Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates the team behind Speyfest on its nomination for Event of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2026; recognises Speyfest as a sustainable, volunteer-led traditional music festival, which was established in Fochabers in 1995; acknowledges that, over the past three decades, it has grown into a much-loved local celebration of Scottish traditional music and culture, attracting leading artists and musicians from across Scotland and beyond to Moray; celebrates the dedication of the organisers, volunteers and local community whose efforts sustain the festival and its important role in promoting Scotland’s rich traditional music heritage; understands that Speyfest has grown from a single 500-capacity tent into an established annual event welcoming around 5,000 visitors over the weekend; welcomes plans to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027 with a special programme reflecting on its history and looking to the future, including improving gender balance and engaging new audiences, and wishes Speyfest every success at Na Trads 2026 and in its continued work championing Scottish traditional music in Moray.

That the Parliament congratulates 8to8 Dental on the opening of its new NHS dental practice in Victoria Crescent in Elgin; understands that the new five-surgery practice has already attracted registrations from nearly 1,600 people; believes that this demonstrates the significant demand for NHS dental services in the area; recognises the contribution of owners, Hiranya Fadia and Dorothy Sinclair, who have expanded their business from its first practice in Buckie to four locations across Moray, including Keith, Forres and now Elgin; welcomes the practice’s commitment to providing accessible NHS dental care and its plans to offer a range of services, including family dentistry and sedation; notes the important role that 8to8 Dental plays in training and retaining dental professionals in Moray and the wider region, having retained three of its four trainees in the previous year, and commends the team for its investment in Moray and its efforts to improve access to dental care for residents.

That the Parliament congratulates Richard Forsyth OBE, chairman of Forsyths, on being announced as the recipient of the prestigious Dr Jim Swan Award at the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards, in recognition of his contribution to the industry and his influence on distilling across the globe; appreciates that the award will be presented at the eighth annual Scottish Whisky Awards, taking place in Glasgow on 26 November 2026; recognises Richard’s nearly six decades of experience, having begun his career as an apprentice coppersmith in 1968; commends his leadership of Forsyths, the four-generation, family-owned business based in Rothes, which has become internationally renowned for its handcrafted copper stills and distillery installations; acknowledges the company’s role in supporting distilleries across Scotland and further afield, including the renowned Kavalan distillery in Taiwan; notes Richard’s appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2020 for services to the industry, alongside his induction into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame and other prestigious honours; recognises his commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship, supporting the next generation and contributing to the community of Speyside, and wishes Richard and the team at Forsyths continued success as they celebrate this well-deserved recognition of their contribution to Scotland’s whisky industry.

That the Parliament congratulates Moravian Orienteering Club members Kate McLuckie, Sophie Howard, Scarlett Britain and Isobel Howard on their outstanding performances at the Senior Home International Competition held in Northern Ireland; understands that Kate, Sophie and Scarlett made up the entire under-20 Scottish women’s team, with Isobel competing in the women’s under-21 category; celebrates Sophie’s second-place finish in the individual event, alongside the gold and silver medals won by the Scottish teams in the relay, in which Kate, Scarlett and Sophie all recorded impressive performances; recognises Scotland’s overall victory in the competition following a closely contested individual event and relay; commends Moravian Orienteering Club for developing young and talented competitive orienteers who represent Scotland on the international stage, and wishes all four athletes continued success in their future competitions.

That the Parliament congratulates Mrs Hester Allan on her retirement from Aberlour Primary School after 26 years of dedicated service; recognises Hester's valuable contribution to school life through her roles as classroom assistant, lunchtime supervisor and playground supervisor; acknowledges the kindness, patience and care that she has shown to generations of pupils, particularly those in P1 to P3 settling into their early years of school; notes that pupils and staff celebrated Hester’s retirement with a special Dress As You Please Day and a whole-school loose parts play session; commends the school community for bringing together one of its current P1 pupils with a former pupil, who started at the school at the same time as Hester, to represent the many generations of children she has supported; welcomes Hester's thoughtful gift to the school of a bear made from old Aberlour Primary School uniforms, to symbolise the numerous lost uniforms she has reunited pupils with over her 26 years; thanks Hester for her commitment to the school and wider community, and wishes her a happy and well-deserved retirement.

That the Parliament celebrates the UN International Day of Rural Women 2026 on 15 October; notes the significant contributions made by rural women in Moray and across Scotland; recognises that women play a key role in the management of land for farming, communities, the environment and biodiversity; further recognises the role that women play in running and supporting community organisations and services in rural and island places; celebrates the dedication, creativity and innovation that they bring; notes that many of the issues facing rural Scotland can be particularly acute for women, such as the rural premium and access to healthcare, housing and transport; acknowledges the importance of considering the intersection of factors, such as gender and rurality, when making policy decisions, and celebrates the diversity of contributions that women make across rural and island Scotland.

That the Parliament congratulates the dedicated team of volunteers at Keith North Churches on 10 years of Tuesday Table, a weekly community café and soup kitchen, which is held at Keith North Church Hall; understands that Tuesday Table provides attendees with a free warm lunch, including a delicious selection of homemade soups and puddings, alongside tea and coffee; recognises that the initiative is open to everyone in the local community, from young families to elderly residents, providing not only a welcoming place to enjoy a hot meal but also an important opportunity for social connection; notes that Tuesday Table was established in October 2016, in partnership with local supermarkets to help reduce food waste by repurposing edible surplus food; understands that the kitchen space was later upgraded and named Mary’s Kitchen following a generous legacy donation from centenarian Mary Mayer, who had been a regular attendee; celebrates what it considers to be the invaluable contribution that the volunteers have made over the past decade in bringing people together and supporting the local community; thanks the entire Tuesday Table team for their commitment and generosity, and wishes them every success for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates the team at Panache restaurant, in Elgin, on their impressive double victory at the seventh Scottish Asian Food Awards; understands that the awards, which were held in Glasgow on 5 October 2026, celebrate excellence across Scotland’s Asian food and hospitality sector; recognises that Panache was named Outstanding Asian Restaurant of the Year and also received the prestigious Organiser’s Award for Outstanding Recognition – Outstanding Achievement; notes that Anne Townsley, who manages the popular local restaurant on South Street in Elgin, described the national recognition as validation of the strong team effort behind Panache’s success, with staff, customers and supporters all playing an important role; commends the team for showcasing the high quality of hospitality and cuisine available in Moray on a national stage, and wishes Panache every continued success for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Yuliia Strelok, from Forres, on being named one of the UK’s top 100 hair stylists at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards; recognises that Yuliia, who moved to Forres from Ukraine four years ago, has established a highly successful local business, with her home salon based at Balnaferry House on the Grantown Road; notes that she has also been named a finalist in the Beauty Idols Scotland 2026 competition; recognises her talent and hard work; acknowledges that, having been forced to leave Ukraine following the outbreak of war, Yuliia has made a new home in Forres and further developed her skills by refreshing her hairdressing qualifications at UHI Moray; recognises the valuable contribution that Yuliia makes to the local community; celebrates the well-deserved recognition that she has received from the UK hair and beauty industry, and wishes her every success in the Beauty Idols Scotland 2026 competition and in her continued career in Forres.

That the Parliament congratulates everyone involved in organising the inaugural Moray Mòd (Mòd Mhoireibh), which took place on 11 September 2026 at venues across Elgin, including Elgin Community Centre and Holy Trinity Church Hall; notes that the event featured 52 entries across a wide range of competitions, including Gaelic singing, action songs, poetry recitation, piping, clàrsach, fiddle and storytelling; welcomes the participation of people from across the community, from local school pupils to experienced performers and fluent Gaelic speakers; celebrates the many local successes throughout the day, including Dallas Primary School taking first place in the action song competition; notes that the celebrations continued on Elgin High Street, with traditional music and dancing outside McKerron's; thanks everyone involved in organising the event for their hard work, including volunteers, members of the Moray Gaelic Group, An Comunn Gàidhealach and Moray Council, and wishes the Moray Mòd every success as it continues to grow and develop in the years ahead.