Thursday 20th January was the last debate of the Green MSPs in the Chamber before dissolution, and I took the chance to debate a topic very close to my heart.

Young people have been a priority for me since long before I was an MSP, and I have used my role as a politician to try and do as much to support and encourage them as possible, making very regular visits to schools, attending events, supporting and sponsoring the Eco Schools movement and well as many other smaller projects.

That is why I wanted my last motion put to the Parliament to be about alternative opportunities for young people, which is not the academic path, nor the less fortunate path where people slip through the net and face a far bleaker future.

Inspired by the work of Muhammad Yunus, I put this motion to Parliament:

“Opportunities for Young People: That the Scottish Parliament commends the work of Nobel prize winner Muhammad Yunus in founding the Grameen Bank in 1976, which provides micro-finance for people living in poverty in Bangladesh; recognises that, since its beginnings in Bangladesh, there are now Grameen-type programmes tackling poverty across thirty-eight countries the world and that Grameen America is now branching out to many new locations in New York, Nebraska, Washington and California; believes there is an opportunity to tackle the growing problem of unemployment among 16 to 19 year olds with the establishment of a microcredit scheme for young people in Scotland; notes that this scheme would offer loans for small business ventures to young people who are not in education, employment or training and be supported by an entrepreneurial mentoring scheme; further believes that such a scheme would build on the contribution made by Scotland’s social enterprise sector and draw upon Scotland’s long history of entrepreneurial achievement, and calls upon the Scottish Government to explore ways to establish a Scottish Youth Microcredit scheme.”

I have always been a big supporter of growing initiatives, and have a close relationship with Scottish Orchards, as well as many other growing and allotment organisations around Scotland. I sponsored both Holyrood Apple Day, and a Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society networking event, both in the Scottish Parliament last autumn.

That is why I was delighted to be asked to speak at the first of a two day event organised by Scottish Orchards, their National Gathering to Celebrate a Fruitful Scotland.

Unlike other networking events the first day was aimed more at agency, council and Government people, as well as designers, developers and representatives from local businesses. This was really a chance to put across just how important orchards and fruit growing are within the community, and just how many people are keen to grow food locally.

The second day was more relaxed but still with a skills training element – a great opportunity for community groups and individuals to mingle, and improve their growing techniques. Scottish Orchard’s plans for a Fruitful Scotland are truly wonderful and I wish them every success.

Last week I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, to ask for a commitment that the expected Planning Application for North Kelvin Meadow will be called in by Scottish Ministers.

North Kelvin Meadow, a wonderful green space amidst the crowded West End, has been under threat of development for luxury flats for many months now. From a neglected playing field, a community gardening space has been created by passionate local people, who have come together to fight against the developer, New City Vision’s plans.

At the moment the proposals to develop “luxury” flats are in the Pre-Application stage, during which New City Vision are holding two community engagement events. They claim these will allow specific plans to be “genuinely responsive to local input”, while they still press ahead with their agenda to build these unwanted flats.

On Saturday 15th January I attended the first of these events in Kelbourne Street Scout Hall. The overwhelming majority of the people in the room were opposed to any development at all, and raised concerns over the extremely narrow parameters that were intended to confine the discussion of possible alterations to the development. And so the planning application will have 90-115 flats and will retain just a small scrap of green space, no matter what people’s responses happen to be in these consultation events.

Concerns were also raised as to the poor publicity surrounding the event – there was no leafleting of local residents, for example. I raised the question as to how much money was changing hands between New City Vision and Glasgow City Council for the land, arguing that the community should have more of a say in what the money was spent on, but the answer was not forthcoming.

The second event is a Public Exhibition on Saturday 12th February, 10am-4pm at Kelbourne Street Scout Hall. I urge the local community to use these events to continue to make clear that they do not want these flats at all. They want to keep their Meadow, and I hope as many people come along as possible, despite the poor publicity surrounding these events.

Read more in this Evening Times article.

Today I was at Edinburgh’s High Court supporting the latest legal efforts to secure access to justice for Molly Forbes. For those who do not know, Molly is an 86 year old Menie resident who has been threatened with compulsory purchase and eviction by the Trump Organisation and Aberdeenshire Council, because Mr Trump wishes to build on a golf course over her home.

While fighting against this threat Molly incurred legal costs, which she was then denied legal aid for. But good news! Today Molly was given the right to appeal the legal aid board’s decision for funding. It is an outrage that she was denied aid in the first instance, for her fight to stay in her home, and I wish her all the best with her appeal.

I am pleased to be able to offer my support to Molly and to the many others who just wish to live without the cloud of eviction hanging over them, by buying, along with others such as Lord Puttnam and Green MP Caroline Lucas, an acre of land belonging to Molly’s son Michael Forbes. This should hopefully hamper any future eviction on Mr Trump’s behalf, whose bullying tactics have been utterly disgraceful.