Presiding officer starts summer programme in Benbecula

The Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer,Alex Ferguson MSP , is launching his 2010 Summer engagement programme in Benbecula.

He is holding a reception for the Parliament’s updated travelling exhibition ‘Moving Stories’ at the Museum na Eilean  on Wednesday 7 July.

The unique interactive exhibition, which has travelled the length and breadth of Scotland, highlights ten individuals’ experiences of engaging with Parliament during the first ten years of devolution.

During the reception, Mr Fergusson will meet local representatives from a range of community groups including councillors, teachers and museum staff. He will also meet Gaelic speaker John Macleod who features in the Moving Stories exhibition and has been involved with the Parlaiment in several ways, including lodging a petition with thePublic Petitions Committee calling for the introduction of a Gaelic Language Act.

“Peoples’ lives”

He will also meet staff from Grimsay Boatshed Trust who run the only boat building course of its kind in Scotland – which is leading to a revival in traditional skills which have served islanders for centuries.

A 10.5 foot wooden Grimsay style boat – a type still used by the fishing community in North Uist – made by local pupils in partnership with the Trust will also go on display at the entrace toSgoil Lionacleit school.

The Presiding Officer said: “I can’t think of a better way of launching my third and final summer engagement programme than by visiting the Western Isles and highlighting this exhibition which shows how ordinary members of the public have worked with their Parliament in raising issues and bringing about positive change.

“My summer programme also aims to bring the Parliament to people across Scotland to show that engaging with Parliament really can make a difference to so many peoples’ lives.

“Holyrood’s work”

“I am thrilled to be visiting Benbecula on this, my final summer programme, as Presiding Officer. By the end of this programme I will have visited every region of Scotland and met a number of truly inspiring, hard working and innovative groups and individuals.”

The Moving Stories Exhibition will remain at Museum nan Eilean until 30 July when it moves to Stornoway.

This is the third summer programme undertaken by the Presiding Officer. By the end of this tour Mr Fergusson will have visited more than 30 different organisations in every region of Scotland during his past three summer programmes.

The programme provides an opportunity for the Presiding Officer to learn from local people and groups about how the Scottish Parliament is communicating with them and encourages them to do more to engage with Holyrood’s work.

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