Scottish Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence and Holocaust Memorial Day

Scottish Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence
I was delighted to attend the launch of the new Scottish Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence funded by Brain Tumour Research and the Beatson Cancer Charity, supporting research by Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities into this deadly disease. After the work and effort to get to the launch, the centre will now continue the hard work of making lives better. There can be a future where everyone’s brain tumour can be diagnosed early and treated, and this dedicated centre in Scotland brings us a step closer to realising that future. The Wall of Hope at the centre lists those who have supported and fundraised and helped to make the centre a reality.

Holocaust Memorial Day
This week marked Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD). I attended an event for MSPs in the Parliament with several charities and groups and signed The Book of Commitment organised by the Holocaust Education Trust. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and HMD is an opportunity to remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust along with all victims of the Nazis. 2025’s HMD theme is For a Better Future with a hope that people can come together, learn both from and about the past, and take actions to make a better future for all. It was a great pleasure to speak with the young ambassadors from the Anne Frank Trust UK who embody the power of education and ensure the lessons learned are passed down through the generations. Meeting with representatives of Beyond Srebrenica also highlighted the continual need to educate and challenge forms of prejudice. Saying never again has not proved to be enough.

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Wednesday’s committee session took evidence from stakeholders on deer management in Scotland. Next week the Committee will take evidence on the Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme. The consultation remains open until 18 February 2024.

Meetings in the Parliament
Throughout the week in Parliament I joined several other meetings, including the Gender Sensitive Parliamentary Advisory Group which is working to improve representation in the Scottish Parliament. Its report
I met with representatives from baby loss charity Sands regarding the national bereavement care pathway and spoke to representatives from the Corra Foundation about their work providing grants to communities. I also attended the joint meeting of two CPGs (Cross Party Groups), Poverty and Disability, bringing both together to speak about shared concerns and issues.
Outside parliament the RSPB event highlighted the draft Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan and the group included someone dressed up as a gannet. They could have easily have passed as a member of an Up-Helly-A’ squad!
In my role as Deputy Convener of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, and along with the committee Convener, I had the privilege of meeting with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine, who was in Scotland with her husband. They took time out of their holiday to visit Parliament and we discussed fishing and farming in the U.S.A. and Scotland as well as comparing notes on how the different legislatures operate.

Shetland Times column
Read my Shetland Times column for 31st January 2025.