Meditation and mindfulness sessions in December

There are still two opportunities this year to join a free lunchtime meditation and mindfulness session at John Muir House.

Mindfulness	Wednesday 10 December	12.15pm	JMH Saltire room 1
Meditation	Thursday 18 December	12.30pm	JMH Saltire room 1

The lunchtime meditation sessions are led by Jill Alexander from Heartfulness and the mindfulness sessions by Joyce Lukkes. Free to attend in John Muir House, colleagues can enjoy a guided meditation session designed to reduce stress and increase wellbeing.

No booking is required - just turn up on the date and time and join in!

Please email Kate McCracken in Children's Services if you have any questions.

Mental Health First Aid training

Limited spaces are available to take part in Scottish Mental Health First Aid training. This course is designed to help you understand common mental health conditions, spot signs of distress and provide initial support to someone experiencing a mental health crisis - just like physical first aid, but for mental wellbeing.

Why take part?

Most people don’t know what to do in a mental health crisis. The course will build your knowledge and give you the confidence to put that knowledge into action.

• you will learn how to recognise when a person might need help and the best way to approach them
• you could save a life by learning basic suicide intervention skills
• you will learn how to protect your own and other people’s mental health

Completing the SMHFA course is an essential requirement for anyone hoping to become one of our Listening Ears providing support for colleagues who need to talk about challenges they are facing at work or home.

The course takes place over six Thursday evenings in January and February. There are no costs for council colleagues.

Please only sign-up if you can attend all six sessions.

Course details:

Dates:                 January 15, 22, 29 and February 5,12 and 29

Time:                  6.00pm to 8.00pm

Venue:                Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre

 

Please check in with your manager before signing up, especially if the course times coincide with your working hours.

To request a place on the course or ask any questions, please email hwl@eastlothian.gov.uk

Quick Quotes users encouraged to attend Community Wealth Building sessions

Staff engaged with Quick Quotes are invited to join an information session in January explaining its link with Community Wealth Building. This follows on from our report in November highlighting the importance of working with local and new suppliers.

Quick Quotes are smaller procurement exercises carried out by our staff when goods, services or works are required (goods and services between £15k and £50k, and works below £500k in value). Examples may include design services, gardening services or building maintenance works. Quick Quotes are important to Community Wealth Building through the requirement to select at least one local supplier from those approached to quote. They form part of the Progressive Procurement pillar to support local firms to engage in council contracts and help them develop and grow.

Legislation on Community Wealth Building is progressing through the Scottish Parliament and will likely be in place by Spring 2026. We are ahead of the curve, with Community Wealth Building at the centre of the East Lothian Local Economy Strategy 2024-34. It is cross-council and is being woven through important council and regional strategies.

Staff engaged with Quick Quotes are being contacted to invite them to attend. If you have not been invited and it is of interest to you please contact our Community Wealth Building Officer.