Tag: NEN

Clothing brand takes the honours at enterprise awards

A FORMER student who launched a clothing brand with products made from recycled tents was the big winner at the third Bright Red Sparks awards.

Media companies and initiatives set up to tackle child poverty and drive student enterprise were also among the winners at the event, which showcases innovative products and services developed by start-ups, spinouts, fledging companies and entrepreneurs.

The popular awards, an initiative of Edinburgh Napier’s Bright Red Triangle enterprise hub, were this year held online as a Facebook live event on Tuesday evening.

Students, staff and alumni from across the University community competed for more than £10,000 in prizes, and alumnus James Marshall’s 10T clothing brand emerged as a double category winner.

James, whose venture sees tents abandoned at music festivals turned into hats, bumbags and jackets, won a surprise extra award too; the Moonshot Award, chosen from all finalists by law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn to benefit from £3,700 of legal support and advice.

To cap a great night, James was also announced as Edinburgh Napier’s entrant into the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards.

The awards saw 19 shortlisted enterprises across six categories assessed for everything from the viability of their ideas and clarity of planning to thoroughness of research and potential for growth.  

The Bright Red Sparks Awards 2020 winners are: 

 Bright Ideas (£2000 prize + in-kind support)

10T clothing brand (James Marshall).

Products are made from recycled or upcycled materials. The first collection is a jacket, bum bag, bucket hat and duffle bag made from recycled tents collected from music festivals.

James said: “’I am over the moon to win the Bright Ideas, Business for Good and Moonshot Awards, and to be Edinburgh Napier’s entrant into the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards. I am still in shock but absolutely buzzing to see where it can take me.”

Business for Good (£2000 prize)

10T clothing brand (James Marshall)

Going for Growth (£2000 prize + in-kind support)

High Tide film and video production (Alex Porter-Smith, Eathan Currie). Edinburgh Napier alumni who specialise in creating high end online film and video content for a range of clients.

Alex said: “The cash award will enable us to support our activities over the next few months while continuing to grow our business, but we’re particularly excited about the in-kind support from Shepherd and Wedderburn and Morton Ward – their advice will be invaluable when planning the next stages.”

Active Citizens (£1000 prize)

pRESPECT reducing child poverty (Viana Maya, Karsten Huttenhain). Current students aiming to empower under-represented and diverse individuals to access meaningful and sustainable employment using drama techniques, technology and research.

They said: “We are grinning from ear to ear. This has added a wee skip to our stride as we strive to give our amazing, talented prospects just that tiny boost into meaningful work.”

Enterprising Educators (£2000 prize)

Design for Professional Practice career development (Ruth Cochrane) Fourth year Product and Interior Design module used as a platform to develop the University’s enterprise strategy by embedding undergraduate development opportunities.

Ruth said: “I’m delighted to win this Bright Red Sparks Enterprising Educator award in recognition of the support we offer our amazing students to become entrepreneurs.  We hope to use the prize fund to expand our work in creating inclusive pathways, encouraging and enabling our graduates to start businesses and create employment in an uncertain future.” 

Freelancer of the Year (£1000 prize + in-kind support)

Bright Edge Media video storytelling (John Matheson) Current television student using his skills to create content which supports charities in telling their stories.

John said: “This is a huge encouragement. The experience of Graphic Designer Pro in utilising video communication will be really helpful to me as I take Bright Edge Media forward.”

Nick Fannin, Head of Enterprise at Edinburgh Napier, said: “These are strange and uncertain times and so it was important for us to celebrate the Bright Red Sparks Awards and all the enterprising students, staff and alumni at the University.

“These awards and the cash and in-kind support that goes with them is going to be so important to our winners in the current challenging environment.

“It’s also great to be able to recognise the hard work of all the applicants and to remind everyone that life goes on and that businesses can adapt and still grow.

“Of course we couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from our generous supporters and sponsors, Shepherd and Wedderburn, Morton Ward, Graphic Designer Pro, Santander Universities and the Moffat Charitable Trust.”

John Morrison, Senior Associate at Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “The quality of entries in the Bridge Red Sparks competition was, again, extremely impressive and all of the finalists deserve to be commended on the fantastic businesses they are each creating.  

“We wish all of the finalists every success and look forward to supporting the Going for Growth and Moonshot Award winners, High Tide Media and 10T, to scale their respective businesses.”

Ewan Morton, Managing Director, Morton Ward, said: “Congratulations to James from 10T and to all of this year’s finalists in what is one of the premier entrepreneurship competitions in Scotland’s Higher Education sector.

“It’s fantastic to see young entrepreneurs rising to the challenges of the modern world with businesses that embrace environmental sustainability and the circular economy. Morton Ward are delighted to be associated with the competition and we are looking forward to working with James as part of his prize.”

Dominic Bargeton, Director, Graphic Designer Pro, said: “We were delighted to be asked to support the Bright Red Triangle, Bright Red Sparks competition.

“It’s such a good opportunity for driven and creative students to showcase their talents. We are looking forward to working more with Bright Red Triangle and their pool of talented entrepreneurs in the future.”

Police ‘sextortion’ email alert

Police Scotland is asking people to be aware of an email scam currently circulating where fraudsters are threatening to publish online footage of victims.

The scam involves emails being sent to people with the suspect claiming to have video footage of the recipient watching pornography. The suspect is then demanding payment in bitcoin, threatening that failure to do so will result in the video being published. This is known as sextortion.

Sixteen reports were made to Police Scotland overnight on Thursday 9 April 2020, with the latest number rising to 96 reports by Tuesday 14 April 2020. The reports have been from people across every police division in Scotland.

Detective Inspector Michael McCullagh, of cybercrime investigations, said: “These type of scams aren’t unusual however this particular suspect or group has used a similar  method and wording in every email and in greater numbers than we normally see.

“The emails show current or legacy passwords belonging to the victim, making the threat seem credible. This is a tactic used by criminals to alarm potential victims.

“Awareness is crucial to avoid becoming a victim to this type of crime and I would encourage people to recognise this. Don’t make any payment, don’t reply to the email and take measures to enhance your security such as changing your passwords.”

Further details on this type of crime and how to protect yourself can be found here: 

https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/keep-secure-online/cybercrime

or https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/advice-guidance/all-topics

Special Constables answer the call

Volunteers who give up their time to act as Special Constables have pledged thousands of hours to support Police Scotland’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Following an appeal to Special Constables and their employers to support Police Scotland in its effort, we would like to sincerely thank all those who have pledged their time so far at this critical period.

A quarter of all of Scotland’s Special Constables immediately made contact to offer their support and increase their commitment, substantially in many cases, while more than 40 employers have granted their employees leave in order to perform their Specials role.

Over the past three weeks, around 140 Specials across more than 885 shifts have volunteered more than 7,500 hours. The Volunteer Co-ordination Unit was also contacted by a number of Specials offering to live away from home so that they can provide full-time commitment to their role.

In addition, a number of Special Constables who have not volunteered in recent months have also sought urgent re-training so that they can be deployed, while some Specials who are already keyworkers in their full-time profession have still offered to work additional hours for Police Scotland.

Among the numerous Specials who are dedicating their time during this extraordinary time:  

•Alex Miller from Falkirk has been released from his full-time job with conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland to support full-time policing duties for the foreseeable future. He said: “Without hesitation, the Trust gave me its wholehearted support and encouragement to deploy.”

•In Argyll & Bute, Stevie Neilson is being supported by his employer Argyll & Bute Council to pledge as much time as possible to supporting his local Community Policing team. Stevie, who is Harbour Master and Port Security Officer, has been a Special Constable for the past 26 years and with his local knowledge and contacts, he is already a vital member of the team.

•In the Scottish Borders, Ali Cameron is dedicating more time to Police Scotland and thanks to his full-time profession as a microbiologist, has been able to advise and support his local policing team on health and safety.

He said: “It has been fantastic to see how the local community has mobilised to support our NHS colleagues over the past couple of weeks. The public have been enormously supportive of our work and understanding of why now, more than ever, it is important to stay home and stay safe.”

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “We have been humbled by the response of our Special Constables. Their commitment to their roles during this unprecedented time is staggering and I cannot thank them enough for their dedication to the service.

“Our thanks also go to the employers who have allowed their employees to dedicate their time to supporting Police Scotland in our efforts to help save lives and protect the NHS.

“Due to health reasons we have asked some Special Constables not to deploy at this time, which I appreciate might be disappointing, however health and safety must come first. Training is being provided to those who have requested it as soon as possible, and we will do everything we can to support those who are giving up their precious time.

“I must also stress that we absolutely understand that all our volunteers might not be able to deploy for the foreseeable future due to care or medical reasons – we appreciate how crucial it is that everyone takes care of themselves and their loved ones at this challenging time.”

ACC Hawkins added: “Throughout Police Scotland’s history, Special Constables have always been considered a vital and valued resource. However during this extraordinary time, the significance of their role is greater than ever.”

Special Constables are warranted officers with all the powers of regular police officers who volunteer their services. They are deployed in local communities to support daily operations and provide resilience at critical times.

Police Scotland wrote to Special Constables and their employers in March, asking them to increase their volunteering hours wherever possible and asking employers to consider paid leave to allow staff to support local policing over the coming weeks.

We have been featuring our Special Constables on Police Scotland’s Volunteer Facebook page and will continue to do so over the coming weeks. Visit www.facebook.com/PoliceScotlandVolunteers to meet some of our incredible volunteers.

Say NO to sky lanterns, says Fire chief

A campaign encouraging the public to light sky lanterns in a show of solidarity for NHS workers could place “unnecessary pressure” on the emergency services, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has warned. 

The campaign, which calls for the public to release lanterns from gardens and driveways in support for the NHS, follows the popular #ClapForOurCarers social media campaign.

It comes days after the SFRS stressed that Scotland’s countryside is currently “vulnerable” to wildfire, and as the emergency services continue to support partners and protect the public amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Alasdair Perry, SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer, said: “We fully appreciate that people want to show their support for the NHS, however we must discourage the lighting of sky lanterns.

“These lanterns may look striking when lit, but when released they pose a significant threat of fire and can have devastating consequences – for rural environments, property and wildlife.

“This is clearly a challenging time for the emergency services due to COVID-19, and while the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service maintains a high resilience across Scotland, we would seek to avoid any unnecessary demand on our service so we can target our resources most effectively in supporting our partners and meeting the needs of Scotland’s communities.

“Traditionally, this is a period when we see a high volume of large wildfires in Scotland, due to a build-up of dead vegetation in our countryside, and rising temperatures. We can’t risk adding a potential ignition to that mix.

“While I fully understand people wanting to show their support to the NHS, I would encourage people to find a different way to do this.

“Our message is clear: please do not release lit sky lanterns, and risk potentially placing unnecessary pressure on the emergency services.”

Edinburgh Charity Delivers Emergency Care Packs to Vulnerable Families Shielding at Home

An Edinburgh children’s charity is delivering emergency care packs to families who have a vulnerable child and are currently shielding at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Last week, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) – which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children – began providing free emergency packs of food and essential items to families visiting or being discharged from the hospital.   

Now, the charity has expanded this service and is delivering the free care packs to the homes of clinically vulnerable families who are known to the RHSC and who are currently shielding for an extended period to protect themselves during the pandemic.   

The packs contain food products and essential items including nappies, toilet roll, tinned soup, beans and tea bags to support families while they cannot leave the house to go shopping. 

The charity is also in the process of developing toiletry packs and creative care packs with art supplies to help keep children entertained at home and reduce isolation.  

ECHC is delivering the packs to families’ doorsteps, as well as to nursing bases where community nurses and health visitors are also helping to distribute them. The charity will keep in regular contact with the families throughout their isolation period to meet their needs if they require additional packs.  

Louise Sharkey and partner Graeme have been shielding their 12-year-old son Charlie, who has a rare genetic disorder and epilepsy, and his four-year-old brother Jack at home for over three weeks.  

Louise said: “During this difficult time, ECHC continues to be a well needed support that we are extremely grateful for and have relied on during many hospital admissions over the years. They are at the end of the phone should we need emotional support and are liaising closely with the palliative care team to provide support also.   

“Recently a care pack was dropped off at our house by the charity containing essential supplies that can be difficult to source right now. We have been finding it hard to get deliveries from supermarkets, so we were running low on things like antibacterial hand soap, pasta, toilet rolls, baby wipes and some cereals.

“We are very lucky to have a good family support network who have been providing us with essentials should they be needed but it’s not always easy for them as they don’t live close by.  

“The bag of essential supplies that came from ECHC was extremely useful as it contained extra toilet rolls and baby wipes that we use a lot with Charlie, and cereal. Jack was delighted that it contained some treats too! The charity is a lifeline for many families during hospital stays and at times like these in the community too.”  

ECHC recently launched its COVID-19 Emergency Appeal to help families having to cope with the impact of the outbreak on top of the distress of having a sick or injured child.  

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Right now, all families are facing the challenges of lockdown. Keeping children fed and happy, and organising shopping trips on top of everything else, becomes even more difficult if you have a sick or injured child in hospital, or if you are returning home from hospital to begin an extended period of shielding or isolation.  

“The incredible NHS staff are working round the clock to make sure every child gets exceptional care throughout the crisis and we at ECHC are doing everything we can to help to reduce fear and isolation and to comfort and support families when they need it most.  

 “These emergency care packs have only been made possible thanks to the kindness of our supporters donating to our COVID-19 Emergency Appeal. We urgently need donations to continue to do this.   

“Times are difficult for all of us, but if anyone would still like to give, donations could provide a family with a much-needed care pack, fund a special play session at a child’s bedside or pay for a mum and dad to stay in our parent accommodation and be close to their child at the toughest of times.”  

To receive a care pack – Families known to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children who would like an emergency care pack are asked to contact Leigh at ECHC on 0131 668 4949 or leigh.drake@echcharity.org. 

 To support ECHC – A donation of £10 could fund an emergency care pack for one family, £15 could fund a special bedside play or creative session and £50 could pay for parents and carers to stay in ECHC’s parent accommodation for one week.

 Donations can be made online at 

https://echcharity.org/support-us/covid-19-appeal 

More support for Scottish businesses

Around £220 million of further grants are being made available for businesses – including the recently self-employed – to help them deal with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The new package of measures includes £120 million to extend the Small Business Grant scheme to ensure that, in addition to a 100% grant on the first property, small business rate payers will be eligible to a 75% grant on all subsequent properties.

A further £100 million fund is also being made available to protect self-employed people and viable micro and SME businesses in distress due to COVID. This fund will be channelled through local authorities and enterprise agencies to target newly self-employed people and businesses who are ineligible for other Scottish Government or UK Government schemes.

Applications for the £100 million fund will be open by the end of the month, and the new arrangements for the Small Business Grant will be in place to receive applications on 5 May.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The Scottish Government’s primary concern remains protecting people’s health, but it is still the case that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is having severe economic consequences for businesses around the country.

“We are doing everything we can to support business at this difficult time and we continue to listen to and engage with the sector.

“Our support for business now exceeds the £2.2 billion passed on from the UK Government and actively works to fill the gaps in the UK schemes.

“Around 100,000 businesses in total are already eligible for our small business grants and from today we will be extending that scheme in response to feedback from businesses on the frontline of this economic crisis.

“The creation of a £100 million fund is to help those micro and SME businesses who face immediate cash flow challenges, are ineligible for other schemes and are the productive base for supporting employment in the future. It will also support those newly self-employed people who are also ineligible for UK schemes and will be a vital lifeline for many businesses and individuals across Scotland.

“With UK Government support not being available until June, we are going further to secure the future economic viability of Scottish firms and applications will be open by the end of the month.

“While many businesses are in difficulty, some are doing better than others or can pull through from their own resources.

“Just as we ask the public only to buy what they need in the supermarkets, we are asking businesses who do not need this vital help to refrain from claiming additional support unless absolutely necessary so we can direct as much help as possible to those who need it most.”

Nursing organisation issues statement on PPE

The NMC has issued a statement on personal protective equipment that sets out key points to help nursing and midwifery professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive and Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said: “At this time of national crisis, it’s clear if we are to protect the public, then we’ve all got to do everything we can to ensure our nursing and midwifery professionals are able to practise as safely and as effectively as possible.

“We know that the consistent and timely availability of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to be a significant challenge in health and social care across the UK. Understandably PPE is being raised with us by our registrants and their employers and is the focus of intense activity at a national level in all four countries.

“The statement we are publishing today clarifies the key points that nurses, midwives and nursing associates should take into account when applying the Code in practice and making considered professional judgements.

“I hope this information will provide reassurance for everyone using and working in health and care settings and help support nursing and midwifery professionals to make the right individual decisions for them and the people they care for during these incredibly challenging circumstances.”

The Statement:

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) recognises the enormous challenges faced by health and social care professionals at this time and we know they are worried about the timely delivery and provision of the right personal protective equipment (PPE).

Despite the significant and urgent effort to improve the availability of appropriate PPE in health and social care settings across the UK, some professionals are still facing situations where there is insufficient suitable protective equipment available.

Our Code and Standards support nurses, midwives and nursing associates in these difficult situations by setting out the key principles to follow to keep themselves, those they lead or manage and those they care for safe.

To support our registrants further we set out below some key points to help them as they put the Code into practice and exercise their professional judgment during this unprecedented pandemic situation.

How national guidance and the Code supports you as a nurse, midwife or nursing associate dealing with challenging PPE issues

National guidance on the use of PPE has been issued to support you during this time. Whether you are a nurses, midwife, nursing associate or a student on clinical placement you should follow this guidance, which covers a range of infection control measures, including hand hygiene and respiratory and cough hygiene, as well as advice on appropriate PPE and best practice.

Your employer is responsible for ensuring that you and any staff you lead or manage have all the necessary protective equipment – including protective clothing – and that you have access to current guidance on how and when to use it correctly to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19. Your employer is there to help you and your colleagues by managing resources effectively and dealing with risk, so that that the safety and quality of care or service you provide for people can be maintained.

As set out in the Code, if you have any concerns about the availability or use of PPE you must raise these with your manager as soon as possible, to make sure that they are aware of the issue and can take action to support you. You can also refer to our raising concerns guidance or seek advice from your representative body or trade union.

If situations arise where suitable equipment is not available difficult decisions may need to be made quickly about the safest and best course of action. The Code states that to preserve safety you must take account of your own personal safety, the safety of others and the availability of other options for care. So you shouldn’t feel that when making decisions, you have to place yourself or others at risk, or that you need to make these decisions on your own.

Where possible you should work with colleagues to find the best way forward in these circumstances. It is important to take into consideration the balance of risks in relation to those people who are dependent on care services, as well as the requirement to protect yourself and other staff so that they are able to provide ongoing care.

Any decisions you make should take account of local and/or national clinical guidance, advice and protocols.

Factors to consider include:

  • whether treatment can be delayed or provided differently (for example, remotely)
  • the availability of different levels of PPE that may offer sufficient protection to you and others in particular care activities
  • whether some members of the wider team are at a higher risk of infection than others
  • whether different care and treatment decisions might be appropriate to minimise the risk of transmission in accordance with local and national advice
  • Taking account of all the options available, what course of action is likely to result in the least harm in the circumstances, taking into account your own safety, the safety of others and the people in your care.

You should make a record of your decisions regarding how you handle any safety concerns. You should describe how you used your own professional judgment, the role of other members of the team in decision making, and the outcome.

We acknowledge that in exercising your professional judgment in line with the Code you may decide that you need to refuse to provide care or treatment to an individual because it is not safe for you to do so.

If a concern is raised with us about any registrant refusing to treat a patient because of their concerns about inadequate PPE or being responsible for service delivery in the absence of adequate PPE, we would follow the approach that we have set out in our joint regulatory statement. As part of this approach we would consider the context of the current pandemic, including the risks that the individual registrant was exposed to and how they exercised and recorded their professional judgment in line with the Code.

Remember families who receive care at home, urges charity

A social care charity is appealing to the Scottish Government to remember families who receive care in their own homes, and the carers who provide that care, during the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Jeanne Freeman, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, the chief executive of the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers Network (SPAEN), Colin Millar (pictured), calls for action to urgently address what he describes as a “crisis”.

He writes: “We are writing on behalf of SPAEN’s 500 Direct Payment employers and the 1,500 or so others throughout Scotland who have chosen to use a Direct Payment or Option 1 to meet their social care needs.

“We are receiving frequent requests for information, advice, support and calls for SPAEN to raise these continued concerns and matters with the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and CoSLA as the body representing the local authority councils distributing these funds to PA employers.

“The experience of Direct Payment users in Scotland is harrowing and deeply concerning.

“They continue to report that they have little or no access to PPE and they are getting no information or updates on when or how this will be resolved.

“They continue to be fearful for themselves, their families and loved ones and their employees, their employees’ families and loved ones, all of whom risk their own health and welfare on a daily basis to provide key social care services to people in their own homes and who are placed at unnecessary risk of transmission of this virus due to a lack of PPE.

“Direct Payment employers want to follow, fully, the Scottish Government’s published guidelines on the use of PPE but they cannot do so without being given access to the vital equipment they need.

“Some callers to local authority councils are being advised to use their ‘current supply chain’ to access this. Many Direct Payment employers will not have a ‘supply chain’, they will be purchasing PPE on an ad hoc basis as and when required and permitted through the Direct Payment agreement.

“The normal suppliers are not able to meet the demand as commissioning is done at a strategic level either through the HSCP or the Scottish Government, resulting in a scarcity of PPE for people who are not supplied via these statutory bodies.

“We are aware that a number of other charities and organisations have made similar representations to the Scottish Government.

“While we do not represent unpaid carers, we have seen a huge increase in contact from these groups who are also deeply concerned that they are unable to access support or PPE.

“While we are in a period of crisis, and this is without doubt such a period, we are calling for a fundamental review into how Direct Payment recipients in Scotland are represented and supported at national and regional level at the earliest opportunity.

“After 20 years’ of representing Personal Assistant Employers across the length and breadth of Scotland, thanks to the support of the Scottish Parliament and contemporary Scottish Governments, this year SPAEN’s services are being retracted, due to funding cuts. This outbreak calls into question the logic behind such a decision and we are calling on the Health & Sport Committee to review this decision at its earliest convenience.

“Without a national body representing PA employers, these and many similar issues will simply not be raised and people electing to exercise their right to use a Direct Payment, as per the current legislation, will be further eroded.

“Ironically, it is in times like these that many people assessed as requiring social care support are seeking Direct Payments as care agencies and local authority run home care services are withdrawn or re-assessed with little or no notice or consultation.

“We’ve had repeated requests from people affected by decisions to remove their existing social care support either through care agencies or local authority home and support services where staff absenteeism has presented significant logistical challenges.

“We have requested and continue to lobby for Direct Payments to be made available to anyone and everyone who has an assessed social care need and specifically as a direct alternative where existing social care arrangements are being withdrawn as a result of Covid-19 or related resource issues.

“Peoples’ social care needs cannot, unfortunately, be abated to accomodate resourcing issues and there has already been assurance from the Cabinet Secretary that no-one should lose the support they’re already assessed as requiring.

“SPAEN represents over 500 individual employers who have equal concerns and responsibilities.

“SPAEN would welcome any invitation to join the discussions being held by the Scottish Government to discuss the current challenges facing all of social care to ensure our membership and the many hundreds of others using Direct Payments are fully and properly represented.”

Chancellor delivers Tuesday’s UK Government update

Good evening from Downing Street, where I’m joined by Steve Powis, Medical Director of the NHS and Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.

Earlier today, the government’s independent fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, the OBR, published a report into the impact of coronavirus on the economy and public finances.

It’s important to be clear that the OBR’s numbers are not a forecast or prediction.

They simply set out what one possible scenario might look like – and it may not even be the most likely scenario.

But it’s important we are honest with people about what might be happening to our economy.

So before I turn to the health figures, I want to spend a few minutes explaining what the OBR have said – and let me thank them for their continued work.

There are three brief points I want to make.

First, the OBR’s figures suggest the scale of what we are facing will have serious implications for our economy here at home, in common with other countries around the world.

These are tough times – and there will be more to come.

As I’ve said before, we can’t protect every business and every household.

But we came into this crisis with a fundamentally sound economy, powered by the hard work and ingenuity of the British people and British business.

So while those economic impacts are significant – the OBR also expect them to be temporary…

…with a bounce back in growth.

The second point I want to make is that we’re not just going to stand by and watch this happen.

Our planned economic response is protecting millions of jobs, businesses, self-employed people, charities and households.

Our response aims to directly support people and businesses while the restrictions are in place…

…and to make sure as restrictions are changed, we can, as quickly as possible, get people back to work; get businesses moving again; and recover our economy.

The OBR today have been clear that the policies we have set out will do that.

The OBR today have been clear that if we had not taken the actions we have, the situation would be much worse.

In other words, our plan is the right plan.

The third point I want to make is this: right now, the single most important thing we can do for the health of our economy is to protect the health of our people.

It’s not a case of choosing between the economy and public health – common sense tells us that doing so would be self-defeating.

At a time when we are seeing hundreds of people dying every day from this terrible disease, the absolute priority must be to focus all of our resources…

…not just of the state, but of businesses, and of all of you at home as well, in a collective national effort to beat this virus.

The government’s approach is to follow scientific and medical advice through our step-by-step action plan, aiming to slow the spread of the virus, so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.

I said in my Budget a month ago that whatever the NHS needs, it will get – and we have honoured that promise:

Yesterday we published an update showing that we’ve given our public services an extra £14.5 billion in recent weeks.

We are taking action to increase NHS capacity, with more beds, more key staff and more equipment on the front-line.

And the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will be updating on our plans for social care tomorrow.

This is why we are instructing people to stay at home, so that we can protect our NHS and save lives.

I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:

  • 302,599 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus, with 93,873 people testing positive
  • 19,706 people in the UK have been admitted to hospital with the virus, down from 20,184 people yesterday;
  • Sadly, of those in hospital, 12,107 people have now died – an increase of 778 fatalities since yesterday.

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who have lost their lives.

These figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidance:

Stay at home. Protect our NHS. And save lives.

Morrison’s Doorstep Deliveries

Morrison’s are helping our vulnerable customers get food delivered.

Orders can be placed before 4pm with an aim to get delivery the next day between 2-5pm.

There is currently a limit on how many orders can be placed with each store.

You must live within 10 miles of a Morrison’s to use this service.

Payment by card only.

You place your order from the list below, with a limit of 3 per item.

Products will be generic and based on store availability.

Everything will be fully explained when you phone to make an order.

Special dietary requirements will also be met.

Please – if you are able to go to the shops don’t use this service, it is for vulnerable/elderly/isolating members of our community.