Community groups, cultural organisations and education initiatives are amongst the Scottish organisations who will be able to bid for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.
The £275,000 Climate Engagement Fund will support activities such as climate festivals, skills development and training, art exhibitions and showcasing clean technologies – all focused on increasing people’s understanding of the current and future impacts of climate change and encouraging climate action.
Since launching in 2023, the annual fund has supported 24 projects across Scotland – reaching a total of around 22,000 people with knowledge and skills relevant to tackling climate change.
In 2025-26, this has included action by Changeworks to encourage people living in park homes to improve the energy efficiency of their accommodation, and by the Forth Valley Sensory Centre to enable blind, partially sighted, deaf and hard of hearing people, to explore sustainability through their local communities.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “It is vital that everyone in our society understands the positive opportunities of climate action, and how it can improve their own lives.
“The Climate Engagement Fund will help increase awareness and empower people across Scotland to take action in their local communities whilst supporting Scotland in meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045 and building our resilience to climate impacts.”
Changeworks’ Chief Executive Josiah Lockhart, said: “Climate Engaged Park Home Communities is a perfect example of how it’s possible – and necessary – to tackle climate change in ways that improve people’s lives at the same time.
“That means supporting and empowering communities to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, especially those communities who have been under-served in the past.”
Applications for the Climate Engagement Fund will close at 23:59 on 1st March 2026.
DP World Tour player returns to open new performance centre
A leading Scottish independent school has opened a state-of-the-art Indoor Golf Centre designed to develop the next generation of elite golfers, with a current DP World Tour player returning to open the facility.
Merchiston Castle School has launched the new centre as part of its expanding Golf Academy, showcasing a clear development pathway from school-level golf through to the professional game.
The opening was marked by a visit from former pupil Cameron Adam, now competing on the DP World Tour, who returned to the school to meet pupils currently coming through the academy. Adam secured his DP World Tour card for the 2026 season after topping the Global Amateur Pathway rankings in 2025.
Huw Jones, Head of Merchiston Castle School, said:“Having Cameron back at the school is hugely important for our pupils. He’s a great ambassador for Merchiston and embodies our values and virtues. He shows, in very real terms, what can grow out of a school based programme that nurtures individuals properly over time.
“Each year, at least one of our golfers progresses to a US college scholarship as part of their development, and for some that becomes a route towards the professional game. This new centre strengthens that pathway, whilst also providing further opportunities to grow the sport at Merchiston.”
The centre features advanced Foresight simulator technology used by elite academies and professional players, supporting year-round training, detailed performance analysis and competitive play regardless of weather or daylight. Pupils can practise on world-famous courses, receive real-time data feedback and integrate simulator sessions into their coaching and academic schedules.
Alongside technical coaching and performance technology, pupils in the Golf Academy also receive support from a specialist golf performance psychologist. The focus is on helping them develop mental skills such as staying calm under pressure, managing nerves, improving focus and building consistency.
The investment reflects a wider change in how young golfers are developed in Scotland, with schools playing a more active role in long-term player development alongside academic education.
Fraser Hutchison, Director of Golf at Merchiston Castle School, said:“This centre gives our players access to the same type of technology used by professionals and top academies, but in a school environment where learning and development come first.
“It allows us to work with players in far more detail, all year round, and tailor coaching around their individual needs and academic commitments. For young golfers in Scotland, that kind of access and consistency is hugely important.”
Merchiston’s Golf Academy is intentionally small and selective, supporting up to 28 players at any one time. Pupils receive personalised coaching, strength and conditioning support, performance psychology and structured competitive schedules alongside a full academic education.
Cameron Adam’s return highlights that journey in action. Since leaving Merchiston, he progressed through the US college golf system at Northwestern University, became one of the world’s best amateurs and then secured his DP World Tour card for the 2026 season.
Cameron Adam, said:“Coming back to Merchiston and seeing facilities like this is brilliant. When I was here, we were always looking for ways to train smarter, especially during the winter months.
“Having this level of technology available at school gives young players a real advantage. It helps them understand their game better, practise with purpose and balance golf properly alongside their education.”
To learn more about Merchiston Castle School, please visit:
Views are being sought on proposed changes to the Code of Practice for how Scotland’s police officers use stop and search powers.
The Code covers the conduct, recording and oversight of stop and search activity. The Scottish Government is legally required to periodically review the Code and has now published a consultation on a proposed update.
The revised Code aims to strengthen protections for children and vulnerable individuals, provide clearer guidance on the steps officers must take before, during and after a search, and introduce enhanced requirements on data recording, oversight and accountability.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the proposed changes would ensure the Code continues to support effective policing while maintaining public trust and confidence in the appropriate use of stop and search powers.
Ms Constance said: “Stop and search powers remain a vital tool for police to tackle crime and keep people safe, provided it is exercised lawfully, proportionately and with respect for an individual’s dignity and rights.
“The revised Code aims to improve clarity, transparency and safeguarding, while strengthening safeguards for children and vulnerable people, with clearer guidance on the steps officers should take before, during and after a search.
“The consultation is an opportunity to listen, reflect and to strengthen public trust. I encourage everyone with an interest in justice, equality and community safety to take part.
“Their views will help ensure the Code remains robust, fair and fit for the future – supporting effective policing while upholding the rights and freedoms that define our society.”
The festival’s FULL programme including workshops, folk films, and storytelling will be announced on Tuesday 17 March, thanks to support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
Opening this year’s festival at Potterrow, is multi-award winning, trad music powerhouse RURA (below)performing tunes from their 15-year-long repertoire; and Scottish newcomers Astro Bloc (Eryn Rae, Paul Jennings, Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín, Gillie Ó Flaherty) playing an exhilarating mix of tunes that push boundaries to create a thrilling new sound.
Also headlining is ‘velvet-vocalist’ Kim Carnie; The Furrow Collective, (Lucy Farrell, Rachel Newton, Emily Portman, Alasdair Roberts) playing contemporary versions of folk songs against a Cantastoria of visuals on a moving scroll; RANT (Anna Massie, Lauren MacColl, Bethany Reid, Gillian Frame) playing a mix of all-time favourites and tunes from their brand new album; and the Brian Molley Quartet celebrating the Scottish roots of jazz.
Additionally, acclaimed singer, composer and live-looping artist GANNA Gryniva presents her new album UTOPIA which mixes Ukrainian folk tunes, with Peruvian grooves, jazz-tinged arrangements and electronic soundscapes.
Finally, closing this year’s packed festival is Scottish supergroup Session A9 (Charlie McKerron, Kevin Henderson, Gordon Gunn, Adam Sutherland, Marc Clement, Brian McAlpine, David ‘Chimp’ Robertson) – an unmissable gig by a group reputed to be one of the best live bands in Scotland.
Other must-sees include:
• Séamus and Caoimhe, beautiful blood harmony, dexterous instrumentals and energetic Irish dancing, all from two incredibly talented young people.
• The Complete Recordings of Hezekiah Procter, a vaudeville act from the 1920s looking back on the beginnings of country music, with Montreal based songwriter Li’l Andy taking on the fictional persona of “Hezekiah Procter”, a long-lost legend of old-time music. This piece is accompanied by musicians from Sheesham and Lotus & ‘Son, who combine harmony vocals, fiddles, banjos, and sousaphone.
• This year’s festival commission is A’ Chiad Litir (The First Letter) led by captivating singer songwriter Josie Duncan from the Isle of Lewis.
• The festival Spotlight event which gives a platform to new artists each year. Bands for 2026 include: Curlew, Dauntless and old-time fiddle and banjo duo Jeri Foreman and Ruth Eliza.
Music highlights from this year’s early evening programme which kicks off at 6.30pm each night include:
• Fiddle player Laura Jane Wilkie and folk guitarist Ian Carr
• Master of the melodeon Tim Edey
• The Nexus Project featuring Bede Patterson who explores contemporary and ancient Highland Bagpipes. With creative and experimental contributions from Dean Garrity, Ewan Johnston, and Roan Anderson.
• Multi-award-winning harp and percussion duo Eleanor Dunsdon and Gregor Black.
• Deiseil: Dancing in Time – a powerful exploration of the revival of stepdance told through fiddle, feet, Gaelic song and story. Directed by Gerry Mulgrew, with dancing by Alison Carlyle and music by Amy Geddes. This 5-star show premiered during the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025.
Other early evening trad/folk bands programmed for 2026, that are making waves on the international scene include:
• Old-time stringband The Onlies a collective of Gen Z folkies originally from Seattle.
• String trio Northern Resonance who take Scandinavian music in a new direction with their mix of explosive rhythms and grand chamber-like arrangements. They play viola, Nyckelharpa and Hardanger fiddle.
• Rajasthani folk trio SAZ whose repertoire encompasses centuries-old folk music, passed down the generations.
• Banjo-playing singer-songwriter from Montreal Kaïa Kater. Her music reflects ties to the Canadian folk music scene, her college years spent in West Virginia, and growing up in Grenada.
In addition, we will be celebrating World Play A Strathspey Day on Saturday 2 May with Laura Jane Wilkie, Madeleine Stewart, Sam Mabbett and Angus Lyon; and enjoying an afternoon performance of Isla Ratcliff’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s four seasons.
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “It’s such a tonic for a dreich February to look forward to the warmth of May and such a dazzling line up of trad and traditionally-inspired music at Edinburgh Tradfest.
“We have carefully curated a programme that has something for everyone. Included are the very best musicians from Scotland who are currently carrying our traditions forward in myriad exciting ways.
“We are also delighted to be welcoming a wide variety of touring musicians from Ireland, India, Sweden, Ukraine, Canada and the United States. Whether you love song, tunes or beats, jazz influences, classical inspiration or a straight ahead Strathspey, we have you covered.”
Participating Musician Josie Duncan who is leading this year’s special commission said: “It’s a total honour to be creating this year’s special commission. As artists, we’re often involved in a wide range of musical projects, so having the time and space to slow down and create something entirely new feels incredibly special.
“I feel very lucky to be exploring the powerful work of Marie Maitland and to be working alongside historian Ashley Douglas who has brought this work to light.”
Participating musician and co-programmer Laura Jane Wilkie said: “Tradfest is a wonderful exhibition of the quality in folk and traditional music in all its glorious cultures and subcultures.
“It is an inclusive and beautifully curated festival and heralds the transition from spring to summer in the capital city. Delighted to be a part of it.”
Edinburgh Tradfest 2026 will run from Friday 1 May – Monday 11 May.
Full programme announced on Tuesday 17 March 2026.
For tickets and more information visit edinburghtradfest.com
Two spectacular stone altars from a Roman fort near Edinburgh have been acquired for the National Collection ahead of a major exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland.
The rare carvings are among the finest examples of sculpture from Roman Britain and will go on display for the first time in Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire (14 November 2026 – 28 April 2027).
Once the centrepiece of the most northerly known temple to the god Mithras in the whole of the Roman empire, the altars were excavated at Inveresk, East Lothian and are the only examples to be found in Scotland.
Dating to the 140s – when southern Scotland was reoccupied under Antoninus Pius – they reveal new details about the lives and beliefs of soldiers on the frontier.
Mithras was a secretive, male-only religion which celebrated the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The altars would have been a striking focal point in the underground Mithraeum.
One depicts the face of the sun god Sol and would have been illuminated from behind so that in the low light of the temple, worshippers would have seen his eyes, mouth and the rays of his solar crown glowing.It also features carvings of the four seasons – depicted as female deities – conveying the passage of time, another prominent theme within the cult of Mithras.
The second honours Mithras himself and is adorned with carvings linked to the god Apollo, another god of light – a griffin, lyre and plectrum – as well as two ravens, which are often seen in Mithraic imagery.
Both altars were dedicated by a legionary centurion whose name was abbreviated on the altar as G CAS FLA, probably Gaius Cassius Flavianus.
He was probably in command of the fort garrison at the time. Evidence for Mithras in Britannia mostly dates to the third century, but these earlier altars demonstrate that his cult was flourishing within the army by the middle of the second century, as it was on the continent.
The altars had broken into fragments during their long burial and have undergone extensive conservation work to reconstruct them and prepare them for display. During the process, conservators identified traces of paint on the carvings, revealing that they would originally have been painted in vibrant colours.
Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistory and Roman Archaeology at National Museums Scotland said: “These stunning altars really bring the beliefs of the Roman frontier to life.
“The quality of the carving, traces of paint and dramatic lighting effects show they were impressive and expensive monuments. The cult of Mithras represented the triumph of good over evil and gave soldiers a sense that there was a purpose to their world and a life after death.
“I’m sure visitors will be amazed by them when they can see them up close in our new exhibition, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire.”
Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire will tackle the common misconception that the Romans never got beyond Hadrian’s Wall. The famous landmark is often thought of as the northernmost reach of the Romans in Britain. However, three times the Empire extended its reach much further north, up to Scotland’s central belt and deep into north-east Scotland.
The Antonine Wall was built across the narrowest part of Scotland from Forth to Clyde, with additional forts along the coasts to east and west. Inveresk was one of these, and grew to became a major centre with a substantial population.
Recent excavations at Inveresk have transformed our understanding of the site, highlighting its significance in the story of Roman Scotland.
Finds from the site will be displayed together for the first time, shedding new light on the Roman occupation in Scotland, and demonstrating how this significant frontier outpost was supplied from across the Empire, and the impacts this occupation had on the local population.
Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire
14th November 2026 – 28th April 2027
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
A major new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will tackle the common misconception that the Romans never got beyond Hadrian’s Wall.
The famous landmark is often thought of as the northernmost reach of the Romans in Britain. However, three times the Empire extended much further north, up to Scotland’s central belt and deep into north-east Scotland.
Bringing together recent research, significant loans from across Europe and previously unseen archaeological discoveries from Scotland, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empirewill tell new stories of Roman occupation and reshape our understanding of Scotland’s relationship with the Roman world.
Central to the exhibition are finds from a 2nd century AD Roman fort at Inveresk in East Lothian, a site whose full significance will be revealed in this exhibition.
The Antonine Wall was built across the narrowest part of Scotland from Forth to Clyde, with additional forts along the coasts to east and west. Inveresk was one of these, and grew to become a major centre with a substantial population.
Recent excavations have transformed our understanding of the site, highlighting its significance in the story of Roman Scotland.
A thriving town surrounded the military base at Inveresk. This bustling community, ranging from soldiers and their families to traders, craftworkers and enslaved people, will be brought to life in the exhibition.
Locals in this occupied land had to interact with these invading groups, and the exhibition will paint a vivid picture of their relationships, from bloodshed to diplomatic deals.
Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistory and Roman Archaeology at National Museums Scotland said: “This rich exhibition is the first to explore Roman attempts to conquer Scotland in detail, asking why they failed, what effect they had on the locals, and examining the legacy they left behind.
“The extraordinary material found at Inveresk sheds new light on the peak of Roman occupation in Scotland, revealing how this significant frontier outpost and fortification was supplied from across the Empire, and taking visitors beyond the soldiers and into the lives of a vibrant and diverse frontier community.”
Funding stability for more third sector organisations
More than a hundred third sector organisations that work to address violence against women and girls have received a multi-year funding agreement from the Scottish Government.
Funding of £43.28 million over two years through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund will support organisations to deliver projects across Scotland. These will provide direct services to victims and survivors of gender-based violence and carry out vital prevention work.
This two-year funding agreement marks a significant step in the Scottish Government’s commitment to developing a more sustainable funding model for the third sector in line with fairer funding principles.
It follows a multi-year commitment of £3.5 million a year over the next three years for disability organisations as set out in the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27.
In addition to the Fairer Funding pilot announced last year, this means that almost 50% of the value of third sector grants in the Social Justice Portfolio in 2025-26 are now covered by multi-year funding agreements. This approach aims to protect the sector’s future by providing the certainty organisations need to plan ahead, retain specialist staff and sustain their vital services.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We have listened carefully to the third sector about the challenges they face.
“This includes the impact of single-year funding settlements on their ability to plan ahead and retain the specialist staff who are so vital to delivering these services.
“This multi-year investment demonstrates that we have heard and responded to those concerns. It will give organisations the stability and greater certainty they need to continue their essential work to protect victims and survivors of gender-based violence across Scotland.”
The Delivering Equally Safe Fund supports the work of the Equally Safe strategy, which underpins Scotland’s approach to preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls.
COUNCILLORS APPROVE NEW FIVE-YEAR EMPTY HOMES STRATEGY
The City of Edinburgh Council has made ‘strong progress’ over the past year in bringing empty homes back into use, as councillors approved a new five-year Empty Homes Strategy yesterday.
In the last year, 81 privately owned empty properties have been brought back into use bringing the total since 2023 to 149.
Edinburgh declared a housing emergency in November 2023 in response to challenges including rising homelessness, an acute shortage of social housing and growing pressure on temporary accommodation.
Bringing empty homes back into use is a key action within the Council’s Housing Emergency Action Plan, with a focus on supporting homeless households.
Following the recruitment of two additional Empty Homes Officers and a Housing Development Officer the team has increased efforts to identify properties earlier, work directly with owners and secure quicker routes to bring homes back into use.
Progress includes offering advice to owners of properties that have been empty for close to twelve months, participating in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership matchmaker scheme and developing proposals for a new grant scheme linked to the Council’s Private Sector Leasing programme that would help owners make empty homes lettable, which would increase the supply of temporary accommodation available in the city.
Councillors approved the Empty Homes Strategy and Annual Report at Tuesday’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee which sets out how the Council will accelerate work over the next five years.
The strategy focuses on earlier identification of empty homes, targeted support for owners and the use of legal powers where appropriate to bring homes back into use.
Cllr Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “We’re committed to addressing the issue of empty homes across the city, to make sure that more properties are brought back into use and contribute to our housing stock.
“There are a variety of reasons why properties become empty, from legal and financial issues to personal circumstances and market dynamics. Our Empty Homes Team focuses on advising owners about their options, including selling their property or becoming a private landlord, helping to make more homes available to buyers and renters.
“With 149 homes made available since 2023 it’s great that people and families now have homes they would otherwise not have had, but there is still much more to do. We estimate there are over 3,000 empty homes in the city, with around 2,500 empty for more than twelve months.
“That is why we will continue to build on what has already been a very successful approach and encourage owners of empty homes to contact the Council for support to bring their property back into use.”
The Community Wealth Building Bill has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.It will support investment in communities with councils, health boards and other public bodies focusing on the generation, circulation and retention of wealth in local and regional economies.
This could include buying or procuring more goods and services from local businesses, boosting social enterprises or helping community groups to acquire vacant buildings and land.
The Community Wealth Building Bill has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
It will support investment in local economies.
This could include buying more goods and services from local businesses or boosting social enterprises.
Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “Community Wealth Building is an approach to economic development that can deliver sustainable growth and foster resilience in our local economies.
“This unique legislation will help to deliver more benefit from investment in local economies so that they become fairer, greener and more prosperous.
“It will also strengthen partnership working in our communities, and I look forward to working closely with public bodies to building on existing links.”
Neil McInroy, Chair of the Economic Development Association Scotland, commented: “We support the Bill because it marks a positive shift in economic development amid wider global crises and upheaval.
“Some local councils and many organisations across Scotland are already advancing Community Wealth Building, and this Bill provides the enabling framework that secures that progress and deepens it.
“By changing patterns of wealth, it boosts productivity, helps tackle child poverty and cost‑of‑living pressures, and builds economic dynamism. Crucially, it advances economic democracy by giving communities, workers, and all of us a fuller stake in Scotland’s future.”
Stacey Dingwall, Head of Policy & External Affairs (Scotland) at the Federation of Small Business (FSB) said: “FSB is a long-time supporter of the Community Wealth Building agenda, therefore it’s welcome to see the Bill pass today.
“Opening up public procurement contracts to small businesses is crucial to boosting economic growth, yet many still face barriers to accessing opportunities.
“Passing this legislation gives us a real chance to make progress here. Investing more public money in local businesses is also an investment in local job opportunities, ensuring as much wealth as possible is retained in local communities.”
Scotland will become the first country in the world to legislate for implementation of the Community Wealth Building economic development model at national, regional and local level.
2026 is both an election year and the National Year of Reading — a year when literacy, libraries and the future of our young people should be firmly at the top of the political agenda.
Across the UK and around the world, governments are taking decisive action to tackle declining literacy and reinvest in school libraries. Yet Scotland, once regarded as a leader in library provision, now risks falling behind.
When Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools launched in 2018, Scotland was setting the pace. We were seen as progressive — a nation that recognised libraries as essential to education, wellbeing and community life. Today, however, the landscape is shifting, and not in our favour.
Recent months have brought renewed focus on education, reading for pleasure and school libraries, but largely south of the border. England has committed to delivering a library in every primary school by 2029, backed by more than £10 million in dormant assets, alongside £5 million to provide every secondary school with new library books.
Wales has pledged dedicated funding for its National Year of Reading. Meanwhile in Scotland, funding gaps, inconsistent provision and ageing facilities are undermining the vital role libraries play in literacy, learning and community wellbeing.
Across our 32 local authorities, school library provision is fragmented. Only five authorities — just 16% — offer full professional librarian coverage in secondary schools, while at least five have none at all. More than a third rely on assistants, teaching staff or volunteers, despite clear evidence that professionally trained librarians are essential for literacy, information skills and wellbeing.
Recent developments only show the situation worsening. Qualified librarians are being replaced, dedicated library spaces reduced, and purpose-built libraries moved into smaller rooms with sharply curtailed stock and access. Some areas are exploring new models to stretch limited resources but these often involve cutting trained roles and introducing inconsistent provision with little central oversight. These are not minor operational changes, they signal a systemic unravelling of Scotland’s school library infrastructure.
The evidence is clear. Research by the University of Edinburgh and Scottish Book Trust shows school librarians foster reading enjoyment, create inclusive spaces, support minority pupils and strengthen personal development. A CILIPS-funded study found librarians are uniquely placed to tackle misinformation, yet lack of time, training and recognition prevents them from doing so. In an age of disinformation, this should be a wake-up call.
At the same time, National Literacy Trust data shows reading enjoyment among children and young people has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Only one in three enjoy reading, fewer than one in five read daily and one in ten children in Scotland does not own a single book. Boys, pupils from lower-income families and those in disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected.
Scotland’s latest Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels report shows record-high literacy attainment and narrowing gaps, yet school libraries are absent from the narrative. This omission is striking. The challenges highlighted — uneven engagement, slower progress for some groups and persistent inequality — are precisely where school libraries make the greatest difference.
Reading for pleasure remains the strongest predictor of a child’s future success, more powerful than parental income. Being read to at age five is a protective factor against poverty at age 30. Libraries are not cultural luxuries, they are engines of social mobility.
Other nations understand this. Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands are investing heavily in school libraries and staffing. Scotland, meanwhile, is cutting posts, shrinking spaces and relying on goodwill to sustain essential services.
SLIC’s vision statement, Securing the Future of Scotland’s Libraries, sets out what is needed: sustainable funding, modern facilities, protected professional roles and universal standards. Without decisive action to make libraries financed, fairer and future-proofed, Scotland risks entrenching a postcode lottery of literacy and opportunity.
As we approach the 2026 Holyrood election, MSPs face a clear choice. With strong evidence, a practical vision and broad public support, you can secure libraries as essential infrastructure at the heart of Scotland’s learning, wellbeing and future prosperity. Or you can allow further erosion that deepens inequalities and limits life chances for the next generation.
Scotland once led the way. We can do so again — but only if we act now, with ambition that matches the opportunity our communities deserve.
Yours sincerely,
ALISON NOLAN
Chief Executive of the Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC)
A partnership of 17 leading Scottish mental health organisations is hosting a special online Hustings event to ensure that mental health is at the top of the political agenda ahead of the Scottish elections in May.
Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership will host the online Mental Health Hustings event on Monday 9th March between 1pm and 2.30pm.
The Hustings event will be an opportunity to hear Scotland’s political leaders discuss mental health, along with answering questions from attendees during a time when mental health has never mattered more.
Political leaders will detail their vision for the nation’s mental health and their plans to reform society to improve wellbeing for all.
Speakers will come from five Scottish political parties:
SNP – Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing
Conservatives – Brian Whittle MSP, Spokesperson on Mental Wellbeing
Labour – Paul Sweeney MSP, Spokesperson on Mental Health
Greens – Gillian Mackay MSP, Party Co-Leader and Spokesperson on Health and Social Care
Lib Dems – Councillor Sally Pattle, Spokesperson on Mental Health
The Mental Health Hustings is a chance for people to engage with those responsible for shaping Scotland’s future.
Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership announced its manifesto late last year, ‘Scotland’s Mental Health: It’s Time For Action’, which presses the Scottish Government to address the current crisis and transform the country’s mental health in the longer term.
The manifesto states that mental health services are struggling to cope with an unprecedented increase in demand, with no corresponding increase in funding or resource, and a burnt-out workforce that is collectively creating a spike in waiting lists for support and treatment.
It has also expressed the need for commitment around increasing resources for early intervention and preventing, along with a choice of support, care and treatment in the right place and at the right time.
Other recommendations revolve around the Partnership’s 3Ps framework – Promote, Prevent and Provide – to tackle the mental health emergency.
Gordon Johnson, Policy Lead for Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership, said:“Mental health really has never mattered more. There is a mental health emergency in Scotland, and we need bold and decisive action to ensure that this crisis is addressed.
“The Hustings is an opportunity for people to have their voice heard – whether you’re a person with lived experience, working in mental health, a campaigner or someone who cares about Scotland’s future.
“Scotland needs radical change. That starts will voices in the room. We look forward to this conversation between attendees and speakers at the Hustings, and we will work hard to ensure that mental health is at the top of the political agenda ahead of this election and beyond.”
Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership (SMHP) is made up of seventeen (17) professional bodies and mental health third sector organisations.
Our members represent, among others, those with lived experience, providers, clinical professionals, carers, community support networks and the wider third sector. Each organisation contributes its direct experience and unique perspective to create an informed collective voice on mental health.
The Partnership was developed out of a collective desire to offer new perspectives and a progressive vision for mental health in Scotland. It is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of people across Scotland and, in line with the Christie Commission recommendations, promote the prevention of mental health issues and early intervention where problems do arise.
Further details can be found on our website: www.smhp.scot.
