EVENT CELEBRATING COLLABORATION BETWEEN COLUMBA 1400 AND CLACKMANNANSHIRE COUNCIL IN PARLIAMENT ORGANISED BY KEITH BROWN MSP  

The MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Keith Brown, has recently organised and hosted an event in the Scottish Parliament, celebrating the partnership between young people’s charity Columba 1400 and Clackmannanshire Council.  

Columba 1400 is an organisation which supports young people in transforming their lives, making a difference in their community and becoming the change they want to see in the world, guided by a Values-Based Approach.  

For many young people and professionals across Clackmannanshire, this has meant taking part in extensive training and teamwork programmes, focusing on the values of awareness, focus, creativity, integrity, perseverance, and service.  

At the event, many speeches were given, including by the young people themselves, giving voice to the transformative effect that the experiences and training provided by Columba 1400 has had on their lives.  

The event was well attended by elected members of the Scottish Parliament and Clackmannanshire Council, as well as staff from Clackmannanshire Council and the Scottish Government, and a number of pupils and staff from Alva Academy, Alloa Academy and Lornshill Academy.  

In his opening speech for the event, SNP MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Keith Brown, said: 

“First of all, I want to welcome everyone to this reception this evening; our young people, staff, teachers, elected members, those here from the Scottish Government, from Columba 1400 and any other organisation interested in the work that Columba 1400 and Clackmannanshire Council have been doing in my constituency.   

“As MSP for Clackmannanshire & Dunblane, I am committed to improving the lives of everyone in the communities that I serve, and that’s why I am proud to have sponsored this event tonight, celebrating the work of Clackmannanshire Council and Columba 1400.   

“For those of you who don’t know, Columba 1400 is an organisation which supports young people in transforming their lives, making a difference in their community and becoming the change they want to see in the world, guided by a Values-Based Approach.   

“I am excited to hear how that Values Based Approach is empowering young people and families across Clackmannanshire, as well as inspiring the staff at Clackmannanshire Council and people across the wider area, with that Values Based Approach to supporting our young people.  

“It is particularly important, I feel, that we are hosting this event in this Parliament, which is of course designed to be accessible to the people, and is guided by its own values of Wisdom, Justice, Compassion and Integrity, as you can see inscribed into the Parliamentary mace that sits at the front of the debating chamber, as a reference to the values that the people of Scotland aspired to for this place.  

“I’m sure you will agree with me that those values are ones that we should all aspire to, and that Columba 1400, and many of the people in this room this evening, lives up to.”