MSP “heartened” by NYCoS phone call
Today, Galloway MSP Alex Fergusson and MP Russell Brown both spoke “at length” to National Youth Choir of Scotland chief Morag Campbell ahead of tomorrow’s crunch meeting between her and the parents of members of the Galloway Branch of NYCoS.
The last chief of the choir told parents by letterin April that the Galloway Branch was to be merged with the Dumfries choir after the summer, leaving the parents furious at the lack of consultation and the difficulties in continuing to be involved due to the distances involved.
Mr Fergusson told the Galloway Gazette: “Having reiterated my support for the continuation of the Galloway Choir, I was heartened by Morag Campbell’s approach to tomorrow’s meeting. She is commendably coming to meet with parents to listen to them, discuss the difficulties that NYCoS undoubtedly faces, put forward some ideas and proposals to address those difficulties and discuss any similar ideas and proposals that the parents might put forward themselves. That displays a much more inclusive approach than that of her predecessor, and I very much hope that the meeting will have a positive outcome.
“It is apparent that there will have to be changes, but I am optimistic that a way forward can be found to maintain the Galloway branch as an integral part of NYCoS.”
Russell Brown added: “I felt it was important to speak to the new Chief Executive of the National Youth Choir as soon as possible after she took up her new post at the start of the week. It was a positive discussion and I impressed upon her the importance of doing everything we can to keep the Galloway youth choir open.
“The parents have been in the dark about much of the problems facing the choir, which is why the letter in April from NYCoS announcing it was to close came out of the blue. I hope the meeting between parents and the Chief Executive will allow everyone to have an open discussion about the options to keep it going. I am confident that the issues can be resolved if there is a bit of give and take and I’m hopeful that there is a good future for the Galloway choir. The parents can be assured I will be fighting alongside them every step of the way.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Newton Stewart
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: West
