 44 per cent in July and 33 per cent in August were recorded, compared to the same months in 2019.

September saw a rise of 32 per cent, followed by October (22 per cent), November (7 per cent) and December (4 per cent). During bad weather in January this year, cycling numbers decreased 14 per cent before rising 20 per cent in February.

And today (Tuesday 6 April 2021), Cycling Scotland also announced its latest monthly figures, using data from 47 automatic cycle counters nationwide.

The statistics reveal a 52 per cent increase in the number of people cycling across the nation between 1 and 22 March 2021 versus the same three weeks in 2020 – before the first Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in Scotland.

Twenty counters saw a year-on-year increase of more than 100 per cent, with counters in Girvan (Victory Park Road), Callander (Glen Gardens) and Dunoon (Victoria Parade) showing hikes of 256, 179 and 113 per cent respectively.

The information was collected as part of the National Monitoring Framework, managed by Cycling Scotland, to monitor cycling rates across the country.

Latest figures from the Bicycle Association show sales of bikes, bike parts, accessories and services increased by 45 per cent across the UK in 2020, with the trend set to continue.    

Cycling Scotland Chief Executive Keith Irving said: “It has been a horrendous year, but one of the few bright spots has been more people getting back on their bikes.

“Cycling has a key role to play in people getting exercise and fresh air, managing the ongoing pressure on our transport system and, crucially, tackling the global climate emergency we face.

“We’re delighted at the massive increase in cycling and it’s vital we see it continue and expand. 

“To get even more people cycling, we need to invest more in infrastructure so people feel safe to cycle. We need more dedicated cycle lanes, separated from vehicles and pedestrians. We need to reduce traffic, especially on residential and shopping streets. And we need to increase access to bikes and storage to tackle the barriers too many people face so anyone, anywhere can enjoy all the benefits of cycling.

“Helping far more people to cycle is key in delivering a green recovery from Covid and supporting a just transition towards a net-zero Scotland. Every journey cycled will make a difference.”

Claire Sharp is a charity worker who lives on Glasgow’s south side. She started cycling again last year. “I live next to a main road that leads into the city centre to my work; it’s an easy route but the traffic there is so heavy. I was too scared to attempt it in the past,” she said.

“I knew lockdown was going to happen and thought it would be good to get a bike. Partly as the roads would be quiet, which would be good for a beginner, and also for exercise as the gyms would be closed. Luckily, I managed to get one the weekend before lockdown started.

“Apart from being able to get out and exercise, it’s improved my mental health as it’s given me confidence to do something I didn’t think I could do. It’s made me feel empowered. I’ve also found going for a cycle after work helps me process things that have happened during the day and makes me less stressed.”

She added: “I’m hoping to be brave enough to start cycling to work when all the Covid-19 restrictions are removed, although I might need some more persuasion in the winter. I’m looking forward to more cycling for exercise and bike-ride day-trips with my friends.”

Asif Sattar (45) is an IT worker from Motherwell. He said: “I played football all my days and as there was a lockdown I took up cycling. Cycling was a way for me to break free of the lockdown gloom. 

“As I was working from home, getting out on my bike helped me exercise, clear the mind and refocus on my health during the pandemic. 

“Me and a group of friends now go out every week and have even planned a cycling holiday once the restrictions ease.”