World Blood Donor Day

I am supporting SNBTS and #WorldBloodDonorDay. Every time you give blood, you can save or improve the lives of up to three people. If you’ve given blood in the last year, here’s a huge Thank You!

If you want to register to give blood, you can do so here: www.scotblood.co.uk 

Scottish Stone Group at the Scottish Parliament

My PA and I had a great time learning about Scottish stone and how to cut slate in the traditional method! Many thanks to the Scottish Traditional Building Forum and The Scottish Stone Group, amongst others, for preserving Scotland's building traditions and skills-base.

World Ovarian Cancer Day-8th May

Members of the Scottish Parliament united after First Minister's Questions today to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, in support of a charity campaign marking World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD). 

This event was part of Ovarian Cancer Action’s UK-wide campaign to promote ovarian cancer symptoms awareness. The charity handed out 33,000 roses in cities across the UK with symptoms card attached, representing the number of women currently living with the disease in the UK.

Hibakusha Appeal signed by all SNP MSPs

Bill Kidd MSP has led support in the Scottish Parliament for the international Hibakusha Appeal. This appeal calls on State Governments to adopt the United Nations nuclear weapons ban on humanitarian grounds. So far, 9.4 million people around the world have signed the petition. Follow this link to sign the petition online. Following Bill's circulation of the Appeal, every SNP MSP in the Scottish Parliament has now signed this appeal, inlcuding the First Minister who signed the Appeal in 2017. This movement runs in parallel with ongoing talks at the United Nations Headquarters where representatives of nuclear power states meet to discuss next year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference. 

In March 2016 representatives Yamada Reiko and Yamada Midori, survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, met with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to share their experiences. During this visit, the First Minister signed the Appeal.

‘Hibakusha’ is a Japanese word for the group of people that survived atomic bombs. In 1945 at the end of World War II, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima and then, three days later, on the city of Nagasaki. These two atomic nuclear bombs killed tens of thousands instantly. Within the first few months 214,000 people, the majority of whom were women and children, died. Many more passed away in the following months and years due to radiation-related illnesses and poisoning. Second generation Hibakusha are also at higher risk of developing radiation related illnesses, like many forms of cancer. This severe humanitarian cost is why it is so important that we say ‘No’ to nuclear weapons.

Bill Kidd MSP for Glasgow Anniesland said, “This growing support for the Hibakusha Appeal, where there is now over 9.4 million signatures, shows that people from all walks of life are deeply concerned that the atrocities seen in 1945 and subsequent nuclear bomb testing is not repeated. The SNP is committed to removing nuclear weapons from Scotland- we want to ensure a better, brighter future. We often think of nuclear weapons as a potential atrocity, but not as a horror that was lived. The testimonies of the Hibakusha show the dark reality of nuclear weapons. I would encourage all to consider signing this Appeal.”