An exhibition telling how 10 members of the public have connected with the Scottish Parliament to effect change opens at the Borders College Campus in Galashiels on January 14.
“‘Moving Stories’ has been travelling around Scotland since 2009, bringing a combination of photographic portraits and audio-visual material to venues across the country,” a Holyrood spokesperson said.
“The exhibition tells of the experiences of 10 people who have made a difference in devolved Scotland through petitions, placements and engaging with the Scottish Parliament.”
Sadly though, TheSouthern spotted no one from the Borders had made the list.
However, welcoming the exhibition to the Borders, Holyrood Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick said: “More than 200,000 people have already seen this exhibition as it has travelled across Scotland.
“I am delighted that it has now arrived in the Scottish Borders as it is important that the Scottish Parliament connects with the drive, inspiration and ambition of people around the country.
“There are many ways to get involved with the parliament, whether it be through campaigning, submitting a petition or connecting with MSPs at a member-sponsored event or exhibition, and ‘Moving Stories’ aims to bring some of these methods to life.”
The stories include John Muir, from the west of Scotland, who submitted a petition on tackling knife crime following the death of his sonDamian.
“I think that the public in Greenock and surrounding areas did recognise that the situation that Damian found himself in could have been their son or their daughter … something’s got to change,” he said.
The testimonies also feature Amal Azzudin, from Glasgow, who campaigned against the practice of dawn raids on failed asylum seekers.
“What the campaign has achieved more than anything is raising awareness … that was all we could do,” he writes.
The ‘Moving Stories’ exhibition will remain on display at the campus until February 1.