I caught up with the local VoiceAbility team to chat about how things are going with the people they support accessing Social Security Scotland benefits. The team clearly cares so deeply about the folk they are helping, and we had an in-depth conversation about what could be improved. I look forward to keeping this line [...]

Bha e math a bhith còmhla ris an sgioba aig Cnoc Soilleir na bu thràithe air an t-seachdain. Tha am pròiseact, a tha na cho-bhanntachd eadar UHI agus Ceòlas Uibhist, a’ cuideachadh le bhith ag adhartachadh agus a’ comharrachadh dualchas cultarach Gàidhlig Uibhist a Deas. Bha e sgoinneil cluinntinn mu mar a tha an t-àite [...]

It was great as always to see the Inverness Highland Games so busy and vibrant last weekend. I got to say hello to lots of local organisations including the Highland Hospice, Change Mental Health, RNLI, and Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. I had a great time at the Highland Hospice stall as they were inviting [...]

MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has met with Orbex in Tongue last week to see the progress on the Sutherland Spaceport. The Spaceport, which was granted planning permission in 2020, will be the first spaceport on the UK mainland capable of vertical rocket launches. There are three locations involved in the project [...]

First stop on Tuesday's Summer Recess adventure schedule was Assynt Hydro Ltd. with the Assynt Crofter’s Trust and Councillor Marianne Hutchison. It was amazing hearing about how the project came together through one man - John MacKenzie’s - passion and belief in it, to it now providing a steady source of income for the Trust, [...]

Highland Stoneware is such a staple of Sutherland that it’s hard to imagine there was a time before it - but it’s now celebrating its 50th year. I got to spend part of the afternoon with its founder, David, who showed me pieces of the business’s past and present, and talked about how the team [...]

SNP MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick called for councils to be given the power to place levies on cruise ships visiting island communities in Parliament earlier this term. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, was passed in the last Parliamentary session before recess, and will allow local authorities to apply a visitor tax on tourists [...]

MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has reiterated the urgent need to do more to tackle homelessness in Scotland last month in Parliament. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament at the end of June, Emma noted that the Scottish Government must readjust their policy further in response to the housing emergency in order to [...]

MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has highlighted the stigma that exists for pet owners who are trying to access the rental market. The SNP MSP was taking part in a meeting of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee remotely last week, when her pet cat, Blue, made an appearance in shot. [...]

SNP MSP Emma Roddick has claimed that the UK's exit from the EU has harmed the chances of young people in the region from being able to take up roles in the arts. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament last month, Emma said: "Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, but was dragged out by [...]