We are celebrating wellbeing and mental health awareness by organising Open Door Wellbeing Day at ELREC on the 20th May as part of Edinburgh ThriveFest #4 (15 to 21 May 2023) – a week of arts and activities supporting the intent to making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority.
We have put together a programme for you. Come and take part in wellbeing and creative activities on Saturday 20th of May.
Any form of art is an amazing way to look within ourselves and deal with stress and problems of everyday life.
Come and check yourself how great it can be for our wellbeing!
Tax, targeted support and tough budget choices will all need to be considered as part of bold measures to tackle poverty, First Minister Humza Yousaf said yesterday after meeting poverty campaigners.
The anti-poverty summit, convened by the First Minister, saw political leaders from across the Scottish Parliament meet with people who have direct experience of poverty, campaigners, and third sector organisations.
Speaking after the event, which was attended by around 90 delegates, the First Minister said: “I called the summit to listen to the views of a wide range of partners, particularly those at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis and with direct experience of poverty, about what they believe needs to be done.
“Everything I heard confirmed that poverty and the cost of living crisis is the biggest challenge facing this country – one that has been exacerbated by some of the UK Government’s actions and inactions.
“We have already acted to tackle the pressure on those most in need – for example, our game-changing £25 per week per child Scottish Child Payment, Carer’s Allowance Supplement, and Winter Heating Payment.
“But we must do more. We must be bold in considering future tax decisions. Tough choices will need to be made about existing budgets, and we need to consider whether targeting help is the way forward when money is so tight.
“It’s not enough to wish poverty away. We have to be hard-headed and realistic about what can be done – and then we have to focus on making it happen. That means the debate must now be about tax, targeting and tough choices. We are listening and will not shy away from the decisions needed to reduce poverty.”
COSLA President Councillor Shona Morrison said: “The initiative from the Scottish Government is a good one and one which Local Government can get fully behind. Tackling poverty is a core objective for Local Government working in partnership with the Scottish Government, the third sector and public and private sector partners.
“The cost- of-living crisis we are living through at present is being tackled head-on by Councils the length and breadth of Scotland and partnership working is vital to achieving positive outcomes for individuals, families and our communities across Scotland.”
Commenting on reports around the expansion of universal free school meals in Scotland, Poverty Alliance director Peter Kelly said: “The First Minister has to recognise the injustice that leaves so many children in Scotland hungry and without food they need.
“With figures from the Trussell Trust showing record numbers of families accessing food banks, this is not the time to roll back on commitments relating to free school meals.
“We know that many low-income families just miss out on qualifying for means-tested free school meals, and many others don’t claim because of shame or stigma.
“The best way to tackle this problem is through universal free school meals that benefit all of our children and young people.”
Peter Kelly was speaking just after attending yesterday’s anti-poverty summit, chaired by the First Minister.
He said: “The First Minister’s poverty summit was a timely opportunity to refocus on tackling the injustice of poverty in Scotland. Across all those who took part, there was a clear sense of urgency on the need to deliver real change.
“There was no shortage of ideas for action. We can expand funded childcare, use public contracts as a lever to improve pay and conditions in key sectors, and remove barriers to work for those people most affected by poverty – women, disabled people, people from Black and ethnic minority communities.
“Now is the time for the Scottish Government to turn those ideas into concrete action. We look forward to a follow up summit in the coming year to check where progress has been made.”
Positive anti-poverty summit soured by possible roll-back on Free School Meals
THE sCOTTISH Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the STUC Women’s Committee have warned of massive resistance to any reversal on the SNP free school meals pledge and called for an acceleration, not a roll-back of the programme.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We were enthusiastic participants in the summit today. Our key message is that better and fairer wages tied to redistributive taxation must lie at the heart of strategies to tackling poverty and inequality. Current levels of in-work poverty are totally unacceptable and place further pressure on our under-funded benefits system. We need to see real action coming out of this summit.
“Suggestions this morning that the Scottish Government might consider breaking pledges to extend free school meals is not what we are looking to hear. Investing in the health of all of our young people and removing stigma is a key priority and any roll-back will be fiercely resisted.”
Andrea Bradley, Chair of the STUC Women’s Committee and General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland said: “The STUC Women’s Committee would be deeply concerned if the First Minster’s comments around a potential reversal of the Scottish Government’s progressive policy on universal free school meals expansion as reported today, were to be put into action.
“1 in 4 children in Scotland were living in poverty before the onset of the cost-of-living crisis, which the previous First Minister declared a humanitarian emergency. Now, food inflation of 20%, together with exorbitant energy costs, and stagnant wages is making life even harder and more miserable for hundreds of thousands of parents in Scotland and their children – many already missing out on a decent meal at school because of the stigma or the bureaucracy of means-testing.
“Now is the time to accelerate the roll-out of universal free school meals – not to roll back on what were essential promises.”
Don’t get yourself in a pickle! Invented in the USA over 50 years ago by a family who named it after their dog Pickles, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world.
Played on a court very similar to badminton but with a lower net, it is played with a ball and a paddle, and uses racket skills from tennis, squash, badminton and table tennis. The rules and scoring system mean that pickleball is very accessible for the young and not so young, making it a family activity for everyone to enjoy.
Pickleball is available at the new Meadowbank Sports Centre and Gracemount Leisure Centre. Book your place online or via the App under ‘Social Sport Class”
Volunteering
Have time on your hands? Perhaps, you could consider volunteering for Edinburgh Leisure?AtEdinburgh Leisure, their wonderful volunteers play a vital role in supporting people in our Active Communities programme.
They make an enormous difference to people’s lives and, quite simply, many of Edinburgh Leisure’s projects couldn’t exist without them. No matter which role you undertake as a volunteer, training and support will be provided.
Most people are familiar with Aquafit, but Hydrospin takes working out in water to a whole new level. If you’ve tried spinning, then try cycling underwater for an hour to get a whole new perspective on a workout.
Hydrospin is a water-based fitness class combining the dynamism of indoor studio cycling with the benefits of water-based exercise.Available at the Royal Commonwealth Pool only.
Hone your skills in the water with Edinburgh Leisure’s 1-2-1 swim and dive lessons.
Whether you are looking to build confidence in the pool or perfect your technique Edinburgh Leisure’s enthusiastic team will help guide, support and encourage you to achieve your goals – fast. Their lessons are open to all ages and abilities, although the swim 1-2-1 session times are more suitable for adults.
Prices are £22 for a 25-minute session or £44 for 50 minutes. Bookings can be made up to a week in advance (or 8 days in advance if you have a membership card).
And if squash isn’t your bag, then there’s always tennis, badminton, Pickleball or table tennis.
Edinburgh Leisure run a series of Adult social sport classes across their venues. These are regular social and fun classes designed for all ages and abilities:
Badminton – Instructor led adult social classes available at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, Gracemount Leisure Centre, Meadowbank Sports Centre and Wester Hailes High School. More information on these sessions can be found here
Pickleball – Gracemount Leisure Centre and Meadowbank Sports Centre. Book your place in the class online or via the App under ‘Social Sport Class” Take a dip in a Victorian pool
Edinburgh Leisure boasts not one but five Victorian pools!
At Glenogle, Portobello, Dalry, Leith Victoria and Warrender, which over the years have received substantial refurbishment and TLC. To swim in a Victorian pool with the natural light that floods in through their glass roofs is a relaxing experience like no other.
Turkish Baths, steam rooms and saunas
And chill! Looking for something a little less strenuous or to soothe your muscles after a workout? Or just a place to unwind?
Taking some regular time out can improve your mental and physical wellbeing. The gentle moist heat in Edinburgh Leisure’s spa facilities will relax your mind and body which can have a beneficial effect on your sleep and help to alleviate any aches and pains. There are lots of options across Edinburgh!
And for the ultimate in relaxation therapy, look no further than Edinburgh Leisure’s authentic, original Victorian-designed Turkish Baths at Portobello Swim Centre, the last of their kind in Edinburgh.
With 50+ venues across the city, which includes 1 world-class climbing centre;11 superb swimming pools, including 5 Victorian ones; 15 state-of-the-art gyms; 32 tennis courts; 141 sports pitches; and 750+ fitness classes per week, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure is right up your street and has a flexible and affordable membership option to suit most budgets.
Those joining in May will pay no joining fee*. There are also additional member benefits, including priority bookings, free gym induction and discounts on a range of activities. There is no contract and membership can be frozen or cancelled at any time.
For more information and to join Edinburgh Leisure:
HOLYROOD’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee has published its report on Long COVID and post-COVID syndrome, urging the Scottish Government to take action to address the stigma surrounding the condition and improve awareness among the public and healthcare professionals.
The inquiry focussed on the awareness and recognition, therapy and rehabilitation, and study and research linked to Long COVID, with the Committee noting “concern” in their findings over reports of patients being unable to get the correct diagnosis and the lack of treatment for common conditions associated with the condition.
The Committee said it was “deeply saddened” to learn about the stigma faced by those with lived and living experience of Long COVID, and the report highlights the impact that the lack of awareness and recognition of Long COVID can have on those with the condition.
The Committee also recommended the Scottish Government:
Works with the National Strategic Network and health boards to establish a single point of contact for Long COVID patients in every health board and develops standardised guidance.
In partnership with the National Strategic Network, provide a leadership role in reviewing the best practice of Long COVID clinics and evaluate whether they may be an appropriate development in Scotland.
Implement a public health campaign to raise awareness of long COVID and the impact it can have on individuals’ health and wellbeing.
Reviews the current booster vaccination publicity strategy to reduce apathy and encourage uptake.
Supports improving the integration of health boards and the third sector to provide self-management services for Long COVID.
Throughout the four-month inquiry, the Committee took evidence from a broad range of academics, clinicians and those living with Long COVID about the complex nature of the symptoms and the apparent lack of any lessons being learned from other chronic illnesses such as ME/CFS.
The Committee also made calls for more data on the prevalence of Long COVID to be gathered and noted the impact that incorrect coding of the condition can have on the accuracy of data, alongside encouraging improved use of data deployment into clinical practice.
Commenting, Committee Convener, Jim Fairlie MSP said:“The report sets out the urgent need for the Scottish Government to take action to address the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding Long COVID and to improve the diagnosis and treatment for individuals living with this condition.
“Throughout the inquiry we’ve been deeply saddened and concerned to hear of the stigma being faced by those with lived and living experience of Long COVID and the impact this lack of awareness can have on people’s mental health and wellbeing, their educational and employment opportunities and their overall quality of life.
“We’ve now made several recommendations including establishing a single point of contact in health boards, increased leadership by the Scottish Government in assessing the effectiveness of Long-COVID clinics, raising awareness and understanding of the condition and making better use of health data.
“The recommendations made in our report must now be acted on to ensure that the stigma associated with long COVID is addressed, enabling those suffering from the condition to receive the recognition and support they both need and deserve.
“The Committee also wants to, once again, thank all of those who participated in the inquiry and recognise in particular the input from those with experience of the condition, whose evidence helped shape this inquiry from the outset and these recommendations to the Scottish Government.”
Are you interested in learning more about dementia and how to support those who are affected by it? Do you have dementia and have questions about what it all means? A new self-help book, “FAQs on Dementia” written by Tom Russ and Michael Huddleston comes out today!
To celebrate this exciting release, there will be a book launch event at Stockbridge library on Friday 5th May, from 3.30pm-4.30pm. The event will feature the authors, and some friends and colleagues with dementia. Representatives from Alzheimer Scotland, Brain Health Scotland, the NRS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network will be there to share information.
The Golden Hare bookshop will be in attendance to sell the book, so you will have the chance to buy your own copy at the event.
Here’s an extract from the blurb:
Will my partner stop loving me now they have dementia?
Does my mum have to go into a home now?
Is dementia a terminal illness?
All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to understanding the nature, and impact, of dementia. Read at your leisure, or dip in and out when you most need the support or to shine a light on the issues and concerns that are making you uncomfortable or unhappy, and to bring them out of the shadows so you can understand and accept them.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Get On Your Feet
Thursday 27th April is ‘On Your Feet Britain’, a national activity awareness day to promote the benefits of sitting less and moving more.
Decreasing the amount of time we spend sitting can contribute to reducing your risk of developing heart diseases. The key is to make small, sustainable changes to your usual daily routines, making more movement and less sitting easy to achieve.
Here we detail a few ways you can do this:
Walking meetings and phone calls
Lots of us work at desks most days, making movement difficult. Challenge your organisation to allow walking meetings. Especially as the weather warms up it can be a great way to get in some extra steps.
If you don’t have a desk-based job or attend meetings, you could still take every phone call you receive or make outside and walk while chatting.
Set movement reminders
We live in a world full of technologies we can use to our advantage to help improve our health. Your smart phone can be a fantastic tool to encourage you to stand more and take part in movement.
Set up multiple daily alarms throughout your day to remind you to stand up and move. This could look like four alarms spread out throughout the day and when the alarm goes off you pop your trainers on and go for a 10-minute walk.
Look for opportunities for movement
If we spend a bit of energy looking for opportunities to move more, we can usually find them. For example, if you are out shopping, take the stairs rather than the elevator or get off the bus a stop early and walk a little bit further.
If you drive for the daily school drop off, park a little further away and get moving with the kids before school. It doesn’t have to be lots of time spent in one go, just little chunks of time that add up throughout the day.
During Education and Skills portfolio questions yesterday at the Scottish Parliament, Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs asked the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth, about the safety of schools in Scotland.
Mr Briggs said how it is critical that this government and councils acts as quickly as possible to remove asbestos from the Scottish schools estate to ensure that pupils, teachers and staff across Scotland are learning and working in a safe environment.
Across the Lothians 241 schools contain asbestos – 110 in Edinburgh (details below), 31 in East Lothian, 18 in Midlothian and 82 in West Lothian. In the last year, 58 schools had asbestos removed – 20 in Edinburgh, 0 in Midlothian, 38 in West Lothian and East Lothian declined to provide the information.
The Scottish Conservatives have previously criticised the SNP for continuing to pass on “savage” cuts to local authorities, meaning schools don’t have the resources to remove asbestos from school buildings.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills of Scotland, herself a former teacher, was asked “what progress has the Scottish Government made in removing asbestos from schools, what impact assessment has been undertaken to look at where currently asbestos is in the school estate and where this will be removed and what timescale will government develop to make sure this happens”.
In response, Ms. Gilruth acknowledged the importance of the issue and said: “Obviously a number of the schools that we are talking about are historically old buildings, I confess that the last building that I worked in, over in Fife, had asbestos in it.
“It is soon to be replaced by a brand new building thanks to this government. I think that’s hugely important as we move forward in improving the school estate, but we will need to recognise some of the challenge here”.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“The danger of asbestos is common knowledge.
“Despite this we still have over 240 schools in across Lothian which still contain this hazardous material.
“It is vital that pupils, teachers and staff across Scotland are learning and working in a safe environment.
“Continued underfunding of local authorities by SNP Ministers makes it extremely difficult for council to carry out the necessary work in our school estates to remove asbestos.”
The TUC has highlighted the dangers of asbestos today, International Workers Memorial Day. Asbestos is the biggest cause of work-related deaths in Britain.
TUC’s Sally Asquith said: “Schools are some of the most likely buildings to contain asbestos, but also the most obvious site for safe removal.
“Many schools desperately need repair or replacing anyway: the Department for Education has admitted a serious risk of collapse in many school buildings. We know more than 90 per cent of schools contain asbestos, and that the rate of mesothelioma diagnoses among former teachers is rising rapidly, so the need for removal is urgent. In the past six months alone, four schools in England had to close after asbestos was disturbed.
“As well as providing adequate support, and research, for those affected, the only real way to prevent asbestos-related illness in the long term is to remove the substance once and for all.
“Only by removing asbestos from all public buildings can we avoid future risk of exposure and stop the thousands of early – and entirely preventable – deaths from this dreadful, fatal illness.”
#IWMD
Edinburgh
A total of 110 schools contain asbestos:
Nursery/EYC – 21
Primary – 73
High School – 12
Special – 4
We have removed asbestos from 20 schools since 1st April 2022.
Aberlour Children’s Charity is today launching a service which offers vital emotional and befriending support to parents impacted by neonatal experiences.
The new Aberlour Perinatal Befriending Service is for families living in the Lothians whose babies are born at 34 weeks’ gestation or later and have received neonatal care through the NICU at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Following a pilot in the neonatal unit last year, the charity concluded that whilst becoming a new parent can be an exciting and challenging time – parents whose babies have needed specialist neonatal care are at greater risk of increased anxiety and isolation.
It is estimated that parents of babies with a neonatal experience are 40% more likely to develop perinatal mental health difficulties. Parents with neonatal babies born at 34 weeks’ or later were identified as a cohort requiring enhanced support.
Funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund, East Lothian Council, William Grant Foundation and the Charles Gordon Foundation has enabled Aberlour to establish the new Perinatal Befriending Service.
It aims to connect with parents at the earliest opportunity both in hospital, community or home settings, building relationships to support parents and babies throughout pregnancy and in the first year of baby’s life.
Working in parallel with the charity’s NHS partners, the service will offer in person support from a Perinatal Coordinator, a 1:1 match with a Perinatal Befriender and bespoke digital support all of which connects parents, improves emotional wellbeing, reduces isolation and supports positive relationships between parents and babies. It also recognises the significance of sustaining wider family relationships.
Perinatal befrienders are dedicated trained volunteers who are matched to parents and offer emotional listening support and help accessing services and activities in the community.
The launch of the service coincides with the launch of Aberlour’s Perinatal Connections app. As a result of listening to mums and gathering data, a gap was identified in mental health support services outside normal working hours for new and expectant mums.
The app has been developed to offer a safe, facilitated space for new and expectant mothers supported by Aberlour to connect with each other and access information and resources whenever they wish.
Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Assistant Director at Aberlour, said: “We are thrilled to be able to establish the new Perinatal Befriending Service. It’s great to see all the strands come together and provide greater support – Perinatal Coordinator, Perinatal Befrienders and the new app.
“Knowing that we can help families who have received neonatal care, in particular parents of babies born 34 weeks+ who really will benefit from the enhanced support is amazing. Special thanks to the Pilgrim Trust who funded the pilot and to all our other funders who have helped bring the service to fruition.”
Megan, parent of Rosie, said: “The help I got from the service and the relationship with my befriender was unique. When I look back, I’m a totally different person now, when I have rough times, I can get through a day at a time”.
Community support for third year of fund to help more projects
Projects to support mental health and address social isolation and loneliness in adults will share a further £15 million this year.
The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, launched in 2021, has now provided around 3,300 grants to community organisations delivering mental health and wellbeing support, bringing total investment to £51 million.
Activities will target older people, areas of economic deprivation, people with long term health conditions or disability and LGBTI communities. The Fund has also had a particular focus on responding to the cost of living crisis, which remains a priority this year.
Improved mental health and wellbeing support is one of the commitments in the Scottish Government’s Policy Prospectus, which outlines firm actions to be achieved by 2026.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson visited Pause and Breathe, a social enterprise, in High Bonnybridge yesterday (Friday 21 April) where he announced the additional funding.
He said: “This investment reflects the importance we place on promoting good mental health and early intervention for those facing mental health challenges – ensuring that people can access a range of different types of help to match their needs.
“The Fund will continue to support a range of valuable community mental health and wellbeing projects, reflecting one of the priorities set out by the First Minister earlier this week.”
Pause and Breathe was awarded £10,000 from last year’s fund to offer a variety of wellbeing sessions and activities. Work is underway to change a building that has lain unused in High Bonnybridge for 20 years.
Managing Director Susie Hooper said: “This funding will enable us to hold free weekly wellbeing sessions throughout the whole year and means we can support people who wouldn’t otherwise attend due to financial constraints.”
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