Today the Citizens Advice network launched the Big Energy Saving Winter campaign to provide comprehensive advice on the impact of higher energy bills and the rising cost of living. More than one in ten energy cases CABs have dealt with recently have also needed food insecurity advice, so the wraparound, person-focused service the CAB network [...]
More than a year after the Edington hospital’s community ward was first closed to patients, the staffing challenges which continue to keep it shut have again been raised in the Scottish Parliament. Martin Whitfield MSP asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health Humza Yousaf what specific help the Scottish Government has offered to NHS Lothian to [...]
Saturday 3rd December is Small Business Saturday, the annual campaign day promoting the importance of small businesses and encouraging consumers to support them. Now in its tenth year in the UK, the campaign been hugely beneficial for many small businesses across the country over the years. As well as encouraging people to shop local in [...]
A new £1 million fund aimed at helping households struggling with rising living costs is now open for applications from charities and community groups. The Household Hardship Fund, provided by The National Lottery Community Fund and administered by Corra Foundation, is intended to provide small grants to charities and community groups across Scotland who can [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has backed a colleague’s call for a parliamentary debate on carers rights and support ahead of this year’s Carers Right Day on Thursday 24th November. Paul O’Kane MSP has tabled a motion on Carers Rights Day welcoming the enormous contribution made by carers, highlighting the additional pressures unpaid carers have faced over [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has visited two local food poverty projects to learn more about the impact of rising food costs on rural communities in South Scotland. Mr Whitfield spoke to volunteers at the Reston and Auchencrow community larder and Chirnside community larder about the growing demand they have experienced from local households over recent months [...]
14 to 20 November is Living Wage Week, the annual UK-wide celebration of the Living Wage movement, which this year has the theme 'the real living wage is more important than ever'. With prices rising at their highest rate in decades, the week's central message this year is that the real Living Wage is more [...]
14-20 November 2022 is National Consumer Week campaign in Scotland, the annual campaign to encourage Scots to make informed spending choices and be aware of their consumer rights. With the cost-of-living crisis hitting household budgets, consumers are being urged to carefully consider purchases in the run-up to Christmas. This year’s ‘savvy spenders’ campaign highlights the [...]
As this year's Electrical Fire Safety Week (14-20 November) gets underway, Martin Whitfield MSP is backing a new awareness campaign to help households using electric heaters stay safe this winter. Electrical Safety First is making this issue the focus of this year’s annual Electrical Fire Safety Week. The charity is highlighting the fact that increases [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP is backing a trade union’s campaign week on respect for shopworkers, following the release of new statistics demonstrating the ongoing scale of violence and aggression against retail staff. Interim results from shopworkers’ union Usdaw from over 4,600 retail staff responses across the UK show that in the last 12 months (pre-pandemic levels [...]
