Dell Directory, August 2020

August 2020

THE DELL DIRECTORY

SCIENCE COLUMN: FEATURE:

HEALTH:

PLUS: notes from a small village, COLINTON VILLAGE EVENTS, and more inside!

THE DELL DIRECTORY

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ne of the strong messages that came through lockdown was the importance of supporting local businesses. It’s always been the case, but became so much more stark. So that’s what we’ve focused on for this issue, see the feature on page 9. As things head back to normal, and we breath a sigh of relief through our masks, let’s remember local businesses are the lifeblood of our community and need all the support they can get as they recover, especially as many will have significant extra costs to be able to open safely.

All of our usual columns are here; Suzanne ponders royalty in her Notes, Lynne’s been learning French over Zoom at midnight, and McNaughton Physio Grange offer their as-ever very practical health column for everyone working from home. Heriot-Watt’s Local Lab column explores conspiracy theories and why they are “tasty burgers for the mind.”

Thank for reading, and I hope you enjoy the magazine this month.

u can know yo Did you be to receive subscri issue of The w each ne ectory online?

Dell Dir cribe here Subs bscribe scot/su konect.

THIS ISSUE Feature: 5 Reasons to Shop Local............. 9 Health: Physio Tips for Working from home.............................................................. 11 Notes from A Small Village: Real-life Royalty...........................................................15 Lynne’s Column...........................................22 Local Lab: Conspiracy Theories...............25 Local Environment: Skilful Acrobatics.....26

The Dell Directory is distributed to 5,500 homes in the Colinton, Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe areas. There are 11 copies a year with a joint issue in Dec/Jan.

HELEN-JANE SHEARER Editor

E: editor@konect.scot

CHARLENE GAFFNEY COVER IMAGE: The Colinton Tunnel: Stunning local artwork. @KonectMagazines

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One unexpected and welcome outcome from the lockdown is the way in which many small businesses have been able to adapt so that they can keep trading. We’ve seen cafes become grocers, restaurants develop collection and take-away services almost overnight, shops develop online e-commerce stores, and salon owners becoming YouTube stars as they share their skills and expertise with ever widening and appreciative audiences.

Even during times of crisis, the demand to shop can open up new opportunities in many industries. At Konect we’ve always believed that shopping local plays a vital role, and no matter what our world will look like in the future we should all carry on supporting local enterprise.

So, as we emerge from lockdown, here are 5 reasons why shopping local matters, now more than ever.

It builds our local community and strengthens the local economy

When you support a local business, you are supporting your friends, family, and neighbours. The availability of local shops is especially important for the elderly, vulnerable, young people and those without access to private transport. Plus the more money that local councils make in rent and rates, the more they can spend on supporting local infrastructure and public services.

Local small businesses add character to our towns and villages

A small business or boutique shop adds character to the town when you walk or drive by. In a world that has become increasingly dominated by chain stores, a local business’s branding is unique and often quirky, adding something different to the High Street, offering an alternative experience, and bringing a much needed breath of fresh air into areas populated by generic stores and companies. @KonectMagazines

Shopping local creates more job opportunities and encourages entrepreneurship

A local business that becomes a success will grow, and as they grow they’ll recruit more staff from the local population. Plus their success will encourage other local businesses to open up to take advantage of the footfall, encouraging other people to take the plunge and become entrepreneurs too!

You get a more personalised service

Local business owners are friendly and engaging, they get to know their customers at a personal level and can provide better advice about their products and services. Local traders value your business more since their survival depends on their good reputation and repeat business. They can often adapt their products to suit your personal requirements, or source something bespoke for you, which big chains won’t do.

It’s better for the environment

Shopping local means less mileage and petrol costs for you, which helps reduce CO2 emissions. Plus local shops often stock locally sourced goods which not only supports the local economy but also reduces transport times and costs of the goods, which impacts positively on their carbon footprint.

We know it’s tempting to default to the big chains. But shopping locally is usually just as cost-effective and convenient, plus you are supporting your local community and looking after the long-term, rather than putting money in nameless and faceless shareholders’ pockets.

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HEALTH

Physio tips for

working from home Coronavirus has changed our world. Five months on from the start of lockdown we are beginning to realise that we will never work in the same way again.

Working from home was thrust upon us suddenly and now looks like it is here to stay. This has advantages, such as no more commuting to the office, but has disadvantages too. Now as we begin to open our physiotherapy clinic again, we have noticed an increase in calls for advice on how to best manage back, neck and arm pain.

Here are our top tips on how to stay physically and mentally healthy while working from home to avoid these problems.

Work Station - If possible, try to set up your computer at home in a separate workspace – part of a room dedicated to work only. This makes it easier to separate work and home life. Whatever desk or table you work at, try to get the screen roughly at arm’s length with the screen top just below eye level. This is harder with a laptop, but a laptop kit with separate keyboard, mouse and stand can help.

Aim to sit with your elbows level with the top of the work surface and your forearms horizontal and supported. If your chair is too low you can use cushions to sit on. If you have to sit on a higher chair to get to the desk, you may need a footstool to support your feet. If you have had an ergonomic assessment of your desk at work, do try to replicate this at home. Tempting though it may be, don’t work from a laptop or tablet in bed or from a sofa.

Prolonged sitting curled up to work puts a lot of stress on our neck and back and can lead to joint pain or repetitive strain injuries. @KonectMagazines

Remember to Move - Even with the best work station set up possible, we human beings were not designed to sit still for long periods. There is an expression “Motion is Lotion” – our body welcomes movement to improve local blood supply, stretch tight tissue and prevent us becoming chair shaped! Take regular breaks from your desk. 10 minutes away from your desk every hour will help your stay physically well and can improve productivity too. Use this time to walk, stretch, get some fresh air in the garden or grab a coffee. If you are making a phone call, get up and walk around the room while talking. Take opportunities to move when you can.

Stay Connected - Working from home can be isolating. So many of us miss the company of our colleagues and try to avoid boredom by working for longer, making aches and pains more likely. Do try to arrange regular work social meetings online to see each other and enjoy a chat. Aim to stick to a good routine with boundaries between home and work life. You may be able to see family more so enjoy that family time. Working from home should have its benefits too!

The health column is contributed by McNaughton Physiogrange, Edinburgh www.physiogrange.co.uk

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I’ve lived in Balerno since 1991. It’s home. But Illinois, the American state where I grew up, is also home. I think of myself as a transplant – uprooted from the rich, dark farmland in the Midwest, and replanted in harder, rockier UK soil. Though I feel quite at home here, growing up in a place with different customs means that I don’t always see things in the same way as my neighbour.

REAL-LIFE ROYALTY

When I was a little girl I loved fairy tales and stories about princesses. The ones I preferred featured royalty who looked beautiful and, more importantly, acted beautifully.

I watched plenty of Disney films full of magic and make believe, and had fun dressing up.

Oh, to be a princess! A kind heart, a perfect life, sumptuous gowns and sparkling jewellery, and a handsome, strong, faithful prince by your side! What you said was obeyed to the letter. This wasn’t dictatorial because, as well as being drop-dead gorgeous, you were wise and discerning and always concerned for the good of your people. And a “happily ever after” was guaranteed.

Of course, it was all make-believe. No more real than Disney’s Magic Kingdom. But many Americans have no other picture of royalty to draw upon. So when I made my home in the UK, I had no idea what to think about the monarchy.

It wasn’t long before I had to dispense with the idea that the Queen spent most of her day sitting on her throne, wearing a satin dress and her jewelled crown and, well, ruling. And that was a big disappointment. I asked my British husband to explain to me what exactly it was that the Queen did. He did his best to expound upon the ins and outs of constitutional monarchy, but it was all a bit lost on me. OK, the Queen asks the new Prime Minister to form a government, but what’s the point? With the @KonectMagazines

election won, wouldn’t that person just naturally form a government? Duh. I let go the fairy tale and focused on getting to know the royal family. What were they like? What did they do? I began watching documentaries, news clips, the Queen’s Christmas speech. I learned that the Queen was more likely to wear a lavender knee-length dress and matching hat than a regal gown and crown, and that she and her mum loved corgis and horse racing.

Princess Diana reminded me of the makebelieve princesses: she was beautiful, kind … sparkling. She stood up for others, she touched the untouchable and she spoke out against injustice. But, unlike the fairy tale princesses, she was not perfect. And she certainly didn’t have a “happily ever after”. Whether royal or common, people are just people.

If you’ve watched The Crown you may recall the scene where the dying Queen Mary reminds her granddaughter (our Queen) that she is answerable only to God, and her role is a calling to serve. Though very different characters, I think both Queen Elizabeth and Diana, the People’s Princess, understood this truth. Today that’s my view of real royalty: genuine people, willing to serve.

To be continued next issue …

Notes from a small village is contributed by Suzanne Green. Suzanne is a freelance writer/editor and writes regularly for The Dell Directory. She is married to Andy and they have two adult daughters.

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Back to school in August will be a much bigger deal this year than the usual return after six or seven weeks of holidays. It will signify a huge step towards a more normal way of life following months of home-learning. Getting back into a more recognisable rhythm of everyday life, whilst welcome, will likely take some adjusting for many of us.

I’ve been amazed at how individuals and businesses have shown tremendous flexibility in adapting to lockdown life and how we’ve embraced technology to keep us all connected. I realise that I’ve been very fortunate to have my immediate family with me throughout this time, to be able to work from home and enjoy the beautiful Colinton landscape on my doorstep so my own lockdown experience has been a largely positive experience for me personally.

During a summer without our usual family break away from home, one of my holiday highlights has been learning French in a slightly unconventional way – via a combination of the DuoLingo App and weekly Zoom sessions at midnight with a group of people I’ve never met from all over the globe!

I’m a huge fan of a guy called Sebastian Terry who wrote a book called 100 Things. It started out as a very personal list of the things he wanted to do in his lifetime, penned following the untimely death of one of his closest friends. Eleven years on, Sebastian has grown a global community where the focus

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is on connecting people, helping people to achieve their goals and promote acts of kindness along the way.

I found reading about his 100 Things journey incredibly uplifting and life-affirming so, when he put out a message on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in sharing his goal to learn French by joining him in an online accountability group, I jumped at the chance.

Like many of us, had I known earlier this year what lay ahead I would have struggled to comprehend it and felt pretty fearful. But I also wouldn’t have believed that, during that time, it would still be possible to work on my goals, meet new people and chat with one of my idols from the comfort of my own living room every Saturday night.

I find it so heartening to realise that, even in times of great crisis and uncertainty, we can still grow, experience new things and make positive changes to our lives to realise our true potential, especially when we actively seek out help from like-minded people.

I may not be emerging from lockdown much fitter or having completely redecorated and de-cluttered my home but I am coming out of this tunnel with a renewed sense of optimism that anything is possible and there’s no time like the present to find ways to start embracing all of life’s glorious opportunities.

Lynne lives in Colinton with her husband and two children. She dreams of being a freelance writer when she grows up but mostly just avoids growing up!

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LOCAL LAB

With every major event over the past 2,000 years, there have been conspiracy theories - moon landings, presidential and royal assassinations, Bigfoot... and now COVID-19.

Dr Joe Stubbersfield

But what’s the allure of these theories? Why are we so susceptible to them, and how can we resist falling for them? Dr Joe Stubbersfield, Assistant Professor in Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, is addressing these topics in his research, and in a new online show this summer.

Why are conspiracy theories a problem?: Conspiracy theories are accusations of conspiracy, which persist in society despite having been disproved or having failed to find compelling evidence.

The conspiracy theories surrounding COVID-19 provide troubling examples of the negative impact they can have on society. We’ve seen COVID-19 conspiracy theories inspire racist attacks on East Asian people, vandalism of 5G transmitter towers, and contribute to negative attitudes towards a potential COVID-19 vaccine. These kinds of stories are popular and persist because mentally, we are all natural conspiracy theorists.

Why are we all conspiracy theorists?: Conspiracy theories survive because of how our brains work. Like other aspects of our biology, the human brain has some evolved predispositions – tendencies to think or behave in a certain way. Just as we have a predisposition to enjoy the taste of salt, fat, and sugar, which leaves us susceptible to eating too many burgers, @KonectMagazines

predispositions in our mind makes us susceptible to conspiracy theories. These predispositions of the mind are called ‘cognitive biases’ and conspiracy theories tick off a number of them. Firstly, they exploit our bias for believing there are intentional actions behind events where there is none. They also appeal to our bias for social information about the activities of others. Importantly, they appeal to our bias for focusing on the negative or threatening aspects of our environment, and for thinking more negatively about people outside of our culturally-defined ‘in-group’. All of these aspects make them a very tasty burger for the mind, and difficult to resist.

What can we do about them?: Unfortunately, conspiracy theories are difficult to combat, because they are so appealing to human minds.

The most successful proposed interventions are based on ‘preemptive exposure’, essentially ‘inoculating’ people against them. These include educating people about the techniques

used in the spread of theories and the nature of online misinformation. Understanding the appeal of conspiracy theories and being vigilant of our own biases is a great form of prevention and can help us fight our natural predisposition to be conspiracy theorists.

Interested in the psychology of conspiracy theories? Catch Joe performing in the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas this summer. Hosted by comedian JoJo Sutherland, CODI is a blend of controversial academic research, audience interaction, and a dash of comedy. All shows this summer are available via the Stand Comedy OnDemand - the virtual venue of the worldfamous Stand Comedy Club.

Visit ondemand.thestand.co.uk for more info.

The Local Lab column is contributed by Heriot-Watt University to engage the public in a range of their research projects.

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LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Skilful Acrobatics: Long Tailed Tits

If you’re lucky enough to have these boisterous little birds raiding your feeding stations already then you’ll be very familiar with their antics but in case you aren’t, let us introduce you to one of the cutest birds in the UK. They’re common across the country and you can commonly see them zipping about the canopies of the trees in the woodlands and parks.

On a trip out to look for deer and foxes locally, my head was turned by a high pitched, excited call moving towards me and suddenly a flock of long tailed tits and their recently fledged young surrounded me to perform skilful acrobatics on the willow trees whilst collecting food.

This adult had found a tasty little caterpillar for its six chicks gathered in the hawthorn bush above me. The only way to describe them is black, white, and pink fluff balls, who hadn’t quite grown their characteristic long tails yet. Staying silent whilst Mum and Dad were away, as soon as they came back the chicks certainly let them know it was feeding 26 | THE DELL

time. Eventually they moved off in to the higher branches but when an animal or bird as small as a long tailed tit lets you watch them at close quarters you can’t help but walk away with a huge smile on your face.

They’re well worth looking out for and spending a few minutes watching them hanging upside down in the trees - we can guarantee you’ll have the same feelings we do.

This column is contributed by Clare Harte and Kate Stevenson, who grew up in Edinburgh and now live in West Lothian. Together they run Scottish Sisters Photography and travel around the country to watch and photograph amazing wildlife and scenic landscapes. www.scottishsistersphotography.com @KonectMagazines

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