MSP for the South of Scotland Emma Harper and Dumfries & Galloway MP Richard Arkless have praised the organisers of the Stranraer Show for an excellent event which celebrated the importance of agriculture to the region and provided an enjoyable family day out.
Commenting, Emma Harper said:
“As a dairyman’s daughter who was born near Stranraer, I attended the Cattle Show many times with my family. So it was particularly nice to be here and meet folk as a newly-elected MSP. It was also good to meet some of the many local organisations exhibiting at the Show, including the Mull of Galloway Trust and the D&G Blood Bikes.
“The Blood Bikes is a Scottish charity that supports the NHS by delivering blood samples to labs at other NHS sites leading to expedited analysis and treatment, as well as delivering urgent medical supplies.
“The service is run by volunteers who also provide an out of hours service which saves time, resources and ultimately helps save lives. I learned today that they have a website and great Facebook page to help tell people what they do and also help raise money for this organisation so if you would like to find out more, please take a look.”
Ms Harper added:
“While at the show I also had the unexpected pleasure of helping local kids entertainer Ross Bark (aka Road Runner) award the prizes for the 1st and 2nd place best dancers.
“The show is the highlight of the year for agriculture in Wigtownshire and really showcases our farmers and everything they do. It’s also a fun family day out, as Richard and I discovered!”
Dumfries and Galloway MP Richard Arkless said:
“The Cattle Show (as I’ve always known it) has always been about more than just the farming community – although it is hugely important for our local farmers it is also important for our community as a whole.
“The show brings everyone together for a day and it is really good fun for the whole family and for the grown ups – the town’s bars and restaurants continue feel the benefit into the late hours which gives our local economy an important boost.
“As an MP, the Cattle Show gives me an opportunity to chat informally with people from many different local organisations. I particularly enjoyed catching up with the Blood Bikers – they provide such an invaluable, but often invisible service and I look forward to supporting them in the months ahead.
“I’ve been going to the Cattle Show since I was a kid and I’ve always loved it. It’s great to now be bringing my own kids along too and we had lots of fun this time around. A personal highlight for me was a shot on a fireman’s pole – as someone who has a small fear of heights I enjoyed the challenge!
“I’m already looking forward to next year’s show.”
