Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates St Mary’s RC Church, Irvine, on marking its 150th anniversary in 2025; notes that the parish, now under the pastoral care of Father Mark Kelly, has been a vital source of spiritual guidance and support for the community for 150 years; acknowledges the determination of Father Thomas Keane, who, through the support of parishioners and a loan from a fellow priest, secured the purchase of the Albert Hall on West Road, which was opened on 26 September 1875 as St Mary’s Church; notes that St Mary’s has served generations of parishioners over the past century and a half, providing not only spiritual guidance, but also being a focal point for community life in Irvine; thanks the parish for its continued charitable work in the community and abroad, and celebrates the wonderful sense of community embodied in St Mary’s RC Church on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.

That the Parliament congratulates Ali Bowden on receiving the 2025 Edinburgh Award; understands that the Edinburgh Award honours outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact to the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh; recognises that Ali received the Edinburgh Award for her work as the Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, a position she held from 2006 to 2024; commends Ali for her work to promote Edinburgh as a literary city through projects such as city-wide reading campaigns and community-based writers’ residencies, and wishes her well in her future endeavours.

That the Parliament welcomes the commencement of Marymass 2025 in Irvine with the traditional sashing of the Marymass royal party; congratulates Laicey Dewar of Irvine Royal Academy on her role as Marymass Queen Elect, supported by Marys Mia Loudon, Eve McCabe, Miley Smith and Kaitlyn Gilmour; notes that Gordon Stoddart has been reappointed Captain of the Carters following a local vote; recognises the festival’s significance as a highlight of Irvine’s cultural calendar, with events including the Carters’ Fourth Port Parade, Festival of Light, fireworks and shows on the Moor, and celebrates the ongoing tradition of Marymass in fostering community pride.

That the Parliament commends the outstanding efforts of the Hamilton and Blantyre litter picking groups for their dedication to keeping the local environment clean and welcoming; notes the recent collaborative clean-up in the retail area surrounding ASDA Hamilton, the cinema, and nearby shops, where volunteers from the community joined forces with teams from ASDA Hamilton and ASDA Blantyre to collect numerous bags of litter, and thanks all litter pickers everywhere for their commitment to environmental responsibility and for inspiring future collaborative efforts to protect and improve shared spaces.

That the Parliament congratulates North Ayrshire’s youth services on receiving recognition at the 2025 National Youth Work Awards, hosted by YouthLink Scotland; commends Donna Anderson, Team Leader for Youth Services at North Ayrshire Council, for being a finalist in the Inspirational Leader category, acknowledging her work in youth mental health and youth parliament, and her pioneering role in establishing joint cabinet events with young people, among her many other talents; congratulates the Irvine Youth Legacy Centre on being named Team of the Year for supporting more than 370 young people since 2022 through food provision, wellbeing initiatives and leadership opportunities; recognises the resilience and creativity shown by the Irvine Youth Legacy Centre team in overcoming funding and property challenges, and celebrates the positive and lasting impact that youth workers and young people in North Ayrshire are having on their communities.

That the Parliament commends Orange Diddams, a probationary Petty Officer with Irvine Sea Cadets, on her decision to compete in the Superhero Triathlon at Dorney Lake, Windsor; recognises that Orange, who is deaf and a wheelchair user, has overcome a lifelong fear of water in order to train for the swimming element of the triathlon, supported by her friend, Becky; notes that she will complete the cycling stage using a handcycle and the running stage in a wheelchair; celebrates her efforts to raise funds for Irvine Sea Cadets to ensure that young people can access activities without financial barriers; acknowledges her wide-ranging contributions to the community, including teaching British Sign Language for free, playing saxophone with the Northern Area Sea Cadet Band, competing internationally in martial arts, and inspiring others with her determination and resilience, and wishes her every success in her challenge.

That the Parliament welcomes the news that Dollar Academy has been named European School of the Year by the publication, Education Insider; understands that more than 1,300 pupils attend the Clackmannanshire establishment, which has been running for more than two centuries; acknowledges that this recent success has been attributed by the principal, Ian Munro, to a number of innovative programmes such as the academy’s Futures Institute, as referenced in motions S6M-10126 and S6M-11284, where courses have been created in partnership with industry and shared with young people throughout Scotland for free, in addition to its International Sustainability Diploma, which is accredited as the equivalent of a Higher, as referenced in motion S6M-13506, as well as possibly the highest range of subjects in Scotland, plus excellent sports coaching and facilities; considers that the school also excels in the highest of standards while continuing to evolve; notes that it also takes a lead in curriculum design, sustainability and enterprise, while sharing all this with as many young people as possible; understands that this latest award follows on from 2024, when The Sunday Times named Dollar Academy Scotland’s Independent School of the Year; congratulates the school on this accolade; commends Dollar Academy, its principal and all its staff and students on all of their excellent achievements, and wishes everyone there all the very best for their future endeavours.

That the Parliament congratulates Rhona Morrison, an NHS Borders nurse and volunteer with the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team, on winning the People’s Choice Award at the RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2025; recognises her outstanding contribution to patient care over nearly 40 years, alongside 15 years of voluntary service in mountain rescue; commends her dedication, skill and commitment to saving lives, both in hospital and in the community, and acknowledges the immense pride that this achievement brings to the Borders community.

That the Parliament congratulates Greater Pollok Services on its recently awarded grant from the Asda Foundation; recognises the work of the Greater Pollok Services volunteers in providing help in employability, environment and emergency responses in the Greater Pollok area; applauds the work that they do to bring together and raise awareness of events and opportunities in the community, and wishes them success in the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Megan’s Space, the North Ayrshire charity founded in 2019 in memory of Megan Copeland, on opening its first dedicated premises on Ballot Road, Irvine; recognises the charity’s mission to support young people up to the age of 25 through counselling, crisis support and wellbeing initiatives; welcomes the opening of The Haven, a safe space for young people in crisis, alongside counselling rooms and a boardroom for group activities and training; acknowledges the tireless efforts of the founders, Jenny and Rob Copeland, who channelled a personal tragedy into creating a charity that has supported many across the community; notes that Megan’s Space now employs 20 professional practitioners and works in schools and wider community settings, and commends the generosity of local donors, businesses and volunteers whose support made this milestone possible.