Chamber and committees

That the Parliament congratulates Fife Voluntary Action on being awarded Carer Positive Engaged accreditation by Carers UK, in recognition of its commitment to supporting employees who balance work with unpaid caring responsibilities; notes that the Carer Positive Award recognises employers across Scotland that create supportive working environments where carers are valued and enabled to remain in employment; recognises that the Carer Positive panel praised the organisation's strong commitment to supporting working carers, highlighting its flexible approach, practical support and awareness of the caring responsibilities of its staff, and celebrates the organisation's success in fostering a positive workplace environment that supports employment and makes a meaningful difference to the lives of its employees.

That the Parliament congratulates The Perfect Scoop from East Wemyss on winning the Food Awards Scotland 2026 "Dessert Outlet of the Year" award; recognises the hard work and dedication that goes into running a business that produces only freshly made ice cream on site and offers a selection that is second to none in Scotland; notes that the awards, which are in their 12th year, are organised by Oceanic Awards, which delivers 150 regional and industry-specific award ceremonies annually across the UK, Ireland, Canada and the USA; further notes that The Perfect Scoop has won awards in the past at the Royal Highland Show and continues to provide the community with a delicious range of gelato, waffles, doughnuts and loaded sundaes, and hopes that the village of East Wemyss, and Fife as a whole, show their pride in the ice cream shop and the work that has gone into winning this prestigious award.

That the Parliament congratulates Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy on achieving UNICEF Silver: Rights Aware Accreditation through the Rights Respecting Schools Award programme; recognises that this prestigious accreditation reflects the nursery's commitment to embedding the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child throughout its culture, learning environment and day-to-day practice; notes that Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy provides early learning and childcare for children aged from six weeks to five years and plays an important role within the local community; further notes that this latest achievement builds on a series of successes and recognitions for the nursery, including strong Care Inspectorate evaluations and the attainment of the nationally recognised Millie's Mark accreditation, awarded to settings where all practising staff are trained in paediatric first aid; commends the nursery's leadership, practitioners and wider team for their dedication to providing a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment in which children can thrive; recognises the positive impact that a rights-respecting approach can have on children's confidence, wellbeing, participation and understanding of respect for others, and wishes everyone at Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy continued success as they build on this achievement and pursue the highest standards of excellence in early years education and care.

That the Parliament celebrates the 50th anniversary of St Peter’s Episcopal Church, on Townsend Place in Kirkcaldy; notes that the current church building was consecrated in 1976, although the congregation has been part of the Lang Toun for over 200 years; understands that St Peter’s is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church and a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion; further understands that it is a Eucharistic community, gathering each Sunday to share in the sacrament of Holy Communion; recognises the church’s long and significant history in Kirkcaldy, tracing its roots to 1812 and its association with prominent local families, including the Oswalds of Dunnikier, and that one of its earliest recorded baptisms was that of a son of the Earl of Elgin; welcomes the church’s celebration of its golden jubilee with invited guests from local organisations, and congratulates the congregation on the unveiling of a newly commissioned stained glass window, dedicated by the Bishop of St Andrews, the Right Reverend Ian Paton.

That the Parliament congratulates the Adam Smith Global Foundation on being supported by the Kirkcaldy Lottery to transform the landscape of Kirkcaldy’s town centre by commissioning murals that celebrate Kirkcaldy’s history, to be painted on gable ends in the town; notes that several frontages of empty buildings and shops have so far been decorated, creating a trail that extends the length of the High Street and showcases the work of a number of outstanding Fife artists, including Kerry Wilson, Lisa Graef, Vanessa Gibson, Catherine Lindow, Lauren Morsley and Susan McGill; recognises the important role that the murals play in highlighting the history of the town's world famous linoleum industry, as well as celebrating its most famous son, Adam Smith, who wrote The Wealth of Nations, in what is the biggest mural, created by the renowned artist Kerry Wilson, and commends all the artists for their efforts and for adding a splash of colour to the town while stimulating an interest in local history amongst locals and visitors alike.

That the Parliament congratulates Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy on achieving UNICEF Silver: Rights Aware Accreditation through the Rights Respecting Schools Award programme; recognises that this prestigious accreditation reflects the nursery's commitment to embedding the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child throughout its culture, learning environment and day-to-day practice; notes that Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy provides early learning and childcare for children aged from six weeks to five years and plays an important role within the local community; further notes that this latest achievement builds on a series of successes and recognitions for the nursery, including strong Care Inspectorate evaluations and the attainment of the nationally recognised Millie's Mark accreditation, awarded to settings where all practising staff are trained in paediatric first aid; commends the nursery's leadership, practitioners and wider team for their dedication to providing a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment in which children can thrive; recognises the positive impact that a rights-respecting approach can have on children's confidence, wellbeing, participation and understanding of respect for others; and wishes everyone at Little Beehive Nursery Kirkcaldy continued success as they build on this achievement and pursue the highest standards of excellence in early years education and care.

That the Parliament honours Graham Meacher for receiving the Sir James Gildea Global Award in recognition of more than 25 years of exceptional voluntary service as the chairman of the armed forces charity The Soldiers and Sailors Families Association; notes that, after joining the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1971, his service took him to West Germany, then the unified Germany, as well as other short overseas deployments, before being awarded an MBE in 1994 in recognition of his service to the Ministry of Defence; understands that, following his retirement in 2000, he went on to become a volunteer in multiple roles, including as a caseworker, fundraising and awareness officer, branch vice-chair and chair, regional chair, and convener of the Scottish Resource Committee; recognises Graham's dedication and hard work and the real difference he has made to the lives of veterans and their families.

That the Parliament congratulates the RCDS (Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service), based at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, on its five-year anniversary; understands that this service provides a fast-track, nurse-led diagnostic pathway for people presenting non-specific symptoms that could indicate cancer but who do not meet the traditional urgent suspected cancer referral criteria; believes that the service helps to provide earlier diagnosis and reassurance for patients who are concerned about their symptoms; notes that the service has now accumulated more than 5,000 referrals since it was launched in 2021, providing timely investigations and quick diagnosis to identify the cancerous or non-cancerous treatment or care that patients need and enable them to access the correct service; recognises the RCDS for achieving this milestone, congratulates the team for successfully delivering one of Scotland’s first pilot services in this area, and wishes them all success in the future.

That the Parliament congratulates prostate cancer survivor, John Dryburgh of Kirkcaldy, for completing a 100 mile rat race ultramarathon from Edinburgh Castle to Glamis Castle, including 75 miles within Fife, to raise over £1,100 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation; notes that John, who is a UESCA-certified ultra-running endurance coach and is now in remission having undergone radiotherapy and hormone therapy after being diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, defied the odds to finish 94th overall out of 538 starters in 29 hours, four minutes and 44 seconds, when 144 rival runners failed to finish; recognises that the 62 year old, who was formerly in the Scots Guards, is now a successful running coach with Kirkcaldy RunSum Running Group, and wishes John all the best in the future after signing up for the 2027 race and leading by example to prove what an individual can accomplish when they put their mind to it.

That the Parliament congratulates Ben Sandilands, who is from Kirkcaldy, on winning the Gold medal in the Men's T20 1,500 metres at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding Commonwealth success to an already outstanding athletic career; notes that Ben is the reigning Paralympic champion in the event, having won Gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in a time of 3 minutes 45.40 seconds, a performance that established a new T20 1,500m world record; notes that he has previously claimed the World Para Athletics title and has become one of Scotland's most accomplished para-athletes; recognises that Ben's achievements are a tremendous source of pride for Kirkcaldy, Fife and Scotland as a whole, and that his dedication, perseverance and sporting excellence continue to inspire young people across the country to pursue athletics and sport; congratulates Steven Bryce on winning the Bronze medal in the same event, ensuring a strong Scottish presence on the podium and highlighting the depth of talent in Scottish para-athletics; acknowledges the contribution of their coaches, families, clubs and support teams in helping both athletes reach the highest level of competition, and wishes Ben and Steven every success for the future, thanking them for being exceptional ambassadors for Scotland.