NEWTON STEWART ARC SCORES TOP MARKS

Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Activity & Resource Centre (ARC) in Newton Stewart has been awarded excellent grades across all aspects of its work by the Care Inspectorate in a recent inspection.

The service, which provides personal development opportunities and support for adults with learning disabilities, has been awarded the highest grades a registered service can achieve in Scotland for its quality of care and support, environment, staffing, management and leadership.

The report states:
‘The service is excellent at facilitating ways for the service to be member led. This resulted in a great feeling of partnership between the members and the staff. The service has a passionate staff team who thrive on innovative challenges that arise from fresh ideas from anyone that has contact with the service…the service provided excellent individualised care and support which was led by the members where possible. During the inspection we found examples of excellent practice that were humbling to observe.’

Alan Baird, Scottish Government Chief Social Work Adviser, recently visited the service and, in particular, Cree Studio, its music and short film recording studio delivered in partnership with Turning Point Scotland. The project received a Special Commendation at the Scottish Social Services Council Care Accolades last year and Mr Baird commented on Twitter:
“Real sense of community spirit with tons of ambition, person centred care, continuous improvement….an excellent example of personalised services at the centre of the community”

The service also provides a range of community, work experience and certificated learning opportunities, including its Merrick Café based in the Merrick Leisure Centre on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This project holds a Healthy Living Award and 4-star rating from Visit Scotland.

Robert Bell, who uses the service, said of the report: “I think this will be very good for the Centre. The Merrick Café is also very good and I am enjoying it. Newton Stewart ARC should be a beacon for the community.”

One carer commented:
“The service provided by all the staff at Newton Stewart ARC is exceptional. They take the greatest of care to make sure that all of my daughter’s needs are met across all areas. Wonderful service and staff.”

Both The Care Inspectorate and the Chief Social Work Adviser were particularly interested in the personal outcomes for service users made possible through co-delivery of the service with key locality partners in health, leisure and sport, outdoor education, Third Sector Providers, the library service, Police Scotland, and private personal assistants.

Councillor Ted Thompson, vice chairman of the Social Work Services Committee, said, “To achieve excellent grades across the board is an exceptional achievement: I would like to thank and congratulate all ARC members, staff, carers and partner organisations who have contributed towards the excellent work being done through the Newton Stewart ARC service, which has been recognised by the Care Inspectorate in this outstanding inspection report.”

Photo link attached: Councillor Ted Thompson, vice chairman of the Social Work Services Committee, with service users and staff at Newton Stewart ARC

MOTOR CYCLIST SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURIES AFTER MOFFAT A708 COLLISION

SERIOUS ROAD CRASH – MOFFAT

Police Scotland Officers are continuing enquiries and appealing for witnesses after a 35 year-old man lost control of his motorcycle and collided with a BMW motor vehicle on Sunday 21 September 2014 on the A708, Moffat.

Around 1410 hours on Sunday afternoon, the 35 year-old male rider of a Triumph motorcycle sustained serious leg injuries when he lost control of his bike which then collided with a BMW motor vehicle. The injured male was taken by ambulance to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where the male remains in a stable condition. No one else was injured in the incident; however, the incident did lead to a significant tail back on the A708 at Selkirk road approximately 2 miles north of Craigieburn Nursery. The tailback cleared shortly thereafter.

Inspector Neil Hewitson of the Road Policing Department at Dumfries and Galloway Division is appealing for any witnesses to the crash on the A708 to contact the Road Policing Department via the 101 number.

NEW INFORMATION WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH SENSORY LOSS ACROSS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

A new website designed to give people living with sight and/or hearing loss across Dumfries & Galloway a comprehensive insight into local services has launched. The site will also provide a wealth of information to people who support and work with those living with sensory loss.

The See Hear project, a partnership between Visibility and National Deaf Children’s Society, launched its new website for people living, working or interested in sensory loss this week.

Specific to Dumfries & Galloway, the website has been designed to be accessible for people with a visual impairment using screen reading software, and also features videos from British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to ensure BSL users can get the most out of the site.

1 a 1 a deaf 6Lindsay McDowall, Service Manager for the See Hear project, based at Nithbank, Dumfries, said: “With a distinct focus on local services and information, we hope that our website will provide a one-stop shop for anyone in the region who’d like to find out more on sensory loss.

“When designing the website, our aim was to provide more for the local community than simply what we do. We wanted it to reflect the full range of excellent services, from both the voluntary and statutory sectors, that are available to people living with sensory loss in Dumfries & Galloway.

“It will include information on local groups, any events that are in the pipeline, details of training or topic groups taking place locally, plus general information and practical advice on living with sensory loss. In time for the launch the website was full of local content and we want it to grow on a daily basis.”

Featuring a full range of services, information and learning resources relating to sight, hearing loss and dual sensory loss, the website can be viewed at: www.seehearvisibility.org.uk

The See Hear Project can provide information, the chance to meet other people, learning opportunities and practical support to people living with sight, hearing or dual sensory loss right across Dumfries & Galloway.

ALEX SALMOND TO RESIGN AS FIRST MINISTER

Alex Salmond has announced his intention to resign as First Minister of Scotland.
In a statement at the First Minister’s official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh, Mr Salmond said he would not accept nomination for leader at its Scottish National Party’s annual conference in November and, after the party membership ballot there, he will stand down as First Minister.
The First Minister said:
“I’m immensely proud of the campaign which we have fought and of the 1.6 million voters who rallied to that cause by backing an independent Scotland. I am also proud of the 85 per cent turn-out in the referendum and the remarkable response of all of the people of Scotland who participated in this great democratic, constitutional debate and of course in the manner in which they conducted themselves. We now have the opportunity to hold Westminster’s feet to the fire on the vow that they have made to devolve further meaningful power to Scotland; this places Scotland in a very strong position.
“I spoke to the Prime Minister today and, although he reiterated his intention to proceed as he has now outlined, he would not commit to a second reading vote on the 27th of March on a new Scotland Bill. That was a clear promise laid out by Gordon Brown during the campaign. The Prime Minister says such a vote would be meaningless; I suspect he cannot guarantee the support of his party. But today the point is this; the real guardians of progress are not the politicians at Westminster, or even at Holyrood, but the energised activism of tens of thousands of people who I predict will refuse to meekly go back into the political shadows.
“For me right now, therefore there is a decision as to who is best placed to lead this process forward politically. I believe this is a new exciting situation that is redolent with possibility, but in that situation I think that Party, Parliament and Country would benefit from new leadership. Therefore, I have told the national secretary of the Scottish National Party that I will not accept nomination to be a candidate for leader at the annual conference in Perth, on the 13th to the 15th of November. After the membership ballot I will stand down as First Minister to allow the new leader to be elected by due parliamentary process. Until then I will continue to serve as First Minister, after that I will continue to offer to serve as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeenshire East.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve Scotland as First Minister, but as I’ve said often during the referendum campaign, this is not about me or the SNP, or any political party – it is much more important than that. The position is this. We lost the referendum vote but can still carry the political initiative. More importantly, Scotland can still emerge as the real winner. For me as leader, my time is nearly over but for Scotland, the campaign continues and the dream shall never die.”
Notes to Editors
Images of the First Minister’s statement are available for use, without fee, at www.flickr.com/scottishgovernment
Video and audio of the First Minister’s statement will be available shortly at www.youtube.com/scottishgovernment and at www.soundcloud.com/scotgov
Alex Salmond is Scotland’s longest-serving First Minister, having led his party to two successive election victories. Mr Salmond succeeded Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell as First Minister in May 2007, leading a minority administration after his Scottish National Party (SNP) secured the largest number of seats at Holyrood. Four years later the SNP won an unprecedented majority in the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Salmond will remain First Minister with his full range of responsibilities including chairing Cabinet and discharging the duties that fall to the office of First Minister until a new leader is nominated. It will then be up to the Scottish Parliament to agree with that choice.
The First Minister is a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) and is appointed by royal warrant from the Monarch following a vote by MSPs to nominate the individual.
Having received the royal warrant, the First Minister must take the oath of office (be ‘sworn in’) at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in front of the Lord President and other senior judges.
As head of the Scottish Government, the First Minister is responsible for the overall development, implementation and presentation of the administration’s policies and for promoting and representing Scotland at home and overseas.
Subject to Parliament’s agreement, the First Minister appoints other ministers – including a Deputy First Minister and cabinet secretaries who sit in cabinet – from among MSPs. The First Minister – also following the agreement of the Parliament – recommends to the Monarch the appointment of the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General (the ‘law officers’), who are also members of the Scottish Government and, together with cabinet secretaries and junior ministers are collectively known as the ‘Scottish ministers’.

Picture Of Alex salmondnd on a recent visit to dumfries Copyright of DGWGO

 

SCOTTISH NATIONAL FARMERS UNION BOARD BACKS RURAL LIFESAVING INITIATIVE

Left-to-right-Tom-French-Forth-and-Clyde-John-Semple-Argyll-and-Islands-NFU-Scotland-President-Nigel-Miller-and-James-Adam-East-Central

 

Grid location cards speeds up emergency response to accidents

NFU Scotland’s Board of Directors have backed an initiative, which could potentially save lives on farms.

The initiative is run in partnership with Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance, working alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service and encourages rural workers to pinpoint their exact location in an emergency.

Statistics show that those employed in the rural and agricultural industries across Scotland face the greatest danger of accident or mishap of all professions. And when the worst happens in remote and isolated areas, getting help quickly to the right location is of paramount importance

NFU Scotland’s Board of Directors wants farmers, crofters, landowners and other rural workers to adopt the easy-to-use grid reference system which helps define accurately their location when summoning help.

The pocket-sized reference point cards – detailing unique landmarks such as lochs, prominent hills, masts, water features, churches, bridges or road features – can be copied and kept in multiple locations by everyone on the farm, including on the farm vehicles, in workers’ pockets or pasted to the back of their mobile phones.

By identifying clearly visible landmarks, anyone involved in an accident can pass on an accurate location to emergency services, allowing help to find them more easily.

NFU Scotland President, Nigel Miller commented: “The Board of Directors are fully behind this partnership initiative and we have worked with all those on the Board to encourage them to fill out the grid-reference card and carry it with them.

“It’s easy to think this doesn’t apply to me and that I’ll never need to use these grid cards. However, in reality we are all at risk. It really does matter that we all take this initiative seriously and make it work – it’s about protecting our families and those we work with us and not just ourselves.

“We would ask anyone who works in the rural community, including farmers, crofters and landowners, to take five minutes to fill out the card. I know we are all busy, but by taking just a few minutes to fill it out, it could potentially save a life and help the emergency services locate an accident victim more quickly and easily.

“Completed grid cards can be kept in tractors, on your mobile phone and can be given to employees, so that in an emergency this time saving mechanism could mean the different between life and death.”

SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SUPPORT GAS SAFETY WEEK

 Make sure gas appliances are safe

 Research shows many homes have an unsafe gas appliance – risking fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

Firefighters are supporting the call to the public to help prevent tragedies by ensuring gas appliances are always properly maintained.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has thrown its weight behind Gas Safety Week – the nationwide campaign aiming to raise awareness of gas safety issues.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, director of prevention and protection, said: “The effects of a gas escape or carbon monoxide poisoning can be absolutely devastating.

“In the last year alone 343 people were injured and 10 people died in the UK as a result of gas related incidents.

“This follows previous information from Gas Safe Register which revealed that around one in five homes in Scotland has an unsafe gas appliance.

“It also found one in 20 would be considered immediately dangerous – meaning they could cause a fire, an explosion or a potentially fatal leak of toxic fumes.

“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer that you can’t see, taste or smell. It is the unnoticeable result of fuel not being properly burned and it can kill very, very quickly.

“Every home which has gas appliances should have carbon monoxide alarms fitted to ensure that in the event of a leak everyone gets warning of the danger.

“The threat of explosion or fire is real and the simple fact is anyone who uses gas heating or other appliances should ensure these are regularly serviced and properly maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer.“

Gas Safety Week runs from 15 to 21 September and is coordinated by Gas Safe Register – the official list of engineers who are qualified to work legally and safely on gas appliances.

It advises the public is to have appliances checked every year, with a reminder service and information about specific local dangers available online at www.StayGasSafe.co.uk.

People should check for any of the warning signs an appliance may not be working correctly, such as a lazy yellow flame, black marks or stains around the appliance, or too much condensation in the room.

Knowing the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness – could also save lives.

To find a Gas Safe registered engineer and for further gas safety advice visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

DUMFRIESHIRE SINGER EMILY SMITH TO PERFORM AT DOUGIE MACLEANS AMBER FESTIVAL

Popular Dumfriesshire based musician Emily Smith is part of a stellar line-up performing at the tenth Perthshire Amber Festival later this autumn. The festival was founded by singer songwriter Dougie MacLean and has grown from a weekend of concerts to a ten day musical extravaganza featuring over 350 musicians. MacLean who recently performed his much-loved anthem Caledonia at the Closing Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is also celebrating 40 years as a touring musician.

Emily Smith has played at the festival several times, most notably during the 2012 festival when she joined MacLean on stage(main picture) to open the festival in front of a sell-out crowd in the Caledonia Hall at Edradour Distillery near Pitlochry.

This year her Amber Afternoon Concert in Castle Menzies(Sunday 26 October) has already sold out but she’ll also perform at a special Heritage Concert as part of Homecoming 2014 on Saturday 25 October in Blairgowrie Town Hall. In addition to some of Dougie’s best-loved songs, the line-up will feature Emily Smith, Mischa MacPherson and Tom Spiers performing Burns, ballads, Gaelic song and some fantastic collaborations.

Emily Smith explains more:
“Perthshire Amber is one of the best, innovative and most welcoming festivals in Scotland. This will be my third visit to the festival, I’m really looking forward to performing songs from my new album ‘Echoes’ and catching up with Dougie and his brilliant team”

Dougie MacLean said:
“We are delighted to have Emily return to the festival, her concerts are always very well received by the Perthshire Amber audiences. I think her voice is fantastic and it’s always a joy to perform with her.”

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY EDUCATION STAFF TO BE OFFERED THE FLU JAB

All of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education Services staff are being offered seasonal flu immunisation.

There was a very high uptake of the offer last year with more than 1,100 staff in Education Services being immunised at work. The vaccination helps staff to stay well over the winter months and prevents the virus being transmitted to pupils. Staff are being asked if they want to make an appointment to receive the vaccine in school.

As part of a separate programme, all primary school pupils are being offered flu immunisation this year.

Councillor Jeff Leaver, chairman of the Education Services Committee, said, “We’re working closely with NHS Dumfries and Galloway, which is experienced in delivering the vaccination programme to its own staff and has the highest uptake for any Health Board in Scotland. These vaccination programmes greatly reduce absences, resulting in reduced disruption to the education of our pupils. The earlier that anyone is immunised the more protection they have. The more staff and pupils take up the immunisation, the less flu can spread.”

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY PARENTS GET CHANCE TO FOCUS ON SCHOOL REPORT CARDS IMPROVEMENT

School report cards: could do better

This week, parents across Dumfries and Galloway are talking to Educaton Services’ director and heads of service, who want to hear how the region’s schools can do better in reporting to parents.

Area parent forums are a chance for parents from all schools to come together and discuss areas of interest with senior staff. This week, the focus is on report cards.

Parent feedback is that they want report cards to be more regular, clearly written, and easily understood by parents and pupils, avoiding jargon and technical terms, and indicating for pupils where they are doing well and where they can improve. Parents want to see an assessment of the development of their child overall and to have regular opportunities to discuss this with staff with progress being discussed openly and honestly.

Parents also point out where Education Services is getting it right, which they feel is down to the energy and enthusiasm of teachers and headteachers. Parents state that they like parent conferencing, when there is more regular time to talk to class teachers rather than rely on receiving reports at home. This is seen as being particularly important in secondary schools due to the recent changes in exam arrangements. Parents also indicate that there is mixed understanding of Curriculum for Excellence and there is a need for this to be made clearer for parents.

Next month, the views of parents will be further sought through a questoinnaire that will be on www.dumgal.gov.uk and issued for pupils to take home.

Councillor Jeff Leaver, chairman of the Education Services Committee, said, “It is vitally important that parents feel involved in their child’s education and feel welcome in their school. We are a listening Council and are keen to fully engage with parents. These parent forums enable this and provide us with valuable feedback so that we can further improve engagement between schools, parents and pupils.”

LOST WALKERS LOCATED BY POLICE HELICOPTER IN GALLOWAY

Two walkers who became disoriented whilst descending from the Merrick, the highest peak in South West Scotland, were located and airlifted to safety by the Police Scotland helicopter. This is the first time the team have been supported by the police helicopter in Galloway.
At 1855hrs on Wednesday 17th September 2014, Police Scotland called out the team to respond to two male walkers who had become disoriented whilst descending from the Merrick. They were otherwise well, but unable to navigate themselves off the hillside.
A hasty team of seven Galloway MR personnel was immediately dispatched as the team were already mustered for an evening training event at the base in Newton Stewart.
The Police Scotland helicopter was also deployed to assist and whilst the team were on route to the search area, they reported having located the walkers safe and well. Fortuitously, the aircraft was able to land at their location, and successfully evacuate them off the hillside.
Mike McCann, Team Leader said, “This is the first time we’ve worked with the Police Scotland helicopter and it shows how swiftly a rescue can be affected when we work effectively together. This was an incident ideally suited to the aircraft since it was able to land nearby the walkers and get them off the hill effortlessly. We greatly look forward to working with the aircrew in future”.
The team stood down at 1945hrs and returned to their training exercise! For more information about the voluntary activities of Galloway MRT including details of incidents, training, walk routes and much more, visit www.gallowaymrt.org.uk.