The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Ill teen tells politicians: ‘We matter’
Aseverely ill teenager has told politicians “we matter” after helping CHAS write a new manifesto demanding more help for children with life-shortening conditions.
Emily Kidd, 16, who has received support from CHAS at its Rachel House base in Kinross for the past five years, suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), a genetic disorder that prevents the body from building strong bones.
Children’s charity CHAS – Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – released a manifesto calling on politicians of all parties to stand with the 16,700 families in Scotland facing the terrifying heartbreak that their child may die young.
Emily said: “We important, we matter.
“It’s hard knowing you’re going to die young.
“It’s difficult to live like that, you want to fit it all in, everything, and you want to do everything before it’s too late. are
“Can you imagine how difficult that is to deal with every day – knowing what’s going to happen? It’s devastating.
“I’d love to see more people with disabilities in political roles, someone to advocate on our behalf.
“I hope that’s something that might happen in the not so distant future. I’m looking forward to a brighter time ahead.”
Emily opened up about how difficult the pandemic has been on her and her mental health.
“At the start of the pandemic, I was put into the shielding category,” she said. “It was so hard not even being able to go on a walk and see my friends.
“I was constantly looking at the same four walls and the uncertainty around everything made things much tougher.
“My mental health has been up and down throughout – I’d describe it as a choppy sea. Juggling school work and missing out on things that I’d usually be able to do made me think that there was just no point any more. Luckily for me, CHAS was there to lift my spirits. I enjoyed their weekly Zoom youth club – it made me feel less alone and supported.
“I’d really just like a hug – it’s the simple things that mean the most.”
CHAS made the plea ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections where the charity outlines five crucial points it is asking parties to back.
These include continued sustainable funding for children’s hospice care over the next five years and a new national plan for palliative care that addresses the needs of children, as well as better financial support for struggling families, including after a child dies
Rami Okasha, CEO of CHAS, told politicians they had a key role in “helping keep the joy alive in the face of death”.
“The numbers of children with life-shortening conditions are going up,” Mr Okasha said. “The need for care is greater than ever.”
ADundee nursery worker said she will “miss her bairns” as she gets set to retire next week after serving generations of families during her career.
Hazel Ewing will be a familiar face to many adults and children – particularly in the Mid Craigie and Linlathen area where she has spent most of her 40-plus year career.
The former Meigle native came to Dundee in the early ’80s after starting her working life in Perth as an early years practitioner.
Hazel, 62, revealed she still keeps in touch with some of the children she cared for earlier in her career.
She added that they are now in their 40s as she looks ahead to her final week at Rowantree Early Years Centre.
“I’m actually looking after their children now and one woman who is working with us was one of my nursery kids,” she said.
“The reason I got into this line of work is that I just loved children.
“My mum always said to me if I ever got lost in the streets she’d look for a pram and find me.”
During her career, which has spanned six decades, the nursery worker has seen some changes in the education system over that time.
She added: “I started off working for five years in Perth, in the Crieff Road Nursery, I moved to Longtown and that moved into Mid Craigie Primary School.
“Mid Craigie then merged with Mossgiel Primary to make Rowantree Primary and that’s where I’ve been since.
“There have been a few changes but it’s the same job, I’ve moved with the kids.”
Although Hazel could not estimate how many children she had worked worth, it is believed the number could be well into the thousands.
As the curtain comes down on her career, she admitted it “was time”.
She added: “It has been a little different in recent times with all things related to the coronavirus but we have still been open for key workers.
“I’ve been delighted we’ve still been able to be open to see some of the children and I’m hoping we might see a few more next week.
“I am apprehensive about retiring but I think it’s time, I’ll be spending more time with my grandchildren.
“It will be an emotional day next Friday but I’m glad I will hopefully get to see a few more of children next week.
“Along with the staff, will miss the bairns.”
Tina Ross, depute head teacher at Rowantree Primary and Early Years Centre, said: “Hazel has been such a big part of nursery life for so many children and families in her time here at Rowantree and she will be missed by us all.
“Her kind and caring nature has made her a firm favourite with the community and colleagues alike.”
I
Alorry driver who smashed into a railway bridge and brought central Scotland’s train network to a halt has been banned from driving for six months.
Mark Flatt was also fined £420 after he admitted crashing his 25-tonne truck into a bridge after getting lost while making a delivery.
Flatt was driving a lorry which had a trailer more than 15 feet high when he tried to squeeze under a railway bridge with 14 feet of clearance.
All trains on the east coast line between Aberdeen and Perth had to be brought to a standstill while structural checks were carried out on the bridge.
Flatt, 54, of Southbourne Road, Bournemouth, admitted driving carelessly in Perth on August 31 and crashing into the railway bridge on Tay Street.
He admitted failing to observe warning signs in relation to the low bridge and trying to drive under it in a vehicle higher than the permitted height.
Perth Sheriff Court was told he had got lost while carrying out a run between Grangemouth and Aberdeen and had ended up in the centre of Perth.
Fiscal depute Lisa Marshall told the court: “The accused is an HGV driver. It was a lorry coupled with a three-axle curtain-sided trailer.
“Just after 2pm, the accused was travelling north on the Edinburgh Road. He then turned on to Tay Street. He failed to take notice of the warning signs in relation to the low bridge.
“The roof of the trailer struck the bridge and the accused brought the vehicle to a halt. There was extensive damage to the trailer due to the collision and police were contacted.
“Due to it being a railway bridge, Network Rail were informed and a caution was placed on it, until the bridge structure and lines could be checked for safety.
“Network Rail engineers attended and carried out safety inspections on the structure.
“The bridge integrity was not compromised and restrictions on the line were lifted.
“The warning sign above the carriageway had been bent.”
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said her client normally drove flat bed trucks but had been asked to drive the taller vehicle and was carrying a load of 25 tonnes.
“He took the wrong exit at Broxden roundabout and ended up in Perth town centre in error. He was trying to find his way out of Perth,” she said.
“He was worried that his employer would wonder why he was in the town centre. He was driving at around five to 10 miles per hour.
“He had simply not thought about the height of the trailer, given his lack of experience driving highsided trailers.
“Disqualification will cause him to lose his employment,” she added.
ADundee man who racially abused a father and son who accused him of using a counterfeit note at their shop has been ordered to stay indoors at night.
Kevin Spokes threatened to burn down Umar’s Convenience Store on Pitkerro Road in the city before using a racist slur towards Umar and Khezer Hayat.
Spokes, of Ballantrae Road, has been electronically tagged after previously pleading guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court.
His sentence comes a week after he was fined and banned after trying to move his car, which was stuck in the snow, while he was over the drink-drive limit.
The court heard how the Hayats were working in the shop when Spokes approached the counter with goods.
He presented them with a £20 note which they believed was fake.
Fiscal depute Christine
Allan said: “The accused presented a number of items and also presented a £20 note.
“They believed it was counterfeit. As a means of testing this, one of the witnesses began to rip the note. Due to the way the note ripped, the witness believed it was counterfeit.
“The accused became angry and asked why he ripped the note.
“He shouted ‘Why did you rip the note? You don’t know who I am’”
The Hayats tried to calm Spokes down but he shouted: “I am going to burn your shop down to the ground,” before using a racist slur towards them.
Spokes, 34, pled guilty to acting in a racially aggravated manner towards Umar Hayat and Khezer Hayat on August 26 by shouting, swearing, making threats and using a racial slur.
Defence solicitor Andy Lyall said Spokes, a selfemployed welder, was surprised at the way he was being treated and claimed he was insulted during the incident.
Mr Lyall told Sheriff John Rafferty: “There are ways of testing notes but tearing bits off them is not normally a way of doing that and it annoyed the accused. He was referred to as a fat b ****** .
“He accepts that he said what he said but he is friends with other members of the Hayat family and was surprised at the way he was treated.
“He is remorseful and acknowledges he should not have said what he said.”
Spokes was placed on a restriction of liberty order keeping him indoors between 7pm and 5am for 30 days.
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I am going to burn your shop down to the ground
More charging hubs for electric vehicles are on their way in Dundee following the success and popularity of Greenmarket – and thanks to funding from the Scottish Government and the European Regional Development Fund.
Next week, the new hub at Olympia multi-storey car park will be fully operational while a third charging zone is hopefully being launched in the summer in Gellatly Street car park too.
It’s part of an exciting move to dramatically increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers by Dundee City Council, funded by the Scottish Government and in partnership with traffic technology firm SWARCO, to further boost its electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Unlike most electric vehicle chargers in other cities, which are on the national grid, it is the sun that will be powering these ones at the new multi-storey sites.
This renewable energy solution is the ideal way to charge an electric vehicle which, of course, contributes to the city’s low emission ambitions and supports air quality improvements in the city, as well as being a low carbon method of travel.
Already the EV charging hub at Greenmarket has proved popular and has provided day-time charge points for city centre business owners, workers, shoppers and visitors and, at night, the hubs allows city centre residents safe off-street parking and charging throughout the night. The 20 new charging points in the Olympia and Gellatly Street car park zones will also do the same once fully operational.
Councillor Mark Flynn, convener of city development at Dundee City Council, explained the importance of having solar powered chargers.
“The hub set-up allows smart charging of EVS, offering the potential to better manage supply and demand on the grid. By installing solar panels
“The
hub set-up allows smart charging of EVS, offering the potential to better manage supply and demand on the grid
and battery storage system it integrates more renewable energy and enables variable charging of vehicles when demand is lower, helping reduce environmental impacts associated with electricity generation.
“It also supports air quality improvements in polluted areas of the city and encourages emission-free journeys in the city centre.”
In total, there will be 20 charge points and spaces (10 at each location) and they will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for visitors’ use by day and residents by night. It will cost 38p (connection fee) and 15p per kilowatt. Those living in the city centre who are part of the Dundee Residents’ Scheme will be able to charge their electric car for free.
One man who knows more than most about the importance of electric vehicles and the introduction of chargers using renewable energy is Jamie Green, of SWARCO.
Jamie, head of sales for SWARCO in Scotland, said: “This project has a significant amount of solar and also some battery storage. We can smartly deploy the energy from the sun that is stored in the battery to power the charges – it dramatically reduces the impact on the grid.
“We are taking up an entire floor of the car parks and creating a combination of electric vehicle charging points and parking spaces, there. On the top floor of the car park, it will be completely covered with solar panels.
“These chargers are designed for longerstay charging, so the idea is that you can plug your car in and go and do a bit of shopping or go to work, and you will come back to a full charge.
“Olympia and Gellatly Street are essentially the same set-up but Gellatly Street will have more solar panels.
“SWARCO and Dundee City Council continues to work together to develop significant infrastructure projects like this one. When you have two organisations that share similar views in wanting to drive home the sustainability message and come together, then projects like this can become a reality.
“It will be a really impactful project – although you won’t be able to see it unless you are charging a vehicle – as it is significant solar site with significant renewable generation. It will be great.”
Transport Scotland has always backed Dundee’s plans to become an electric city.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “It’s good news that Dundee City Council continues to develop its impressive offering of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in partnership with SWARCO.
“Through Scottish Government and European Regional Development funding, I’m pleased we’ve been able to help finance these exciting new hubs, contributing to our bold commitment to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.”
The multi-storey EV charging hubs project was awarded funding as part of the Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund established by Transport Scotland from funds awarded under the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020 programme and Transport Scotland funding to support an increased proportion on ultralow emission vehicles on Scotland’s roads.
The Scottish Government is the managing authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.scot.gov or follow: @scotgovesif
To find out more about switching to an electric vehicle visit www.drivedundeeelectric.co.uk