PIONEERING POLITICIAN HEADS FOR NORTH KESSOCK MARKET

22 February 2011

COLOURFUL politician Robin Harper is to visit a flagship community market on the Black Isle this weekend as part of a whistlestop tour of the north.

The Caithness born Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians made history when he became the UK’s first elected Green parliamentarian in 1999.

During a stop off in North Kessock he will be finding out how almost £86,000 brought to the area by Transition Black Isle has been spent on a range of innovative projects, from boosting food growing skills and creating community gardens to helping people green their homes.

North Kessock Community Market has gone from strength to strength since its launch just over a year ago, attracting increasing ever-increasing numbers of shoppers keen to ‘buy local’.

Saturday’s event, which will be held at the school due to ongoing refurbishments at North Kessock Hall, runs from 10 to noon and will feature fresh local vegetables and produce as well as a range of crafts. The market will be followed by a winter vegetable cookery demonstration. Laura Brickell of Transition Alness will demonstrate how to make the best of the season’s fresh vegetables with mouthwatering and hearty home-cooked dishes.

Mr Harper said Transition Black Isle was one of hundreds of projects across Scotland to benefit from the Climate Challenge Fund, which supports communities in tackling climate change.

“It’s my strong belief that the Government should be doing anything it can to allow communities to strengthen themselves and take action at a local level.

“Projects like those being undertaken by Transition Black Isle create win-win situations. They are vital in building social capital, which is what we need to be about. Rather than seeking solutions from the top, people find it much more exciting to do things for themselves.

“I think that Transition is one of the most exciting developments across Scotland for decades. It was the Green Party which pushed the idea of providing funding for these kinds of initiatives.

“When people get the freedom to do things for themselves all sorts of magic happens.”

The Climate Challenge Fund is a joint initiative between the Greens and Scottish Ministers, and bids for further funding for the next financial year are now being considered.

Mr Harper is expected at North Kessock Market from 10:45am to 11:15am on Saturday. He will also attend Rosemarkie Amenities’ curry night in Rosemarkie Hall on Friday, visit Forres Community Gardens and host a drop in session at the Spectrum Centre in Inverness from 11:30am to 1:30pm.

Highlands and Islands Green Party list candidate Eleanor Scott will accompany Mr Harper on his Black Isle engagements.

She said: “Recent events in the Middle East show us how vulnerable our oil dependence makes us. Organisations like Transition Black Isle play an important role in moving to a world without cheap oil, as well as tackling the threat of climate change.“.

Inspired by the idea of doing things for yourself? Then make sure you go to see a free screening of the film 'No Impact Man' on Sunday 27 February, at The Stables, Cromarty, Starts: 19:15, Ends: 21:30. More details and directions on the events calendar.