Promoting & Supporting The Third Sector

Across South Scotland, charities, volunteer groups and community clubs are changing lives and expanding horizons. These third sector groups play a hugely important role in our society, delivering support and advice to those in need, encouraging people to live healthy active lives and making our communities better places to live.

I’m determined to highlight the great work these organisations are doing during my time as an MSP. I regularly visit third sector groups throughout the region and promote their work in parliament and local media.

I’m always happy to receive suggestions of groups within South Scotland (particularly the Clydesdale, Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley and Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituencies) that deserve recognition or who would like me to visit.

News

More effort needed to protect mental health after the pandemic says MSP

Brian Whittle MSP has challenged the Scottish Government to rethink how it deals with mental health in the wake of the pandemic. The South Scotland MSP used a debate at Holyrood on mental health to call for a greater emphasis on preventing poor mental health. Prior to the pandemic, waiting times f

MSP calls for action to tackle heart disease in Scotland

Brian Whittle MSP has challenged the Scottish Government to invest more money in the prevention of heart disease in Scotland. The call came as the British Heart Foundation in Scotland published the results of a freedom of information request showing huge differences in waiting times for echocardiog

​​​​​​​MSP calls for care home relatives plan

South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle is urging the Scottish Government to set out how it proposes to allow relatives of care home residents more opportunities to see their loved ones over the coming months. The call comes as Scotland approaches full coverage for first doses of vaccines to those living

​​​​​​​New addiction funding must go to the frontline says MSP

Brian Whittle MSP has given a cautious welcome to the Scottish Government’s latest pledge to tackle the country’s scandalously high drug death rate. The South Scotland MSP was speaking as a multi-year plan was announced at Holyrood to invest millions of pounds more into preventing drug deaths and s

Scottish Government must provide support to Scotland’s Leisure Trusts says MSP

Olympic athlete turned MSP Brian Whittle has called on the Scottish Government to help rescue the leisure trusts across Scotland that are in danger of collapse. The majority of public leisure and culture facilities across Scotland are run by charitable trusts, set up to deliver services on behalf o

Whittle’s shadow role expanded to include mental health

The new leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Douglas Ross MP, has given local MSP Brian Whittle an expanded role within the party’s health team. Brian will now be the Shadow Minister for Public Health, Mental Health, Sport and Wellbeing where continuing his existing work on issues like p

MSP holds zoom forums to hear local issues

Brian Whittle MSP has been putting his summer recess to good use, holding zoom forums to hear from local organisations about the issues affecting them. The South Scotland MSP who promised to use the summer to “listen and learn” has now held forums with local charities and businesses to discuss the

MSP says he’ll use the summer to ‘listen and learn’

As Holyrood enters its summer recess, local MSP Brian Whittle has announced how he plans to keep in touch with the public while COVID-19 restrictions are in place. The South Scotland MSP, who normally spends his summer visiting local organisations and holding advice surgeries for constituents, will