Latest News – Martin Whitfield MSP
World AIDS Day is ‘more than a ribbon’
Today (Sunday 1st December) is World AIDS Day and this year the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is emphasising that the day is about ‘more than a ribbon’. The charity's campaign says that the day is about remembering everyone lost to HIV, as well as a promise to support people living with HIV, a pledge to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and a stand against HIV stigma. In Parliament, Martin Whitfield MSP joined parliamentary colleagues in wearing their ribbons during this week’s FMQs and during other engagement throughout the week. THT also hosted a World AIDS Day Reception with [...]
Martin supports Christmas Jumper Day
Martin Whitfield MSP is supporting Save the Children ahead of the charity’s annual Christmas Jumper Day fundraiser taking place on Thursday 12th December by donning his favourite festive knit. Last year, Christmas Jumper Day raised a total of £3 million for children in Scotland, the UK and around the world and over 1.5 million children and teachers and 1 million workplaces took part in fundraising event. Funds raised will help children get access to food, healthcare and education. This year has been far from easy for families living on the lowest incomes in Scotland, and part of the money raised will also [...]
Motion celebrates Strutter’s first flight
A motion has been tabled at the Scottish Parliament celebrating the first flight of “Sophie” the Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter and congratulating the East Lothian-based Aviation Preservation Society of Scotland (APSS) team who built and flew the plane. Martin Whitfield MSP, who has closely followed the progress of the Strutter construction project over the last few years, last visited the project earlier this year and committed to mark the plane’s first flight at Holyrood. Following the group’s recent public announcement that the Strutter finally took its first flight in September, Mr Whitfield laid his motion highlighting the APSS’s remarkable achievement [...]
Youth Work Bill plans unveiled
Martin Whitfield MSP has launched the consultation on his "transformative" proposed Member’s Bill that would ensure every council provides youth work services. The Bill would seek 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. This landmark proposal reflects the critical importance of youth work in fostering social inclusion, tackling inequality, and empowering Scotland’s next generation. At its heart, the Youth Work (Scotland) Bill addresses the growing disparities in youth service provision, particularly in rural and economically deprived areas where resources are often [...]
Supporting Small Business Saturday
Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP are backing the Small Business Saturday campaign to support local firms across East Lothian and also urging local people and businesses to get involved. Returning on 7th December, Small Business Saturday celebrates small business success and encourages the public to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities. Small Business Saturday’s organisers are calling for the public to throw their support behind small businesses, particularly as many head into the crucial trading period. Mr Whitfield and Mr Alexander are joining the campaign’s nationwide effort to show support for small businesses and their [...]
Comment on Haddington Post Office
Commenting on the announcement that Haddington Post Office is on a list of 115 branches at potential risk of closure, Martin Whitfield MSP said: “The inclusion of Haddington Post Office on this list of branches at risk of closure is a real shock and will be of great concern to the town and the residents who rely on it. "I appreciate that the Post Office is exploring various options for the 100 plus branches listed but am dismayed that Haddington is one of them. "A good post office branch is essential for a busy and growing town like Haddington and [...]