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Glasgow 850
Local MSP Bill Kidd for Glasgow Anniesland has lodged a parliamentary motion celebrating the upcoming Glasgow 850 Festival which will mark the 850th anniversary of Glasgow founding and history.
Glasgow 850
“That the Parliament notes that, throughout 2025, Glasgow will mark its 850th anniversary, which will be celebrated around the world by fellow Glaswegians and marked by the city itself with various events, including an extensive programme of community-based activities, aimed at celebrating the city’s past, present and future though various mediums, including inviting people at home and abroad to share their memories of and hopes for their beloved city; notes that a special programme to recruit volunteers will take place, providing people with the unique opportunity to represent the city that they and their families call home, alongside, as part of the celebrations, a focus on the invaluable role that community councils play by creating a platform for all its citizens to stage and host their own events as part of Glasgow 850, and encourages everyone in Glasgow, the West of, and indeed across Scotland, to get involved and celebrate what it believes makes Glasgow, its people and its future great.”
The upcoming Glasgow 850 Festival in 2025 will mark the 850th anniversary of Glasgow’s founding. The festival will be yearlong, with a wide range of events, programmes, and activities for all Glaswegians to experience and celebrate the city’s past, present, and future.
As part of this, Glasgow City Council are running a programme to recruit volunteers who will be part of the celebrations, and create a volunteer community that supports each other, provides opportunities to gain experience and engage while representing the city they call home.
The city is also encouraging local community councils to hold events in their areas.
Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are needed to support the celebrations around Glasgow’s 850 yearlong programme of activities. The Glasgow 850 Volunteer and Employability programme will offer Glaswegians, a unique opportunity to play a key part in the city’s birthday year, with opportunities to support the smooth running of its main events, and roles within local community projects.
Bill said “Next year will be a unique opportunity for Glasgow to showcase itself to the rest of the world. I know people make Glasgow great and I would encourage everyone to get involved”.
Community councils and volunteers too can register their interests here: What's On - Glasgow 850
Glagow's Holiday Programme
Glasgow City council's Holiday Programme funding is once again open for the Holiday Programme for Summer 2025 to Spring 2026.
The fund enables community organisations to provide nutritious food to children/young people using their services during school holiday periods and is for is for children/young people 0-18 years of age.
Application packs and details are available through the link below and are open until the 9th of December.
Local MSP welcomes New Service Supporting Parents and Carers to Challenge Racism in Scotland's Schools
Advocacy for Race Equality in Schools Scotland (AdRESS) is a new advocacy and advice service launched to support parents and carers whose child has experienced racist incidents or racially motivated bullying in school.
Coordinated by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER), AdRESS is the anti-racism policy and research charity’s first and only frontline advice service.
The unprecedented decision to set up this service came after CRER received multiple enquiries from parents and carers about their children’s experience of racism in school. These experiences included ongoing harassment and physical violence, with serious consequences for the young people's health and wellbeing.
While some schools are handling incidents well, enquiries to CRER demonstrated that many parents and carers struggle to receive appropriate responses from schools when reporting racism. Some complained of poor treatment and were left feeling ignored or belittled.
Funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, AdRESS will work with parents and carers to actively listen to their concerns, advocate and give advice whilst equipping them to navigate the complaints process.
CRER's research also highlights weaknesses in policy and practice on racism in schools. In 2020/21, CRER found that 83% of schools in Scotland were not recording racially motivated bullying incidents in line with Scottish Government guidance.
Enquiries will be taken by telephone on 0330 122 4600, as well as by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. they can also be submitted through our online contact form on our website, www.AdRESScotland.org, where you can find further information and resources.
Bill Kidd MSP wears it pink in support of Breast Cancer Now
Bill added a splash of pink to his usual Holyrood attire to raise awareness of breast cancer and to encourage Scots to support Breast Cancer Now’s wear it pink, which will take place on Friday 18 October to raise vital funds for world-class breast cancer research and life-changing support.
Bill was joined by other parliamentarians in Holyrood this week, to raise awareness of breast cancer, and learn more about breast cancer in Scotland, focusing on the need for the Scottish Government to deliver their commitments in its Cancer Strategy and Action Plan.
The campaign is calling for constituents in Anniesland to join them as well as thousands of others across the UK to sign up and take part in wear it pink which takes place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Anyone can take part in wear it pink, whether at school, work or at home. All you need to do is wear something pink, or hold a pink themed event, and donate to Breast Cancer Now to help the charity achieve its vision that by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer lives, and is supported to live well.
Bill said:
““Every 10 minutes, someone in the UK hears the words “you have breast cancer”. It’s the most common cancer in the UK. Each year around 11,500 women and 85 men lose their lives to the disease. That’s why I’m so passionate about encouraging everyone in Anniesland to take part in wear it pink day on Friday 18 October.
“Wear it pink is a great way to come together with friends and family to have fun whilst raising money for Breast Cancer Now’s world-class research and life-changing support. As you can see from my photograph, all it takes is an additional splash of pink to your normal outfit!
“I am proud to raise awareness of the impact of the disease locally, and to support and advocate for Breast Cancer Now’s research. Breast cancer affects so many people so I hope that everybody in will get involved this October and support this very important cause by signing up at wear it pink.”
To take part in wear it pink this October, please visit wearitpink.org https://wearitpink.org/2018mpfor further details and fundraising ideas.
WELCOME BOOST FOR SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
Bill has welcomed the news that the SNP Scottish Government will enshrine in law the requirement to increase social security payments each year in line with inflation.
In the last year the Scottish Government provided £370 million to uprate payments - £5 million above the amount required in statute – and by making this a legal duty it guarantees that support like the winter heating payments receive a financial boost – especially while the UK Labour government cuts winter fuel payments.
Commenting, SNP Bill Kidd MSP said:
“Scotland’s social security system – which is rooted in dignity, fairness and respect – has been truly transformational for so many families across Anniesland.
“As we build on this progress, it’s crucial we maintain the value of the fourteen payments which are estimated to be keeping 100,000 children out of poverty.
“This legal duty will bring us closer to achieving the First Minister’s goal of ending child poverty while ensuring we continue to do what we can to protect families in Anniesland from continued Westminster austerity.
Welcome
Bill is MSP for Glasgow Anniesland.
His major political interests are the development of policies to eradicate poverty, job creation, housing policy and an end to the nuclear power and weapons programmes of successive British Governments.
