Online Museum Resources

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee :
 
Our museums and galleries may now be closed due to the current emergency but we’re still working hard to ensure online access to our amazing collections and activities. 
 
Hopefully many of you have been following our social media posts on Facebook at UoDMuseums and on Twitter @UoD_Museums. We’ve now set up a webpage to bring together our various digital resources here.
Here’s a taster of what’s currently on offer:
 
• Short films by the curator exploring some of the highlights of our collections
• Our popular colouring sheets from the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum now available as pdfs for your to print and use at home
• Hi-res images for you to use as virtual backgrounds for your online meetings
• A curated selection of some of the best DJCAD animation films
• And as we’re currently unable to process orders from our online shop, we’ve made a selection of our publications available online absolutely free  
The site also provides links to existing digital content such as our online museum database, our 3D scans of zoology specimens and a virtual tour of the Zoology Museum. And we’ll be adding more content in the coming weeks so keep checking back!

Virtual Spring Flower Show!

Following the cancellation of the Dundee Daffodil Group’s Spring Flower Show and to maintain contact amongst members and provide a little competition and fun, the group has decided to try and run a virtual flower show.  
 
The show is open to all, free of charge and there will be no prize money or trophies awarded. 
 
The competition will have limited classes and will be judged by Hazel Elder with first, second and third places being awarded.
 
Rules and Guidance
 
1. The competition is free of charge and open to all.
2. The exhibitor must have grown all entries.
3. Exhibitors can only enter one exhibit per class.
4. All cultivars to be named where possible.
5. The exhibits must be staged and photographed on Friday 10th April.
6. Exhibits can be staged in any vases /jam jars etc that the exhibitor has available, vases are not provided.
7. Staging time/time for the submission of photographs is between 9am and 10pm on Friday 10th April 2020.
8. All photographs to be emailed to dundeedaffodilgroup@outlook.com  by 10pm on Friday 10th of April. Photographs should be close ups and as clear as possible to assist judging.
9. The email should contain the attached photographs indicating the class entered, along with the entrant’s name and town of residence. Exhibitor numbers will be allocated to the photographs prior to judging.
10. The competition will be judged on Saturday and the entry photographs and results posted on Facebook as soon as possible after judging has been completed.
11. Dundee Daffodil Group-Spring Show, Facebook page has been created, all photographs will be displayed on this open page, highlighting the first, second and third places. Names (initial and surname) and town of residence only will be displayed for the placed entries. 
 

Another update during the COVID-19 emergency

 
Further update – for Sunday 5th April 2020 from Councillor Fraser Macpherson (West End) and Councillor Craig Duncan (Broughty Ferry)
 
Sadly, the last few days have seen yet more cases of Coronavirus in Scotland and more deaths across the country.    That makes it all the more important that we all continue to :
 
• stay at home
 
• only go outside for essential food, health and work reasons
 
• stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people
 
• wash our hands regularly                                                              
 
• wash our hands as soon as we get home
 
Doing this will help slow the spread of Coronavirus, protect the NHS and save lives.
 
ChatterPack 
 
A list of free, online, boredom-busting resources at the ChatterPack blog has published a fantastic list of free online resources to help tackle boredom. Amongst many other things, this includes virtual tours, games, arts and culture, literature, online learning and music. Find out more at https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/list-of-online-resources-for-anyone-who-is-isolated-at-home
 
Pay using contactless if you can
 
The World Health Organisation advice is to pay in shops using a contactless card whenever possible to reduce the amount of cash people handle. Helpfully, on 1st April, the limit for contactless payments in the UK increased from £30 to £45. It will though take some time for this to roll out to all retailers. If you do handle banknotes, WHO advice is to wash your hands immediately afterwards.
 
Watch out for fake news
 
Fake news or misinformation about Coronavirus is flooding the internet. For the latest accurate information check NHS Inform at https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19
 
You can also check whether “news” shared online is true by checking whether major news providers such as the BBC, STV, ITV or Sky are reporting it.     There’s an explanatory video from the BBC at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-52118949/coronavirus-how-can-you-stop-the-spread-of-misinformation.
 
Revised bus and rail timetables
 
The lockdown has meant big changes to bus and rail timetable. The links below take you to the latest information from the bus and rail companies:
 
 
 
 
Personal finance support 
 
The Financial Conduct Authority has proposed a range of targeted temporary measures designed as a stopgap to quickly support users of certain consumer credit products who are facing a financial impact because of the coronavirus.  After a short consultation it is intended the measures would start by 9th April 2020.  The measures are: 
 
•            A temporary payment freeze on loans and credit cards where consumers face difficulties with their finances as a result of coronavirus, for up to three months.
 
•            Ensure that for customers who have been hit financially by the coronavirus and already have an arranged overdraft on their main personal current account, up to £500 will be charged at zero interest for up to three months.
 
•            Overdraft customers will be no worse off on price when compared to the prices they were charged before the recent overdraft changes came into force.
 
•            Ensure consumers using any of these temporary measures should not have their credit rating affected because of this.
 
 
Business Gateway – Dundee 
 
Business Gateway has produced a list of support that is available to businesses can be downloaded as a PDF from the link at https://www.bgateway.com/resources/finance-and-grant-announcements.     It includes information on all business funding and grants made available during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It is being updated daily so please check back for further updates. 
 
Business Gateway Dundee contact details can be found at https://www.bgateway.com/local-offices/dundee/local-support 
 
Support and advice
 
This is an anxious and uncertain time but we want you to know that we are here to try to help constituents in whatever way that we can.
 
CONTACT DETAILS
 
WEST END WARD – Bailie Fraser Macpherson
 
Phone – Dundee 459378 (home)
 
 

Getting things done – Blackness Library #dundeewestend

Residents will be aware that I have previously asked for the railings of Blackness Library to be repainted – this is badly needing done.
 
In principle, it was agreed the Community Payback Team would do this, and I recently asked for an update on timescale.
 
I have now received this helpful response from the Project Manager :
 
“Due to reduced staffing in my team, client numbers and the amount of work we have on our list (most of which are projects requiring several months’ work) we were unable to carry out any work to the railings.  We are now in a better position to commence the work. 
 
We’re looking at April until work can begin due to the weather but it is on my schedule for then. We’ll also be meeting on site to discuss the work.”
 
This response was received immediately prior to the COVID-19 health emergency and, clearly, the April timescale is now not possible.   However, it is good to know the work will be carried out in due course.

Road surface – Seafield Road #dundeewestend

As residents know, I have long campaigned to have the poor conditioned road surface of Seafield Road improved.
 
I am therefore pleased to have been advised by the City Council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership, in reply to my lastest e-mail regarding this, as follows :
 
“Seafield Road has been identified for inclusion in future carriageway resurfacing schemes, provisionally 2020-2021 subject to budget availability.”