Peak challenge will help fight meningitis

Dear Editor We’d like to invite your more adventurous readers to join us on our Lake District challenge next Spring and help save lives and rebuild futures shattered by meningitis.

They’ll conquer eight peaks, all above 3000 feet, over two days.

It will require energy, commitment and a positive attitude, but will reward those taking part with breathtaking views, wrapped up in a serious adventure and a weekend they’ll never forget - there’s a great team spirit amongst those taking part and many come away from the challenge having made lifelong friends.

Every step they take will also help us to fight meningitis and move us closer to our vision of a future where no one in the UK dies from this devastating disease and everyone affected gets the support they need.

If they know someone who’s had meningitis then this is a perfect way for them to show their support.

Registration is just £49 with a fundraising pledge of £500.

Accommodation, food, travel and the support of a qualified and experienced mountain leader and safety team are all included, and I’ll be there to support you throughout your fundraising journey.

It takes place between Thursday, May 2, and Sunday, May 5, next year.

Those interested in joining us can find out more at www. MeningitisNow.org or by emailing me at michaelai@meningitisnow.org .

Changes to Royal Mail

Dear Editor At Royal Mail we never forget that we form an essential part of the UK’s social fabric.

We know our postmen and postwomen are valued members of the local community as they deliver letters and parcels six days a week - in all weathers.

We’re also continually looking to make our services even better to give customers greater convenience as they shop online.I’d like to make your readers aware of a few changes to their doorstep deliveries so there are no surprises.

Customers expecting tracked items from large retailers are among those to benefit from these changes.

If they are not at home when we deliver, they’ll now receive email/SMS notifications on the whereabouts of their delivery.

For customers who have provided their contact details, the notifications will confirm when their items have been delivered to a neighbour, as well as specify the neighbour’s address.

The “Something for You” card is also going digital, making it easier for customers to retrieve their item if they are not at home when we deliver.

Email and SMS notifications will let customers either re-arrange their parcel delivery for another day or collect their item from their local Customer Service Point using relevant identification.

Customers will no longer need to go home to collect the physical card - which we’ll continue to be post through letter boxes.

And finally customers taking prepaid parcels (including returns) to selected Royal Mail Customer Service Points will receive an acceptance scan as soon as they drop off their item thanks to new scanning technology.

We hope that these changes bring greater levels of convenience, and wish all your readers hours of happy online shopping! Mike Hewitt Delivery director Edinburgh Mail Centre

Science success Pupils from Kirknewton Primary School are celebrating having recently achieved a science qualification thanks to a STEM and engagement project run by West Lothian College. The project saw 54 primary 6 and primary 7 children work towards a SCQF Level 2 qualification which is one of the first times a qualification has been taken into a primary school in Scotland. The idea was to capture children who may already be becoming disengaged with learning and attempt to make learning and qualifications a positive experience at an early age. The project included pupils looking at their own cheek cells using microscopes, dissecting heart and lungs, looking at the effect of heart rate and exercise and solving a crime by identifying fingerprints and blood types.