Tag: NEN

Sainsbury’s Update

I’m writing to you today to update you on the range of ways we are helping to get food and essential items to those who need them most (writes Sainsburys Chief Executive MIKE COUPE).

We continue to prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers for online delivery and have offered over 725,000 elderly and vulnerable people access to slots so far. We identified 450,000 of these customers based on our own data and from customers registering with us.

We have also been able to match over 275,000 additional customers in England, Scotland and Wales based on government data and we are contacting these customers to arrange priority home delivery.

We will be in touch with more customers based on the database we receive from Northern Ireland as soon as we can. For vulnerable customers who have been offered a slot and are unable to place their order online, we offer a telephone ordering service and we now have five times the number of colleagues on hand to help with this.

As we do our best to keep our colleagues and our customers safe, we have had to temporarily change some of our processes.

To help our colleagues socially distance, we are no longer asking them to accept unwanted substitutions or to process refunds on your doorstep. If you do not want the substitutions, then you need to call us to let us know and we will process the refund for you.

This is only temporary and we are working on a digital process to make this quicker and smoother. I apologise for the inconvenience in the meantime and I’ll write again to let you know when the new process is up and running.

As I’m sure you can appreciate, our online home delivery and click & collect services are in more demand than ever before.

We are increasing our capacity as much and as quickly as we can and by the end of the month we aim to offer 600,000 online slots per week. We are doing our best to add more slots and will keep going with this but it’s important that I highlight that there is far more demand for these slots at the moment than we can ever satisfy. I have therefore included below a full list of other ways to access food and other essential items.

We are doing our best to reduce queuing times both inside and outside our stores.

To help with this, we have been extending our opening hours. By Monday the vast majority of our supermarkets will be open from 08.00-22.00. We are installing perspex safety screens in our petrol filling station stores and these will start to re-open from next week.

We are also extending opening hours in many Convenience stores to 10pm or 11pm. You can check the latest opening hours in your area before shopping here.

To help with queuing inside stores, we are installing additional protective screens between manned checkouts.

These screens will help keep our colleagues and customers safe and will mean we can open far more manned checkouts in the stores that have them. We are installing them in over 150 stores over the next week or two and I will keep you updated on this and other steps we are taking to help make your shopping trip quicker and easier.

For elderly and vulnerable customers, we offer dedicated shopping hours between 08.00 and 09.00 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And NHS and social care workers can shop in our supermarkets from 07.30 to 08.00 Monday to Saturday before they open.

We have also extended our partnership with WHSmith to provide easy access to food for NHS workers in 80 hospitals across the UK at a discounted rate.

We know that many of you are already shopping for friends, family and neighbours and we are very grateful to you for providing this community service. I mentioned in my last letter that we were launching a Volunteer Shopping Card to make it easier for people to shop for others and I am pleased to let you know that these are now available online.

For customers who are struggling to leave the house to get to the shops, we have also expanded our on-demand delivery service ChopChop to London zones 1 and 2. The service allows you to choose up to 20 of 400 grocery and essential items for home delivery within an hour. We’re looking at how we can bring this service to more people in more places across the country and I will keep you updated on progress.

Many of you have also written to ask me what additional steps we are taking to support the most vulnerable in our communities.

In addition to donating £3 million in cash to Fareshare to help to distribute food to food banks and other vulnerable communities across the UK, we are also supporting the government’s free school meal vouchers scheme, ensuring that children who qualify for free school meals can continue to access free meals while schools are closed.

Many of you are also helping us to make a real difference to communities across the UK by buying a copy of The Big Issue in stores and online. We are also supporting Comic Relief and the BBC on The Big Night In, which is raising money for people impacted by COVID-19. I hope lots of you will be able to join me in tuning in this Thursday at 7pm and donating in a range of ways if you can.

I know that most of you really appreciate the essential role that our colleagues are playing at the moment to keep the nation fed.

Our colleagues are working in really challenging circumstances, constantly trying to balance the need to serve our customers well, to keep shelves stocked and to help people get in and out of shops as quickly as possible.

We are also asking them to help us keep you safe. Unfortunately this means they will ask you to queue outside shops when they are busy. Please help us to make our colleagues’ jobs easier by showing them kindness and respect at all times.

Best wishes

Mike

Edinburgh Printmakers wins RICS Project of the Year

RICS (Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors) has announced the winners of the inaugural RICS Social Impact Awards for Scotland – and Edinburgh Printmakers has won the esteemed title of Project of the Year.

35 construction projects, who’s entries celebrate the role of property professionals in transforming Scottish communities and the everyday lives of people, were shortlisted back in February.

Eight projects have now been successful as category winners, with Edinburgh Printmakers selected by judges as Project of the Year.

The awards – which are supporting The Prince’s Trust campaign to get more young people into construction – were launched earlier this year to find the best examples of developments delivering economic, social or environmental improvements for their communities; therefore, recognising the real estate industry’s vital role in society.

All of the Scottish winners were announced in a digital awards ceremony revealed by RICS this afternoon. They are:

  • PROJECT OF THE YEAR: EDINBURGH PRINTMAKERS
  • Commercial: TECA – creating a world-class events and leisure complex
  • Education: University of Glasgow Campus Development
  • Healthcare: Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice
  • Heritage: Edinburgh Printmakers
  • Infrastructure: Glenrothes Energy Network
  • Leisure: The Fraser Centre
  • Residential: North Sighthill Regeneration
  • Student Accommodation: Baird’s Close Two

The new home of Edinburgh Printmakers is located within what was once the HQ of the North British Rubber Company (NBRC) in Fountainbridge. The NBRC building is the only surviving structure from the once large and important nineteenth century Castle Mills industrial complex.

The project involved the redevelopment of this derelict building into a multi-use arts complex centred around printmaking production. The approach of the project team involved “making precise contemporary interventions to facilitate the new use while respecting the character and story of the existing building”.

RICS Social Impact Awards Head Judge for Scotland, Colin Smith (Turley Head of Planning, Scotland), commented: “The Edinburgh Printmakers project has saved and creatively adapted one of the last vestiges of the industrial and social history of Fountainbridge, the former headquarters of the North British Rubber Factory.

“The project has ingeniously inserted a range of public facing new uses into the building, respecting its fabric, character and heritage, and done so in a way that provides access for all throughout and which opens the building out to engage with its emerging surroundings. It is a multi-faceted gem.”

He continued: “The built environment is an integral part of the Scottish economy but also makes a positive impact on our everyday lives. In these challenging times, it is warming to reflect on these winning projects, and how they are not only a demonstration of the breadth of talent within the profession, but showcase how buildings can make towns and cities across the country more inclusive and deliver communities which people can be proud of.”

The Citizen Network: A Revitalised City is Possible

There is no better time for the citizens of Edinburgh to pitch in and contribute to a Manifesto for the City Creating Our Manifesto for the City ⋆ The Citizen Network

Calls for no return to unequal and unjust normalcy following Covid-19 have come from many quarters, some of them quite unexpected, and there’s no doubt that many of the persistent problems of city life will be reassessed by those who govern us, whether that be Westminster, Holyrood or Edinburgh City Chambers.

But let’s not fool ourselves, what’s promised by politicians now may never transpire. Real change will not happen without direct action by citizens; for Edinburgh, Citizen’s Manifesto is the first step.

 

The need for citizens to hold politicians to account is already evident from reports of ‘stakeholder’ discussions pertaining to post-pandemic Edinburgh.

Consider first what Council leader Adam McVey had to say about the city’s Summer festivals: “By working together we can make sure that when our festivals return, they do so with even more of a focus on our people, place and environment.” So far so good but one is tempted to question the ‘even more’ – there has been scant attention to people place and environment in festival planning in recent years.

[“Edinburgh festivals face calls for overhaul before they return in 2021”]

In the same Scotsman article note that the city’s residents are absent when our cherished heritage is flagged up as needing not just preservation but enhancement by the festivals. Clearly, this pipe-dream does not extend to those who live in this ‘remarkable backdrop’.

But it’s the reaction of Essential Edinburgh that confirms that not all stakeholders are thinking about anything other than business as usual post Covid-19.

Roddy Smith, the Chief Executive, says “We need to reactivate the city, promote it strongly and widely and seek over the next couple of years to return to our numbers pre the virus.”

The same message can be deduced from the report from the meeting last week of the new tourism ‘oversight group’ for Edinburgh.

The group includes Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), Edinburgh Airport, Festivals Edinburgh, Visit Scotland, Essential Edinburgh and the Chamber of Commerce – again not one resident has a seat at the table. Adam McVey reported that the group had reaffirmed the aims of Edinburgh’s new Tourism Strategy which was agreed pre-pandemic.

How can this be? Have we learned nothing these last few weeks?

So, the coronavirus will not miraculously change our world for the better. The citizens will have to insist on it, and the Manifesto for the City is an excellent starting place.

Let’s face it, change is difficult – most of us are stuck with at least one foot in the past and are in some way resigned to the way things are. To paraphrase a French philosopher, we are all ‘half accomplices’, demanding radical change while at the same time clinging to what we have become accustomed to.

But the city will change whether we like it or not, and citizens need to rise to the challenge and drive that change – now is the time to articulate our values and our aspirations; now is the time to really get beyond ourselves.

SEAN BRADLEY

Image credit: Astrid Jaekel

Health Secretary announces virus testing boost in England

All essential workers in England and members of their households who are showing symptoms of coronavirus will now be able to get tested.

  • The biggest widening of access to coronavirus testing made possible due to substantially increased testing capacity
  • Essential workers with coronavirus symptoms can get tested, helping them return to work if test is negative
  • Broad range of testing methods being rolled-out to increase accessibility, including home testing kits, mobile testing sites and satellite testing kits
  • New campaign to provide clear information for essential workers on how to get a test

All essential workers in England, and members of their households who are showing symptoms of coronavirus will now be able to get tested, the UK government has announced.

This will mean individuals and people they live with will have the reassurance of knowing whether their symptoms are caused by coronavirus and can decide whether they are well enough to return to work.

A new campaign will help essential workers in England – including NHS and care staff, teachers, hospital cleaners, public servants, the emergency services, supermarket staff, delivery drivers, and other critical infrastructure staff – to access testing.

Booking the test has been made simpler via a new online system. From today, employers can register and refer self-isolating staff, and from tomorrow employees will be able to book a test directly for themselves or members of their household who are experiencing symptoms – a high temperature or new continuous cough.

This will speed up the process of getting an appointment and take the burden off employers, helping reach everyone who has symptoms at the earliest opportunity.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said yesterday: “We have already prioritised testing for patients and health and social care workers and other key workers today I can go further.

“We are making it easier, faster and simpler for any essential worker in England who needs a test to get a test. From today, employers of essential workers will be able to go on GOV.UK to get a test for any of their staff who need a test. And from tomorrow, any essential workers who need a test will be able to book an appointment on GOV.UK themselves directly.

“This all applies for people in essential workers’ households who need a test too. It’s all part of getting Britain back on her feet.”

Essential workers using the new portal can enter their details and will then receive a text or email the same day inviting them to either book an appointment at one of more than 30 drive-through testing sites across the country, or receive a home testing kit.

Test results from the drive-through sites will be sent out by text within 48 hours, and within 72 hours of collection of the home delivery tests.

The aim is that most people should not have to drive for more than 45 minutes to get to a regional testing site. However, additional testing methods are being rolled-out to support testing accessibility:

  • A network of new mobile testing units is being rapidly established. These will travel the country to reach care homes, police stations, prisons and other sites where there is demand for testing. The units have been designed to clinical requirements by army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes.
  • The new mobile units will work alongside the drive-through test sites, together sending thousands of patient samples to the network of Lighthouse Labs, to rapidly increase the number of tests completed each day.
  • A delivery service for home testing kits has been designed with key industry partners, including Royal Mail and Amazon. The home delivery service will come on line from tomorrow. The availability of home testing kits will initially be limited, but more will become available soon. This will ensure those not able to travel to a test centre can still take the test, find out their results and return to work if possible.
  • Working with Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the government is sending packages of ‘satellite’ test kits directly to care homes across England, to enable testing of symptomatic residents.

Since the beginning of April, the government has significantly increased the UK’s coronavirus testing capacity and is on track to provide 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month.

The 3 new Lighthouse Labs in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Alderley Park in Cheshire are increasing the country’s capacity to test for coronavirus, with each site scaling up to test tens of thousands of patient samples each day.

Each individual site took just 3 weeks to complete and begin testing, staffed by an army of highly qualified staff and volunteers from industry and academia across the country.

Under the UK government’s five-pillar strategy, swab testing has been offered to different groups in a phased approach, prioritising NHS workers, but the ultimate aim is that anyone who needs a test will be able to have one.

Testing helps the government and scientists understand the current spread of the virus and plan how to manage the pandemic moving forwards.

Anyone who thinks they are eligible and has symptoms and would like to be tested should speak to their employer or use the self-referral website to request a test.

The response to coronavirus is a national effort. The government is working collaboratively across the four nations to ensure the take up of testing among essential workers. Each of the devolved administrations will have their own eligibility criteria and testing priorities, however the government is working closely to align approaches.

Charity tackles ‘lockdown’ isolation facing autistic people

National Autistic Society Scotland is working to tackle the social isolation faced by autistic people across the country by launching a programme of online Social Groups. 

The disruption of daily life and routine resulting from the pandemic and the ‘lock down’ has been very challenging for autistic people and their families many of whom are struggling with mental health and intense anxiety. 

Research from the charity has also shown that two thirds of autistic people in Scotland feel socially isolated and this was before social distancing was introduced in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Social distancing has meant the charity has had to cease face-to-face Social Groups and ‘coffee clubs’ for 200 autistic people, a lifeline for many which allow for people to meet up, develop communication skills and confidence, make friends and live more independently. 

The charity is now launching its Social Groups programme online providing opportunities for autistic people to connect and chat about whatever they wish to – from film & TV, to cooking and other hobbies.

They also provide a safe and supported space where people can share their thoughts and gain confidence from each other as well as hearing from staff who can share information on staying safe and healthy. 

Nick Ward, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland said: “Our Social Groups are a lifeline for autistic people across Scotland and we’ve worked hard to get these up and running online so we can play a role supporting people through this difficult time by giving them an online space to come together and socialise. 

“This is an extremely challenging time for the charity but we want to expand the reach of our social groups programme to as many autistic people across Scotland so no one has to feel alone. We are busy applying for emergency funding to do this.”

 Rory McGill is 25, from Cumbernauld and has been attending one of National Autistic Society’s Social Groups for 2 years. Rory says: “In the past I’ve struggled to talk to people and found it difficult to make friends.

“Going to the NAS social group has really helped build my confidence and has meant I’ve made some good friends. We do interesting stuff like go-karting and laser quest which we obviously can’t do right now which is frustrating. 

“The pandemic has been quite emotional for me and it can make me quite anxious so I’m really looking forward to social groups starting up online so I can chat to others, I think it will really help.”

Government launches plan to tackle loneliness during coronavirus lockdown

The UK Government has launched a major effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation during the coronavirus outbreak and period of social distancing.

  • New public campaign launched by Culture Secretary to get people talking openly about loneliness
  • Oliver Dowden announces loneliness to be a priority category of £750 million charity funding package
  • Guaranteed £5 million boost for national loneliness organisations leading the charge
  • Government publishes guidance on supporting yourself and others safely
  • Loneliness charities including Age UK will be supported to work with NHS Volunteer Responders in their communities
  • Network of high-profile charities, businesses and public figures to join ‘Tackling Loneliness Network’ formed by Government to help connect groups at risk of isolation

Led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, the plan will aim to ensure that, for people of all ages and backgrounds, staying at home does not need to lead to loneliness.

The latest #Let’sTalkLoneliness public campaign has been rolled out to get people talking openly about loneliness, which includes new public guidance offering useful tips and advice on what to do to look after yourself and others safely.

The campaign, initially launched last year, is being supported by famous faces across social media including TV presenter Angellica Bell and Karen Gibson, founder of The Kingdom Choir. More information can be found at https://letstalkloneliness.co.uk/

In a wide ranging cross-Government and cross-sector plan, Mr. Dowden has also announced that:

  • Smaller, community-based organisations in England helping people to stay connected in local communities will benefit from being a priority category of the £750 million package of support for charities announced by the Chancellor on 8 April.
  • National loneliness organisations will be allocated a guaranteed £5 million worth of funding to continue and adapt their critical work at this time.
  • As part of the national effort, loneliness charities including Age UK will be supported to work with NHS Volunteer Responders in their communities.

In collaboration with the Connection Coalition, organised by Jo Cox Foundation, the Government has also convened a network of high-profile charities, businesses, organisations and public figures. The group will explore ways to bring people together to build strong community spirit, with a focus on groups at particular risk of loneliness, and will work to continue these initiatives in the future.

Chaired by Minister for Loneliness Baroness Barran, the ‘Tackling Loneliness Network’ includes the BBC, Premier League, Facebook, ITV, British Red Cross, Jo Cox Foundation, Vodafone, Zurich, Nationwide Building Society, Campaign to End Loneliness, Aviva, Sports and Recreation Alliance, English Football League, JC Decaux UK, Samaritans, Age UK, Arts Council England, Co-op Foundation, The Cares Family, University College London, Independent Age, Libraries Connected, Sense, Manchester Museum, Nesta Challenges and Seema Kennedy, former Co-Chair of the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness.

The moves come after the Culture Secretary chaired a virtual summit on Friday (17 April) with a number of loneliness charities including the Jo Cox Foundation, British Red Cross, Campaign to End Loneliness, Co-op Foundation, Age UK, The Cares Family, Mind, Sense and Samaritans, who discussed how to ensure tackling loneliness is a key priority during the pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Coronavirus and social distancing has forced all of us to look loneliness in the eye. So recognising the signs and tackling the stigma has never been more important.

“We’re launching this plan now to help ensure no one needs to feel lonely in the weeks ahead. It will help everyone understand the role they can play in looking after each other, and empower our expert charities and volunteers to reach more vulnerable people.”

Zoë Abrams, British Red Cross executive director and Loneliness Action Group co-chair said: “It has never been more important that we all pull together to tackle loneliness by building on the sense of community and connectedness that has been so inspiring to see in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Today’s announcement of investment in this area is critical to help keep funding services and activities that provide a vital lifeline to those who feel lonely and isolated at this time.

“Combined with robust policies and practical action across government departments, this should help maintain the momentum on implementing the government’s loneliness strategy and ensure that, even whilst this virus keeps us apart, we are making sure that kindness can keep us together”.

Catherine Anderson, CEO of The Jo Cox Foundation said: “The priority given to loneliness and social isolation at this time is extremely welcome. Maintaining social connection at a time of physical distancing is vitally important.

“And when we eventually come out of this crisis the country will emerge stronger and healthier if we act now to establish a legacy of stronger connections that are maintained in the future.

“The Jo Cox Foundation, along with our many partner organisations in the Connection Coalition, are investing much time and energy in ensuring this happens and we’re delighted to be playing a role alongside the government in this important work.

“In very different times, Jo correctly identified two essential truths that are now self-evident. Firstly, that social isolation and loneliness do not discriminate. Secondly, that we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”

Ruth Sutherland, CEO of Samaritans, said: “Loneliness is a deeply personal experience which means different things to people, often affecting them in different ways.

“Whilst suicide is rarely caused by a single factor, we know that there can be a connection between loneliness and suicidal thoughts for some people, so this investment to tackle loneliness is critical during this difficult time.

“Whilst physical isolation is a necessary outcome of the lockdown restrictions, loneliness doesn’t have to be if we work together to look after each other.”

Napier nursing and midwifery students take up NHS placements

Students from Edinburgh Napier University have spoken of their pride at taking up placements alongside NHS workers as part of the national drive to combat coronavirus.

Almost 1000 undergraduate and postgraduate student nurses and student midwives from the School of Health & Social Care are now being assigned to hospitals and care homes mainly across the Lothian and Borders NHS areas in response to the public health crisis.

The second and final year nursing and midwifery students have begun taking up caring roles following in-depth discussions involving a number of organisations to hammer out the details of the emergency measures to support the NHS. Those who have chosen to get involved will work on placement for an initial period of six months or until the crisis is over.

The recruitment of student talent to the national effort follows talks between the UK Government, Scottish Government, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, higher education and health officials aimed at putting in place the necessary regulatory and governance arrangements while also respecting students’ course requirements.

Changes to learning and teaching arrangements had to be made, supported by dedicated academic teams, and professional services staff worked tirelessly to help allocate students to paid placements.

Lecturer Dr David Whiteley has put together a continuously updated online support package so both students and School staff have all the latest information and guidance they need at their fingertips.

Edinburgh Napier staff are also supporting the health authorities and NHS Education for Scotland with the wider background infrastructure by collating details of developments like ward closures and mergers, initially from NHS Lothian and NHS Borders, so students can be allocated to roles where they will offer the most effective support.

Dr Hazel Willis, Interim Dean of Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health & Social Care, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives and is requiring universities, NHS boards and student nurses and midwives to work in exceptional ways to address the requirements of the NHS and the wider population.

“Our students have demonstrated outstanding levels of professionalism during this period of uncertainty, and these remarkable people have the support of all of us as they go out to both aid and assist but also to learn from our frontline doctors, nurses and midwives in these challenging times.”

Lesley Murray, 47, of Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, who is in the second year of a Bachelor of Nursing (Mental Health) degree, has been placed in the Hermitage Ward at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

She said: “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, to be needed on the frontline and able to meet that need to support our much-loved NHS. It’s a frightening time for all of us, and although I’m paying attention to those fears and anxieties, mainly I’m choosing to focus on the unique learning experience that will come from it.

“Being in mental health, it will be interesting to see how this affects the mental health and resilience of the population during and after the crisis. I imagine the impact will be felt for a long time, so to be involved directly in the care of others during the crisis will give me the context for people’s difficulties as they arise in the future.

“I feel fortunate that I’m in a position to do more than just applaud the NHS at this time; I can get involved and support it.”

Euan Hill, 21, from Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, has been placed in the emergency unit at Borders General Hospital.

Euan, who is in the third year of a Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) undergraduate degree, said: “I feel privileged to be asked to assist the workforce.

“Throughout my training, the support offered by my colleagues within the NHS has been amazing, and the prospect of working alongside them at this difficult time is daunting but very satisfying. There will be lots of challenges over the next few months, but I know that the guidance offered by the NHS and the University will put me in the best position to give the support my colleagues need.”

Butterfly Conservation launches plea to public to help monitor butterflies

Leading wildlife charity, Butterfly Conservation, known for its sector-leading butterfly and moth population data going back over 50 years, has launched a plea to the public to help contribute to assessing the effects of climate change while it’s scientists and volunteers are unable to carry out monitoring of wildlife sites during the lockdown.

A vital indicator of the effects of climate change in the UK, butterfly phenology (the study of the timing of natural events) recording is going to be severely affected this spring due to the restrictions on movement to halt the spread of coronavirus. And the charity is calling for anyone at home with an outdoor space to help.

Richard Fox, Associate Director Recording and Research said: ‘studying the changing flight times and locations of butterfly species across the UK is vital to understanding the impacts of climate change on our native wildlife.

‘This spring we are going to have a gap in our phenology data as our scientists and volunteers are not able to carry out their usual monitoring at nature reserves and across the UK countryside.

‘So, we are asking the general public to please help us out. This is something you can do for science and climate change in your own back garden. We know that climate change is making butterflies emerge earlier in spring and some are spreading to new parts of the UK. We need you to tell us where and when you saw them.’

Two new studies by the University of York, in collaboration with Butterfly Conservation and other partners have shed some light on how butterflies and moths are responding to climate change, but there are still many unanswered questions and trends are continuing to change.

As the climate has warmed, butterflies have tended to fly earlier in the year and, in some cases, produce more generations each year, but it’s not yet clear how these changes will affect their fortunes in the long term. Recent research suggests that an earlier start benefits some species but is detrimental for others.

Richard continues: ‘Keep a look out in your garden for butterflies such as the Brimstone, Comma, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Orange-tip. We want your records, and to know when you saw them on the wing.

‘If you live in certain areas, particularly in northern England and in Scotland, we’re particularly interested in your observations as all of these butterflies are spreading northwards, colonising areas where they didn’t occur previously.

“The Comma, for example, has spread hundreds of miles northwards since the 1970s. Just this week we received a sighting from a garden in Fife which was the first Comma that the volunteer had seen there in 60 years.

‘Monitoring the changing distributions of butterflies is important to understanding the effects of climate change on our environment. We know that for some species climate change has helped to boost numbers, while for others it has had an adverse effect, but there’s still so much to learn.

‘You never know what you might see. There has even been a scattering of Painted Lady butterfly sightings across the country in the last week. This species is a migrant from warmer parts of Europe, which normally arrives at the end of May or early June.

‘We can’t gather data in our usual ways this spring, so we need the help of everyone who is at home, with a garden or outdoor space, during the lockdown period. Each recording is important for our work to conserve UK butterflies and we would love the public to get behind us.’

To submit a recording, simply go to 

www.butterfly-conservation.org/mysightings.

Criminals using fakes to capitalise on coronavirus

DEVIOUS scammers are duping the public and businesses with counterfeit goods to profit from the panic and fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) is reporting a spike in counterfeit crime along with cybercrime and fraud – as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with reports of a 400% increase in the number of pandemic-related counterfeit and fraud reports in March.

Angela Brand, one of the officers seconded to SBRC from Police Scotland, says there has been a marked increase in phishing emails, scams, and a wide array of counterfeit goods being offered for sale, all related to COVID-19.

Higher demand for protective goods and pharmaceutical products, combined with more people searching online to source products, has resulted in criminals using the pandemic to take advantage of businesses and vulnerable citizens.

Experts across policing, security and the fight against illicit trade came together to advise businesses of the risks of illicit goods, via a webinar on Tuesday.

Angela said: “Counterfeit goods are a global problem, used to fund criminal activity. The fear surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is being exploited by criminals who are seeking to profit from the sale of counterfeit goods.

“We are hosting this webinar to raise public awareness, and advise the business community in Scotland on how they can minimise  their risk of receiving counterfeit goods.

“Internationally, Interpol and Europol have successfully intercepted two counterfeit PPE scams worth millions of Euros; whilst our colleagues from The City of London Police have carried out some excellent proactive work surrounding counterfeit PPE in the UK – they will be discussing their recent successful operations in our webinar.

“When buying goods online, always use reputable sites. It’s important to check the website address to make sure it is legitimate. Look for substitutions such as ‘zeros’ used instead of the letter ‘o’, or additional letters or symbols in the address, which may indicate a fake or cloned website.

“If you receive an email offering goods or services, don’t click on any links embedded in the email. Instead, go directly to the website itself and check if the information contained in the email is valid.

“There are online tools and plug-ins available which you can use to screen websites and help identify potentially counterfeit products. Above all, use common sense and if you are even remotely suspicious, look elsewhere.”

Further advice and guidance is available on the SBRC website and anyone who believes that they have received counterfeit goods are advised to contact the police as soon as possible.

Angela added: “You can contact Police Scotland online, over the phone via 101, or in person at a police station. This can also be done anonymously if you wish.

“The sooner we know about the presence of counterfeit goods, the sooner we can instigate measures to remove them from our streets and prevent further criminality at the expense of our business community”.

Hosted by SnapDragon, Tuesday’s webinar drew on expertise from leading industry names to guide businesses on counterfeit goods amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The session covered the scale of the problem, positive enforcement actions, and how to identify online counterfeit goods.

Rachel Jones of SnapDragon focuses her work on defending businesses from counterfeits of their own brands . Her advice to businesses is that they can combat fake  goods relatively easily and cheaply.

Rachel said: “The most important advice for businesses is they can do something about counterfeit goods online and removing them using the intellectual property they own – such as copyright, design rights, trademarks and, although unusual, patents.

“It’s not a terribly complex business and is quick – we often see links to fake goods coming off Amazon, for example, in under five minutes.

“More businesses  should  explore the online world in terms of searching for copies of their brands and products, but not just in English. Search for variants of names and products in different languages to make sure you’re covering as much of the world as possible.”

Rachel said consumers should also be wary of online deals that look too good to be true, as it usually is.

She added: “Price is a good indicator, especially with lesser known brands, an online good can look like a good deal. Shipping location and time can also be an indicator. Even with COVID-19 restrictions, three- to four-week shipping times would be rare for many brands.

“You should compare goods with the original brand website, for price and things like shape, size and colour – lots of counterfeit goods won’t be exact replicas of the original. If anything looks off, you should steer clear and buy from a brand’s original website.”

Expertise was provided by the Phil Lewis from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, DS Masterson from the City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit ,Vicky Brock from Vistalworks, DI Donaldson from Police Scotland, and John MacKenzie from Shepherd and Wedderburn law firm.

To watch previous webinars, please visit: https://www.sbrcentre.co.uk/news/

The SBRC is a non-profit organisation which exists to support and help protect Scottish Businesses.

To ensure Scotland remains a safe place to live, work and do business, SBRC will be regularly sharing COVID-19 developments and advice from Scottish Government, its partners and members as they happen.

SBRC maintains a unique connection to Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Government, which gives the organisation exclusive access to the latest information to advise citizens and businesses how to interact safely.

Employers can also reach SBRC by emailing enquiries@sbrcentre.co.uk.

Which? launches new scam alert service

Which? is launching a free scam alert service to warn consumers about the latest fraud attempts and give advice about how they can protect themselves, as criminals exploit the coronavirus outbreak to unleash a new range of scams.

With more than £1.2 billion lost to scammers in 2019, fraud has become one of the most prevalent crimes in the UK, which often results in devastating consequences for victims.

In recent weeks, scammers have rushed to exploit the widespread fear and confusion caused by the pandemic.

Which? has heard many reports of different types of coronavirus-related scams including:

  • Bogus phishing texts from HMRC claiming the taxman has been forced to issue refunds due to coronavirus, and providing a link for readers to “calculate their refund”.
  • Fake messages purporting to be from the government, requesting people pay a fine for breaching the coronavirus lockdown rules.
  • Emails encouraging people to use their time during the coronavirus lockdown to invest in bitcoin.
  • Unsolicited calls from fraudsters offering to enrol vulnerable people onto coronavirus vaccine trials for a fee.

To help consumers separate the scams from legitimate communications being sent by firms, government and organisations about coronavirus, Which? is launching a free scam alert service.

Available to everyone, those signing up will receive warnings about the latest scams as the consumer champion uncovers them, along with information about how to spot a scam and protect themselves against falling victim to fraudsters.

Around £2 million has already been lost to coronavirus-related scams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to Action Fraud figures, while the National Cyber Security Centre has detected 2,500 government-branded scams since the start of March.

Earlier this week, GCHQ urged the public to be more vigilant than ever for online fraud attempts as families face an “unprecedented threat from cyber criminals”.

Google has said scammers are sending 18 million hoax emails about Covid-19 every day, while security experts say they have discovered more than 700 fake websites mimicking Netflix and Disney+ signup pages as criminals try to take advantage of the lockdown to harvest people’s bank details.

Financial bodies including the Pensions Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Money and Pensions Service also issued a joint statement urging savers not to make rash pension decisions, over fears that scammers will try to exploit people’s concerns about the impact of the outbreak on their finances.

Gareth Shaw, Head of Money at Which?, said: “The coronavirus outbreak has created the perfect storm for scams, with fraudsters using callous tactics to exploit people’s fears and vulnerability for their own financial gain.

“As new scams spring up daily, our alert service aims to help people protect themselves and their loved ones.

“Everyone should be extra cautious about clicking on links in any unsolicited emails and texts or answering calls. Make sure your computers, mobile phones and tablets are supported by the latest security updates, and consider installing antivirus software to minimise threats.”

The free service from Which? is available at: which.co.uk/scam-alerts