Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates The Larder on the opening of its Livingston bakery; understands that the project will be run as a social enterprise, with all money raised going towards helping young people through training, employability, life skills and cooking, as well as creating access to quality, good food in a dignified way for those in need; looks forward to the bakery enjoying the support of local people so that it can continue to help West Lothian citizens who experience disadvantage, and wishes all The Larder's trainees, staff and board members the best for this new venture.

That the Parliament congratulates Victim Support Scotland on achieving the LGBT Charter at Foundations level; recognises what it considers to be the hard work and dedication of staff in achieving this prestigious award from LGBT Youth Scotland; understands that Victim Support Scotland engaged with a range of organisations to represent the views of LGBT people in their service and created referral pathways, and welcomes the training and the review of policies, practice and resources that, it understands, aim to ensure that Victim Support Scotland goes beyond meeting legislative needs and is as inclusive as it can be for service users, staff and the wider community.

That the Parliament congratulates the members of Kirkintilloch-based Group Recovery Aftercare Community Enterprise (GRACE) on the occasion of the charity's tenth anniversary; commends what it sees as the tenacity of founder and CEO, Robert Smith, in establishing and growing what is regarded by many as an exemplary service of peer-led support for people who have experienced life traumas, many of whom are now settled in recovery from addiction to alcohol, drugs or gambling; believes that the genuine care and regular activities it understands are provided by the GRACE community in Hillhead and Auchinairn can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing, and can help with feelings of isolation and loneliness; delights at what it sees as the consistently positive environment, where people are empowered to thrive and build stronger futures; wishes GRACE every success in the coming months and years, and hopes the lasting impact of its work continues to flourish.

That the Parliament congratulates Kinross athlete Laura Muir for her stunning victory in the 1500m event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning with a time of 4:02.75 to claim the gold medal; commends Laura for what it sees as her competitive perseverance, given reports that she publicly stated her disappointment at her 2014 Commonwealth Games result, and was unable to compete at the 2018 edition; understands that Laura also won a bronze medal in the 800m event at this year’s Commonwealth Games, adding to medals collected at World and European Championships and Olympic Games in her career; wishes Laura continued success going forward, and believes that people across Scotland will take pride and inspiration from her achievement.

That the Parliament recognises what it considers to be the achievements of Bo’ness Car 4U in providing services to people with cancer in the Bo’ness area of Falkirk; understands that Car 4U volunteers transport those in Bo’ness with cancer to and from their homes to places of treatment free of charge on weekdays throughout the year; considers that the service provided by the volunteer drivers is hugely important to the mental and physical wellbeing of those who may otherwise be unable to attend their treatment or would find the journey stressful; understands that Car 4U, which launched in January 2022, also works collaboratively with medical practices in Bo’ness to assist those who require their transport services; congratulates Bo’ness Car 4U on providing free transport to people with cancer to allow them to attend appointments comfortably, and wishes it every success for the future.

That the Parliament marks the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN); understands that SCSN is a membership organisation that brings together representatives from across the community safety sector to achieve a shared vision and to act as the strategic voice for community safety in Scotland; further understands that through collaborative working with its members and partner agencies, SCSN aims to provide leadership and to be a centre of excellence for the community safety sector, champion community safety, influence the shaping and development of national policy and local delivery, and be a collaborative learning, developing and sustainable network; understands that to achieve these aims, SCSN provides a range of services which it considers informs local and national delivery, including research and case studies, learning and masterclass events, conferences, and the production of guidance and toolkits on current and emerging national developments; believes that the concept of community safety has its origins in the late 1980s and early 90s, a period which saw the beginning of a more defined political will to create safer and healthier communities, where people had the opportunity to thrive and reach their potential; further believes that the term community safety was first used in the 1991 Morgan Report, which it understands concluded that the best way to achieve safer communities was through partnership working; believes that sustained advocacy and action is needed to cement what it sees as community safety’s increasingly prominent place on the policy landscape; commends SCSN and its members for their pivotal role in ensuring that community safety has been given what it considers a higher place on the political agenda, and wishes everyone involved in the 25th anniversary celebrations the very best going forward.

That the Parliament congratulates the fundraising efforts of Rugby Meets Drag, a variety performance by Ross Lockerbie and eight players from the LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby team Glasgow Raptors RFC; understands that the money will finance the team’s trip to Ottawa to compete in the International Gay Rugby competition, the Bingham Cup; further understands that a proportion their profits will also be donated to LGBT Youth Scotland, and wishes Ross and the Glasgow Raptors RFC all the best for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Nan Davies of Laurieston, Falkirk, on turning 100 years old; notes that Mrs Davies celebrated her centenary birthday on 26 July 2022; understands that Mrs Davies has been a life-long resident of Falkirk, having been raised in Brightons where she attended Wallacestone Primary School and Falkirk Technical School, returned to work in Bainsford after working in Leeds during the Second World War, and now resides in Laurieston; considers that the engineering-based career pathway, which it understands Mrs Davies devoted her working life to, was remarkable for a woman during the 1940s onwards, where Mrs Davies was able to attend Falkirk Technical School, work at George Cohen and Sons in Leeds making shells for the war efforts, and then worked at British Aluminium latterly; congratulates Mrs Davies on her recent 100th birthday, and wishes her well for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Sam Hickey on winning gold for Team Scotland in the Middleweight Boxing division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham; recognises that Sam trains at Lochee Boxing Club in Dundee; notes that Sam previously won bronze for Team Scotland at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, and understands he became the first Scot to win a senior European medal for 16 years when he took bronze in 2022, and congratulates all members of Team Scotland on their success in Birmingham.

That the Parliament congratulates Katie Shanahan for her outstanding performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham; believes that Katie's dedication resulted in the award of two bronze medals, firstly in the 400m individual medley, then the 200m backstroke, where she recorded her personal best of 2:09.22; commends Katie’s commitment and drive that led to her silver medal in the 200m backstroke at the European Aquatics Championships in Rome a few days later; pays tribute to Katie's dedication in club training at City of Glasgow Swim Team in Tollcross, and previously at Scotia Swimming Club at the Leisuredrome, Bishopbriggs; applauds the sacrificial support of her mum, Allison, throughout; delights at the encouragement and help it understands was offered by staff at Bishopbriggs Academy in enabling Katie's studies to continue effectively; acknowledges the experience and skill of her coaches, Ian Wright and Danielle Brayson; praises the strong team ethos of all four members of Scotland's female swimming team at the Commonwealth Games, and sends Katie every best wish as she commences studies in Journalism and Sport at the University of Stirling.