Latest News –Â Martin Whitfield MSP
Martin supports #TartanTeaParty day
Martin Whitfield MSP has joined cross-party parliamentary colleagues in supporting Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland's Tartan Tea Party Day which is taking place on Wednesday 21st May. It is one of the charity's main fundraisers and is crucial to helping fund its work supporting the one in five Scots who are affected by chest, heart, stroke or long covid conditions. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "I'm pleased to support this year's #TartanTeaParty, which raises vital funds to support the one in five Scots affected by chest, heart, stroke or long covid conditions. "If this is a cause you support, why not [...]
Asda community spaces grant programme opens
The next Asda Foundation grant scheme - the high value Local Community Spaces fund - is opening today (7th May). Martin Whitfield MSP is encouraging groups across South Scotland to consider applying to the fund, which has a total value of ÂŁ1 million and is aimed at charities and not-for-profit organisations that benefit local people. Grants of between ÂŁ10,000 and ÂŁ20,000 can be made and groups have until Wednesday 28th May 2025 to apply. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "The Asda Foundation's Local Community Space Fund is a great opportunity for charities and other community groups to access funds to help [...]
Cleft Lip and Palate Awareness Week
This year's Cleft Lip and Palate Awareness Week is taking place from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th May. The annual event, run by the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA), is dedicated to raising awareness and supporting the thousands of people affected by cleft lip and palate across the UK. As this year's week gets underway, Martin Whitfield MSP is joining parliamentary colleagues to support the charity's awareness-raising campaign. Each year, around 1,200 babies are born in the UK with a cleft lip and/or palate that is roughly three every day. CLAPA provides vital services â from information and emotional [...]
Martin welcomes new consumer rights campaign
Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed the launch of a new campaign from Trading Standards Scotland (TSS) aimed at raising awareness of consumer rights. The âKnow Your Rightsâ campaign has been launched following a poll by TSS which found that almost half of Scots have been targets of aggressive or misleading sales practices, impacting their mental and physical wellbeing. Victims of such practices are being encouraged to report rogue traders, seek support and to access trusted sources for reputable local traders via www.approvedtrader.scot. Fiona Richardson, chief officer of Trading Standards Scotland, said: âIt is shocking that so many people in Scotland [...]
Supporting Love Your Local Market campaign
Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP have backed this yearâs Love Your Local Market campaign with a visit to Haddington Farmersâ Market. The Love Your Local Market (LYLM) campaign is a nationwide celebration of community, creativity, and commerce, proudly run by NABMA â The National Association of British Market Authorities. The 2025 campaign takes place from Friday 16th May to Saturday 31st May, with hundreds of markets across the country uniting to showcase the energy, creativity, and entrepreneurship that thrive at the heart of our high streets. This yearâs campaign message â âMade by Marketsâ â reflects everything that [...]
International Workers’ Memorial Day
Today (Monday 28th April) is International Workers' Memorial Day (IWMD), the annual campaign to commemorate workers who lose their lives at work. Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most do not die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents", they die because of the neglect of employers or because an employer decided their safety just was not that important a priority. Every 28th April IWMD commemorates those workers and puts the spotlight on campaigns to improve health and safety in workplaces and reduce the number of deaths at work. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "On Workers' [...]