Now, as we approach summer with hopefully fewer restrictions, we can start to make plans about how we will spend time with family and friends.
Following the challenging year we have experienced, we could all do with a bit more play in our lives. Play is a hugely important part of childhood and has a whole host of benefits, including improving physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Throughout this pandemic, children have had to deal with so many difficult challenges; some having to stay in unsafe homes and many living with families who are struggling with health worries and financial issues. Children have told Childline that they have struggled to cope and their mental health has suffered as a result.
It doesn’t matter how people choose to play this Childhood Day (11 June), whether it’s organising a sponsored kickabout in the park, a game of cards, a musical get-together or an online gaming tournament, we just want as many as possible playing and raising money to help us keep children safe.
We look forward to hearing how your readers plan to support the NSPCC and children across Scotland this Childhood Day.
To find out more and download a fundraising pack, visit:
At the end of the war in 1945 the population, including the armed forces, were exhausted, many having also lived through the 1930s of unemployment and poor living conditions. The population were determined to change things after six years of war.
The main thing to tackle was the formation if a National Health Service. In 1948 this would tackle the poor state of the nation and provide an example of how the nation could be organised for the people.
Now, more than seventy years on, the foresight of setting up the NHS has been experienced and it is paying off, particularly in the circumstances of the Covid 19 epidemic.
Millions of people have expressed their gratitude for the NHS, for it’s originators and for all the people who work within it.
But now, a danger looms over our NHS. The Conservatives, who voted AGAINST the formation of the NHS, feel they are able to start ‘reorganising’ the service to allow the private sector a controlling role in it.
This infiltration is the first step by the Tories in a plan to kill off the NHS as a service for all.
Despite the recent easing of national COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, many parents of neonatal babies in Scotland continue to face significant challenges in being with their premature or sick baby.
Before the pandemic parents typically had unrestricted access to their baby 24 hours a day, with neonatal units encouraging full participation in care giving. But in the past 12 months, parental access at many units has been restricted, with parents often unable to attend the unit together, and some having limits imposed on the length of time they can be with their baby.
Restrictions vary from unit–to–unit and the picture across Scotland is extremely varied, with some units continuing to facilitate full parental presence and involvement in their baby’s care. Policies have also changed over time, depending on national COVID-19 restrictions and local infection rates.
As part of this year’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, taking place throughout May, Bliss is raising awareness of our new research which shows the devastating impact of these restrictions. Parents whose babies required neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic have told us how they struggled to access mental health support and experienced high levels of isolation.
In a Bliss survey of over 500 UK parents of neonatal babies born in the past 12 months, 92% of parents said they felt isolated and 69% said their mental health has become worse following their neonatal experience.
Parents with a neonatal experience are already at a high risk of experiencing mental health difficulties, and many parents feel they have not been able to get support for their mental health and wellbeing while their baby is in neonatal care.
Parents are the most important people in their baby’s lives and unit access restrictions have had a substantial impact on families. The implications on family bonding and mental health will be felt long into the future.
That’s why Bliss is calling on the NHS to introduce a National Roadmap for a return to usual 24/7 parent access on neonatal units as a matter of urgency, and to work with NHS Trusts in Scotland and beyond to implement it consistently across the country.
Our smallest and sickest babies need their parents at their side to give them the best chance of survival and quality of life.
Would you like to upskill, keep busy or meet new people? Volunteering with The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland offers a range of opportunities and with our shops open once again, we need your help now more than ever.
Whether you can spare a few hours or a couple of days a week, the gift of time is vital to the BHF. Every hour given helps us raise funds to support the 700,000 people in Scotland living with heart and circulatory diseases.
This year marks the BHF’s 60th birthday and as we look forward to National Volunteering Week (1-7 June) we’d love you to join our team.
Volunteers can help on the shop floor, in administration, in our warehouses or as stock collection drivers. For students keen to develop their skills, those wanting experience to get back into work or members of the community hoping to meet new people, we can help you – and you can help the BHF save and improve lives.
I hope parents will encourage their children to take part in Royal Mail’s stamp design competition, to honour the heroes of the pandemic. The competition is open to children, aged 4 to 14. Eight designs will be chosen to become stamps which will be on sale across the UK.
Children may choose to illustrate frontline workers in health or social care.
They may want to celebrate other key workers who have kept the country going, such as refuse collectors, cleaners, teachers, supermarket workers, public transport staff, delivery drivers or, indeed, postmen and postwomen.
Or they might highlight the volunteers who have helped in their local communities or raised money for charity, such as Captain Sir Tom Moore.
The competition is open until Friday 28 May. A special panel of judges will select the winners.
As with all Special Stamps, the final eight designs will be sent to The Queen before they can be printed and issued as stamps. The winners will be announced in the Autumn.
As the Chair of an equality organisation, I have personally witnessed the struggles, concerns and issues within my local communities.
We all know that 2020 was difficult and challenging for many due to Covid and the lockdown. It has been truly remarkable how people have come together during this time and I do not see these as problems but more so as opportunities for us to help one another.
During Covid lockdown it became very apparent that there are many levels of poverty within our BAME communities and this was the reason why the food parcel project was started by Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC).
Since June 2020 ELREC has supported 35 families each week with a substantial food box catering for bigger families. Many lost their jobs due to the pandemic; others could not live on benefits alone and with children at home full time, more support was needed.
Since this work started, we have found out that many BAME communities miss out on many services and support due to language, cultural and literacy barriers. Many of the families supported would never access standard food banks as they do not cater for their needs.
The pandemic also highlighted the disproportionate effect it had on various ethnicities due to many being front line workers, hospital staff, taxi drivers, supermarket staff etc as well as poorer living conditions at home and or crowdedness. Also, BAME communities have different health issues and illnesses which may also have impacted on their resistance to Covid.
ELREC also did some work funded by Foundation Scotland on a small project aimed at providing translated information about Covid and the lockdown in various languages. This was done by phone, online groups, and posters.
The aim of this work was to ensure the disadvantaged groups got this vital information so they can protect themselves and their families as well as follow the rules effectively and not rely on misinformation circulated online and via speakers.
This work shows us we still have a lot to do for many communities to ensure they have fair access to services and information like everyone else.
Other issues come to light have been housing, and the increase in hate incidents and crimes since Covid and the lockdown started. Many BAME families and disadvantaged groups live in poor standards of housing, have bigger families, less space and health concerns as well as poor literacy.
We need to ensure all our citizens have the same access to housing and other services. The lockdown also highlighted the digital poverty amongst BAME communities, not only with lack of devices but the need for training and support getting online.
I have also come to know that hate incidents have increased within local communities, specifically against our Chinese communities. There has also been a rise in racism complaints coming forward from both parents and students in schools.
Other issues I have been told of by communities include a rise in anti-social behaviour in many areas of Edinburgh, an increase in poor mental health amongst BAME people and poor physical health due to the lockdown and isolation.
Different communities face different challenges and pressures and Covid has only highlighted what we already knew but maybe didn’t do enough to investigate further. However we must strive to ensure all our citizens receive the best care, access to services and fair and equal treatment in all aspects of life.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chair, Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council
Summit and Action Plan urgently needed, says resident
Mayhem in the Meadows
Over the course of six months between May and October 1886, 135 years ago, the Edinburgh International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art attracted an incredible 2.7 million visitors to Scotland’s capital.
An astonishing 30,000 people attended on the first day, with 10,000 season tickets sold at one guinea each.
The exhibition’s enormous main pavilion was a sight to behold. It filled the Meadows Parkland between Brougham Place and what is now Jawbone Walk. The domed roof kissed the sky at 120 feet tall and was decorated with the signs of the zodiac.
I was struck as to what our forefathers responsible for creating and attending this would have thought after witnessing the events in the Meadows on Saturday (3rd April).
– and I won’t spend much time on this, but the scenes of violence, anti-social behaviour and urinating/defecating in neighbouring streets and on the Meadows was something those of us living locally should not have to put up with.
We have had enough.
It should also be noted that this is not a one-off. Roseneath Place for example is commonly used effectively as a public toilet known as the “pee street” and the rubbish left after such occasions on the Meadows is appalling. We are sick and tired of having to go out and clean up and am sure council workers have better things to do.
Without urgent action a long summer lies ahead and what is happening is in clear breach of the Covid-restrictions.
I am conscious that this has been a difficult time for young people, especially on their mental health, but behaviour like this cannot and should not be tolerated, especially as we are going through a fragile Covid-recovery.
The Meadows is now “the place” to go for teenagers, with thousands congregating and clearly overwhelming police, who I have considerable sympathy with and are in an incredibly difficult situation. Large groups are in clear breach of the Covid-regulations and it should be noted that these are not just local teenagers, with large numbers arriving in taxis/using public transport.
A combination of deterring groups of teenagers from attending plus cracking down on anti-social behaviour for those who do is vital. I have a few suggestions which may want to be considered/built on.
A Meadows’ summit needs to be implemented very quickly to look at what can be done to try and prevent this happening again through delivering an action plan. Not something in six-months time, but now.
Such a group could involve key representatives from the Council – council officials and councillors – MP; community councils, Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links, retailers and police (am conscious given the election there is no MSP(s)). This can clearly be pulled together very quickly given the wonders of modern technology.
Some thoughts for consideration below:
Licensing – it was clear from the young people queuing outside shops locally that a large number were underage and should not have been able to buy alcohol. The impact of alcohol on behaviour was clear for all to see. A reminder to shop-owners of their responsibilities is a suggestion.
Toilets – a lack of toilets is an issue. We have to acknowledge that even if we manage to deter groups of teenagers attending and breaching Covid-regulations, they are not enough facilities to accommodate. The provision of some portaloos would be an option, preventing people urinating/defecating in local streets.
Bins – unfortunately many are too lazy to take their rubbish to a bin or take it away. The provision of some black bins on the Meadows itself may be an issue and implementation of a BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag Campaign – tied in with some environmental messaging. Although I am conscious of the potential impact of locating bins on the grass. Potential also to use park wardens (as per 4)) to distribute bags.
Park wardens – provision of park wardens handing out bags, implementing fines for those littering. The presence of someone on Roseneath Place on a summer’s day as a deterrent to those using it as a public toilet would be welcomed.
CCTV – has the potential to deter if people know they are being “caught on camera”. For those engaging in anti-social behaviour there is the evidence to convict.
Police – having to deal with this is a massive waste of police resources, which can be deployed elsewhere. Groups of individuals must be deterred from attending, but there does however require to be a police presence to crack down on those who do, with a zero- tolerance message. Early intervention through a strong presence early on has the potential to prevent having to address out of control crowds later on. This includes removing alcohol, breaking up crowds and implementing fines.
Parental responsibility – parents clearly have a responsibility in ascertaining what their children are up to. Could a communication maybe be sent by the Council to parents to explain what has been happening, for them to question where their children are going when out and where they have been, and to also highlight the Covid-restrictions?
Ultimately, addressing issues after they happen is much more resource-intensive than trying to prevent them occurring in the first place.
These are a few suggestions any group may want to look at. The Meadows is a much-loved and appreciated resource, and we must all act to try and keep it that way.
At Cats Protection we have much to be grateful for. This year has challenged us like never before but we have come through with greater focus and a renewed commitment to improving the welfare of cats and supporting better cat ownership.
As we mark the anniversary of the first lockdown measures, we want to learn from our shared successes and experiences and acknowledge what we have achieved together.
One year ago we launched Hands-Free Homing, a pioneering online adoption process that has become the new normal. Prospective owners pick a pet from our website and, after a chat with our adoption team, the cat is delivered to its new home.
This programme has been a triumph, allowing us to successfully match more than 20,000 cats with their forever homes to provide much-needed companionship.
Additionally, the number of cats returned by their new owner has gone down by a third.
We do not underestimate this incredible achievement and the dedication of everyone involved in helping us reach this milestone.
It is just one example of how our team of colleagues, volunteers and supporters have risen to every challenge and proven how we can progress by embracing change. Thanks to their hard work, cats in need continue to receive our support, even in these most trying times.
I would like to thank everyone at Cats Protection who has contributed to our response to extraordinary circumstances and who continues to be part of our outstanding team.
Tuesday, March 23rd, marks the anniversary of the day the UK was officially plunged into lockdown. We have lived through what is probably the most extraordinary year in most people’s lifetimes.
Blind and partially sighted people have had to adjust like everyone else to the daily challenges this has created. Thankfully, there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. But some ongoing measures could continue to be barriers to their independence and confidence.
People with sight loss can sometimes find it difficult to judge space, so we’re asking everyone to maintain their own distance, be patient and be helpful.
Just getting out and about can be more hazardous for those without sight. The Government’s ‘Spaces for People’ initiative has already transformed many of our streets and thoroughfares. We must take care that this doesn’t inadvertently create new obstacles for those with disabilities.
The covid crisis has given all of us a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability, of what it’s like to depend more on others.
So let’s make one positive legacy of this crisis a resolve to make sure we re-emerge as a society in which no one is left at the margins.
James Adams
Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland
As the Chair of Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council, I want to make it very clear that we do not agree with the article in the Edinburgh Evening News which states that the Council found that, “there is no culture of racism in the city schools”.
We get many complaints from parents telling us about incidents in schools all the time and reports of racism has increased since the Black Lives Movement. This is not just the case in schools but many other institutions.
There has been a culture of racism in many schools both public and private for a long time.
We promoted and assisted with some work dealing with racism in schools, however some schools have dealt with it better than others by acknowledging that there is a problem and then making sure something is done about it quickly.
We have always said that no child should be facing or dealing with racism and educational institutions should be protecting our young people and Councils should be doing more to alleviate racism in schools and this starts with the curriculum and with external help.
Racism will not disappear until we all work together, from government level to schools. However, some schools need to acknowledge there is a problem, and seek help. If this truth is not accepted, racism will continue to damage our children. This is totally unacceptable.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chair, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council
