Teapot Trust is so delighted to have been chosen as one of the four charitable beneficiaries of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon’s Christmas card this year.
This year’s card features a beautiful image entitled ‘Say it with a kiss!’ by Scottish artist John Byrne, the original of which will be auctioned off and the proceeds split between Teapot Trust, SCIAF, Food Train and Scottish Women’s Aid. Ms Sturgeon said ‘The four charities that will benefit from the sale of the painting do fantastic work on local, national and international levels, and I’m very pleased that the card can support such a wide range of good causes.’
The Teapot Trust is a Scottish charity providing professional art therapy and creative interventions for chronically ill children and young people in hospitals and hospices across the UK. Our work aims to build resilience in children with chronic illness by encouraging them to express emotions, mentally overcome the challenges linked to their condition and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Participating in art therapy can contribute to positive mental health, provide peer interaction and a sense of community within the hospital environment and introduce new skills, providing opportunities to be viewed as an individual rather than as patient.
Since 2007, artwork from the First Minister’s official Christmas cards has raised around £170,000 for good causes through the sales of original paintings and limited edition prints. As Teapot Trust receive no funding from the NHS or the Government, generous donations such as this help us ensure we can continue providing our much needed services.
Living Wills are not yet legally binding in Scotland, however a recent case in England shows that medical staff are putting greater emphasis on respecting the wishes of patients.
A Living Will, also known as an Advance Directive, is a document that allows you to declare your views on receiving life-prolonging medical treatment should you become seriously ill and are no longer able to make decisions on your own health care. A Living Will can set out your wishes in general terms or it can detail your prospective refusal of any specific procedures or treatments that are aimed at prolonging your life. Such treatments could include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, artificial ventilation, invasive surgery or blood transfusion.
In the recent case of Brenda Grant, from Warwickshire, medical staff had misplaced her Living Will which resulted in her receiving life-prolonging treatment for almost two years following a stroke, contrary to her written wishes. Unfortunately, Mrs Grant had not made her family aware of her wishes or the existence of the Living Will and it was only once her GP discovered the document within her medical notes that the medical treatment was stopped. In an out-of-court settlement, the George Eliot Hospital Trust admitted liability and agreed to pay £45,000 in damages to Mrs Grant’s family.
Creating a Living Will allows you to formally express your wishes so that they may be given effect when you are no longer able to make decisions regarding your health or welfare. The aim of the medical profession has historically been to prolong life but as the number of suffers of age related conditions grow, it is essential that consideration is also given to the views of the patient. Many of us will now have experienced family members who have suffered from the indignity of their degradation and would not wish to have the same experience. The hospital trust’s admission that they acted improperly in not ensuring that their patient’s wishes were followed shows that the medical profession understand that there is now a balance to be found.
If you create a Living Will, we always recommend that you let your family and friends know that you have done so to ensure that it is not mislaid within your medical notes. We would also provide you with a copy of the Living Will for your personal papers and your doctor with a copy for their file. For more information on Living Wills please contact Blackadders.
• Two thirds (65 per cent) of parents in the UK would use unfamiliar sites to get the most in-demand toys
• Lego Star Wars BB8 is the most in-demand present for children this Christmas (16 per cent), followed by the Paw Patrol Sea Patroller (13 per cent)
• Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of Scots feel under pressure when buying Christmas presents for friends and family
• More than half (61 per cent) of scam victims in Scotland were targeted when buying for someone else
Christmas gift giving pressure is causing Brits to drop their guard and increasing their chance of being targeted by seasonal online scams, according to new data from Barclays¹.
A new study has found that two thirds (65 per cent) of UK parents would use an unfamiliar site to find the must have toys of the year, with 16 per cent saying that the Lego Star Wars BB8 is the most in-demand present for children this Christmas. The Paw Patrol Sea Patroller (13 per cent) and LOL BIG Surprise Doll (12 per cent) follow close behind on their children’s wish lists.
In Scotland, almost two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents say they feel under pressure when buying gifts for their loved ones at Christmas, with one in five (20 per cent) of these shoppers admitting to ‘panic buying’ presents as a result. A similar proportion (21 per cent) visit websites they wouldn’t normally buy from in order to find the right gift.
This stress and panic creates the ideal opportunity for fraudsters to strike; one in five (20 per cent) Scottish gift givers would be willing to register and save their personal details on an unfamiliar website, while 14 per cent would buy from a website without thinking whether their payment is secure in pursuit of the perfect present.
Don’t let the fraudsters win
With nearly one in three (29 per cent) Scots considering present buying to be one of the most stressful aspects of the festive season, second only to battling crowded shopping centres and busy high streets (47 per cent), it’s important that online safety is not overlooked.
Worryingly, just four per cent of Scots shoppers identified the possibility of buying from a fraudulent website as a festive stress trigger, despite the fact that the average victim in the UK loses £893. Instead, people are nearly six times as likely to worry about seasonal overspending (23 per cent), with one in four (31 per cent) resorting to buying their loved one’s gift from whichever website offers the cheapest price to save on cost.
‘Tis the season to be wary
With almost a fifth (17 per cent) of Scottish scam victims having been scammed over the Christmas period, Barclays is warning everyone to stay vigilant when shopping online this December. More than half (61 per cent) of former victims of online scams were buying for someone else when they were targeted, with one in seven (15 per cent) admitting to being more preoccupied with finding the right gift than checking the legitimacy of the website.
In Scotland, clothing topped the list of gifts most likely to get you scammed, affecting 18 per cent of former fraud victims. Electronics (14 per cent) took second place, with health and beauty products (8 per cent), household items (8 per cent) and digital content such as movies, music and computer games (8 per cent) sharing joint third place.
This coincides with some of the most popular gifts on Scottish Christmas shoppers’ lists. Clothing, beauty products and jewellery topped the list of items to buy a spouse or partner, games and clothing took the top spot for sons, clothing and health and beauty products for daughters, and food and drink was the most popular choice for dads.
Samantha White, who leads Barclays’ work to keep customers safe from fraudsters, said:
“Scouring the internet for the perfect Christmas gift can be stressful, but if you lose sight of digital safety and just focus on the price, you could fall prey to festive fraudsters. Look out for ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals, and always take the time to check that the website you’re buying from is legitimate.”
1 The research was carried out online by Opinium across a total of 2,006 nationally representative adults in September 2017. An additional survey was carried out across a total of 1,700 people who have been scammed, to supplement the national research. Moreover, a survey of 369 UK parents with primary school children was carried out between 24th and 27th September 2017.
BIG Partnership has recorded one of its best-ever starts to a financial year after securing over £600,000 of new business.
The PR and digital marketing agency has successfully delivered several high-profile, integrated campaigns since the beginning of its financial year in June.
These include Aberdeen Football Club’s AURORA campaign to demonstrate support for its new stadium plans and the launch of a luxury residential development, Park Quadrant Residences in Glasgow, for Ambassador Group.
In addition, BIG has secured new business across a range of sectors, including food and drink, sport, and energy, including new assignments for First Group, luxury ice cream brand Equi’s, the European Tour during the Aberdeen Asset Scottish Open Golf and decommissioning start-up Well-Safe Solutions.
BIG Director, Zoe Ogilvie, said: “The last few months have been among the strongest in our history, with major wins across all our offices. In Aberdeen, we’re seeing the market gradually recovering and we are picking up some really great PR, digital and design projects.
“Meanwhile, we’ve gained a real foothold in the north-west of England where our Manchester-based teams have been on a winning streak, securing a 12-month contract with architecture and building consultancy AHR and an appointment from the UK division of heating and renewable energy products manufacturer Steibel Eltron, among others.”
“Our digital income is up 65% year-on-year and our integrated approach to digital, design and PR has led to a stream of marketing-led projects which have generated impressive results for clients. We recently embarked on a rebrand of our own to reflect this transition.”
In addition to the new business, BIG has retained and secured expanded remits for clients AREG (Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group), Scottish Rugby, OPITO, Stewart Milne Group, Kelvinside Academy and VIBES (The Scottish Environment Business Awards).
The agency is also building a strong presence in the high-growth start-up and emerging companies arena, working with firms such as Find a Player, Voomfit and Tag Digital.
The agency has made seven new hires in the period from June to October, bringing its total headcount to 102.
The stars of Scotland’s mountain bike scene have been recognised at the annual Scottish Mountain Bike Awards.
Organised by the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland and Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, more than 150 guests attended the awards evening last Thursday (16 November) at the Drygate Brewery in Glasgow.
A total of 13 awards were presented to riders, businesses, clubs, event organisers, community groups, tourism and services companies who have excelled throughout 2017.
A public vote was held for the Mountain Bike Rider of the Year with Katy Winton and Lewis Buchanan taking home the prizes. Both ride for Trek Factory Racing in the Enduro World Series.
The Best Mountain Bike Event was once again won by the Tweedlove Bike Festival.
In the business category, newcomer A S D-Xine – founded by former Robert Gordon University student Andrew Davidson – won the Best Product award with its revolutionary Go-Charge hydration device.
Milngavie-based Flaer took home the Best Scottish Exporter award, with the Best Business to Academic Collaboration award going to the University of Strathclyde and ByCyclogical for their work developing an innovative cycling storage device. Cleikum Mill in Innerleithen won the MTB Friendly Accommodation award and Off the Grid won the Best Service Provider prize.
In the participation and sport categories, Bespoke took the hotly contested MTB Community Project prize, with Midlothian Cycles taking home MTB Club of the Year.
Guest presenters on the night included Stu Thomson of Cut Media – regular collaborators with Danny MacAskill – and Chris Ball – managing director of the Enduro World Series.
Danny Cowe, co-presenter of the evening and business development executive of the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland said: “The awards evening was a fantastic opportunity to showcase and celebrate all the fantastic achievements within the Scottish mountain bike community. With such a large turnout on the night and with over 65 nominees throughout the categories, it shows that the sport and industry is in a strong place.”
Graeme McLean, project manager of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, said: “We know that there is still issues and challenges in Scottish mountain biking, and we are working hard to solve them but we do need to take the time celebrate our successes. By bringing everyone together we can highlight and promote the great range of activity which is happening in Scottish mountain biking. We are always inspired to hear how our community, clubs, businesses and riders are punching above their weight in the world of mountain biking.”
List of winners;
• Scottish Mountain Bike Product Innovation of the Year – AS D-Zine Ltd, Go Charge
• Best Scottish Business Collaboration with a University – ByCyclogical and University of Strathclyde
• Endura Exporter of the Year – Flaer
• Scottish MTB Friendly Accommodation Provider of the Year – Cleikum Mill Lodge, Innerleithen
• Edinburgh Napier University Scottish MTB Service Provider of the Year – Off the Grid MTB
• Event of the Year – Tweedlove Bike Festival
• Scottish Cycling MTB Photograph of the Year – James McLean
• MTB video of the Year – H&I Adventures, On Wandering
• Shand Cycles Scottish Mountain Bike Club of the Year – Midlothian Cycle Club
• IBIS Cycles Scottish Mountain Bike Community Project of the Year – Bespoke
• Scottish Mountain Biking Local Hero – Barbara Murray and Euan Speirits
• Scottish Female Rider of the Year – Katy Winton
• Scottish Male Rider of the Year – Lewis Buchanan
Pictured: MTB Service Provider of the Year (L-R: Graeme McLean (DMBINS), Off the Grid MTB, Prof Geraint Florida James of Edinburgh Napier University)
Scotland is at the forefront of a boom in innovation in a bid to tackle issues faced by the aquaculture industry, according to leading intellectual property (IP) specialists.
The sector fights a constant battle to maintain the health and quality of farmed produce. The control of sea lice alone is thought to cost the salmon farming industry in the region of £30million a year.
However IP experts Marks & Clerk said the issues are driving the country’s academics and producers to find new and innovative solutions to fight back.
Patent Attorney in the firm’s Glasgow office, Richard Gibbs, said he is now dealing with more aquaculture patents than ever before.
He explained: “As fish farming and aquaculture evolve, the technology employed to overcome problems – and the IP which protects that technology– becomes all the more innovative and important.
“Scotland’s natural resources and farming expertise ensure that Scotland excels in this industry and we are now at the forefront of those innovations which are providing solutions to major problems.
“Scottish food brands have a worldwide reputation which depends on quality. Whether we are exporting Scottish salmon or whisky, the nation’s producers have to maintain that reputation and invest in the innovation necessary to protect it and those standards. It was only a matter of time before an industry built up around that.”
A report published this month by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation, (SSPO) showed employment in the Scottish salmon farming industry is up by 13 per cent.
Capital investment is sitting at a healthy £63million with over £390million being spent last year in the Scottish supply chain.
The boost is being particularly felt in the Highlands and Islands – where the SSPO said £164million was spent with local businesses, while wages increased by five per cent to a total of almost £75million.
It was also recently announced that a consortium led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is conducting a science and innovation audit to look at the potential of the region to become a major player in the UK marine economy
Richard said Scottish solutions and technologies are already being exported to fish-farming countries across the globe.
He said: “Scotland is an absolute hub for innovation and research.
“Solutions developed here are being pushed out to famers all over the world – to South America, Asia and Scandinavia.
“We have expertise in aquaculture, vaccines, anti-parasitic compounds and hatcheries. As a firm we represent almost every discipline. It is a buoyant industry, and Intellectual Property is prevalent throughout.”
• Record levels of cybercrime and growth of festive e-commerce set to create unprecedented levels of fraud for Christmas 2017
• Almost two thirds (60 per cent) of Scots worry about their credit or debit card details being stolen whilst shopping online
• A third (36 per cent) of online shoppers in Scotland either don’t know, or aren’t sure, how to identify a secure website when shopping online
• The average online scam costs Edinburgh shoppers £394 compared to £331 for Glaswegians
• Festive fraud victims across the UK estimated to lose around £1.3bn¹ in total this year
This Christmas looks set to be one of the most fraudulent ever for online shoppers in Scotland, according to new data from Barclays¹. With fraud and scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, and with record numbers getting ready to do their Christmas shopping online, Barclays is warning of a perfect storm for seasonal online theft.
The research found that almost two thirds (60 per cent) of Scots worry about their credit or debit card details being stolen, whilst a similar number (59 per cent) have concerns over their bank account being hacked whilst Christmas shopping online.
More than a quarter (26 per cent) of online scams in the UK happen over the Christmas period, costing victims on average £893² – over twice the average Christmas budget for presents, food, drink and entertainment³ and equating to an eye-watering £1.3bn across the country.
Christmas is coming early for fraudsters taking advantage of low cybercrime awareness and lack of confidence
Scots are in danger of losing the war with fraudsters this Christmas, because they don’t know how to protect their data and stay safe online. A third (36 per cent) of online shoppers across Scotland told Barclays researchers they either don’t know, or aren’t sure, how to identify a secure website when shopping online.
A fifth of Scots (21 per cent) admitted to having fallen victim to an online scam or fraud. Of those, almost a third (31 per cent) were buying from a website that is well-known, and over a fifth (22 per cent) ordered from a website that they regularly purchase from, highlighting the need to be vigilant at all times.
A quarter (26 per cent) of fraud victims felt that it was just ‘bad luck’ that they were caught out, yet only 24 per cent were aware that they should check for the padlock authentication symbol on the payment page. Just one fifth (22 per cent) knew to ensure that the web address started with ‘https’.
With the average scam costing Edinburgh shoppers £394, over £60 more (£331) than their Glaswegian neighbours, Scots need to ensure they are aware of the warning signs if they don’t want to be out of pocket this Christmas.
Top tips to stay safe online this Christmas
As record numbers of gift buyers get set to purchase online, the #BarclaysDigiSafe team has provided the following tips to avoid being fleeced by festive fraudsters:
1. Look out for the padlock symbol and ‘https’ in the address bar on retailers’ websites
2. Watch out for deals that look too good to be true
3. Never use public Wi-Fi to purchase Christmas shopping online
4. Never give out your PIN or online banking password – legitimate websites won’t ask for it.
5. Keep an eye on your bank balance so that you can spot and report fraudulent transactions quickly
Fear of fraud hits online businesses hardest
Shoppers aren’t the only ones being stung by festive fraudsters. With one in 20 (5 per cent) UK shoppers who have fallen victim to a scam stopping shopping online altogether, online retailers could be losing out on up to £72m4 worth of lost revenue.
Samantha White, who leads Barclays’ work to keep customers safe from fraudsters, said:
“While families across the UK are preparing to enjoy the festive season, criminals are getting ready to pounce on anyone who lets their guard down. Buying your gifts online may be more convenient, but with Christmas 2017 set to be the most fraudulent on record, online shoppers must be more vigilant than ever. Beat the fraudsters by looking out for the typical warning signs such as the padlock symbol on retailers’ websites.”
1 The research was carried out online by Opinium across a total of 2,006 nationally representative adults in September 2017. An additional survey was carried out across a total of 1,700 people who have been scammed, to supplement the national research.
2 This Barclays research showed that the average scam over the Christmas period costs victims an average £893. This number has been multiplied by the estimated amount of Brits who have already been targeted at Christmas (1.5 million).
3 This Barclays research highlights that people plan to spend £422 on presents, food, drink and entertainment this Christmas
4 This Barclays research has been combined with retail sales trend data to derive an overall estimate of online sales that do not occur because of the fear of being defrauded.
Barclays has announced two key appointments to its Scotland agricultural team as it continues to extend its on-the-ground support for the Scottish agriculture sector and invest in the future of farming.
Donna Buchanan and Jennifer Adams have been recruited as dedicated Relationship Managers for Barclays Agriculture – working across the whole of Scotland.
Donna will join existing Relationship Directors Graeme McNaughton and Scot Howie to manage a portfolio of clients in agriculture, landed estates and agri-business with borrowing requirements of £1m and above. A graduate of the Scottish Agricultural College, she started her career with Barclays as a Business Manager in 2006, where she gained experience across a variety of sectors before beginning her specialism in agriculture in 2012. She has joined the Scotland agriculture team from her current Business Development Role.
Jennifer joined Barclays as a Business Manager in 2009, after more than 20 years in roles with a number of leading banks. Her new role will see her provide specialist support to agri-businesses, farmers and landowners with borrowing requirements up to £1m, alongside existing Agriculture Business Manager Steven Reid.
Stuart Brown, Head of SME Scotland, Barclays, who is leading the bank’s drive to expand its agri-business market share in Scotland, commented: “We’ve supported the agricultural industry for over 270 years, and we’re committed to helping the sector grow – evidenced through our decision to bolster our on-the-ground team and local representation, supported by our UK national team.
“We now have a six-strong specialist agri-team that has insight into the challenges facing the sector, from weather concerns to skilled labour shortages. We have the capabilities to support individual farm owners up to private estates, and will be showcasing our range of services at the upcoming AgriScot event in Edinburgh.”
The appointments form part of Barclays’ ongoing investment in servicing the agri-sector, and follow the launch of its first agriculture apprentice programme in banking and £100m dedicated UK agriculture loan fund.
Barclays supports over 20,000 UK farmers and, with a team of over 120 Agriculture Managers across the UK, has one of the biggest Agriculture banking team’s in the UK making it Britain’s leading agricultural bank. For more information on the Barclays Agriculture visit: www.barclays.co.uk/business-banking/sectors/agri-business/
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) marked Living Wage Week 2017 (November 5-11) by becoming accredited as a Living Wage employer.
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell, visited Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, (CHSS) headquarters in Edinburgh to celebrate this milestone moment on Thursday, November 9.
During her visit, Ms Campbell met CHSS staff, who shared their plans to proudly display their Living Wage employer mark in each of their community hubs and retail units across Scotland.
The Living Wage, which this week increased to £8.75 from £8.45 per hour, will be extended to all 260 employees of CHSS by May 2018. This is significantly higher than the statutory minimum for over 25s of £7.50 per hour introduced in April 2017.
The Living Wage seeks to meet the cost of living in Scotland, including the cost of accommodation, food and accounting for factors such as inflation.
Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell said:
“This is great news and will ensure staff directly employed by CHSS – alongside all contracted staff – have the security of being paid at least the real Living Wage.
“The Scottish Government is encouraging more organisations to recognise the benefits of paying the real Living Wage, to help ensure that basic wages continue to meet the cost of living.”
Jane-Claire Judson, CHSS Chief Executive, said:
“For CHSS, being a Living Wage employer is part of our philosophy and is about doing the right thing for our people. Offering the Living Wage above the minimum wage is good for our workforce and it is great for our organisational health particularly in retaining employees. But just as importantly, it’s a symbol of the type of charity we exist to be and our aspirations to be responsible in all that we do in order to make a difference to our people lives. We’ve been delivering the living wage as an employer for years and it’s great to be officially recognised this way.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said:
“I congratulate Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland on their accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. They join a growing movement of over 1000 accredited employers in Scotland. With the support of all accredited employers like CHSS, we aim to further grow the number of people our Initiative has helped to receive the real Living Wage. We encourage more employers to join us, to reinforce that Living Wage accreditation is the mark of a responsible employer.”
The ScotRail Alliance is adding carriages to as many trains as possible for rugby fans travelling to Scotland’s Autumn Test home games at the BT Murrayfield Stadium.
Scotland play Samoa on Saturday 11 November (KO 2.30pm), New Zealand on Saturday 18 November (KO 5.15pm), and Australia on Saturday 25 November (KO 2.30pm).
Trains to and from Edinburgh will be extremely busy. Supporters heading to the games are advised to allow additional time for travel, as queuing systems will be in place at Haymarket after the final whistle.
Extra staff will be on hand to assist customers and, as with most large events, alcohol bans will be in force.
ScotRail Alliance Head of Customer Experience, Graham Heald said: “The Autumn Tests are a big draw. We’ve done everything we can to boost the number of seats on key routes into the capital and will be using all available trains on match days.
“Please allow extra time for travel, and buy your ticket in advance to save you time and minimise the need to queue.
“If you’re travelling with children, our Kids Go Free tickets are the perfect fit – with up to two children, aged 5-15, traveling free with each adult.”
