Jeremy Balfour, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Lothian Region, visited Oaklands School on Ferry Road this week where he heard first-hand about their tremendous achievement of winning a Gold award from sportscotland for school sporting opportunities.
Oaklands School provides a significantly modified learning environment for pupils with complex long-term additional support needs, and this gold award is a triumph for both the staff and pupils at the school.
Jeremy said : “I was delighted to hear about Oaklands Gold success at the sportscotland school sports awards. Oaklands school work extremely hard to support pupils who have a wide range of severe physical and learning disabilities and it is wonderful to hear they have rewarded for all their efforts. Obviously many sports need to be adapted to the needs of the pupils, but it’s fantastic to see the pupils engaging in a range modified sports activities. I was also impressed to see their ‘InnoWalk’ device, which is a motorised piece of equipment that gives some pupils with limited mobility the chance to experience assisted and repetitive movement in an upright, weight-bearing position.”
Jeremy has raised a motion at Holyrood to congratulate the school on their award and raise awareness among other MSPs of this achievement.
Jeremy Balfour was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament in May 2016. He is a member of the Scottish Parliament Social Security Committee and is the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Spokesperson for Social Security.
Born and bred in Edinburgh, Jeremy was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and went on to study Law at Edinburgh University and Theology at the London School of Theology.
Before becoming an MSP Jeremy worked in the legal profession and latterly as a Tribunal Member for DLA/PIP Tribunals and a number of faith-based roles including ministry work and the Scottish Churches Housing Action.
A lifelong Conservative, Jeremy was elected as an Edinburgh City Councillor in 2005, representing Corstorphine/Murrayfield Ward. He stood down as a councillor in May 2017.
He is married to Jude with twin girls. In his spare time he enjoys travelling, watching sport and reading.
