We have less than 11 years to take urgent action to limit global warming to 1.5°C or we risk catastrophic and irreversible runaway climate change; this was the stark warning from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report Global Warming of 1.5°C. Humans have already caused approximately 1.0°C of warming, the devastating impacts of which have been seen around the world in the form of reduction of sea-ice in the Arctic, loss of coral reefs and extreme weather events. Warming greater than 1.5°C will result in grave consequences for our local and global environment. Rising sea levels and uninhabitable areas will displace millions of people worldwide. Shifting weather patterns, heightened risks of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts and the demise of insect species will result in global famine, water shortages and soil infertility. But it’s not too late. The IPCC report says that limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C may still be possible - but it will require ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities.

Hello, My name is Jay Cross, and I am a resident in Seaton. It has become very apparent that on harbour road directly outside the premier inn, many of the guests there and locals attempt to cross the road to access the road leading to the seafront opposite. The nearest zebra crossing is not until Darty’s Tattoo Studio, which for some elderly and young families with pushchairs etc this can be problematic as it is a bit of a walk. (To some of us able bodied younger individuals, this is no problem, but as Seaton is a older town, this is a problem). I was wondering if there was anything we could to to put in an application to get a zebra crossing installed directly opposite the premier inn bridge to the other side of the road? This is the direct link to the sea front for those guests that use the premier inn to access it, and for those locals in this end of the town. Many times I have seen people waiting long periods of time, near misses and so on on this part of the road. Unfortunately, people will cross where people will cross, and this being a hotspot will continue to cause problems. I would hate to see a fatality due to the road lay out here. Likewise, cars drive very fast along harbour road, and perhaps a zebra crossing traffic management system would help to ease this issue and make our town safer for everyone. Thank you for your time in reading this email, I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. All the best, Jay Cross Seaton Resident

Trecadwgan is a historic place, dating back to the 15th century with links to a Welsh Prince named Cadwgan. It is in an ideal place for a community run farm based on the principles of Food Sovreignty, Agroecology and Biodynamic Agriculture. The is an opportunity to create something wonderful for generations to come if the county council are prepared to work with us and cancel the auction.

My son hung himself on the 18/05/19, society has stigmas about seeking help or medication and there is lack of education in schools on mental health

A show which has celebrated 40 years of popularity and still attracts viewers worldwide should not be removed from our screens during the peak season for gardeners. Their announced gap of almost 2 months is completely unacceptable! During these worrying times of environmental crises a programme encouraging gardening, growing, respect for nature, and teaching people to 'grow their own' is needed more than ever. The claims by BBC Scotland that investment will be going into social media is entirely pointless. None of us pay our licence fees for social media. Return this much loved institution to it's rightful place on BBC2 (where viewers can find it) and, most importantly, ensure it's broadcast every week during late Spring and through Summer. Edited to add: Thanks to all of you who signed the petition Keep Beechgrove Garden On Air and sent emails of complaint. I submitted the petition to a number of people at BBC Scotland and it found it's way to Tony Neilany the BBC Scotland Channel Manager. His response is below. Make of this what you will. I still completely disagree that it was reasonable to take it off air at this time. However they do seem to be very aware now of the strength of feeling. Whether they truly take this on board will not really be known until we see what happens next year! Edited to add 2: There's been a surge in signatures since the premature last epsiode in the series on 5/0/19. Please do keep signing, I'll email it in again with an update once the numbers signing drops again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Thank you for taking the time to get in touch and for passing on the ‘Keep Beechgrove on Air’ petition. We have been reading all viewers’ comments very carefully, as we appreciate just how important Beechgrove is to so many of our audience and the attached petition serves to underline this further. It is a real testament to the dedicated production team and presenters that people feel so passionately about this long-running BBC Scotland series. I want to reassure you that BBC Scotland values Beechgrove highly and has worked closely with the production team to decide upon the most effective broadcast pattern possible, against the backdrop of available resources. This change is not designed to benefit any other particular genre of programming, but rather to ensure a range of content across the schedule. It was felt that June/July would be the best time for a slightly longer break, given the importance of the start of the season at Easter and all that needs to be done in the garden from late July through to September. This year the series has benefited from a slightly new style which aims to give viewers an even deeper understanding of all that takes place in the garden. We have used licence fee funding, which funds all BBC Public Services in Scotland, to supplement the TV series with additional online and social media content as this has proved popular in past years. Beechgrove's presenters can also be found offering advice on BBC Radio Scotland’s Grow It. By providing content across all of these platforms, we hope to engage new and existing gardeners in all that the Beechgrove team has to offer, both in broadcast schedules and on-demand. BBC Scotland has a fixed budget within which it must operate whilst ensuring it reaches as broad an audience and reflects as many interests as possible. BBC Scotland remains committed to Beechgrove and I can confirm that it will return on Thursday 25 July at 8pm on the BBC Scotland channel. I can also confirm it will return in 2020 for a new series. BBC Scotland’s on-air continuity announcers will continue to promote the programme and explain that it is available on the new BBC Scotland channel. We thank everyone that has been in touch to offer their feedback, including each person who has signed the attached petition. BBC Scotland and the Beechgrove production team will continue to do all we can to serve gardeners all over the country.” We hope this helpful and thanks again for getting in touch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Berwick-upon-Tweed is situated almost exactly half way between Edinburgh and Newcastle.  The absence of a later train service causes great inconvenience for Berwick residents, those living in the wider area, commuters and those making day trips to places such as Edinburgh, Newcastle and York, those travelling for business purposes, attending sports events, concerts, personal appointments, visiting family etc etc. It also has a negative impact on tourism and the local economy. For example, Berwick would be a good option for people to stay who wish to take in the Edinburgh Festival if it was not for the timing of the last train back.  Berwick is a train journey of around 45 minutes to both Edinburgh and Newcastle and should be promoted much more as a “Commuter Town” (with the knock on benefits) but this potential is not realised because of the timings of the last trains.  Berwick is also seeking to get major funding, through the Borderlands Growth Initiative, for a new theatre and conference centre and this needs to be accompanied and supported with later trains to maximise the benefits.  The advantages are significant and wide-ranging from what would seem a relatively simple and achievable measure.  Later trains stopping at Berwick is something that the government should insist on when awarding franchises to the train operators.

We are a group of disabled students, who are taking legal action against their university over claims of disability discrimination. Venesha Rose has dyslexia, dyspraxia, cognitive delays, blind in the right eye, and has complex mobility. Penny Heinz has complex mobility and learning disabilities and is a care leaver who has had no education from the age of 10 years old. Natasha Gentles has dyslexia and mental ill health and suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. We have also launched a petition, which has already been signed by hundreds of supporters. The claims we have brought are focused on the failure of London South Bank University to provide the support needed by students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, blindness. Moreover, there is not any coordination between the independent provider and university lecturers working together, which disadvantages the student as their one to one provider may not be within their discipline, thus have no knowledge of the field. This makes it impossible for them to provide comprehensive support that is needed for a disabled student.

My 14 month old son, Max, suffers from an allergy to cow's milk. This means all dairy products and other products containing milk are out of the question for him. Because he is breastfed, it means I must be strictly dairy free too. Only a tiny amount of the allergen needs to be present in my breastmilk in order to cause a reaction in him.  Last week he suffered an allergic reaction after I ate a small slice of angel cake from the Co-Op. I had been regularly buying the same angel cake over the last 14 months from the Co-Op because it was safe for me to eat and did not contain any dairy products. While my diet is restricted it became my little treat.  On this occasion, unbeknown to me, the recipe had been changed and now contains milk. There was NOTHING on the front of the packet to alert me to this change. The packaging was identical to the original packaging.  It was only when I realised it tasted different that I checked the ingredients on the back of the packet that I discovered the change. Too late. We are "lucky" in that Max's allergy is a non-IGE allergy; in real terms, for us that means a delayed, non life threatening reaction which results in tummy troubles and a couple of weeks of disturbed sleep. But, what if he was anaphylactic to dairy? The consequences could have been MUCH worse. For some allergy sufferers this could have been a matter of life or death! I contacted the Co-Op who explained that legally they have done everything required of them by listing allergens in bold on the ingredients list, but they went on to admit they have "missed the mark" with this, and have promised to update the packaging immediately with an "allergy update", and to take steps to avoid this happening with future products. I am calling a for legal obligation for food manufacturers to display clear allergen update alerts on the FRONT of their packaging whenever one of the main 12 allergens are added: milk, cereals inculding wheat, rye, barley and oats, crustaceans, fish, nuts, soybeans, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Please sign this petition and help prevent a tragedy for someone who might not be as lucky as Max.

Statistics show that three quarters of survivors contacting Rape Crisis centres do so over an incident that occurred at least 12 months earlier (1). It has been shown that where television programmes include storylines on sexual violence, there has been an increase in calls to support helplines. The Rape Crisis Helpline experienced a 132% increase in calls after the showing of Broadchurch (2), a similar spike in calls to support helplines was experienced following the rape of David Platt in Coronation Street (3). This information shows that survivors are often prompted to seek support following depictions of sexual violence on television. We are concerned that whilst terrestrial channels have moved to provide support information, they are inconsistent in their approach and this information is not available at all when the same programmes are watched via the internet/download apps (4).  Having support information available consistently and across all platforms helps people access support when they need it. By not having this information available it can leave viewers unsafe when affected by such content. In addition, it can also give out confusing messages around consent, sex and rape, when support information is not given after storylines where content is less explicit – for example in storylines involving coercion. Further Information: 1. Three quarters of adults contacting rape crisis centres do so over an incident that occurred at least 12 months earlier https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/rcew-statistics/ 2. The Rape Crisis Helpline experienced a 132% increase in calls after the showing of Broadchurch http://thesurvivorstrust.org/news/broadchurch-impact-survivors-support-services/ 3. Coronation Street male rape scene: Helplines see spike in calls https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-43498590 4. Recent examples where support information is not available after programmes provided online include: • The rape of Ruby Allen in EastEnders and subsequent court scenes – BBC1 • Victoria Sugden Rape in Emmerdale - ITV • Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson and Me – Channel 4 Image Copyright: Laura Dodsworth

Glyphosate has, according to recent studies, been linked to the death of bees. It weakens their gut bacteria making them more susceptible to disease leading to a higher bee mortality rate. A weedkiller containing glyphosate has also been found by a jury in Los Angeles to have been a substantial factor in a man developing cancer. Globally, there are more honey bees than any other pollinating insects. They are vital to pollinate the plants that produce the food that we eat to survive. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/roundup-weed-killer-cancer-bayer-ag-edwin-hardeman-a8830861.html https://www.newsweek.com/bee-death-scientists-warn-common-weed-killer-harming-honey-bees-1137103

In 2016, around 2,400 sheep were sent from Scotland for slaughter to Germany and France and 3,000 week old Scottish calves were exported to Spain. In 2017, it was even worse. 3,073 sheep, 5,595 calves and 661 cattle were exported from Scotland for either slaughter or fattening; More than 5,000 young calves discarded from the dairy industry were sent from Scotland to Spain in journeys lasting up to 135 hours. The long-distance transport of live animals to Europe is a serious animal welfare problem. Animals are made to travel in cramped conditions with insufficient water supplies, uncontrolled temperatures and inadequate rest periods. Older animals travelling often give birth in lorries, while other animals suffer injuries and even die before they reach their destination. For the animals that survive the journey, there’s a risk that Scottish animal welfare standards will simply not be met by abattoirs overseas. For example, there have been reports of sheep taken from Scotland to France being subjected to inhumane and illegal slaughterhouse practises. Calves in France beaten and abused at rest point . https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/calves-beaten-hit-video-footage-violence-animals-live-exports-europe-a8899631.html Animals are sentient beings that feel pain and stress in the same way as we do. There is no escaping the fact that animals are suffering. The Scottish Government has stated that no one is comfortable with the issue of male dairy calves being exported. The dairy industry ensures maximum lactation and production from dairy cows. Male calves have no value in the process, so the majority are exported for fattening in Spain and then moved on for slaughter in north Africa. It cannot be guaranteed that that will be done in compliance with the welfare standards that apply in Scotland. I ask the Scottish Government to at least consider a ban, it is clear that this cruel trade—and the suffering that goes with it—will continue under the radar until this is fully banned. The UK Government has made it clear that a ban could still be the outcome of the consultation. Therefore, instead of pressurising a ferry company to circumvent its own policies and begin accepting live exports again, the Scottish Government should be spending its time working with its Westminster counterparts to address the glaring and urgent concerns about animal welfare. We have a rare opportunity to update welfare standards that the European Commission itself has admitted show poor performance and in relation to which there is poor compliance. The current standards were set more than 12 years ago. before the sentience of animals was legally recognised and, since then, the scientific and veterinary evidence has repeatedly stated that we should avoid transporting young calves as much as possible. We should be embracing with both hands this opportunity to bring forward a live export ban. Will you listen to the 73 per cent of voters who support an export ban, the ethical dairy sector and the scientific evidence that says that the current practice has to stop? Alternatively, will it continue to resist change at all costs, painting Scotland as a nation that puts cheap high-volume production ahead of sustainability, ethics and animal welfare Source: one kind & from parlimentory debate raised by colin smythe - Scottish labour party on the Export of Live Animals for Slaughtering and Fattening – in the Scottish Parliament on 30th October 2018.

We want to show the council that we are not happy for them to demolish a part of our history!! West Park Community Group are a relatively new group who put on local events in Jarrow Park to combat social isolation, bring people together, endeavour to increase the members of the other groups in the park by showing what's on offer and to raise funds for the parks continued regeneration. Members of the group were originally told that the council would gift the brick building if the funds could be found to 'put a roof on it'. The group members raised enough money to do this by holding music based events, coffee mornings as well as approaching the local community's and businesses for event sponsorship. When the group contacted the local council they advised that the 'gifting of the building' was news to them and that the brick building was going to be demolished. However the group could look at putting a wooden structure in its place. The group have continued to fundraise with a view to ensuring that there is a building in the park that can be used for people to use and ensure that there are accessible toilets and we are continuing to petition the council to retain the building rather than knock it down. The brick building has been and is part of the landscape of the park and a wooden replacement will have a detrimental visual impact on the landscape. The group have a number of quotes for the renovation work and a new structure and the renovation plan is the most cost effective. The Group already have the funds to put the roof on, would and continue to fundraise as well as 'call in' all the offers of help to fully renovate the building. Making this a true community project. Additionally the brick building is part of the 'fabric' of the park and if renovated will restore the aesthetic balance to the landscape. The plan is for this renovation to be a true community project with local people coming on board to do 'their bit' for their local award winning park. The building will have accessible toilets, multi use open space and a kitchen. The building will be for community use and to facilitate fundraising events to maintain the regeneration of the park and the continuation of the community events. How amazing would it be to see this building done up and sit and watch the bowling out of one side and the kids playing in the Muga out of the other. To have accessible toilets, to have a lovely space to meet friends, hold meetings, hire out for community activities, for school children to come a have as a classroom in the park; the uses are endless.