Author Archives: markdowe1

Arts, Health, Psychology

Resilience: Practise Gratitude

GRATITUDE

TAKING time to acknowledge what is good in life can make all the difference when adversity strikes. Studies show that gratitude lifts our spirits and floods our body with feelgood hormones and endorphins.

How you practise gratitude is up to you. You could end each day by reflecting on all the things that went well, or you could look for things that make you smile as you go about your day (such as an unexpected hug, embrace or bumping into an old friend). Some people find it useful to have a dedicated gratitude journal in which they write down three things they are grateful for every morning or evening. Gratitude journal’s are easily available and are an excellent resource for helping and improving mental health.

By training your mind to notice what’s right in life rather than what is wrong, you’ll have more emotional strength reserves to tap into to help you bounce back from the stresses and strains of life.

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Britain, Military

Two soldiers of the Coldstream Guards charged with firearm offences

COLDSTREAM GUARDS

A SERVICEMAN chosen to be the most senior soldier in the historic Coldstream Guards of the British Army has been charged with “conspiracy to sell ammunition”.

Kirtland Gill, 40, and a fellow serving soldier from the regiment – which is among the elite units tasked with guarding the royal palaces – are accused of firearm offences.

Jamaican-born Gill was recently selected to be its next regimental sergeant major – a key post in the regiment which is involved in the discipline and welfare of the enlisted men.

Gill, considered a poster boy for recruitment, has met the Queen twice and has previously been described as an “ideal role model for all soldiers”.

The prosecution of such a prominent figure has sent shockwaves through the Army. The son of a fisherman born into a poor family, Gill flew to Britain to visit relatives aged 20 and ended up enlisting with the Army.

A Warrant Officer Class 2, he served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. He had been due to take up the regimental sergeant major post later this year in the longest continually serving Army regiment. It would have put him in charge of orchestrating events like the Queen’s Birthday Parade.

Last year, Lieutenant Colonel David Marsham, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, congratulated him on the promotion, saying: “Alongside being the first black sergeant major of the battalion, he is a tried and tested soldier with an immaculate service record and great vision for the job. He is an ideal role model for all soldiers.” It is understood that the promotion is now on hold pending the outcome of the prosecution.

Gill was charged with conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and possession of a prohibited weapon, namely an imitation firearm capable of discharging a “noxious liquid”.

It came after a six-month operation by Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad and follows raids on addresses in Berkshire in January, when a quantity of 9mm calibre pistol ammunition was recovered.

Lance Sergeant Rajon Graham, 32, was also charged to conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and four counts of selling or transferring ammunition.

Both men have been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 1.

The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regiment in the British Army, having been active since 1650. Like other foot guards’ regiments, its soldiers wear scarlet jackets and black bearskin hats when on ceremonial duty as protectors of royal palaces, including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.

The regiment acquired its name because it spent three months staying in Coldstream in Berwickshire in 1659.

Dubbed the “Lilywhites”, the regiment’s motto is ‘Nulli Secundus’ – second to none.

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Government, Health, Medical, Scotland

‘Long Covid’: A Glasgow GP calls for community clinics

LONG COVID

A Glasgow GP and Conservative MSP for Glasgow has spoken about his concerns from those suffering with “long Covid”. As many as 90,000 Scots could be left suffering with the condition, a crippling condition which has left patients struggling to breathe, with chronic fatigue and aching joints.

Scottish Conservative MSP and GP Sandesh Gulhane is preparing to publish a paper on the condition after seeing patients in Glasgow. He believes the Government must begin work on a chain of clinics across Scotland to treat those left with health problems after coronavirus.

Dr Gulhane said he has seen first-hand how otherwise healthy people have been devastated by the diagnosis. He said the condition has left many people unable to do essential tasks.

According to Healthcare Improvement Scotland, most people struck down by Covid should be symptom free within 12 weeks. Anyone with new or persisting symptoms in that time frame is likely to have “long Covid”, which can have a “detrimental impact on their quality of life”.

Symptoms can include “shortness of breath, fatigue, heart, lung, kidney, neurological and musculoskeletal” problems.

The Scottish Government has warned that these are “not limited to people who were seriously unwell or hospitalised when they first caught the virus” – with a fluctuation in symptoms likely over time.

After looking at official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Dr Gulhane believes as many as 90,000 people living in Scotland could suffer from the condition.

He has welcomed the Covid in Scotland Study (CISS), which is looking to bring more understanding of the impact of prolonged symptoms.

Dr Gulhane has also issued a plea to the Government to “get to grips” with long Covid quicker. He says this must include a “network of community clinics” along with specialist centres.

The CISS is led by the University of Glasgow with Public Health Scotland and the NHS, and is funded by the Scottish Government. Every adult who has tested positive will be invited to take part – with researchers hoping to see how many continue to be unwell after having the virus.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our NHS is already delivering care tailored to the individual needs of people experiencing long-term effects.

“This is still a relatively new illness, and it is important that we continue to improve our understanding of its effects on people, in order to ensure they receive the best possible care.

“The Scottish Government has committed around £2.5million to fund nine projects to improve our understanding… and help with developing clinical interventions to support recovery.”

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