4 NEWS
Zak returns home
Freezing council tax brings problems for councils
By STAFF REPORTERTHE SCOTTISH Government has
promised funding of £2 million for
Edinburgh charity The Yard in Eyre Place
Lane which will secure its future.
This charity supports disabled children
and young people and their families from
birth to 25 years-old by providing creative
and inclusive play experiences. Four-year-
old, Eilish Cowan began the campaign for
funding. Eilish is one of only 200 children
in the world with TUBA1A, a genetic
condition. She is visually impaired and
struggles to walk. She enjoys the space for
her and her family with the creative play
and friendships made at The Yard.
During a visit the First Minister, Humza
Yousaf, said: “I am absolutely committed to
improving outcomes for disabled children
and their families across Scotland. Visiting
The Yard has given me a chance to see
their outstanding work first-hand, and
hear more about the support being
provided by the charity.
“I sincerely hope that this vital funding
will enable The Yard to grow their services
and offer support to more families of
young disabled children across Scotland.”VITALLY IMPORTANT
Central Edinburgh MSP Angus Robertson
said: “It was great to see the First Minister
visiting this vitally important charity in my
constituency. I’m proud to be part of this
Scottish Government led by Humza Yousaf,
which has shown it will be there to support
for those who need it.
“I congratulate Eilish Cowan, her family
and all campaigners in raising awareness
and engaging with The Scottish
Government to obtain this funding.”Yousaf promises
funds for The Yard
Much-loved Alsatian back with his family after incredible journey
By STEPHEN RAFFERTYA CHANCE VIEWING of the London
Marathon on TV brought a beloved Alsatian,
which had been adopted, running back to his
original family home.
Zak had been part of the family since he was a
pup, growing up alongside police officer Adam
Wrigley’s young son Connor, but Adam had
been forced to have Zak adopted by the German
Shepherd Rescue Scotland (GSRS) charity due to
his changing work shifts, a lack of pandemic-era
dog walkers and other family reasons.
Adam recalled: “He instantly became a
lovable hit with my little boy and the two of
them were as thick as thieves. Zak had a
wonderful life growing up and was often
stopped and told how handsome he was and
how well behaved he was.
“Fast forward to that horrible year for
everyone - 2020 - and I had to make the
heart-breaking decision to rehome Zak. It was
one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I
am not ashamed to say there were many, many
tears for the next few days.
“Zak was successfully rehomed in a loving
family and as the years passed we thought about
Zak often, my son often asked questions about
him which I always responded that he is up in
the Highlands enjoying his life, running around
chasing balls with a family there that loved him.”
But there was to be a twist in the tail when
Adam’s partner, Lyndsey Rafferty, happened to
glance up at the TV when the London Marathon
was being screened.
He said: “At the perfect moment the postman
came to drop off a parcel and Lyndsey took it
into the living room where she glanced up and
saw an interview with GSRS volunteer Derek
Adamson who was raising money for the charity.
“We often looked on the charity Facebook
page and website to check the good news stories,
and remember how much Zak was helped but it
had been a while, so Lyndsey checked the
website and there he was, our Zak.”
Zak’s “new” owner had sadly passed away and
the beautiful beast was back up for adoption.
Adam added: “When I got home Lyndsey
showed me her phone and I froze. I couldn’t talk,
I couldn’t think, I just saw him, slightly older,slightly greyer, slightly fluffier but unmistakably
Zak. I could feel the tears again but I had to do
it, I picked up my mobile and called the charity.
“I knew if it was possible he had to come back
home. Life had changed, I had moved into a new
home with Lyndsey, I no longer worked shifts, I
had room again in my life to fill the Zak-size
hole I could never bring myself to fill after the
pain of rehoming.”
Meetings were arranged, Adam, Lyndsey and
Connor were assessed for suitability to rehome
Zak and a reunion date was set. Adam said:
“I didn’t know what to expect. Would he
remember us, would he be happy to see us, has
he changed, have I changed, could I hold it
together in front of other people?
“Out he came, the handsome but slightly
wilder looking Zak. He didn’t notice us at first,
he went straight to the bush to do his business.
Then he saw me and he bounded straight up to
me and jumped up. He knew. I wasoverwhelmed and crouched down to have my
moment and Zak did what Zak had always done
in the past, and he still tries to do now - sit on
my lap.
“It was decided Zak would be coming home!
I couldn’t believe it, I was getting a second
chance with my puppy, and a chance to give him
the life he should have had if the circumstances
had allowed.
“I had to pinch myself repeatedly, just to make
sure this was real. He was here and it was like he
had always been here. He relaxed, he found his
favourite ball and we were back to playing fetch
in the garden like things had never changed.
“I didn’t realise how much the new house was
missing Zak until he was there. He slotted
straight in, like the house was built with all four
of us in mind. Zak is still loving his home life
and has settled so well, it is honestly like he had
never been away.”
http://www.german-shepherd-rescue-scotland.org.ukBy CLLR MANDY WATT
Finance ConvenerWHY WOULD anyone who cares
about the cost-of-living crisis not
welcome a council tax freeze?
Here’s why: Edinburgh has the
lowest per capita funding of any
council in Scotland. The only way
it can pay for the services we need,
is by charging council tax.
The impact of a freeze could be
closures of libraries, swim centresand museums. There could be cuts
to less visible services like social care
and homelessness prevention. The
potholes will only get worse.
The SNP gave no thought to the
consequences of their screeching
U-turn when their leader announced
the council tax freeze at their party
conference. Before then they had
been proposing hikes of up to 20%.
Then the party lost a by-election in
Rutherglen and Hamilton West, and
in a state of panic Humza Yousafstole an old policy from the Alex
Salmond handbook.
The promise of The Scottish
Government showing respect for
local services, made only weeks ago
by the First Minister, was thrown in a
skip – leaving councils in the dark
about what happens next.
The latest promise is that the
government will provide funding to
cover the lost council tax. How
much, is anybody’s guess. Edinburgh
has been at the back of the fundingqueue since the SNP took office,
and that looks unlikely to change.
Hard-pressed households will be
pleased that their bills are frozen,
and none of their councillors will
grudge them that.
All we ask is for their support
when we demand some proper
compensation from The Scottish
Government, and also their
understanding that it is the SNP who
are responsible for any cuts to local
services that we are forced to make.Reece MunroCllr Mandy WattZak with Connor