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We keep you up to date will relevant local and national updates and also do a spotlight feature each week on a local business and a local community group.
Scottish Government Phase 3 Update
The First Minister updated today on the 20th August three-weekly review and confirmed that Scotland will stay in Phase 3 of the route map out of the coronavirus crisis.
The following dates were confirmed.
From Monday 24 August the following can resume, all subject to following the relevant guidance.
- Outdoor contact sports (all ages) can resume following guidance of relevant sports bodies.
- Outdoor seated live events and outdoor open space live events – with physical distancing, enhanced hygiene, and restricted numbers.
- Driving lessons can resume.
- Child contact centres can re-open.
- Face-to-face advice services, including Citizens Advice, can resume – following guidance.
- Bingo halls can re-open with physical distancing.
- Amusement arcades and casinos can re-open.
- Snooker/pool halls and indoor bowling can re-open.
- Funfairs – both static and travelling – can re-open.
From Monday 31 August the following can resume, all subject to following the relevant guidance.
- Gyms (indoor) can re-open.
- Swimming pools can re-open.
- Indoor sports courts can reopen, including skating, dance studios: Children (0-12) years can resume all activity; adults and young people (12+) can resume non-contact activity only.
- Indoor activities for children and young people (unregulated) can resume subject to guidance that will vary by activity.
- Indoor youth work can resume for young people.
More information and details about other changes and dates can be found on the Scottish Government website.
A growing number of cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed among pupils and staff at Scottish schools.
These are part of community clusters which have had an impact on schools, rather than school-based clusters.
It is not thought that the virus has been transmitted within schools. Here are details of the community clusters, none of which are in West Lothian.
Parents/Guardians, please remember if your child/ren has any Covid symptoms do not send them to school, and follow advice on the NHS Inform website around Test and Protect.
Community Cake – Fundraising
After a successful online Community Cake event in July we are hosting our next one on the 2nd of September, again via Zoom.
We’ve had brilliant feedback from community groups that Community Cake events are a great way to meet people from other groups and do some friendly networking. It was great to give groups the opportunity to do this online. At the last event we asked what support groups were looking for and one theme which came up related to raising funds.
So the next event is focused on sharing funding opportunities and fundraising ideas to help groups support each other with gaining funding in the current climate. We are delighted that Ian Glassey and Alice Watson-Glassey will be in attendance to share their experiences and provide advice and suggestions. They are experienced fundraising consultants and we are very pleased to be able to bring their knowledge and expertise to groups within Linlithgow – don’t miss out! You can find out more about Ian and Alice’s work http://www.glasseyfundraising.co.uk.
If you would like to take part in this event, please email [email protected] to receive joining instructions.
Health & Wellbeing Survey
West Lothian Community Planning Partnership is looking for views on the local impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on health, well-being and poverty.
The survey will help identify priorities going forward to help ensure work is targeted where it has the greatest impact. To take part, please visit https://www.surveyhero.com/s/9e1c281 by Friday, 28 August 2020.
Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Community Council Update
The next meeting of Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Community Council is on Tuesday 25th August at 7.30pm. It will be held on Zoom and is open to members of the public.
To register for this meeting please email [email protected] providing your name and confirming you are a resident of Linlithgow or Linlithgow Bridge, no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting and you will receive Zoom joining instructions.
An agenda will be available on the Community Council website and on the Facebook page very soon.
Business Spotlight – Dogstar Grooming
Dogstar Grooming is another local business that is part of Braehead Business Park. During lockdown, owner Karen Hobbs was unfortunately unable to operate in anyway. However she has a loyal client base who were keen to get their dogs groomed as soon as she was able to open again!
Karen only takes small dogs, and provides the full range of services, from bathing and grooming through to nails.
An increasing number of her dogs have been some of the “high maintenance” curly coated breeds. She has taken particular pleasure in occasionally grooming rarer dogs on the Kennel Club’s list of endangered species such as Scottish Terrier and Clumber Spaniels!
You can read more about Dog Star Grooming in the latest issue of The Black Bitch Magazine on page 6 or follow on Facebook.
Community Spotlight – The Black Bitch Magazine
The Black Bitch is Linlithgow’s Community Magazine, and a well-established part of Linlithgow life. It promotes the town, its people, its businesses and its beauty.
The Black Bitch is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation and a non-profit community project. It’s very much a community magazine, covering topics for all ages and interests.
During Covid-19, the magazine switched to producing online only issues. A Special Edition of the most recent issue of the magazine has been designed and printed especially for people in the community without access to the internet.
Over the last few months being connected online has been a social lifeline for many people, a way to connect to those around us. Linlithgow Community Development Trust (LCDT) recognised that feelings of isolation may be exacerbated by not having access to this important lifeline. To help address this LCDT has funded the design and printing of this special magazine edition.
This edition will contain a selection of articles from the issue in a clear 12pt font size. Copies will be distributed to identified households via local organisations including Linlithgow Link, 1st Step, LYPP, the Coronavirus Support Group, churches, Bield Housing Association and Linlithgow Day Care Centre. Wilson’s Newsagents has also kindly offered to help distribute the magazine to customers they know don’t use the internet, as well as including a copy in their deliveries to customers that are currently housebound.
However, we are pleased to report that Issue 76, out from next week, will once again be delivered to your letterbox! Thanks to the team of volunteers who give up their time to distribute the magazine. There are many other volunteers who contribute to the writing, editing and designing of the magazine, and publicising it on social media. Thank you to them all!
If you would like to volunteer to help support the magazine, you can view the current opportunities to volunteer with the Black Bitch on the My Linlithgow volunteering directory.
The magazine relies on support from subscriptions from local people and advertising from local businesses to be able to create and print each issue. Given the recent challenges the aim is to create a new funding format to make the magazine secure and sustainable against any future eventuality. We are asking for your support by making a contribution to the magazine. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable for our future. You can make either a regular or one-off donation on our website at https://www.linlithgowcommunitymagazine.co.uk/subscribe.
You can follow The Black Bitch Magazine on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest local news and find previous issues on their website.
Latest Covid-19 Guidance
Scotland moved to Phase 3 of the route map for coming out of lockdown on the 10 July 2020. See some key dates for future changes.
The current advice from the Scottish Government to stay safe, protect others, save lives is:
- wear a face covering
- avoid crowded places
- clean hands and surfaces regularly
- stay 2m away from other people
- self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms
See what you can and cannot do to help suppress the virus.
Many thanks to everyone who has been so vigilant in following these procedures already. This will help to keep our community safe.
