Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month takes place every March and Martin Whitfield MSP is again supporting efforts to promote awareness of its symptoms. Around 600 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in Scotland and yet symptoms awareness remains worryingly low with just 23 per cent of women able to name bloating as a symptom. Awareness of symptoms is key to improving early diagnosis, but charities like Target Ovarian Cancer are also keen to address the misconceptions around ovarian cancer to ensure more women experiencing symptoms visit their GP. Commenting on his support for the awareness campaign, Martin Whitfield MSP [...]

Today (Wednesday 13th March) is Young Carers Action Day, organised and led by Carers Trust to raise awareness of young carers. This year's theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers. The day will focus on building a more equal future for young carers and removing barriers that many of their peers do not face. Carers Trust have spoken to hundreds of young carers, including at the Scottish Young Carers Festival and the overarching theme young carers wanted to talk about was their futures. To mark this year’s Young Carers Action Day, Carers Trust are also launching the Young Carers Covenant, a [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP today met with representatives from BBC Scotland at their exhibition stand at the Scottish Parliament. The BBC exhibition, which ran from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 March, aimed to showcase the range of learning resources provided by BBC Scotland Learning and provided an opportunity for MSPs to meet with producers and pupils who make and use the learning content. Learn at BBC Scotland provides resources from Bitesize to Authors Live, from Young Reporter to The LAB, and the BBC offers support for parents, teachers and students at all ages and stages of their learning. Speaking afterwards, Martin Whitfield [...]

4 to 8 March is Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2024 and Martin Whitfield MSP helped mark the week with a visit to a local employer to meet staff who have benefited from apprenticeships. This year the South Scotland MSP went to Dunbar Leisure Pool to chat with three members of Enjoy Leisure staff who have all undergone apprenticeships to help develop their careers in the leisure sector. While Mr Whitfield was at the Leisure Pool he also presented one of the three staff, Abby Russell, with her Modern Apprenticeship certificate of completion. Commenting after his visit, Martin Whitfield MSP said:  “I’m [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has met with representatives of Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council (ELREC) at the Scottish Parliament. Mr Whitfield joined colleagues in visiting the ELREC exhibition stand at Holyrood where they shared information on their latest work tackling inequality and empowering ethnic minority communities. Speaking afterwards, Martin Whitfield MSP said: "I was pleased to visit the ELREC stand at parliament and catch up with its representatives on their latest work and activity.  "ELREC undertakes a range of important work promoting and supporting efforts to enhance equality and diversity and I was pleased to assure them of my support." [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has attended the official launch of Food Facts Friends' new Midlothian Pantry and Well-Being Hub in Penicuik. Midlothian Pantry offers a selection of foods and essential products for the home that members can choose from. A single member can choose up to £10 worth of items from the Pantry displays for £3.50, whilst if supporting a family with two children under the age of 16, £7.00 will purchase up to £20 of items. The Pantry service is open 6 days a week, offering individuals and families a way of purchasing food and other essentials at heavily discounted [...]