Christmas message from Provost John McMillan.
Season's greetings.
Christmas means different things to different people. For some it is an occasion for celebration and joy - for others it can be a challenging time. Whatever Christmas means to you personally I hope that we can all benefit from the joyous atmosphere it can offer and participate in the ‘spirit’ of Christmas.
The festive period can be a great catalyst that inspires positive community spirit and brings people together from all cultures and backgrounds. As Provost I am fortunate to be able to witness the wonderful community spirit shown throughout the year across the county and meet so many people, groups, organisations and businesses that make this area such a fantastic place to live, work, visit and invest in.
At this time of year, we also hear a lot about the ‘spirit of giving’ and for me I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have given their time, support and expertise to help others. I feel we have much to be grateful for in East Lothian with people helping to organise a range of events that benefit residents and visitors alike from Gala Days to sporting fixtures, concerts to exhibitions, our various In Bloom volunteers to Farmers’ Markets.
I would also like to acknowledge the importance of our local business owners and retailers, who are the lifeblood of our communities. Many have experienced challenging times in recent years so I would encourage that we all ‘shop local’ as much as we can.
At this time of year we can reach out to others in many small but significant ways – sometimes without realising the impact that this can have. Whether in the emergency services, business community, public services or the voluntary sector, there are so many unsung local heroes who do tremendous work and jobs that benefit others. I know that there will be many who will be working over the Christmas and New Year period and I would like to extend special thanks to those who are.
Finally, I would like to wish you all the spirit of Christmas and a peaceful New Year.