Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival Celebrates 45th Anniversary
That the Parliament congratulates Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, which will celebrate its 45th anniversary in May 2024 by staging a 10-day packed programme consisting of 43 events across 24 venues, featuring leading Scottish and UK companies and artists, including Scottish Opera, A Play, A Pie and a Pint, Valtos, James Rowland, The Willow Trio, Connor Burns and Anne Wood, as well as the region’s home-grown talent, such as poet Chris Salt MBE, the Galloway Consort, Aaron Jones, Rachel Walker, Emily Smith and Jamie McLennan with Cairn Chorus and Kate Kyle; understands that it has all been made possible after being supported by £67,000 from the National Lottery in the latest round of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund awards; acknowledges the reported comments from festival director, Simon Hart, who said that it was important to maintain its track record of delivering performing arts of the highest quality and ambition to communities large and small across the rural region by enriching the lives of local residents through performing arts, and wishes the festival every success when it begins on 23 May 2024.
Supported by: Bill Kidd, Craig Hoy, Edward Mountain, Jackie Dunbar, Annie Wells, Miles Briggs, Pam Gosal, Stuart McMillan, Elena Whitham, Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Greene, Colin Beattie, Jeremy Balfour, Meghan Gallacher, Brian Whittle, Russell Findlay, Jackson Carlaw, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Ross, Paul Sweeney, Douglas Lumsden, Tess White, Sue Webber, Liam Kerr
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Countryside Alliance Scotland Stages Rural Oscars
That the Parliament congratulates the Countryside Alliance Scotland after it staged its annual Rural Oscars awards ceremony on 13 March 2024, at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh; notes that the event is now in its 17th year and that it recognises rural businesses across five categories, including Best Local Food, Best Butcher, Best Pub, Best Rural Enterprise and Best Village Shop/Post Office, that go that extra mile within their communities, supporting the local economy as well as championing local goods and services; acknowledges that the awards attracted thousands of nominations from around the country that were eventually whittled down through a public vote before the final few were honoured at the Scottish finalists’ awards ceremony, and wishes the winners of each category every success when they represent Scotland in the national champions reception at the House of Lords in June 2024, where they will compete against other finalists from Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
Supported by: Craig Hoy, Alexander Stewart, Bill Kidd, Pam Gosal, Annie Wells, Miles Briggs, Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Greene, Colin Beattie, Jeremy Balfour, Meghan Gallacher, Brian Whittle, Alexander Burnett R, Karen Adam, Murdo Fraser, Russell Findlay, Jackson Carlaw, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Ross, Douglas Lumsden, Tess White, Sue Webber, Liam Kerr
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Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands Gains Lottery Funding
That the Parliament congratulates Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands after it was awarded £194,190 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a project that aims to increase its capacity and accelerate towards organisational sustainability; understands that the initiative brings together a range of partners, including organisations and individuals that want to support trees, habitat and the people that depend upon them locally; recognises that Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands is registered as a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide a response to the climate and nature crisis by creating a better understanding and appreciation of the natural heritage; understands that the National Lottery Heritage Fund has distributed £960 million of funding to more than 4,900 projects across Scotland since it was established in 1994, including £7,941,078 to a total of 124 projects in Galloway and West Dumfries over the same period, and wishes both Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands and the National Lottery Heritage Fund continued success in the coming months ahead as they invest more funding into museums, parks, natural environments and historic places.
Supported by: Alexander Stewart, Miles Briggs, Kenneth Gibson, Meghan Gallacher, Annie Wells, Douglas Ross, Jeremy Balfour, Stuart McMillan, Edward Mountain, Sandesh Gulhane, Bill Kidd, David Torrance, Colin Beattie, Paul Sweeney, Brian Whittle, Craig Hoy, Russell Findlay, Liam Kerr, Clare Adamson, Sharon Dowey, Tess White, Jackson Carlaw, Pam Gosal, Maurice Golden, Sue Webber, Douglas Lumsden
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To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on how many patients have been diagnosed with a blood cancer through Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
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To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve equity of access to Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, particularly in Scotland's more remote and rural NHS boards.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
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To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NHS Scotland and (b) the relevant NHS boards regarding the provision of recurrent funding for (i) existing and (ii) future Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
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To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to allowing potential cancer patients to self-refer to Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
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To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of research published by the University of Aberdeen, which reports that cancer patients living in rural areas experience poorer outcomes, and what action it is taking to ensure equitable cancer care across all of Scotland's geography.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
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To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide funding for defibrillators to be made available in all schools across Scotland.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20/03/2024
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RNLI Celebrates 200 Years of Saving Lives at Sea
That the Parliament congratulates the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) on celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea, thanks to volunteers, such as those at Portpatrick lifeboat station and others within the Galloway and West Dumfries constituency, giving their time to save others, all funded by voluntary public donations; understands that the charity has saved a remarkable 146,277 lives during its two centuries in existence; recognises that Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat Station was founded in 1877, and understands that, during that time, its crews have launched the lifeboats 777 times and saved 306 lives; acknowledges with pride that crews from Portpatrick have been honoured with five awards for gallantry, including a bronze medal for a launch to what it considers to be one of the worst peacetime disasters involving a British merchant vessel, the Orion, that left Liverpool for Glasgow on 18 June 1850 with a crew of 40 and 170 passengers, before striking rocks off the lighthouse at Portpatrick Harbour at 1.15 am, with the loss of 60 lives as the ship sank in a matter of minutes; notes that two volunteer crew members, Kim Stevenson and Marc Trafford, from Portpatrick, attended a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London, while a drinks reception was staged locally and attended by crew, fundraisers and shop volunteers past and present; believes that, while much has changed operationally in 200 years, two things have remained the same, namely the charity’s dependence on volunteers who give their time and commitment to save others, and the voluntary contributions from the public that have funded the service, and wishes the RNLI continued success in the coming years as it looks to inspire future generations of lifesavers and supporters who will take it into the next century and beyond.
Supported by: Bill Kidd, Annie Wells, Alexander Stewart, Jeremy Balfour, Monica Lennon, Miles Briggs, Meghan Gallacher, Edward Mountain, Kevin Stewart, Sandesh Gulhane, Katy Clark, Colin Beattie, Jamie Greene, Douglas Ross, Pam Gosal, Beatrice Wishart, Kenneth Gibson, Ben Macpherson, David Torrance, Brian Whittle, Craig Hoy, Stuart McMillan, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Paul Sweeney, Foysol Choudhury, Russell Findlay, Clare Adamson, Sue Webber, Jackson Carlaw, Liam Kerr, Karen Adam, Alexander Burnett, Tess White, Colin Smyth, Douglas Lumsden, Jackie Baillie, Sharon Dowey, Alex Rowley, Stephen Kerr, Roz McCall, Maurice Golden
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