I recently submitted a motion in the Scottish Parliament on the news that Artie and Cilla from the Singing Kettle plan to bow out after 30 years in the business. They upcoming Christmas tour will be their last and I know as a mother myself just how popular they and the whole Kettle team have been over the years. A full text of my motion can be found below along with a list of those that have signed it up to this point.

Motion S4M-04415

“That the Parliament warmly congratulates the children’s entertainment couple, Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise, of The Singing Kettle on their upcoming retiral; notes that the husband and wife duo, who are based in Fife, have been performing for more than 30 years after founding the group in 1982; recognises that the act has performed before an estimated four million children and parents at venues across the world and hosted an award-winning television show; understands that the act has sold more tickets at the SECC in Glasgow than any other act and performed command performances for Prince Charles and for Jordan’s royal family, and wishes Cilla, Artie, Gary Coupland and Kevin Macleod all the best on their upcoming Christmas tour and continuing success for the future.”

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Stewart Stevenson, Roderick Campbell, Iain Gray, Jean Urquhart, Colin Beattie, Kevin Stewart, Stuart McMillan, John Mason, John Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Bill Walker, Jim Hume, Annabelle Ewing, Richard Lyle, Dennis Robertson, Helen Eadie, David Torrance, Patricia Ferguson, Angus MacDonald, Joan McAlpine, Gil Paterson, Fiona McLeod, Maureen Watt, Nigel Don, Anne McTaggart, Jim Eadie, Rhoda Grant, John Finnie, John Park, Gordon MacDonald, Linda Fabiani, Hugh Henry, Jamie McGrigor

Claire Baker lodged Motion S4M-04013 on 5th September:

That the Parliament congratulates Kingdom FM on hosting the station’s fifth annual Local Hero awards; notes that the event was held at Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, and around 300 guests attended; considers that the awards celebrate the achievements of inspirational Fifers; warmly congratulates all of the winners and nominees in the 15 categories, including the RAF Leuchars Emergency Response Team, which won the Provost Award, and Summer and Brodie Wroniecki and Noah Duncan who shared the Child of Achievement Award.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Mike MacKenzie, Kevin Stewart, Richard Simpson, Patricia Ferguson, Anne McTaggart, Richard Lyle, Jackie Baillie, Annabelle Ewing, Murdo Fraser, Liz Smith, David Torrance, Jamie McGrigor, Jim Eadie, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd

Claire Baker lodged Motion S4M-04000 on 5th September:

That the Parliament congratulates Fife Flyers ice hockey team on winning the inaugural Scottish Autumn Cup, defeating Braehead Clan 7-3 in the final; notes that this was the culmination of a weekend-long tournament that took place at Fife ice rink; understands that Fife beat Edinburgh Capitals 2-1 in the semi-final, with Braehead beating Dundee Stars 4-2; notes that Fife Flyers is the oldest ice hockey team in the UK; understands that the team was founded in 1938 after the growth in popularity of ice hockey in the UK as a result of the country winning gold at the 1936 Winter Olympics, and offers support to all four Scottish teams for the season ahead in the Elite Ice Hockey League as they take on teams from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Kenneth Gibson, Anne McTaggart, Annabelle Ewing, Helen Eadie, David Stewart, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Roderick Campbell, Mike MacKenzie, John Park, Dennis Robertson, Jackie Baillie, Richard Simpson, Maureen Watt, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, Richard Lyle, Jamie McGrigor, Jim Eadie, Bill Kidd

Claire Baker lodged Motion S4M-03951 on the 30th of August:

That the Parliament warmly congratulates Dan Watson, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, on being named winner of the UK James Dyson Award; understands that his SafteyNet system is designed to make fishing more sustainable by offering smaller fish an escape route from trawl nets through escape rings that are fitted to the cod-end of existing nets; notes that the rings light up to act as an “emergency exit” sign for the fish; hopes that this can lead to a decrease in discards; understands that Dan will now be competing against finalists from 17 other countries to win the international award, and wishes him all the best in the competition.

Supported by: Drew Smith, Richard Lyle, Jackie Baillie, Annabelle Ewing, Jean Urquhart, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack