PARLIAMENT

Well, it's been an eventful few weeks.

For a start, I got married to my fantastic partner Jen! It was a great day and a huge thank you for the many messages of congratulation that we received following our announcement.

This is a beautiful place and we have long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as a world class tourist destination but, for good or bad, the days when mystery and undiscovered gems would draw people to explore the area with limited information are long gone.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award I recently had the great pleasure of welcoming home Duke of Edinburgh participants after two days of activities in celebration of the origins of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, which originated from an idea that started at Gordonstoun right here in Moray.

It was back in the summer of 2014, that I first raised the idea of a £300m City Deal for Inverness. It has been quite a journey since then.

Finally! It's finished!

Not my political campaigning, but the bookshelves I've been building over the last few weeks! There's been some trial and error and some mildly frustrated grumbling on occasions but to have them up and holding books and even, if I do say so myself, looking pretty good is really satisfying.

Here is an interesting question; would you like to make a financial donation to a giant energy company of your choice?

School Studies : It is approaching exam time again for our young folk in high schools across Moray.

This will be my final column before the Scottish Parliament dissolves on 24 March ahead of the elections on the 5th May.

I have recently been involved in Modern Language sessions with pupils at Moray Secondary Schools.

Moray is steeped in history, culture and tradition and there is no greater reminder of this than the annual Burning of the Clavie in Burghead to mark the New Year.

It’s been a lively month at home between a new member of the household in the shape of Labradoodle pup, Marnie and a house move as well.

Let me start by saying a very Happy New Year to you and yours! I hope you had an enjoyable festive period and you’ve now recovered. New Year resolutions are easily made and even more easily broken. But one resolution I think we can all make quite easily is to continue to waste less and recycle more.