Local MP Attends ‘Garden Village’ Open Day

Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford was one of the many visitors to yesterday’s Fordyce Open Village Day.

The now annual event drew visitors from far and wide to admire the gardens which are opened to the public by local householders to raise funds for the Community Association.

Commenting, Eilidh said:

“The organising committee of Fordyce Community Association deserve to be complimented on another successful event.

“Judging by the numbers of people who turned out to visit the gardens and have afternoon tea at the village hall, it seems the event is growing in popularity as word spreads about the beautiful gardens which are made available to the public on the Open Village Day.

“It is a community event in every sense and everyone involved can be very proud of their efforts today.”

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MP proclaims Scottish Week Resounding Success

Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford has proclaimed the 50th Peterhead Scottish Week an outstanding success.

The MP was speaking after joining the huge crowd of people on the town’s links and South Road to watch the Red Arrows perform their aerobatic display above Peterhead Bay last night and the Finale Fireworks Display this evening. Dr Whiteford also helped secure the Red Arrows for the Scottish Week Committee after an initial approach to get them to come to Peterhead was rebuffed.

Commenting, Eilidh said:

“The organising committee of Peterhead Scottish Week deserve tremendous thanks for putting on a great show for the 50th anniversary event.

“I have attended seven of the various events taking place around the town over the course of the week and they all seem to have been extremely well-supported.

“I’m delighted for the organising committee. There has been a real buzz about the town this week and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the 51st Scottish Week next year.”

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MP To Join Cruse Volunteers At Turriff Tesco Bag-Pack

Banff & Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford will join with volunteers with the Deveron Branch of Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland at a fund-raising bag-pack at the Tesco Supermarket, High Street, Turriff at 10.00am on Saturday 30 July.

All the counsellors give their time and dedication to Cruse in a voluntary capacity, and twice a year they hold fund raising functions for the Deveron Branch (based in Turriff). This year, one of those events will be to seek donations by offering to pack shoppers’ bags at the Turriff Tesco checkouts from 10.00am – 4.00pm.

All the funds raised will stay locally, and will be used to buy new books for their library, and finance the ongoing training required to keep volunteers up to the high standards required by Cruse Scotland. The Deveron Branch of Cruse covers Fraserburgh, Memsie, New Pitsligo, Huntly, Oldmeldrum, Banff, Macduff and anywhere else within that area, and the counsellors are kept busy with many referrals coming from GPs and other health professionals.

Dr Whiteford commented:

“I am delighted to support the Deveron Branch of Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland at their fund-raising bag-pack.

“As an MP, I am very much aware of the excellent job which Cruse counsellors do in providing comfort, sympathy and very practical advice for those suffering the loss of a loved one. Their support has proved invaluable for many individuals and helped them through what, for many, has been the most traumatic and distressing time of their lives.

“I have every confidence that the people of Turriff & District will respond generously to their appeal, and ensure that their bag-packing event will help fund their work throughout the year.”

Contact: Cruse National Helpline 0845-600-2227

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Parliamentary Recognition For New Deer School

A Buchan primary school has received Parliamentary recognition after winning a Scotland wide competition to promote the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals.

Pupils at New Deer School produced a Milennium Development DVD which netted them a £400 prize and winners’ certificate in the EthCo Challenge 2011.

Local MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford, who is the SNP's international development spokesperson, visited the school recently to congratulate the pupils and view their award winning DVD.

Commenting, Eilidh said:

“I very much enjoyed my visit to New Deer School and I was delighted to learn about the efforts of the children in the EthCo Challenge and their success.

“Around 67 million children around the world are missing out on primary education, the majority of them girls, so to see local primary school pupils doing their bit to raise awareness about these inequalities is very heartening. I think these sorts of projects are important in helping us here in Scotland to become good global citizens.

“The pupils are very proud of their award and they, and their teachers, are to be congratulated on their success.”

The wording of the Early Day Motion in the House of Commons reads:

That this House congratulates the pupils of New Deer Primary School and Whitehills Primary School on winning the EthCo Challenge 2011 to promote understanding of the Millennium Development Goals; notes that 67 million children worldwide, a majority of them girls, are missing primary school education; recognises the crucial importance of education in tackling the causes of global poverty and inequality; and calls on the Government to make education central to its international development strategy and improve educational opportunities for girls.

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