The Scottish Parliament to visit the South of Scotland for the first of its 25th anniversary regional events

The visits, which form part of the Scottish Parliament’s 25th anniversary commemorations, are to hear people’s reflections on the Parliament and their aspirations for its future. They will also reflect on 25 years of devolution and the impact of the Parliament on local communities.

The visit on Monday 20 May has been set up in collaboration with community partners Borders Community Action, Development Trusts Association Scotland (DTAS) and Burnfoot Community Futures.

It will start in the morning with meeting local people at Mac Arts Centre in Galashiels. In the afternoon the visit will move on to Burnfoot Community Futures in Hawick, meeting with parents, children and young people involved in using the centre. The Presiding Officer will be joined by South of Scotland constituency and regional MSPs.

The purpose of the day is to enable local communities to learn more about the work of the Scottish Parliament and for the Scottish Parliament to learn more about what the people of Scotland want from it.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said:

“In our 25th anniversary year, there will be reflection on what the Parliament has achieved. While that is important, I want the Parliament’s focus to be firmly on the future.

“I want to use this milestone to hear from people in the South of Scotland and all over the country about their aspirations for their Parliament.

“I hope that this visit encourages more people to be inspired to get involved with their Parliament – from a visit or watching a debate online, to giving their views to a committee or contacting their local MSP about issues that are important to them.

“This visit is also an opportunity to highlight the achievements of community groups in the Scottish Borders, whose work provides vital support for many people."

 Juliana Amaral, Chief Executive Officer at Borders Community Action said:

“We are delighted to be part of the round of celebrations of the 25 years of Scottish Parliament in the Scottish Borders. We truly believe that community participation is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy, and it is part of our role to ensure that the third sector and the voices of those in rural communities who are often overlooked are heard. We look forward to the events and building a stronger relationship with the Scottish Parliament, so we can ensure our communities' insights are valued and heard. Together, we can collaborate with a Scottish Parliament that truly represents and serves all its people.”

Zoe Hall, Chair at Burnfoot Community Futures said:

“We are delighted to welcome the Presiding Officer, Parliamentary staff and MSPs to our hub here in Burnfoot. Like many communities in Scotland, we are experiencing challenging times and we look forward to focussing on how the Parliament can work alongside our community to achieve a fairer and wealthier future.”

Lynn Molleson, Development Officer at DTAS said:

“At DTAS, we are proud to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our community anchor members throughout Scotland. In these times of poly-crisis (financial, climate and health-related) the work of our members has never been more needed and our network is growing.

“As we look back on 25 years of having a Scottish Parliament we can celebrate legislation that actively supports greater community empowerment and gives a route map for increased community ownership and community wealth building. We also welcome the opportunity to reflect on what communities need from their Parliament to best assure a fairer, more equitable future.”