Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

Month of Military Child takes place every April, recognising, understanding and celebrating the unique lived experiences of children from military families. Martin Whitfield MSP is again supporting and helping to promote this year's campaign to celebrate children and young people from Armed Forces and Veteran families across the globe. Children from Armed Forces families lead unique lives being incredibly geographically mobile and often facing the challenge of interrupted learning. They are a unique group, and it is vital society celebrates their lived experiences and provides the additional support they need. Research suggests that there are around 12,500 children and young [...]

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and this year Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP are backing a charity’s bid to raise public awareness by encouraging people to share their bowel cancer story. As part of the month’s activities, Bowel Cancer UK is urging anyone who has faced bowel cancer themselves or supported a loved one living with the disease to share their experience and advice with others to help them. The charity also wants everyone to be able to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer and are asking people to share information about common symptoms to help others [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has joined parliamentary colleagues in helping to mark this year's Purple Day, the international day of epilepsy. This year's theme is #StampOutSeizures focusing on Epilepsy Society's support for world-leading research and its advocacy for those living with epilepsy. Beyond seizures, epilepsy impacts individuals in profound ways that often go unrecognized, and Purple Day is a unique opportunity to help people with epilepsy feel seen. Epilepsy Society invited all MSPs and MPs to join them in amplifying awareness and demonstrating solidarity with the epilepsy community, which numbers 630,00 people in the UK. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "Today is [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has joined Douglas Alexander MP on a visit to the Pennypit Outdoor Pursuits (POPS) Group near Tyninghame. A partnership between the Pennypit Trust, the Bridge Centre Motorcycle Project and Edinburgh College, POPS supports pupils from Preston Lodge High School to stay in school, help move them into a positive destination, such as further education or employment, and provides volunteering opportunities and work experience. The project also supports the young people to build and enhance their personal skills, such as confidence and resilience. Martin Whitfield MSP said:  "As a long standing supporter of the Pennypit Trust I was [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has visited Cockenzie-based social enterprise, Heavy Sound, to discuss his proposed Youth Work Member’s Bill, which would ensure every council provides youth work services.  The Youth Work Scotland Bill seeks to establish a robust legal framework ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to consistent and high-quality youth work opportunities. Mr Whitfield spoke to a group of young people who use Heavy Sound’s services about the Bill and the impact he hopes it could have on youth work services and the lives of the young people who benefit from them. Commenting, [...]

Spring is the most critical period for wildfires in Scotland and in recognition of this increased risk Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) has launched its Wildfire Prevention Campaign to highlight the issue. The campaign is urging the public to be aware of wildfire risk this Spring as figures show almost 80% of large outdoor fires since 2010 were recorded between March and May. The campaign is promoting key prevention messages to help educate people on how to behave responsibly when outdoors and how to keep safe and minimise the risk of wildfires. With sensible precautions, the public can play [...]