Health and wellbeing – Page 49 – The NEN

Joe Wicks and UK Government join forces to get children moving

New animated series for kids, known as Activate, will get more children across the country moving more and encouraging a healthier lifestyle

Children to be inspired to get physically active over summer as Joe Wicks, MBE, launches Activate, a new animated series for kids
Created by Joe and produced by Studio AKA, Activate aims to tackle inactivity among children through fun, five-minute workouts – led by Joe as an animated character
Programme backed by government funding as part of Plan for Change to give children the best start in life

Children are being inspired to move more this summer following the launch of a new series from fitness coach, Joe Wicks MBE, backed by the UK government as part of a new partnership to reach schools and families across the country.

The innovative animated Activate series features five-minute episodes which combine animation with upbeat music, courtesy of Universal Music UK, encouraging children to enjoy short bursts of movement that easily fit into their day and can be transformational for their physical and mental health. The government will be backing the programme to fund a further ten episodes.

The series has been co-created by Joe and BAFTA award-winning Studio AKA (creators of Hey Duggee), bringing the nation’s favourite fitness coach to life through animation for the first time.

Activate is backed by the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which is already hitting the ground running with its pledge to work with influencers and changemakers across society to shift the NHS from treating illness to preventing it.

The new animated series was unveiled at Ripple Primary School in Barking, east London, where Joe Wicks and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, met teachers and parents to discuss keeping kids moving over the summer holidays and beyond.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Childhood obesity robs our young people of their future, and inactivity is one of the biggest culprits. That’s why it’s crucial to start building healthy habits from a young age.

“Our 10 Year Health Plan sets out how we would tackle obesity through prevention and today demonstrates how we’re taking action. In the spirit of mission-driven government, we’re building a coalition of the willing to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on.

“This initiative directly supports our focus on giving children the best start in life—a cornerstone of our Plan for Change. By investing in prevention today, we’re building a healthier generation for tomorrow.”

Being physically active is good for physical and mental health and helps relieve pressure on the NHS, preventing an additional £10.5 billion worth of treatment a year. Despite that, inactivity levels remain stubbornly high for adults and children, with huge inequalities across the country. The Activate programme represents a collaborative approach to tackling this growing health challenge.

The first episode is now available on Joe Wicks’ The Body Coach YouTube channel, with further episodes set to be released weekly over the summer holidays.

The series is released five years after Wicks united the nation with PE With Joe, which received over 100 million views online. Now, Joe is on a renewed mission to get children moving through this series.

Joe Wicks said: “Activate is the natural next step in everything I’ve worked towards over the past decade. From my early YouTube workouts, to ‘PE with Joe’ during the pandemic, my goal has always been to get children moving and feeling good – physically and mentally.

“This project brings together everything I am most passionate about, and everything I’ve learned on my journey – going back to my own childhood where I discovered movement as a way to cope with the challenges of living with parents with drug addiction and mental health issues.

“Activate is designed to make movement fun and inclusive for every child, with short, high-energy workouts that fit into everyday life – these can be enjoyed in the living room, the garden, in the classroom, or anywhere else!

“As a dad, I know how important it is to make movement something kids enjoy, not something they have to do. That’s exactly what Activate is all about so I hope it can be a real support for busy families, this summer and beyond.”

Earlier this month, the UK government launched its 10 Year Health Plan, which outlined how a shift from sickness to prevention will safeguard the nation’s health and put forward a range of measures to tackle growing rates of childhood obesity.

Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. A forthcoming report by the Chief Medical Officer will show that more than 1 in 5 children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost 1 in 3 in areas with higher levels of poverty and deprivation.

Measures included in the 10 Year Health Plan include:

Launching a world-first partnership with food retailers and manufacturers to help families make healthier choices
Restricting junk food advertising targeted at children
Reforming the soft drinks industry levy to drive reformulation

This two-pronged approach of encouraging active lifestyles and healthy diets aims to tackle the UK’s most preventable chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, whilst tackling the £11.4 billion bill that obesity costs the NHS a year.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said: “I know what a difference sport and physical activity make in shaping a young person’s life. It’s why we’re investing £400 million in grassroots facilities for all, joining up schools with sports clubs across the country and backing major events that inspire.

“For too long, it has felt as if we have hit a ceiling on participation in this country, and for too long the dial on inactivity has gone unmoved. Together, through initiatives like this, we will put that right and deliver on our Plan for Change.”

With Universal Music UK as the exclusive music partner, each episode features upbeat tunes from UK artists, including Becky Hill and Bastille. Each track has been chosen for its appeal to parents and children alike.

Sue Goffe, Chief Executive at Studio AKA, said: “We’re thrilled to bring the world of Activate to life through animation.

“Collaborating with Joe Wicks has been a joy, and we’re proud to be part of this creative project to inspire movement and wellbeing in children.”

Sarah Boorman, General Manager, Youth Strategies at Universal Music UK, said: “Our shared goal with Joe was to make being active feel like something children genuinely want to do, powered by great music which is appropriate for them and loved by families too.

Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK & Ireland, said: “We’re so excited that Joe Wicks is bringing his new kids’ fitness show Activate to YouTube just in time for the (English – Ed.) holidays.

“Joe’s fun, energetic approach to getting kids moving has already made a huge impact on our platform, and Activate is set to become a go-to for families looking to keep active over the summer. It’s great to see YouTube being used in such a positive way – bringing free, accessible, and family-friendly fitness to homes everywhere.”

Created by Studio AKA, the BAFTA-winning creators of Hey Duggee, the Activate series sees Joe Wicks brought to life through animation alongside six loveable new characters, ‘The Activators’, accompanied by upbeat music from top UK artists. Together, they make movement feel personal, playful, and inclusive – so every child can find a character to connect with.

Joe and the Activators lead children through fun, five-minute bursts of movement, that can be easily integrated into their day – whether at home, at summer clubs or on the go.

With Wicks appearing as an animated character (a first for the family fitness coach), each short episode offers a burst of movement, fun, and energy to get kids’ hearts pumping and minds engaged. These include easy-to-follow exercises like jogging, squats, and burpees, wrapped up in a playful, gamified format that can keep kids active over the summer holidays and beyond.

But Activate isn’t just for the summer holidays. It will also be available to schools during term time, to help build confidence, support mental wellbeing, and help children develop healthy habits for life.

Joe added: “Being turned into an animated character has been a surreal and wonderful experience, and my dream is that it connects with millions of kids and families across the UK and beyond.”

Update on measles in Scotland – ensure everyone in your family is fully protected

Cases of Measles are on the rise across the world, so we encourage everyone to make sure you have received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Vaccination and Immunisation at PHS, explains more:

As measles cases continue to increase across the world, including in England where outbreaks continue, Public Health Scotland (PHS) is continuing to encourage the public to take up the offer of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Having two doses of the MMR vaccine is the best way to be fully protected against measles.

As of 9 July, there have been 27 cases of laboratory confirmed measles in Scotland in 2025.

Measles can be a very serious condition, causing pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and can affect people of any age if they have not been vaccinated.

The MMR vaccine protects against measles with the first dose offered to children between 12-13 months, and the second dose offered at 3 years 4 months. If it’s missed at these times, it can be given at any age.

Uptake of MMR has declined across all UK nations in recent years and there remains a risk of infection in those who are not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated for their age.

Health care workers should also have two doses of MMR and are advised to speak to with their employer or occupational health department if they haven’t been fully vaccinated.

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Vaccination and Immunisation at PHS said: “Measles is highly infectious and can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications for some people.

“We’ve seen a modest decline in vaccination rates in Scotland over the last decade which is a concern as measles can spread quickly in communities where vaccination rates are low.

“That’s why we’re encouraging anyone who hasn’t had two doses of the free MMR vaccine, as well as parents and carers of children who have missed a dose, to visit the NHS Inform website and find out how to arrange an appointment in their local health board area.

“We would also encourage those who are planning to travel anytime soon to ensure that you and your children are up to date with all your vaccinations before leaving the country.”

For more information on the history of measles, read our blog Measles – a clear and continuing threat.

More information on measles, including what to do if you think someone in your family has symptoms, can be found on Measles | NHS inform.

Further information on how to check you / your child is fully protected can be found on MMR against measles | NHS inform.

Health protection teams and other health professionals can find the latest measles public health guidance here: Guidance for professionals – Measles and find the latest campaign assets here.

Updates on case numbers are published on our data and surveillance page every Thursday.

https://publichealthscotland.scot/news/2025/july/update-on-measles-in-scotland-ensure-everyone-in-your-family-is-fully-protected

Unheard voices reshape health and care in pioneering arts research project

Clubs, schools, day centres and other community settings could help to make health and care more accessible, new research suggests.

Familiar places like these could remove barriers to care, like not being sure if there is a health or care issue, where to go, how to get there, who to see or what to tell the health or care practitioner.

This is one of more than 20 recommendations made by people across the UK who researchers say are rarely consulted about the design of health and social care services.

A new report coins the term ‘seldom-listened-to’ to describe these people and communities. The researchers also coin the term ‘health labour’ to describe the effort needed by seldom-listened-to people to access health and care.

The report, titled Designing the future of care with seldom-listened-to people, encompassed ten projects across the UK, from Kent in south east England to the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.

Participants in the research included siblings of children with life-limiting conditions; women, trans men, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people with energy limiting chronic illness, such as Long Covid and autoimmune conditions; older autistic people with learning disabilities; people living with chronic inflammatory disease, endometriosis; rural communities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland; diverse communities in Greater Manchester; children living in areas of high deprivation in the South Tees region; African-Caribbean communities in London; mental health service users in Kent and both patients and staff who are staying or working in care units in hospitals.

“The people in our study are from communities which aren’t often listened to or included in discussions about the design of health and care services,” explained Professor Mary Stewart, academic lead for the project and Director of Social Interaction, Mental Health and Wellbeing at Heriot-Watt University.

“And yet these communities can experience profound health and care inequalities that can impact on their physical and mental health, quality of life, and the ability to live well – not only for the individual – but also their families and the wider community.

“Our research sets out the specific ways in which staff, organisations, stakeholders, and policymakers can place seldom-listened-to individuals and communities at the heart of the design of the future of health and care.

“We show not only that this is possible – but that it’s vital to co-design the future of health and care with these people and communities to improve health and care for everyone.”

The report is part of research funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) – which supports arts and humanities research and study in the UK – and uses creative methods to explore how seldom-listened-to people and groups would like the future of health and social care to look.

Instead of using traditional research methods like surveys and interviews – which aren’t always accessible to seldom-listened-to people – the researchers worked with artists and creative methods to capture the views and experiences of participants. These creative methods included film, music, poetry, podcasts, comics, creative writing and folk stories.

Through a series of activities and workshops, the seldom-listened-to participants ‘reimagined’ health and social care services which could give them more say in decision-making, help them to access and engage with care – and use safer spaces to build trust and rapport.

Research co-author Bryony Nisbet, a Psychology Research Assistant at Heriot-Watt University, explained: “By safer spaces, we mean community places that are already familiar to people, and where they may already have support from trusted others.

“For example, if you’re an autistic adult with learning disabilities, accessing health and care in a day centre you already attend potentially removes the huge physical and sensory overload of trying to get to and navigate around a new place you’ve never been to before.

“For the NHS and social care, the practical change we’re proposing is moving the point of care from GP surgeries into the community. This in turn can help to tackle the growing burden on primary care in the UK.”

Other recommendations in the report include providing multidisciplinary services that span sectors including housing, employment and education – alongside health and care.

Care should also anticipate future needs, for example by developing ‘future-ready homes’ that are already adapted to meet the needs of vulnerable groups as they get older.

The report also recommends that professionals are trained to work with people with varying communication, cognitive, sensory and cultural needs.

The research aligns with the UK government’s 10-year plan to bring the NHS closer to home, including neighbourhood health centres which will house services under one roof and will be open at evenings and weekends.

The researchers have written a policy brief detailing their recommendations for policymakers. This will be shared with politicians across the UK, including Members of the Scottish Parliament and Members of Parliament at Westminster.

The ten projects in the research were all partnerships between communities, community organisations and universities. The other university partners were University of Liverpool, University of Greenwich, University of Strathclyde, Edge Hill University in Lancashire, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Teeside University, University of Kent and University of the Highlands and Islands Inverness.

The organisations and charities involved in the research included disability group Chronic Illness Inclusion, Manchester public arts project We Live Here; charity Endometriosis UK; Scottish Autism; educational institution Tees Valley Education Trust and arts community outreach project, Inverness Openarts.

Participants in the research included Oliver Waite, who took part in University of Manchester’s research project, called NHS 75/150 Looking Back, Looking Forwards. This engaged diverse communities in Greater Manchester in discussions around the future of health and care. Oliver’s story is captured in a comic-book style artwork that highlights the importance of seeing people as individuals.

Oliver explained: “I have schizoaffective disorder, I’m autistic and I’ve transitioned from female to male. But I’m more than just a list of medical issues.

“I’m a part-time history student with the Open University, I build models, such as Lego, and I play wheelchair rugby league.”

Dr Myrtle Emmanuel, Associate Professor in Human Resource Management & Organisational Behaviour at the University of Greenwich, led a research project called Re-igniting Windrush folk stories and songs to improve African-Caribbean mental health disparities in the London Boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich.

She said: “African-Caribbean communities are 40% more likely than white British people to come into contact with mental health services and to be detained under the Mental Health Act. “

Our project looked at a different approach, one that builds on the cultural traditions and community support that have always helped people stay mentally well. Through storytelling and folk song workshops, we created a practical toolkit to help promote good mental health in local communities”

Dr Rachel Carroll, an Associate Professor in English at Teeside University, led a research project called, Empowering children to shape the future of research on social inequality, health and wellbeing.

She said: “The children and young people in our project were able to explore and express their lived experiences and perspectives on social inequality and health and wellbeing through a series of interactive and inclusive workshops, including comic-making, creative writing, dance and performance.

“We hope the artworks, creative writing and films that captured their voices will help health professionals, policy makers, researchers and the wider public to learn from the experience and insights of children and young people.”

Emma celebrates graduation after overcoming shock seizure ordeal

The Business Management student has graduated from Edinburgh Napier with first class honours

A new Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) graduate feels as though she has achieved the impossible by graduating with first class honours – after a series of frightening seizures left her studies in doubt.

Business Management student Emma Sullivan suddenly began experiencing convulsive episodes in the summer of 2022, which became increasingly intense and unpredictable. Months of tests and appointments revealed a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder.

After carefully balancing the condition with her studies, Emma has now been formally presented with her degree at the Usher Hall – where she paid tribute to her family for their support.

The 22-year-old from Edinburgh said: “The weekend before starting second year I experienced two out of control ‘episodes’, which I didn’t know were seizures at the time. Me and my parents went to A&E as we could tell something was wrong.

“After undergoing a couple of tests they were unable to detect any abnormalities, and it was put down to stress. I left the hospital feeling more confused than when I went in, as though I had wasted their time.

“I continued to have these ‘episodes’ every few weeks. They were becoming more intense, and I would be very disoriented before and after them.

“It took around seven months to finally have an explanation of what I was going through. I was referred to a neurologist who diagnosed me with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and explained that I was having functional seizures.”

FND affects how the brain processes signals, with symptoms including seizures, fatigue and pain. Treatments focus on managing and improving the condition through rehabilitation therapy.

For Emma, this meant carefully balancing her everyday life. She left her part-time job to focus on her health and her studies.

She added: “Once I had the diagnosis it helped to give some clarity, but I still had to learn how to adapt to this new reality. Other things in my life needed to take a back seat.

“During flare ups I was having multiple seizures a day, which was both physically and mentally exhausting. Through neuropsychology appointments I learned that pacing myself was extremely important, and this has really helped me to continue my studies.

“It was a constant concern whenever I was out of the house that I might have a seizure, which added an extra layer of stress to everyday activities.

“Alongside the seizures I would also experience limb and muscle weakness, muscle spasms, chronic pain, fatigue and dissociation.

“Two months before the first seizures I was also diagnosed with autism. So alongside navigating this new, massive health change, I was also coming to terms with what the autism diagnosis meant for me.

“It has been a lot to process during the past few years.”

Now that she has achieved her degree, Emma hopes to raise awareness of conditions like hers, while championing disability advocacy and support.

Her dissertation focused on the impact working from home can have on autistic employees – and she shared her findings at the Edinburgh Napier’s ENclusion conference in May.

She said: “There were many times during the past couple years that the thought of graduating and finishing my studies seemed absolutely impossible.

“I am extremely proud of myself for getting to the stage, but I absolutely could not have done it without the love of my family. My mum and dad have been an incredible support and have been with me every step of this journey.

“Although it has been incredibly difficult and challenging at times, these experiences have also helped me to grow in resilience, determination and strength.

“Planning for the future can be very difficult due to the unpredictability of my health, but I remain passionate about raising awareness about both chronic illnesses and autism.

“I would love to be part of a movement that drives positive change and supports others facing similar challenges, and helps to build a more inclusive, understanding society.”

Mental Health Foundation: Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques can help us when we’re feeling out of touch with our body and surroundings. They can help us reconnect to the present moment.

This might be because we’re experiencing difficult emotions, like fear, anxiety or anger. You can also use grounding techniques if you’re experiencing a panic attack.

This technique uses all 5 senses, and can be used any time.

#GroundingTechiques

#MentalHealth

Consultation: Shaping our Strategy and the future of Scotland’s health

PUBLIC HEALTH SCOTLAND

Stakeholders across Scotland are invited to support the development of Public Health Scotland’s new strategy for 2025-2035.

As Scotland’s national public health body, we work to protect, improve, and sustain the health of Scotland’s people. We provide leadership for population health protection and improvement, supply trusted and evidence-informed advice, curate Scotland’s health data, and collaborate across all sectors turning policy into action.

Our vision remains simple but ambitious: a Scotland where everybody thrives. Within the next ten years, our aim is to boost average life expectancy by at least a year and reduce inequalities in life expectancy.

Scotland’s Population Health and Service Renewal Frameworks provide the ambition and direction for how Scotland will achieve this, through the core principles of preventing ill health, improving access and strengthening service quality.

Our strategy will define our role: what we will do and how we will lead and work with partners to deliver these plans for Scotland’s health.

We invite stakeholders from across Scotland to contribute their views to shape our strategy and to help us understand how we can achieve these goals in collaboration with partners.

We will proactively contact and engage with a diverse range of stakeholders based on Shaping our Strategy, however we would also like to hear from other individuals and organisations.

To support this process, several questions are provided. The closing date for submissions is Friday 29 August 2025. Feedback should be emailed to phs.strategicdevelopment@phs.scot.

These submissions will inform our strategy which we will publish later this year.

Find more information, including how to submit a consultation response, by viewing Shaping our Strategy.

Go to the Scottish Government’s Population Health and Service Renewal Frameworks

Read a blog from Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Public Health Scotland, where he discusses the new Frameworks

NHS 24: Sun Safety Tips

It’s set to be a scorcher over much of Scotland this weekend If you’re planning to be outdoors follow our sun safety tips:

Taps aff? Slap the sun cream on!

Don’t be stingy, slather on a minimum of SPF 30 (but SPF 50 is even better!) over any exposed skin.

Hydrate, hydrate, HYDRATE!

Don’t wait till your gaspin’. Drink regularly throughout the day – water and diluted juice are good choices, but ice poles and ice lollies count too. It might be tempting to crack out the beers when it is hot, but remember alcohol is a diuretic meaning it can cause dehydration. Alternate any alcoholic drinks with water or just juice.

Hide during the hottest temperatures

The sun is at it’s sassiest between 11am and 3pm and UV levels are at their highest. Try to keep in the shade as much as possible during these times.

Cover up those pasty bits!

You might want to shed some clothing when it’s roastin’, but your skin will thank you if it’s kept covered up. Think loose, cool fabrics like cotton, your fave pair of sunnies , and a big hat to keep the lugs, face and neck protected.

Mind those that need some extra help

Wee tots shouldn’t be in any direct sunlight for any length of time. Babies and bairns can get overheated quickly, so keep a close eye and make sure they are dressed properly for the hot weather.

Keep a check on the auld yins and anyone who has a long-term medical condition too

For more guidance and advice on how to stay safe in hot weather check out our page on #NHSinform

Mental Health Foundation: Alcohol and Depression

It’s important to be aware of how alcohol affects your mental health, particularly if you have a mental health problem.

People drink for many reasons – from celebrating to commiserating, relaxing, to feeling more confident.

And while the short-term effects might deliver – this quickly wears off.

The chemical changes in your brain caused by alcohol can soon lead to negative feelings, including depression, anxiety and anger.

And for those already struggling with depression, it can make those symptoms worse.

Find out more about alcohol and mental health: https://bit.ly/46J2mtf

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh launches The People’s Dispensary Website

Edinburgh patient experiences from the 1700s revealed

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh is delighted to announce the launch of a new website, The People’s Dispensary:

https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/peoplesdispensary

At its core, The People’s Dispensary features a digitised and transcribed collection of 18th century case notes of the Edinburgh Public Dispensary from its foundation in 1776. Located in Edinburgh’s Old Town, it provided free diagnosis and medicines to the city’s sick. Users of the website will be able to search these digitised and transcribed records which feature fascinating details about the diseases, treatments and experiences of poor patients in 1700s Edinburgh.

The digitised and transcribed 18th century patient case notes feature over 10,000 pages of patient records. It is a unique resource as the only surviving collection of 18th century dispensary patient case notes in Britain and contains 1,372 patients, 174 medical practitioners and 900 diseases and treatments.

Daisy Cunynghame, Heritage Manager & Librarian, says: “We are excited to bring this collection to the public eye and very proud of the efforts of colleagues and volunteers that were involved in creating this web resource.

“These records contain amazing insight into the experiences of poor patients in 1700s Edinburgh. So often when stories are told of medicine and sickness in Georgian Britain, they focus on people who wrote letters and kept diaries – people who were middle and upper class.

“Through this new website we can share details of the experiences of the less well-off who relied on charitable medicine.

“The case notes are really remarkable – we find out about a woman who swallowed two pistol bullets as a folk remedy for her constipation.

“Our hope is that the website will encourage our audiences to learn about and reflect on what life was like for ordinary people in historic Scotland”.

Professor Mark Strachan, Heritage Trustee, says: “Although modern medical treatments bear little relation to those prescribed in the Edinburgh Public Dispensary, we can still see many parallels between past and present practice.

“The need to balance potential side effects of the treatment against the consequences of not treating an illness, the adverse health consequences of certain occupations and the challenge for women in having symptoms of illness believed by doctors were as common in Georgian Britain as they are today.”

Some interesting points:

• One of the recommended treatments was sea bathing. But there was a risk attached. In the case of Margaret Gray, a patient admitted to the Edinburgh dispensary in the winter of 1781 with a diagnosis of hysteria, it was recommend that she bathe in a tub or ‘form of shower bath’ rather than sea bathing, because ‘in deep water fatal consequences in the way of drowning have sometimes happened’

• Dispensary physicians recorded the home remedies that patients had already tried, including a remedy provided by a ‘benevolent lady, the widow of a Clergyman’. Sometimes the physicians did not approve, including in one case where an individual applied burnt butter to their child’s head, as a treatment for a fungal infection, ‘by the advice of some officious neighbours’

• The case notes record the occupations of many of the patients, and the impact that their diagnosis had on their health. This included street hawkers, labourers and servants. Two very Edinburgh-specific occupations were water carrier and chairman. The water carriers’ job was to collect water from the well and then deliver it to individual homes across the city. Chairmen – the carriers of sedan chairs – were also much more common in Edinburgh than other cities. Because of the Old Town’s narrow and winding streets, it wasn’t possible to travel around much of the city in a horse and cart, so chairmen were employed instead to carry their employers throughout the city. And a lot of the medical problems of both carriers and chairmen were admitted into the dispensary for were clearly related to their line of work – particularly chronic back pain and rheumatism.

• Dispensary physicians would regularly record their concern that female patients were faking their medical conditions in order to be prescribed medicines which would bring about an abortion.

Web link: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/peoplesdispensary

Springboard into diving

Edinburgh Leisure is on the hunt for the next generation of divers

For those who have been inspired by divers such as Jack Laugher, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix (daughter of Fred!) and Tom Daley, Edinburgh Leisure is offering the opportunity for children to come and try diving with our experienced coaches at the Royal Commonwealth Pool to see if they have a talent for the sport.

Children should be between 5 and 16 years old, able to swim 10 metres unaided, confident in deep water and submerge in water without

r without googles. No experience in necessary as they will be learning basic skills but those interested in gymnastics, trampolining, acrobatics or similar sports might enjoy this opportunity to try a new sport.

Priced at just £3, the diving taster sessions at the Royal Commonwealth Pool are offered on:

Monday 4 – Friday 8 August at 17.10 – 17.40

To secure a place, interested people should visit the Edinburgh Leisure website – https://shorturl.at/uLDKw

Edinburgh Leisure offers a world class diving programme at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, complete with a dedicated Dry Dive Area with trampolines and harnesses, which enables more experienced divers to practice the twists and turns before trying them out on the boards.

Their diving programme follows the National Diving Award Scheme right through to competitive level.

Athletes training at the Royal Commonwealth Pool include local Edinburgh boy, James Heatly (GB); Yona Knight-Wisdom (Jamaica) and Grace Reid, who grew up in the capital, are amongst other Olympians who have previously trained at the Commie.

For more information:

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/coaching-activities/diving/