Chamber and committees

That the Parliament welcomes the latest awards by the Asda Foundation, supporting organisations helping communities address the rising cost of living, as well as groups working to improve the lives of children and young people, particularly those providing support during school holidays; notes that these grants are delivered with the support of Asda’s local Community Champions; welcomes the recent awards made by Asda Motherwell and Asda Newmains to three local organisations, including £600 to Clyde Valley Community Church, £600 to Motherwell Baptist Church for its Well Café project, and £600 to Food for Thought Motherwell; recognises the valuable work these groups undertake to support families and vulnerable individuals across the community, and commends both the volunteers involved and the Asda Local Champions for their continued commitment to strengthening local support networks.

That the Parliament congratulates the community of St Blane's Primary School in Summerston on reaching its landmark 50th Golden Jubilee year; thanks staff, pupils and families over the last five decades who have all contributed to making the community a special, caring and nurturing environment to thrive and learn; understands that the school's vision, values and aims are underpinned by its catholic beliefs and a determination to work together in confidence and trust, which are values that have provided important foundations for many young people over the last 50 years; notes that a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving was held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Maryhill on 28 November 2025, which was led by the Archbishop of Glasgow, William Nolan; commends the dedication of staff over the last 50 years, from the very first headteacher, Miss Sheridan, to its current headteacher, Mrs McVey, who marked the 50th anniversary by announcing a new Heart of St Blane's prize to be awarded to a P7 pupil at the end of each school year from summer 2026; wishes all at St Blane's, past and present, a very happy 50th anniversary, and is confident that the school will excel into the future for many years to come.

That the Parliament congratulates Robert McMillan and his 10-year-old son, Benjamin, on undertaking a fundraising challenge in aid of Ayrshire Hospice; understands that Robert and Benjamin will walk one kilometre for every £1 donated, up to a total of £1,000, with the challenge ending at the Kiltwalk in April 2026; further understands that they were motivated to attempt the challenge after seeing first-hand the hospice's incredible work and, after some research, realising how much funding is required to provide the service; commends Robert and Benjamin for their selfless act of charity, and wishes them luck in reaching their goal.

That the Parliament congratulates the Stevenston resident, Lorna Grayston, on being named Scottish Care Worker of the Year at 2025’s Scottish Care Home Awards, which were held in Glasgow on 14 November 2025; understands that the award recognises outstanding contributions in the care sector across the country; appreciates that Lorna has supported former servicemen and servicewomen and their families over the last 15 years for the Erskine Veterans Charity, and works as lead senior care assistant at the Erskine Home in Bishopton; commends Lorna for her dedication and hard work, and wishes her all the best for her future career.

That the Parliament celebrates Sheila Sherry, who has reached an extraordinary 50 years of service with the Community Learning and Development (CLD) team at North Lanarkshire Council; recognises her remarkable contribution as a support worker over five decades, during which she has dedicated her career to teaching essential sewing and mending skills across local communities; believes that her classes have provided far more than practical techniques, helping to build confidence, improve mental health and wellbeing, reduce isolation, and promote inclusion for countless learners; understands that this milestone coincides with Adult Learners Week, making the achievement especially meaningful as Scotland marks 50 years since the Alexander Report (1975), a landmark document that helped shape the direction of adult education in Scotland, and conveys its sincere thanks and appreciation to Sheila for her exceptional commitment, service, and impact on learners throughout North Lanarkshire.

That the Parliament welcomes the news that the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Board has distributed £1.54 million of funds allocated from Aberdeen City Council to tackle poverty and deprivation in Aberdeen; notes that the fund, which supports the third sector to deliver services for adults and young people, has supported 52,120 people across the year, including 5,602 under-16-year-olds; understands that funding was awarded to 36 projects within the main programme, as well as a Community Support Fund to support community engagement and an Employment Support Fund to support costs associated with getting people back into work; further understands that five community flats were funded through the fund, including in Seaton and Tillydrone in the Aberdeen Central constituency; thanks the 752 volunteers who contributed 137,210 hours of their time to help deliver this support, which it believes is worth an estimated £2.3 million, as well as the members of the board, and wishes them all the very best for the next year and beyond.

That the Parliament welcomes the news that scientists from the University of Aberdeen are part of a team, including Grampian Growers Ltd and the James Hutton Institute, looking to turn potato waste into high-value compounds for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical products; notes that the project aims to extract solanesol from potato shaws, 51,000 tonnes of which are discarded annually after harvest, as an ethical and sustainable alternative to sourcing solanesol from tobacco; understands that this project, if successful, would allow farmers to make more complete use of potato biomass, reducing agricultural waste and creating new economic opportunities for Scottish farmers and cooperative members; believes that this research could help strengthen the resilience of rural communities across Scotland and beyond, and wishes all those working on the project the very best of luck in their endeavours.

That the Parliament congratulates the University of Aberdeen on being ranked within the top 10% globally and second in the UK in The Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026; notes that the ranking derives from a project created in association with Schmidt Science Fellows to improve scientific excellence and collaboration across disciplines, helping institutions benchmark their interdisciplinary scientific work; understands that such projects play a key role in solving global challenges; commends everyone involved in the project, and wishes the university every success in the future.

That the Parliament congratulates Netherton Primary School in Motherwell on being awarded the Silver Rights Respecting School Award by UNICEF UK; understands that UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights, and that the Rights Respecting Schools Award recognises schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights, while encouraging pupils, staff, and the wider school community to respect the rights of others; acknowledges that the Silver Award is granted to schools making excellent progress in embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into their ethos, curriculum, and daily practice; recognises the school’s pride in the positive impact that the programme has had in empowering pupils, strengthening pupil voice, and fostering a respectful and caring culture; further recognises the dedication of pupils and staff in achieving this significant milestone, and wishes Netherton Primary School every success as it continues its journey towards the Gold Award.

That the Parliament congratulates Pennyburn Regeneration Youth Development Enterprise on being awarded £156,783 to continue to deliver a range of services and activities for the people of Pennyburn and Kilwinning over the next five years; understands that the organisation offers a range of support to anyone within the area, including through the provision of additional support, learning and a food hub, as well as support for children and older people through the provision of youth work and music activities; congratulates everyone at Pennyburn Regeneration Youth Development Enterprise, and wishes them the best in the future.