Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP are backing a campaign to support and promote local independent hospitality businesses. Independent Hospitality Week (IHW), which will take place from 5th-11th May, is a nationwide campaign designed to champion independent and family run bars, cafes, restaurants, pubs, street food vendors, and event traders that enrich local communities with their unique brands of hospitality. During the week, the campaign is asking people to come together and shout about how much their independent hospitality venues, mobile caterers and street food traders mean to them by eating local, drinking local and supporting independent hospitality venues. Martin [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has attended this year's PSG Easter Family Fun Day and praised the continuing important work of the Fa'side and PSG Lunch Clubs. Mr Whitfield joined representatives from East Lothian Council, including , Cllr Norman Hampshire, Cllr Colin Yorkston and Cllr Shamin Akhtar, volunteers and supporters of the lunch clubs and families who have attended them at the event at Preston Lodge High School. Speaking after the event, Martin Whitfield MSP said: "I enjoyed this latest opportunity to join families, staff, volunteers and guests at Preston Lodge today for the PSG and Fa'side Lunch Clubs Family Fun Day [...]

Following the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that have devastated huge areas of Myanmar, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) charities have today launched an appeal to help those affected. Martin Whitfield MSP is joining cross-party colleagues to help promote the DEC appeal and encourage constituents to support it if they can. The Scottish and UK governments are both backing the appeal. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "Myanmar was already facing a severe humanitarian crisis with a third of the population in need of aid, but the impact of the earthquake has been catastrophic. "Hundreds of people are still missing and [...]

Month of Military Child takes place every April, recognising, understanding and celebrating the unique lived experiences of children from military families. Martin Whitfield MSP is again supporting and helping to promote this year's campaign to celebrate children and young people from Armed Forces and Veteran families across the globe. Children from Armed Forces families lead unique lives being incredibly geographically mobile and often facing the challenge of interrupted learning. They are a unique group, and it is vital society celebrates their lived experiences and provides the additional support they need. Research suggests that there are around 12,500 children and young [...]

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and this year Martin Whitfield MSP and Douglas Alexander MP are backing a charity’s bid to raise public awareness by encouraging people to share their bowel cancer story. As part of the month’s activities, Bowel Cancer UK is urging anyone who has faced bowel cancer themselves or supported a loved one living with the disease to share their experience and advice with others to help them. The charity also wants everyone to be able to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer and are asking people to share information about common symptoms to help others [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has joined parliamentary colleagues in helping to mark this year's Purple Day, the international day of epilepsy. This year's theme is #StampOutSeizures focusing on Epilepsy Society's support for world-leading research and its advocacy for those living with epilepsy. Beyond seizures, epilepsy impacts individuals in profound ways that often go unrecognized, and Purple Day is a unique opportunity to help people with epilepsy feel seen. Epilepsy Society invited all MSPs and MPs to join them in amplifying awareness and demonstrating solidarity with the epilepsy community, which numbers 630,00 people in the UK. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "Today is [...]