I AM DELIGHTED that The Brunton has been granted £250,000 from the Scottish Government to support them through the coronavirus period. It is vital that creative and performing arts industries are getting the help that they need, as they contribute something very valuable to our society.

I know that The Brunton is a well-used and appreciated venue in Musselburgh and I am glad that this has been recognised and is being met by financial support, as it would be a devastating loss to the community if the venue was not to last through the pandemic. I know that our community will pull together and support local venues as best as we can to survive through this difficult period.

I am pleased to say that a dedicated flu jab number for Riverside patients has now been put forward by East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure that those who need the flu jab can get access to it. The number to get more information and book in is 0131 446 4038 and it’s live now. I would like to thank ELHSCP for working to ensure Riverside patients are receiving the support they need, especially given how important flu vaccinations are this winter.

With the winter months ahead, it is a good time to start thinking about those who are less fortunate than ourselves and whether there is anything more that we can be doing to help them. With this in mind, I would suggest that those who can afford to do so begin to consider donating to foodbanks. Whilst I believe that we need to strive to live in a society that doesn’t have a need for foodbanks, it is still the case that many rely on the critical services that they provide.

Many supermarkets have stations for food bank donations, but you can also look for services nearby who would be greatly appreciative of food or toiletries. 2020 has left many worse off and, with increasing redundancies, we need to be doing what we can to make sure we are supporting each other.