A care home worker treated a resident to a special theatre trip to see a play by one of his favourite authors.
An Edinburgh resident was left “buzzing” after meeting actor Ralph Little.
Paul Austin, 79, who lives at Castlegreen Care Home, run by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, is a keen fan of John le Carré and often chats with staff about the plots of his favourite spy novels.
Amy Steele, an activity leader in the home, discovered one of the author’s books had been turned into a play and was showing at The Festival Theatre. She booked them tickets for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’s matinee performance and they went last week.
Amy said:
“Paul was absolutely delighted and was thrilled I hadn’t read the book so didn’t know what was to come.
“At the interval, we overheard people saying that if you went to the stage door after the performance you could possibly meet the actors. I looked over at Paul and saw his mischievous grin, so we set off after the show to try our luck.
“And soon after, Ralph Little appeared. He was absolutely lovely and chatted with Paul about the show, the books and theatre life for about 20 minutes.”
Ralph even signed Paul’s theatre tickets and posed for photos.
Ralph and Paul
Amy added:
“The day out was a real highlight for us both and it was incredible to share something so special with Paul. He is a great resident and so passionate about theatre.”
Christine Laverty, chief officer for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said:
“We were thrilled to learn of one of our care home members of staff going above and beyond for a resident.
“Our workforce is our biggest asset and make a real difference to people lives every single day.”
A PR consultant is celebrating a professional hat-trick after being crowned one of the industry’s best for the third time. Martin Williams, founder of St…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/canada-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-right-an-aisle-in-a-canadian-grocery-store.jpg?id=56631958&width=1200&height=600&coordinates=0%2C36%2C0%2C36"/><br/><br/><p>After a <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/canada-trump-trudeau-tariffs" target="_blank">30-day pause on proposed tariffs</a>, the North American trade war is back on, and <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/trump-tariffs-legault-quebec" target="_blank">Canada isn't holding back</a>.</p><p>As of today, March 4, 2025, U.S. <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/donald-trump" target="_blank">President Donald Trump</a> has officially imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian exports and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy. North of the border, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made it clear that Canada won't take this sitting down.</p><p>"Canadians are reasonable, but we will not back down from a fight," he wrote in an X post on Monday morning.</p><blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1896959387996151944">
<div style="margin:1em 0"></div> — (@) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1896959387996151944"></a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p>The Prime Minister later revealed details of counter-tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. products, announcing plans to slap an additional $125 billion in tariffs over the next three weeks if the situation escalates.</p><blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1896964152822050953">
<div style="margin:1em 0"></div> — (@) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1896964152822050953"></a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p>The list of affected goods isn't random, though. It's designed to put economic pressure on American industries while trying to soften the impact on Canadians. </p><p>That said, everyday essentials like groceries, household goods, and vehicles will be affected, meaning you could soon see higher prices at checkout counters.</p><p>Here's an extensive list of goods that will likely see price surges. </p><h2>Full list of U.S. products now facing tariffs in Canada</h2><h4></h4><h4>Food & drink</h4><ul><li>Poultry & eggs – chicken, turkey, duck, and their byproducts</li><li>Dairy – milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt</li><li>Fruits & vegetables – tomatoes, beans, citrus fruits, melons, berries</li><li>Coffee, tea, spices, and condiments – including ketchup, mustard, and peanut butter</li><li>Packaged foods – pasta, bread, soup, chocolate, cereal</li><li>Alcohol – beer, wine, spirits, and coolers</li></ul><h4>Tobacco & nicotine products</h4><ul><li>Cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco</li><li>Vapes, e-cigarettes, and nicotine patches</li></ul><h4>Personal care items</h4><ul><li>Makeup, skincare, razors, deodorant, and hair products</li><li>Toothpaste and dental floss</li><li>Perfumes and room deodorizers</li></ul><h4>Household & office goods</h4><ul><li>Kitchenware – glassware, utensils, and storage containers</li><li>Furniture – chairs, mattresses, lighting, and storage racks</li><li>Paper products – toilet paper, napkins, stationery</li></ul><h4>Clothing & accessories</h4><ul><li>Shirts, pants, dresses, outerwear, and baby clothes</li><li>Footwear, hats, gloves, and jewelry</li><li>Suitcases, backpacks, and wallets</li></ul><h4>Electronics & appliances</h4><ul><li>Refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers</li><li>Small appliances – blenders, toasters, coffee makers</li><li>Gaming consoles and board games</li></ul><h4>Vehicles & machinery</h4><ul><li>Motorbikes, boats, and drones</li><li>Snowblowers, lawnmowers, and power tools</li><li>Rubber tires</li></ul><h4>Building materials</h4><ul><li>Wood products, plastic packaging, and window fixtures</li><li>Bathroom fixtures, carpets, and textiles</li></ul><h4>Weapons & ammunition</h4><ul><li>Firearms – pistols, rifles, shotguns, air guns</li><li>Ammunition – bullets, cartridges, and pellets</li></ul><p>With tariffs and counter-tariffs now in place, the government encourages Canadians to buy locally whenever possible. If your usual grocery staples or household goods are on this list, you might need to alter your shopping cart.</p><p>To make the transition easier, you can check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/made-in-canada-grocery-items" target="_blank">list of locally-made grocery items to replace US products</a>.</p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em>
L-RR: Oluseun Mudashiru, Brand Business Manager, St Lauren; Adewale Akingboju, President of the Nigerian Event Host and Beverages Association (NEHBA); and Adeyanju Fayinminu, Trade Marketing…
