Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

Applications for this year's Living Wage Scotland Awards are now open and Martin Whitfield MSP is encouraging Living Wage employers in South Scotland to enter. Living Wage Scotland Awards honour the best of the Living Wage network in Scotland. The finalists will be accredited Living Wage employers and supporters who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to the real Living Wage. There are seven award categories, allowing employers and individuals to demonstrate their dedication to people and communities, including a new category for a Living Pension award: NEWCOMER (accredited from June 2024) TRAILBLAZER (industry stand out) EMPLOYEE CHOICE [...]

Are you or someone you know an unpaid carer? Carers UK have launched their State of Caring Survey 2025, giving you the opportunity to share your experiences and help to inform national and local policy. The work that unpaid carers do so selflessly is often undervalued, and your voices need to be heard to drive change and ensure that carers’ needs are recognised and addressed. The link to the survey is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QN5QWF7

Martin Whitfield MSP has today joined volunteers from across East Lothian and beyond in supporting the Summer Solstice Coastal Sweep beach clean-up weekend. Organised by The Scottish Coastal Clean Up and Scottish Seabird Centre with East Lothian Council's Countryside Rangers Service and local community litter picking groups, the beach clean sought to cover 25 miles of coastline from North Berwick to Portobello in just one weekend (21/22 June). Mr Whitfield participated in the clean-up with fellow volunteers at Longniddry beach to collect half a dozen bags of litter and other waste from the beach area. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "I [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has visited local business and visitor destination Archerfield Walled Garden to catch up on some of its latest developments and challenges. Archerfield Walled Garden offers space to enjoy nature, pick up plants and gifts, host events and enjoy food with friends and family. The garden is a haven for wildlife and produce grown within the walls is used in the Garden Café or sold in the Food Market. Mr Whitfield met with Elly Douglas-Hamilton and Louise Bisset and discussed a range of issues including the impact of retail crime, recycling in the horticultural sector and improving the local [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has hosted a parliamentary reception for M&S to help the retailer inform MSPs about its investment in new stores and jobs in Scotland. In 2024 M&S announced a further £30 million investment across stores in Scotland helping support 6,500 jobs with new stores in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Largs and Linlithgow. The Holyrood event aimed to help celebrate this partnership and showcase how M&S supports Scottish suppliers and agriculture. MSPs and staff were able to sample delicious food from great quality Scottish suppliers and meet M&S colleagues focussed on delivering value for Scottish customers. They were also able [...]

On Monday 9th June Martin Whitfield MSP visited Preston Lodge High School and spoke to S2 and Higher pupils, and students in the Rights Respecting Schools (RRS) pupils’ group about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC was integrated into Scots law with the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. The 2024 Act requires legislation, and the actions of public bodies, to be consistent with the provisions of the UNCRC. The RRS group aims to ensure that the school community puts equality, participation, dignity, respect and non-discrimination at the heart of everything the school does. [...]