Monday October 25th 2021
Currently, the Scottish Parliament is in recess which gives me the opportunity to spend some more time in the constituency. I have recently visited a few organisations within the constituency that deserve recognition for the work that they do.
The first to mention is Chris’s House located in Dalkeith. I visited Chris’s House which is a ‘Centre for Help, Response and Intervention Surrounding Suicide’. It is the first 24-hour, non-medical crisis centre in Scotland offering integrated support.
It was great to hear of the important work they are doing in Midlothian and discuss the support Chris’s House can provide the local community. This service is vital to Midlothian, where suicide rates are high and demand for mental health services in general has soared during the Covid-19 pandemic. I would like to thank the staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to helping others. If you are interested to find out more, you can visit their website at: http://chrisshouse.org/
I also had the opportunity to visit Y2K in Mayfield, an organisation tailored to our young people from P7 to 18 years old. They provide a safe, comfortable, and non-judgemental space for young people who need support be that 1-1 or group support. Another fantastic resource in the constituency which must be protected and supported. You can find more about Y2K here: http://youth2000project.com/about-y2k/
Both organisations are a credit to Midlothian and I am proud that we have such valuable services located in our communities.
On a final note, I make another plea to help our climate. With our imminent climate emergency and in the run up to COP26, it is important that we look at the challenges that our climate faces rationally. I believe we can all take small steps in our day-to-day lives to benefit the wider community and go forward as a greener nation.
I was concerned to read over the last week that Scotland may be facing a ‘litter emergency’. This is not a new problem, but one which can be prevented. It is important we educate ourselves and our young people on how we can take easy steps to tackle this issue and protect our planet. This week sees the start of the Mini Litter Less Campaign running from the 18th – 29th October. The campaign features 7 actions which helps us learn about the biodiversity and nature around you, to understand plastic pollution, to find out more about invisible pollutants and to consider consumption habits. It even involves a ‘Zero Waste Day’ where you will be encouraged to live a whole day without producing any waste at all.
Be it making changes to your daily routine or joining a local litter pick one weekend. We all have to work together to help protect our planet from the crisis we are facing.
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