Proposed targets for addressing child poverty in Scotland are to be scrutinised by Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee as it begins its examination of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill. Continue reading Child poverty targets under scrutiny at Holyrood
A group of MSPs from the Local Government and Communities Committee met with Edinburgh’s homeless community at the Streetwork crisis centre on Wednesday. Continue reading MSPs hear first-hand from Edinburgh’s homeless community
Ben Macpherson MSP was proud to welcome the Glow Gold September campaign to the Scottish Parliament recently to support them in their mission to get the world “Glowing Gold” to change the face of childhood cancer.
The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP met with a group of parents and grandparents from the Glow Gold September campaign to find out how everyone in Edinburgh can “glow gold” and do their bit to raise the profile of childhood cancer and help raise awareness of the early warning signs and symptoms.
Glow Gold September is a grassroots campaign that was started by parents and grandparents whose families have been affected by childhood cancer. They are on a mission to get the world “Glowing Gold” and shine a spotlight on childhood cancer. They have been inviting childhood cancer charities to unite in the goal of raising the profile of childhood cancer by “glowing gold “ during September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month) and spread awareness of the early warning signs and symptoms to aid earlier diagnosis and detection.
The campaign has had an incredible impact in Scotland and globally. It has seen more than 200 famous landmarks and buildings sign up to light their façades in gold, including Edinburgh Castle, the National Galleries and St Andrew’s House.
Ben Macpherson said: “I am proud to be supporting the Glow Gold campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms and signs of childhood cancer and I hope that everyone in the area will join me in Glowing Gold this September.
“The support that Glow Gold has gathered is incredible and I will do all I can to help support this important campaign in Edinburgh, and across Scotland.”
Commenting, Emma Barron, one of the Glow Gold founding parents said: “Our aim at Glow Gold has been to ensure the colour gold becomes synonymous with childhood cancer and our awareness month September. We have been asking iconic buildings and landmarks to illuminate gold. And have been asking charities to work together to raise the profile of childhood cancer and improve awareness. And have been using the interest generated to disseminate the information on the early warning signs and symptoms through the be child cancer aware and headsmart awareness cards”
“11 children and young adults are diagnosed with cancer in the UK daily, a quarter wont survive and the vast majority will be left with some form of long term disability as a result of their cancer or its treatment. Knowledge is power, and we wish to empower parents with the knowledge required to pick up the signs and symptoms early. We are proud to have over 200 buildings that have illuminated this month to raise awareness and we will be aiming to build on this in the coming years.”
TWO local young women will fly the flag for Scotland when they take part in the World Baton Twirling championships in Helsingborg, Sweden next week – and they’ll carry the support of both local MSP Ben Macpherson and the Scottish Parliament! Continue reading Local twirlers fly the flag for Scotland
Scotland’s MSPs to receive unique, hand-made ceramics to mark the Year of Architecture, Innovation and Design
Scotland’s political leaders are to be gifted unique hand-made ceramics created by some of Scotland’s leading female architects to mark 2016 as the Year of Architecture, Innovation and Design in Scotland.
‘The Better Days’ project is the brain child of prominent architect Jude Barber (above) and seeks to raise questions and awareness about Scotland’s political aspirations for architecture and stimulate renewed thought and discussion on the built environment.
The project is part of a busy programme of special events planned to celebrate the Saltire Society’s 80th anniversary year and was inspired by the Saltire Society’s seminal 1944 publication ‘Building Scotland’, by Alan Reiach and Robert Hurd.
The powerful and poetic foreword to the publication, written by the then Secretary of State for Scotland Thomas Johnston, forms the main driver for the project. It says:
“And in this beautiful land of ours, the free people who inhabit it, and who have paid such a high price for their freedom, will, in the better days that are to be, surely insist that the architecture of their buildings, public and private, shall be worthy of them.”
Every MSP will be gifted with an individually crafted ceramic containing words and forms derived from Jude Barber’s ‘The Better Days’ publication, accompanied with an invitation to consider the important role that architecture and design plays within our everyday lives.
‘The Better Days’ is being exhibited at Project Spaces in Glasgow until 9th July and forms part of the Archi-Fringe 2016 programme. Following conclusion of the exhibition, all of the Scottish Parliament’s 129 elected members will each receive their own ceramic as a permanent souvenir of the Year of Architecture, Innovation and Design.
Meanwhile, Jude will join award winning architects Malcolm Fraser and Neil Gillespie OBE this Thursday (7 July) at South Block, Glasgow, for a panel discussion on the themes that have emerged in their exploration of contemporary Scottish architecture. Tickets are free and available from the Saltire Society’s website – www.saltiresociety.org.uk/
Ahead of the panel discussion, Jude Barber said: “I am really looking forward to Thursday’s event and for what I’m sure will be a stimulating discussion about our built environment and the challenges and possibilities facing Scottish architecture and place making.”
“Malcolm, Neil and I all have something in common; a strong desire to improve the built environment in this country, and I hope that this event, their pamphlets and my ‘Better Days’ project will bring a renewed focus to architecture’s important role and how it greatly enhances our day to day lives.”
Malcolm Fraser’s pamphlet ‘Shoddy Schools and Fancy Finance: the miss-selling of PFI’ and Neil Gillespie’s ‘Building Scotland’ publication, which have been created as part of the Saltire Society’s 80th anniversary programme, will be available to purchase after the discussion.
Lorne Community Association’s MELANIE WEIGANG (below, right) shares her experience of Saturday’s opening of parliament and Big Day Out: Continue reading The Local Hero experience
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith Ben Macpherson has selected Lorne Community Association’s Melanie Weigang as his Local Hero to take part in the Opening Ceremony of the Fifth Session of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday. Continue reading Lorne Street’s Melanie is Ben’s local hero
With all the results now in, the final state of the parties is:
SNP 63 (-6 on 2011 Holyrood election result)
CON 31 (+16)
LAB 24 (-13)
GRN 6 (+4)
LD 5 (no change)
The SNP has fallen two seats short of forming a majority government and must now decide whether to go it alone as a minority government or enter into an agreement with one of the other parties.
More pictures on our Facebook page
No results declared yet, but it’s looking clear cut – Nicola Sturgeon will be back as First Minister with a majority.
As predicted, Lib Dems looking good to win back Edinburgh Western.
It’s looking like a bleak night for Labour …
more in the morning
SNP landslide predicted
The polls have closed. The exhausted candidates and their campaign teams have done all they can. They’ll fret and wonder if they’ve done enough. Could we have chapped more doors? Delivered more leaflets? Attended more events? It’s too late now – the polls have closed, and the voters have made their minds up. Continue reading And now … the only poll that counts
