Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

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. [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP have visited the Bangley Quarry Biogas site near Haddington. During the visit, the owners of the project, GFD, showcased the innovative technologies they are using to convert waste into renewable gas. They highlighted the environmental benefits, job creation, and economic advantages the project brings to the local area. The GFD team emphasised their commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, sharing their vision for the future of renewable energy in the region. Speaking after the visit, Marc McElhinney, the Managing Director of GFD, said: "We were delighted to have both Martin and Douglas [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP have visited the John Gray Centre in Haddington to celebrate Libraries Week 2025 and highlight the vital role libraries play in supporting local people, skills, and community life. The visit, part of the national Libraries Change Lives campaign coordinated by CILIP – the UK’s library and information association – showcased how libraries are helping to boost economic growth, tackle digital exclusion, improve literacy, and support wellbeing in communities across the UK. During the visit, the MSP and MP met with East Lothian Council’s Libraries & Museums Manager, Caroline Messer, as well as library [...]

Nominations have now opened for the prestigious national 2025 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration following a special online launch event. The SURF Awards are delivered each year by SURF, a regeneration forum with over 300 cross-sector member organisations across Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Government. The purpose is to highlight, celebrate and share the achievements of initiatives that address physical, social and economic challenges in communities across Scotland. This year’s five thematic categories include; Removing Barriers to Employability, Creative Regeneration sponsored by Creative Scotland, Community Led Regeneration sponsored jointly by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, Improving Scotland’s [...]