A highlight of the Scottish student sporting calendar, the Varsity American football game has been played annually since 2012 and returns to Meggetland Stadium.
The traditional Edinburgh Napier Knights American Football vs University of Edinburgh Mavericks rivalry returns, as both teams fight it out for the most spectacular trophy in UK American Football.
This years game will be held on a mid-week evening under the floodlights at Meggetland, on Wednesday 20th March, with a 7pm KO.
Entertainment includes a DJ, Edinburgh Rampant medieval Armour Combat Team and the Edinburgh University Brass Band. The Canalside Bar at Boroughmuir rugby club will be open throughout with hot food available.
Last years game produced fireworks during, on and off the field, with the Edinburgh Mavericks edging the game in a 14-6 victory.
Meggetland sports complex features a seated stand for watching the action.
Join us under the lights for the city’s biggest American Football fixture of the season!
Gates open from 6pm, with a 7pm kickoff.
Tickets are £5 adult, £3 students and Free Entry for U16’s and can be purchased in advance or on the gate.
More than 292,000 baby boxes have been delivered to expectant parents – providing them with around £420 worth of essential items for their newborn.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said Baby Boxes give families reassurance that regardless of their circumstances, they will have access to essential items needed for the first six months of their newborn’s life.
Ms Somerville announced the delivery milestone on a visit to Home Start Falkirk to hear how the charity supports families with young children and meet parents who have benefited from the Scottish Government’s unique Baby Box programme.
Ms Somerville also reiterated calls for the UK Government to announce more funding to help families struggling with the cost of living when it publishes its Spring Budget.
She said: “The Baby Box is a welcome gift for every baby born in Scotland. It ensures that every family with a new-born has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life, like clothes, books and thermometers – saving expectant parents around £420.
“We want to ensure every child has the nurturing care they need to have the best start in life and to fulfil their potential. Supporting parents is key to improving outcomes for children and young people.
“As a result of the Scottish Government’s policies such as the Scottish Child Payment, it is estimated that 100,000 fewer children will live in relative poverty in 2024-25. But we will always be fighting poverty with one arm tied behind our back if the UK Government is delivering policies that result in the opposite outcome.
“The Spring Budget should be an opportunity for the UK Government to take action needed to transform the lives and outcomes of people across the UK, including introducing an Essentials Guarantee to ensure social security benefits adequately cover the cost of essentials.”
Scottish Government expected to announce public inquiry today
The Chief Constable said: “Emma Caldwell, her family, and many other victims, were let down by policing in 2005. I am sorry.
“I offered that apology personally to Emma’s family today and I am grateful they gave me the opportunity to do so and to listen to their perspective and experience. I pay tribute to their courage, resilience, and determination in the years since her death.
“I listened carefully to the family’s statement following Packer’s conviction and I understand when they say the conviction brings no joy, elation or closure but that it simply allows Emma’s mother Margaret to breathe again.
“It is important that Emma’s family and the public get answers to the many questions they have.
“I therefore support the family’s calls for a public inquiry. I absolutely commit that Police Scotland will fully participate in any further proceedings.
“We have reflected and learned from the initial investigation and subsequent re-investigation.
“Significant changes have been made in recent years to improve our organisational culture and our response, particularly in respect of investigative structures, victim care and processes to these types of crimes.
“Our Violence against Women and Girls Strategy demonstrates our absolute commitment to tackling the violence and abuse that disproportionately affects women and girls.
“I am also committed to relentlessly improving how we respond to and serve the public, and to ensuring officers and staff uphold our values and help to deliver justice for victims.”
Justice Secretary Angela Constance is expected to announce an independent public inquiry into the police handling of the Emma Caldwell murder investigation later today.
Review of powers of communities to acquire land or buildings
A review of Community Rights to Buy will begin this summer to look at how effective current powers are.
Community Right to Buy has now been in use for 20 years. During that time, there have been several additions and amendments to the original rights in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, and various reports and recommendations on how to improve and amend them further.
Speaking during a visit to the Heart of Newhaven, a community facility which was bought by the community in 2021 through the Asset Transfer process, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “Ownership or control of land and buildings – both urban and rural – is a powerful tool for communities to drive change and achieve their goals. It can help to develop the local economy, provide activities and services, and boost community identity.
“We want to increase community ownership as an important way of delivering our vision for Scotland and our three central missions of equality, opportunity and community.
“This review will begin in Summer 2024, following introduction of the Land Reform Bill and report at the end of 2025 and will cover all the current rights to buy and will look at legislative and procedural aspects of the rights to see if new legislation is needed.”
Background
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced the first two community rights to buy. The Community Right to Buy (Part 2) gave rural communities the right to register an interest in assets. Should the owner choose to sell, the community could then be granted the right to buy that asset without it being offered to anyone else. The Crofting Community Right to Buy (Part 3) gave communities in crofting areas a right to compulsory purchase of assets, whether or not the owner wishes to sell.
The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 then amended the Community Right to Buy to widen the rights to urban communities. It also introduced the Community Right to Buy Abandoned, Neglected or Detrimental Land (Part 3A). This is a compulsory purchase right for land that is abandoned, neglected or detrimental to the environmental wellbeing of communities.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2018 introduced a further compulsory right, the Right to Buy Land to Further Sustainable Development (Part 5). This compulsory right does not need land to be in a certain condition and allows communities to nominate a third party purchase on their behalf.
New Scotland Office minister Donald Cameron included the Heart in his first official visit on Thursday 22nd February.
Mr Cameron, now Lord Cameron of Lochiel, has sat in Holyrood since 2016 but quit the Scottish Parliament in February for the House of Lords and a position in the Scottish Office at Westminster.
As well as the Heart, he also visited Granton’s historic gas holder, which is being restored as the centrepiece of a new public space in the regeneration of the waterfront and Portobello Town Hall, recently rescued for the community by a local charity much like ourselves here at the Heart.
All three projects have recently received much-welcomed funding from Westminster’s Levelling Up Fund.
Lord Cameron met many of the Heart’s Partners and users, including the Ukranian Spiders, Mwamba, Vintage Vibes, Robert Furze and some of the History of Education volunteers who were coincidentally hosting a visit from Primary 7 pupils from Victoria Primary School.
He also spoke to Alex Bird from Tortoise in a Nutshell, Charlie Traylor from Men of Leith’s Shed, volunteer Judy Gray hard at work on our knitted Christmas Tree project, and artist Jill Boualaxai, so he got a good overview of the many skeins bound up within the Heart.
Building work at the Heart
The emergency conservation works including roof and window repairs are being undertaken by a team from our contractors, Ashwood, led by site foreman, Findlay and should be finished by the end of March.
Ashwood will then return in April to fit a couple of stones and install some new windows that are being cut or made off site. (Did you know that when you need to replace stone, a stone “library” is brought to site so that the stone can be matched?)
Most of those repairs won’t be visible, but were very necessary to get the building wind and water tight, before we embark on future works to bring the building into the 21st century in terms of repair and energy efficiency for the comfort and use of all.
In the meantime, people might see safety scaffolding going up in the atrium for a few weeks, and our apologies in advance to our Partners and user groups who may experience some disruption as windows are repaired.
We must give a huge shout out to our funders without whom we couldn’t have done all this; The Department of Levelling Up, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and The Pilgrim Trust and of course there’s also the Design Team who specialise in the conservation of listed buildings in community use, led by John Gilbert Associates.
Hear About… talks
Our Hear About… talks taking place in the Heritage Suite on Friday afternoons have been proving very popular, with up to three dozen people attending each of the various events.
They will continue to run until the first Friday in April and then we will pause them over the summer and restart them in the autumn.
Here are the next scheduled talks …
Friday 8th March – Bill Hall on the Newhaven fishing industry
Friday 15th March – Kenneth Williamson on the old Caledonian Railway between Leith and Granton
Friday 22nd March – Niall Campbell on birds of the Isle of May
Friday 5th April – Anna Inman on the Restoration Forth project
More details on the website.
Volunteer to help and get a guaranteed place in the action!
We are keen to recruit a team of volunteers to help with the logistics of the talks. We need to set up the chairs (and rearrange them again at the end) in the Heritage Suite as well as welcome attendees and then serve teas and coffees at the end.
It may be the end of the Spring talks in April, but we already have talks lined up for the autumn, including one on the Hill & Adamson photographs of Newhaven fishwives, from Louise Pearson of the National Portrait Gallery and another on Celtic folklore and the mythical sea creatures of Newhaven. Watch this space!
Death Cafés at the Heart of Newhaven
A death cafe is described as a safe place where people can feel free to talk about anything they wish, to do with death and dying.
On Saturday morning, 27th January we held our very first death café when fourteen people attended and the feedback was very positive. The discussions were enjoyed by all and there was delicious cake.
There will be more death cafés at the Heart on Saturday mornings of April 27th, July 27th and October 19th, all 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. Please arrive around 9.45 for welcome and coffee.
Remember our regular Events
Monday lunch club
The Cyrenian Lunch Club takes place at the Heart every Monday from 12.30 until 2pm. The lunches are free and open to all (advise in advance if you have allergies)
They’ll be serving a nutritious two-course meal along with tea/coffee. Some weeks there will also be entertainment to enjoy!
Sharing the Pastmeetings at the Heart are now taking place on the last Thursday of every month and the next one will be on Thursday 28th March.
Come along and reminisce with our Reminiscence volunteers. The topic changes every time. All on a Thursday at 10.30 -1130 am.
Keep up to date with all the regular events and activities by checking our website or following us on social media.
Oyster Mural
Remember too to get involved in the Restoration Forth project to create a mural for one of the outside walls of the Anchor Building. There will be a get-together to discuss plans, with coffee and cake at the Heart on Saturday 23rd March at 10am.
You can find out more on our website or follow the link below:
The Friends of Western Harbour Ponds have asked us to help raise awareness of their fight to save the re-wilded space now home to numerous bird species and a precious haven for humans too.
A petition calling on The City of Edinburgh Council and The Scottish Government to “recognise the value of the self-willed wetland habitat for nature and for people, and to help save it from development” has so far gathered more than 3,000 signatures.
If you’re keen to help document the biodiversity of the Ponds and other spots in Edinburgh, pop 26 to 29 April in your diary!
The City Nature Challenge is an annual worldwide bioblitz to record wildlife and plant life in cities, with the Edinburgh project coordinated by RSPB Scotland.
The Scottish Government’s ‘You Can Make The Difference’ campaign aims to support the recruitment of more adult social care workers to help address vacancies in the sector.
The campaign focuses on the difference someone working in adult social care can make to people’s lives, highlighting the rewarding relationships that develop between care workers and the people they support.
To shine a spotlight on the special moments those working in adult social care deliver every day and help to attract more people into the sector, the ‘Making The Difference’ online gallery uses photography to bring the stories of people working in and supported by the sector to life.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “The new online gallery shares the stories of people working in adult social care and the people they support, celebrating the rewarding relationships that make such a positive impact on people’s lives on a daily basis.
“To help address the issues care providers are facing in filling vacancies, we’re increasing pay again to £12 per hour from April 2024, and believe the National Care Service will help us and our partners to provide consistency in further improved pay and conditions, creating clearer career pathways and ensuring a career in social care is attractive and rewarding.
Anyone who thinks they might be a good fit for a job in adult social care should visit www.CareToCare.scot to find out more.”
Katie Kershaw, Occupational Therapist, Leuchie House who features in the gallery said: “I love that part of my job involves talking to lots of different people and helping them on their journey through life.
“Being able to make even the smallest positive impact on someone’s daily life is something I find extremely rewarding.
“It’s great that the Scottish Government is shining a light on these little moments that make such a difference and I’d urge anyone considering a role in adult social care to go for it. There’s not many roles out there with job satisfaction like it.”
Emma Muldoon, Content Creator @SimplyEmma, who features in the gallery, said:“This campaign is brilliant as it highlights the various roles in the adult social care sector and showcases the small moments that make such a difference.
“Due to my condition, Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, I have worked with a number of care professionals over the years and they have enabled me to live life to the fullest on my own terms and independently in my own home.
“If someone has a genuine passion for helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives, a role in adult social care is for you.”
There is a variety of roles in the adult social care sector. To help you find the right one for you visit www.CareToCare.scot and view the ‘Making The Difference’ gallery.
A dedicated approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) in schools has been published.
Developed by a working group co-chaired by the Scottish Government, Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance, the framework encompasses testimony from young people and staff and sets out how schools can use education, with an emphasis on compassion, to challenge societal views which normalise gender-based violence.
It aims to support schools by:
demonstrating the different ways GBV can affect young people in a school community and highlighting how schools can challenge the underlying gender inequalities which can cause it
providing guidance to support schools’ responses to GBV experienced, or carried out by, children and young people or other members of the school community, including staff
outlining the approach schools should take to recording GBV behaviours and signposting to further support and learning
GBV refers to behaviours ranging from name calling, intimidation and physical violence to sexual harassment and emotional abuse, which can affect anyone, but is more commonly experienced by women and girls.
The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research report, published last year, highlighted an increase in misogynistic views and language as an emerging concern in schools which the Education Secretary committed to developing a dedicated approach to address, as part of the government’s wider response to challenges with behaviour in schools.
First Minister Humza Yousaf and Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth launched the framework on a visit to Moffat Academy, where they heard about a pupil-led approach to promoting gender equality.
The First Minister said: “We want schools to create cultures in which all members of the school community know that gender-based violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Prevention and early intervention are key to the approach to address the underlying causes of gender-based violence, particularly gender inequality.
“This framework forms part of our broader action to address the issue of gender equality within education as part of the implementation of our Equally Safe Strategy and broader commitment to eradicate gender-based violence in every part of our society.
“All children and young people have a right to a learning environment where they are protected, cared for, and in which their rights and needs are respected. It is vital that schools are at the part of our drive to support the end of gender-based violence and misogyny once and for all – it is up to us to show the leadership necessary to empower them to do so.”
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The wellbeing and safety of children, young people and staff in our schools is of the utmost importance. Ensuring that every child is treated with respect and feels safe at school is a task I do not take lightly.
“We’ve taken great strides in recent years to tackle gender-based violence across society and it’s concerning that misogynistic views and language have appeared as emerging issue in recent research into behaviour in schools.
“There is no place for harassment or abuse in any form in our schools and this framework aims to provide support for everyone in a school community to recognise it as it occurs and be equipped to respond appropriately.
“It is not only for schools to respond to incidents of gender-based violence amongst our young people. Prevention and early intervention are key elements of our approach – meaning that we want to address the underlying causes of gender-based violence, particularly gender inequality, and the framework published today supports this endeavour.”
Morgan Todd, Moffat Academy S6 Student and Prefect Leader said: “As a young woman I would hate to feel there were any limits placed on my aspirations or on those of any girl at Moffat Academy.
“Gender equality is about living in a fair society where everyone is valued for their talents rather than judged by their gender.
“At Moffat Academy, I feel everyone gets the chance to write their own story- no matter their background or gender- helping to prepare us for life after school in modern Scotland.”
Director of Prevention & Training at Rape Crisis Scotland Kathryn Dawson said: “The launch of the first ever national approach to gender-based violence for schools is a major step.
“We, and partner organisations, advocated for guidance to be developed following the Everyday Heroes consultation with children and young people that recommended decisive action.
“Rape Crisis Scotland and member centres are the experts delivering education to young people through the Sexual Violence Prevention Programme, and supporting schools through the Equally Safe at School programme.
“The guidance will enable schools to build on our work and prioritise gender-based violence, honouring the courageous voices of the children and young people who called for change.”
Co-Director at Zero Tolerance Laura Tomson said: “We’re proud to have been closely involved in the development of the Gender Based Violence in Schools Framework.
“The guidance is a vital step towards preventing and responding to boys’ sexual harassment, rape, and abuse of girls, which is all too common.
“We now look to the Scottish Government to demonstrate its commitment to ending boys’ violence against girls by resourcing the guidance’s implementation so both teachers and children can focus on learning.”
International engagement in an independent Scotland
Proposals for how an outward-looking, independent Scotland could play its part in tackling global challenges have been published by External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson.
‘An independent Scotland’s place in the world’, the latest paper in the Building a New Scotland series, sets out the Scottish Government’s policy proposals for international engagement and defence policy following independence.
These include:
commitments to apply for membership of the United Nations, European Union and NATO as soon as possible following a vote for independence
the establishment of a dedicated diplomatic network to promote and protect Scottish interests, provide consular support for Scottish citizens, and promote the country as a hub for innovation, trade and investment
a commitment to meet the UN’s target of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) on overseas development aid to help the world’s poorest countries
the establishment of new armed forces, informed by an expert-led Defence and Security Review, with a modern contract for personnel and continued strong support for veterans
the removal of nuclear weapons from Scotland in the safest and quickest manner possible after independence
Mr Robertson said: “Scotland is already making a contribution on the world stage, where we can, to address global poverty, the climate and biodiversity crises and threats to human rights.
“But because we are not independent, Scotland has been forced into Brexit and contributing towards billions of pounds being spent on nuclear weapons. If Scotland had full participation in multilateral bodies such as the UN we could ensure our voice is heard on critical global issues, such as on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“Full representation within associations like the UN and EU would also enable us to negotiate directly to become party to international treaties, conventions and agreements that reflect Scotland’s values and ambitions as a good global citizen.
“These associations and the benefits they would bring, such as regained access to the world’s largest single market and freedom of movement within the EU, would also bring opportunities overseas and at home – helping to develop a competitive economy and support education, skills and jobs with our strengths in our culture and innovation industries, as well as renewable energy.
“Our proposals also make clear that the armed forces of an independent Scotland, supported by a modern contract for personnel and strong support for veterans, would play their part to defend our national interests and contribute to global peace and security, given our strategic position in the North Atlantic.
“Ultimately, independence would enable Scotland to determine the kind of state it wants to be on the world stage. We firmly believe that the challenges of the 21st century are best faced through more, not less, co-operation and I look forward to engaging with as many people as possible on the opportunities highlighted in this paper as we look to Scotland’s future.”
Projects that work with children and families to prevent childhood obesity and reduce health inequalities are benefitting from more than half a million pounds of investment.
Ten projects across Scotland will share £538,141. The funding is allocated to initiatives such as Little n Lively – run by NHS Lanarkshire – which provides families and young children in the area with practical skills and information on nutrition and cooking and increased opportunities for physical activity and expanding social networks.
This year a number of health boards, including NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland, are continuing or implementing the ‘HENRY – Healthy Families Right from the Start’ programme which helps parents and carers with children up to five years old to provide a healthier, happier start in life.
The internationally adopted, evidence-based package provides support with family emotional wellbeing and information about nutrition, physical activity and oral health.
The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure all children have the best start in life and the projects support the ambition to halve childhood obesity in Scotland by 2030.
Speaking on World Obesity Day (Monday), Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Preventing the causes of ill health is an important part of our efforts to make the health service sustainable in the years to come. That includes addressing obesity, particularly as we know good nutrition and physical activity is crucial for children’s health and development.
“We want Scotland to be the best place in the world for a child to grow up, and these early years projects are crucial to our bold ambition of halving childhood obesity by 2030.
“These ambitious and effective projects will also help tackle inequalities by working with families and communities to encourage healthy eating and offering support for those experiencing food insecurity.”
Health Improvement Adviser for NHS Shetland, Fern Jamieson said: “The continued early years funding from Scottish Government has enabled NHS Shetland and partners to continue delivery of the HENRY ‘Healthy Families Right from the Start’ programme to more families across Shetland.
“Healthy Families Right from the Start is an 8-week programme to support parents and carers with children between 0-5 years to provide a healthier, happier start in life. Parents and carers have the opportunity to join online or face-to-face groups, providing improved access across Shetland.
“We have had reports that the programme is very interesting, enjoyable and a good opportunity to share ideas with others which has helped in making healthy changes across the whole family.
“With over 20 groups across Shetland, we are engaging with communities to deliver our standalone HENRY workshops. Feedback has been very positive and parents and carers feel more confident at mealtimes, understanding behaviours and cooking cost effectively.”
Projects receiving funding in 2023/24 are:
NHS Ayrshire & Arran: JumpStart Tots – £76,828
NHS Dumfries & Galloway: A whole systems approach with a focus on Early Years – £11,400
NHS Grampian: Training and support for a group of multi-agency professionals across Aberdeenshire to deliver the HENRY approach – £15,000
NHS Grampian: Upskill relevant teaching staff to deliver the Grow Well Choices Early Years programme – £15,000
