Council Leader, Cammy Day writes in today's Edinburgh Evening News.
The Capital is gearing up to mark Organ and Tissue donation week which runs from September 23-29, and this year the NHS Organ Donor Register celebrates its 30th birthday.
To raise awareness of the incredible gift of organ and tissue donation, the City Chambers and the (EICC) will be turning pink. Almost 60,000 lives have been saved since the NHS Organ Donor Register was created in 1994. Anyone who is 16 years old or over and yet to record their decision can do so by visiting the official website.
Next week, like every year since 2016, communities and organisations from all across Scotland will come together for and we’ll be sharing stories and tips on our social media channels.
Here in the Capital, we’re doing all we can to mitigate the risk of climate change. We remain determined to play our part in the global fight against climate change and we’re sticking with our bold and ambitious target to be a net-zero city by 2030. As our Climate Strategy and city-wide carbon emissions report demonstrates we’re continuing to make progress against these targets.
We’re also boosting the biodiversity of Edinburgh’s award-winning parks and greenspaces. Back in February we set aside £600,000 from the council budget for climate improvements and additional funds for tree planting and new climate jobs. I’m proud that we’ve committed £750,000 extra every year for three years to a rolling programme of localised and coastal flood prevention, acting on the city’s ambitious Climate Ready Edinburgh strategy.
With 38 of our parks recognised by the Green Flag Awards scheme, and 144 parks and green spaces across the city we’re well on our way to becoming a Million Tree City by 2030 with more trees per resident than any other UK city (712,000 trees v 526,000 people). I want to give my thanks to the fantastic work of those who maintain our parks.
Our parks have a positive impact on people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing by providing space for exercise, relaxation, socialising with friends and family, and opportunities for children and young people to play.
The mental health and wellbeing of every single person in our city is important to us, which was once again brought to the forefront of our minds on World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10).
To mark this day we screened a webinar from the International Association for Suicide Prevention and we’ve provided a toolkit to council managers as part of our efforts to give everyone the confidence to act when concerned about someone’s welfare.
The uncertainty of the current housing crisis also has a huge impact on the mental health and wellbeing of our community. After declaring a housing emergency last year, it has never been more important to have a strong housing strategy that reflects the views of everyone living in the Capital.
There are enormous pressures on housing in Edinburgh right now and we know that it is hard for anyone looking for a social housing tenancy. Plus, Edinburgh’s private rented sector is the most expensive in Scotland, and one of the most expensive in Europe.
With that said, for Housing Day today (September 18) I’d urge you to take part in shaping our Local Housing strategy by signing up to a workshop. Your input will help to shape the vision for all types of homes and housing related services in the city for the next five years and beyond.
These awareness initiatives are a timely reminder to check in with yourself and those around you. There is always help available and I encourage you to visit our National Support Network directory if you find yourself, or someone you care for, in need of assistance.