MSP for the Highlands and Islands region Emma Roddick today visited Highland BlindCraft in Inverness, a social enterprise providing employment and training opportunities for disabled people. Ms Roddick’s visit focused on the crucial role organisations like Highland BlindCraft play in tackling social isolation and poverty within the Highlands, filling gaps in provision while sustaining a [...]

I had a brilliant time at the beginning of this month at the Highland Parasport Festival in Grantown-On-Spey, organised by Scottish Disability Sport. It was wonderful to see all the kids getting involved and trying out some new sports. We know that sport is so important for physical and mental health, but also to address [...]

As part of her busy recess schedule, Highlands & Islands MSP Emma Roddick met with Autism Rights Group Highland (ARGH) this week to discuss the local campaigning group’s work in the Highlands. The group, which is run by and for autistic adults, campaigns for better services for autistic people and works to challenge stigma and [...]

Highlands & Islands MSP Emma Roddick has recently visited staff and service users at Special Needs Action Project (SNAP) in Inverness. The charity, which supports people with additional support needs, offers a range of clubs, activities, and social experiences. Commenting on the visit, she said: “It was brilliant to go along and hear about all [...]

Highlands & Islands MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed UNISON’s Year of Disabled Workers 2022, stating the importance of promoting the social model of disability and highlighting the benefits of inclusivity in the workplace. Speaking in the parliament chamber, Ms Roddick said that disabled people must be encouraged to self-identify as such and called for more [...]

Highlands & Islands MSP Emma Roddick recently visited staff, volunteers, and service users at L’Arche Highland. Ms Roddick visited two of the charity’s shared homes which each provide supported accommodation to up to seven adults with disabilities, and chatted to service users at the four workshops which give people with learning disabilities the chance to [...]

MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has today [Thursday 8th December] welcomed news that the Scottish Government has made progress on delivering its BSL National Plan. Ms Roddick said she was pleased to hear that the government’s policy Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 approach, which promotes the learning of modern languages, had [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has called for the Scottish Government to use its plan to improve services for those with chronic pain to introduce a pathway for dealing with conditions that cause it, after meeting with groups who campaign for better treatment of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare connective tissue disorder. The SNP MSP, [...]

SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands Emma Roddick has welcomed the news that progress has been made on closing the disability employment gap. In response to Ms Roddick speaking on the issue in the Parliament today [2nd NOVEMBER 2022], the Minister for Employment, Richard Lochhead, disclosed that the employment rate for disabled people in [...]

On her ambitious summer recess tour, Emma Roddick MSP has made the time to visit and support the Highland Riding Association for the Disabled (RDA), a charity aimed at offering fun activities to disabled children and adults. Commenting, Roddick said: "It was great to meet with the Highland RDA to find out more about how [...]