Tag: lockdown

Sue Gray report: Shameless Johnson to carry on regardless

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s response to Sue Gray’s scathing report into multiple parties in Downing Street during lockdown

Earlier today Sue Gray published her final report, which I commissioned to get to the bottom of things and set the record straight, and I’m grateful to her for her work.

She has identified a number of failings, some official, some political, – and some that I accept are entirely my own, for which I take full responsibility.

I want to start by saying that I am humbled by what happened, and I renew my wholehearted apology for the gathering in the Cabinet Room on the 19th June 2020 – my birthday, for which I received a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Now that Sue Gray has completed her inquiry and everyone can read her report, I want in all humility and without mitigating what has happened to offer a few points of context.

10 Downing Street is not just my official residence but the headquarters of the Government, where hundreds of people work, and because they directly support the Prime Minister, the regulations allowed them to continue attending their offices for work purposes throughout the lockdowns.

Sue Gray describes them as “tight knit groups of officials and advisers” who “worked long hours under difficult conditions”.

These were the public servants who secured the PPE that saved many lives, established the biggest testing programme in Europe, and enabled the development and distribution of the vaccines that succeeded in protecting so many people.

When some of these officials and advisers were leaving their jobs, I briefly attended gatherings to thank them for everything they had done because I believe that recognising achievement and preserving morale are essential duties of leadership.

The police did not find my attendance at these occasions to be in breach of the rules, but they found otherwise in respect of some of those gatherings after I had left, or when I was not in the building.

Downing Street and the Cabinet Office together have hundreds of rooms, and again I say this not in any way to extenuate my personal responsibility, but to give the context of these events.

And I was appalled to learn that there have been “multiple examples” in Sue Gray’s phrase of disrespectful and poor treatment of cleaning and security personnel, and this afternoon, I personally apologised to those dedicated members of staff for what happened. and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to do the same.

As Sue Gray acknowledges, I have acted on her recommendations to make a series of changes.

10 Downing Street now has its own Permanent Secretary charged with upholding the highest standards.

I have appointed a new leadership team, including a new Chief of Staff and a new Principal Private Secretary and I have made it easier for any member of staff to voice any worries they may have and Sue Gray writes that she is “reassured” by this reform.

And it is precisely because I have learned this lesson that I feel an even greater weight of responsibility to deliver on the priorities of the British people, and lead our country through some of the most challenging times in recent history.

I will work every hour to ease the hardship caused by the rising cost of living, To protect our nation from the aftershocks of Covid, stand firm against Putin’s aggression, and to unite and level up across our United Kingdom, that is the mission that drives this government and that is the mission that I will continue to pursue.

THE SUE GRAY REPORT IN FULL:

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Wright Violins hit all the right notes

A business that specialises in matching players to the right musical instrument has increased sales by 400% after receiving support from DigitalBoost, Scotland’s national digital upskilling programme, delivered by Business Gateway.

Founded by Tim and Helen Wright, former professional musicians, in December 2015, Tim Wright Fine Violins is an independent violin dealership based in Edinburgh, selling violins, violas, cellos and their bows.

Helen approached Business Gateway for advice during the pandemic when she and Tim decided to adapt the business. Lockdown had presented challenges for customers who were unable to trial their instruments in person, a fundamental process when it came to purchasing their products.

Working closely with Business Gateway, Helen conducted a strategic review of the business and accessed specialist digital support through DigitalBoost. This helped her to develop their website into an online shop, enabling clients to ‘get to know’ the instruments before playing them for a trial period.

The business also accessed regular 1:1 support from a dedicated business adviser, as part of Business Gateway’s Growth Service, as well as advice on marketing practises.

This has resulted in significant growth for the business, and business enquiries have increased by 700%. They have also expanded their overall market reach to new clients across Scotland, beyond the Edinburgh market, with customers coming from the USA, Japan, Africa, and across Europe.

Tim Wright, Founder, Tim Wright Fine Violins said: “We were already thinking about ways to grow the business. When the pandemic hit, this became more important, so we approached Business Gateway for advice as about how we could find ways to raise the profile of our service and share our expertise and knowledge of our products virtually.

“Thanks to the support from our DigitalBoost consultant, our website has grown into a digital shop-front, which has not only seen us through the pandemic but also allowed us to grow and reach the global marketplace for fine string instruments.

“Working with Business Gateway has helped us to develop processes for making action plans and sticking to them. Our business was based around our love of violins as opposed to any more formal business planning, we needed support to learn how to make decisions for business growth. We had reached a point where success felt intimidating, we now feel as though we have a secure, manageable plan for our growth.”

Al Bryce, adviser, Business Gateway said: “Tim and Helen have a unique business and, with the support of Business Gateway specialists, they adapted their services to work for an online platform. In doing so, they reached a much wider market, achieving significant growth and success throughout the pandemic and beyond.

“Tim Wright Violins is a fantastic example the success that can be achieved by adapting your service and getting your business online. We would encourage all businesses to make use of the free DigitalBoost service if there are areas where support is needed.”  

People in Edinburgh set to be more spontaneous!

Capital’s citizens plan to make up for lost time

Almost three quarters (72 per cent) of people in Edinburgh promise to be more spontaneous now that restrictions have eased, as they say they’re more likely to live life in the moment, and over two thirds (68 per cent) want to make lots of plans while they can.

New research by Fort Kinnaird reveals that people in Edinburgh are planning to make the most of the rest of the summer, having missed out on what is estimated to be almost a month of non-stop quality time with family and friends since the pandemic began last year.

While many admit they took the simple things for granted before lockdown, such as the freedom to go out when they wanted (44 per cent) and spending time with friends (34 per cent), people in Edinburgh are ready to start enjoying some of their favourite things again.

Over half (51 per cent) put spending time with friends at the top of the list of things they’re going to enjoy the most now that restrictions have eased and over a third (39 per cent) said enjoying more days out.

Meanwhile, for over a third (35 per cent) going to the beach or on a staycation is high on the list of priorities, along with going to the pub (28%), eating indoors with friends (24%), going on a shopping spree (19%) and going to the cinema (17%).

Surprisingly, throwing a party (12 per cent) and seeing an unlimited group of people (16 per cent) are lower on the priority list even after restrictions have eased, suggesting people are looking to spend more quality time with those closest to them.

The research also revealed what those in Edinburgh missed the most when non-essential shops and indoor dining were closed. The top three things most missed about shopping in real life were picking up what you need when you need it rather than waiting for an online order to arrive (34 per cent), the joy of window shopping (28 per cent) and having a big shopping day out with friends (27 per cent).

Meanwhile, when it came to indoor dining, having an evening meal out with friends and family (43 per cent), eating food that has been cooked by a professional (33 per cent) and having someone serve your meal to your table (26 per cent) were the things respondents missed the most.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Our research shows that people are gearing up to make up for lost time with loved ones. 

“We’ve seen lots of families and groups of friends visiting the centre to enjoy a day or evening out since restrictions started to ease and we’re looking forward to welcoming more visitors.” 

Fort Kinnaird continues to have extra measures in place to help visitors feel safe. It remains mandatory for visitors to wear a face covering in all indoor settings if they can, and hand sanitising stations remain throughout the centre along with enhanced cleaning regimes.

‘Dropped into a Cave’: Save the Children report on life for low-income families during lockdown

Save The Children Scotland has launched “Dropped into a Cave”, a report telling the stories of how families with young children living on low income or experiencing low income for the first time fared in the last year:

‘We listened to parents across Scotland who had received one of the over 1500 Emergency Early Years Grants we issued since April 2020. We heard how the pandemic was a tipping point for many.

‘Now is the time for the newly elected members of the @ScotParl to ensure families on low incomes are prioritised, listened to and involved in decision making as we recover from the pandemic

‘We need commitments now to:

  • ensure holistic family support for all families, incl. financial, practical & emotional support
  • protect family incomes while working towards a minimum income standard
  • opportunities for children to play & build relationships.
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Glam squad help care residents prep for post-lockdown debut

DEDICATED care staff turned glam squad during the pandemic celebrate the reopening of inhouse beauty salon as residents get ready for their post-lockdown outings.

The salon at Cramond Residence in Edinburgh has been closed for the duration of lockdown with care staff stepping in to give residents their regular cut and blow dry.

Now reinstated, residents have begun enjoying complimentary treatments including a full complement of hairdressing and manicures.

Built in 2018, the salon was part of the home’s original design and features alongside a host of unique aspects such as a wellness and physiotherapy suite, games room and cinema room.

Lisa Sohn, Head Lifestyle Co-Ordinator at Cramond Residence, said: “The salon has been out of operation since the start of the pandemic, so you can imagine the excitement of residents when we were able to reopen.

“Care staff at the home pulled together throughout lockdown to give residents manicures and trims.

“It’s great to see residents back in the salon getting the VIP treatment and are very much enjoying the post-lockdown glow up.”

Alongside the hair and beauty treatments on offer, residents also benefit from regular holistic therapy sessions including Reiki, Reflexology and hand massages. 

As well as a monthly programme of activities which are resident-led and aim to make life as fun and fulfilling as possible.

For the duration of lockdown, residents were confined to the nine individual houses within the home, with Activities Coordinators using technology to keep residents connected. With restrictions lifted, the home is now fully connected again, with residents enjoying a variety of activities together.

Cramond Residence provides a combination of luxury accommodation and the highest quality of care for up to 74 residents, all enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from our highly-trained team.

As well as the beautiful gardens, it also offers a library, a hair salon, a private, fine-dining space, a physiotherapy room and a cinema, which doubles as a large, multi-purpose space for a host of social events.

Places in the care home start from £1850 a week. To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Telltale signs of indoor crime in time of lockdown

by DCI Graham Grant

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, a significant portion of incidents Edinburgh CID dealt with occurred outdoors and in public spaces.

Typically, these would be reports of serious assault and other violent crime, robbery and sexual offences, often late into the evening. As you can imagine, alcohol and substance abuse often plays a pivotal role in many of these offences.

However, with licensed premises closed for large portions of the past year, and people advised to stay within their homes, there have been significantly lower numbers of such crimes taking place in the public sphere.

That is not to say that crimes of violence and sexual assault have stopped, it means however many may now be taking place behind closed doors and away from the gaze of others.

Our work becomes all the more important in these instances to protect vulnerable people from harm and bring offenders to justice and I would therefore appeal to all members of our communities to contact police immediately if you have concerns relating to potential criminal activity taking place within the home setting.

Alternatively make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 as there’s a key role our community can play here.Since lockdown restrictions began easing, we have already, sadly seen a return to some of the typical crimes that take place outdoors, particularly during warm weather.

My officers continue to investigate these incidents, which included various people being assaulted. This takes significant level of resourcing and staffing hours and the unacceptable behaviour of a small minority of troublemakers will not be tolerated. I would like to thank the public for the positive response regarding this incident to date.

The summer months also tend to see a rise in bogus workmen offences and in the past week we’ve had reports of men aged between 25 and 40, with Middlesbrough accents, calling at doors attempting to sell goods.

Our advice is to exercise caution where you have concern, refuse whatever goods or services individuals like this are offering, do not allow them entry to your home and ask them to leave before calling police and providing all relevant details of the suspects, including what kind of vehicle they were travelling in.

Check our website for tips and advice on doorstep crime – http://scotland.police.uk/…/doorstep-crime-and-bogus…/

Proactive disruption activity is a vital tactic we utilise to hamper the operations of crime groups and we regularly undertake enforcement activity aimed at seizing drugs, weapons and other illicit items.

Our efforts can only be successful, however, if we have the support of our communities and so if you have information about ongoing criminality in your area then please get in touch.

I want to finish off by raising awareness of an offence that is becoming more prevalent, not only in Edinburgh, but across the UK.

I am referring to county lines and cuckooing, where criminals from outside this region set up shop in order to commit illegal activities, particularly the sale of drugs in our communities.

On occasions, vulnerable people often living alone will be targeted through threats and intimidation and their properties will be used as a base of operation for criminals, which can often be pretty overt and noticeable to neighbours.

If you have any concerns at all that a person or group of people are committing crimes in your community, possibly within the home of a vulnerable person, then please report the matter to police immediately.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham Grant, Edinburgh CID.

Capital of Culture … despite Covid

It has been a year like no other. A year when all our services within the Council like everything else had to adapt quickly and decisively. And for many, it completely changed the way they lived and worked (writes Culture and Communities Convener CLLR DONALD WILSON).

You could pick any area of service but I want to highlight the work of our Museum & Galleries service and how the team went virtual, creating online versions of exhibitions, digital lectures, podcasts and coming up with educational programmes that parents and teachers could use at home.

Before Covid-19 our Museums and Galleries had begun to integrate digital platforms, but we’ve seen this evolution accelerated by the pandemic. It’s been a challenging process but our curators and staff have really risen to that challenge.

Of course, we weren’t completely digital for the year and were able to reopen the City Art Centre from mid- September to just before Christmas, and in that time 4 new exhibitions were installed and proved popular with visitors.

Our museums team have engaged really well with schools, with officers running live, weekly art sessions with primary schools to support at home learning. These art sessions are inspired by paintings from the City Art Centre as well as our Edinburgh museum collections such as the Museum of Childhood and encourage children to discuss artworks and objects and to get creative by taking part at home.

The service also delivered an impressive 74 events digitally that would have been run in one of our venues. A series of digital lectures covering topics from Addressing the Legacy of Slavery and Ghosts of Edinburgh Women Who Chose to Challenge for International Women’s Day were watched by over 6000 people. 

They were also able to do digital versions of diverse events such as visually impaired tours, BSL signed tours as well as dance, music and choir streams bringing people together from home.

There are also now three City Art Centre digital exhibitions; The City Art Centre is 40 featuring highlights form the collection; Front of House Staff where members of the team selected their favourites form the collection and Edinburgh: Our City featuring paintings of the Capital.

Our online services have been embraced and this is very encouraging as we plan for our service post-pandemic.

When lockdown is lifted and we have access to the ‘real’ and no longer have to make do with the ‘virtual’, I think there is opportunity for a balance between the two. We certainly can’t wait to welcome visitors back but we’ve seen that our digital space can be special in it’s own right and can reach even wider audiences.

Last month it was announced that Museum & Galleries Edinburgh will receive a total of £55,125 from Museums Galleries Scotland’s COVID-19 Development Fund to help create the service’s first Digital Engagement Strategy – supporting and building on the work done during the pandemic to keep connected with local communities and virtual visitors from across the world.

During lockdown, our digital channels have been the primary way we’ve been able to engage with our audiences. Although forced into this situation by the pandemic, we have seen the many benefits and long-term opportunities for this work and are excited to explore what we can do going forward. This has been down to the hard work and dedication of our wonderful Museums and Galleries staff , of whom we are very proud. 

This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News

Portobello man wins UK lockdown photography competition

  • The winners of a UK-wide amateur photography competition have been announced.  
  • The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by walking charity Living Streets to encourage people to keep walking locally during the recent lockdown.
  • Kim Kjaerside (Edinburgh) and Becki Cox (Glasgow) won for their photos for purple and pink week respectively.  

The winners of a national amateur photography competition have been announced. The #WalkingFromHome photography competition was organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.

Entrants to the competition were asked to share photos of their daily walks during lockdown on social media. The competition ran for seven weeks during February and March, and each week had a different colour for inspiration.

Kim Kjaerside from Edinburgh won for his image taken on a family walk for purple week, whilst Becki Cox from Glasgow won for her street art picture taken in Glasgow. The rest of the winners hailed from Liverpool, London and Portsmouth.

Living Streets helped people stay active during lockdown by providing free walking resources and activities for all ages, along with advice on how to walk whilst following COVID-19 restrictions.

The charity launched the competition to help people keep their local walks interesting by taking the time to stop, look and connect with their surroundings.

Kim Kjaerside, Edinburgh (Purple week winner) said: “Myself, my wife and our two young kids live by Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside. Here we are fortunate enough to have a local burn, fields and the beach to visit.

“During the last year we have got to know our local area so much better and been on many small adventures with the kids, exploring and learning about the local wildlife.

“My photograph of the crocuses was taken during one of many walks in our local National Trust for Scotland’s garden and forest. It’s one of our daughter’s favourite wildflowers and the setting seemed appropriate to showcase their beautiful purple colours.”

Becki Cox, Glasgow (Pink week winner said): “The graffiti in the picture I submitted says ‘cultivate radical softness’.

“As people walking, we are required to both look down at our feet but also up and out at the world around us. Walking connects us and enables those little moments of everyday humanity!”

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Staying local has meant we have discovered new places, met new people and explored our local area as never before. These winning photographs are a celebration of the rich visual landscape which is right on our doorstep.

“As lockdown eases and we travel further afield, we hope these photographs act as a reminder of the quiet, everyday joy that a short walk can bring.”


May is Living Streets’ National Walking Month and the charity wants people to keep up their new walking habit and make a pledge to ‘Walk this May’.

Living Streets has launched an online pledge, asking people to swap a number of short car journeys to walking during May.

After completing the pledge, people will be shown the cash savings they have made from reduced fuel costs, the carbon dioxide reduction of fewer car journeys and the health benefits they’ve made from walking.

Find out more at livingstreets.org.uk/WalkThisMay

NHS 24 reflects on busiest year yet

Almost one year from the announcement of lockdown in March 2020, NHS 24 are taking time to acknowledge the work of their colleagues during what has been their busiest period to date.

Across 2020, the 111 service received 1,699,796 calls, seeing a huge increase in volumes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Steph Phillips, Director of Service Delivery, said: “This year has been tough for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all, NHS staff included. From early 2020 we saw an increase in our call volumes and on our busiest day (Saturday 14th March) we received 13,849 calls in one day.

“Each call to the service represents a patient who needs support or advice, and our amazing staff have continued to work hard throughout this difficult period to provide this support for the people of Scotland. We also hit another remarkable milestone in December, as 111 received its 25 millionth call since the service launched in 2001!

“We’ve also seen a huge increase in the use of our digital service, NHS inform, which has hosted information about COVID-19, testing and vaccination throughout the past year. 

‘Vaccination for COVID-19 is well underway which is great news for everyone, however we still advise caution and to follow government guidance in your area.

“All up to date information is available on our NHS Inform page- www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus.

“This has everything you need to know on symptoms, booking a test, what to do if symptoms worsen, and information on the vaccine.”

You can call NHS 24 via 111 for help with symptoms when your GP is unavailable.

You can  also find the information you need to manage your symptoms via www.nhsinform.scot, Scotland’s trusted health information site

Scottish Parliament to commend the contribution of Churches after report identifies over 200,000 acts of support during lockdown

The Scottish Parliament will today commend the work of churches throughout the pandemic in a debate on the Stories of Hope report, published in December 2020 by the Evangelical Alliance and Serve Scotland.

The report calculated that churches across Scotland had delivered 212,214 acts of support during the first lockdown and that these acts were delivered by 3,212 volunteers and impacted 55,671 beneficiaries.

The motion, which has been submitted by Jeremy Balfour and will be held at the Scottish Parliament on the first anniversary of the UK COVID-19 lockdown, acknowledges that: “churches in 180 locations across Scotland worked in partnership with key stakeholders, including supermarkets, community councils, NHS boards, food banks, voluntary support groups and charities, to deliver services to support vulnerable groups, including older, homeless and young people; recognises the important role that it considers churches and charities play in communities across Scotland, including in the Lothian region, and praises all those involved in delivering these services during the pandemic.”

The report found churches across Scotland had developed support networks and established projects to support the most vulnerable and isolated in their communities.

Projects were active across the country from the Highlands to the Borders, across the breadth of denominations and in partnership with a number of charities including CAP Scotland, the Bethany Trust, and Glasgow City Mission.

Kieran Turner, Public Policy Officer for the Evangelical Alliance in Scotland said: “Often the work of churches in the community goes under-reported and as a result government and parliament are not aware of the role of the church in wider society.

“We are grateful to Jeremy and to all the MSPs who are supporting the debate for the opportunity to show how the church spreads hope and the impact that has been made at a national level during the pandemic.”

The report also highlighted the importance of churches partnering with local businesses and other agencies as more than two-thirds of the projects identified were delivered in partnership to provide support to those in need.

Supermarkets, community councils, businesses, NHS boards, housing associations, voluntary support groups, and food banks have all worked with churches on the ground in these projects. In addition, 11 local authorities were identified, sometimes by multiple projects, as providing emergency funding for weekly support costs.

Keiran Turner continued: “Having the Scottish Parliament debate the report and commend these churches will raise awareness and challenge perceptions of what the church is and what the church does in Scotland.

“The church is a force for good in Scotland and operates at a scale  of national significance meaning it must be a core part of the government’s rebuilding plans post pandemic.”

The parliamentary debate has been welcomed across the political spectrum and is being supported by Michelle Ballantyne, Miles Briggs, Donald Cameron, Peter Chapman, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Maurice Corry, Murdo Fraser, Kenneth Gibson, Rhoda Grant, Jamie Greene, James Kelly, Liam Kerr, Bill Kidd, Gordon Lindhurst, John Mason, Stuart McMillan, Pauline McNeill, Margaret Mitchell, Anas Sarwar, Elaine Smith, Stewart Stevenson, David Stewart, Alexander Stewart, Annie Wells and Brian Whittle.

To find out more and download the full report go to:

https://www.eauk.org/resources/what-we-offer/reports/stories-of-hope