Callum Isted, the Scottish Parliament’s youngest ever petitioner, is giving evidence to MSPs on the Citizens Participation and Public Petitions Committee.
Seven-year-old Callum, who is a pupil at Dedridge Primary School in Livingston, submitted a petition, which received 146 signatures, to the Committee calling on the Scottish Government to replace disposable water bottles in Scotland’s primary schools with a more sustainable option.
Starting with his own school, Isted raised £1400 by completing the John Muir Way in stages to raise money for steel bottles for all the children in Dedridge Primary.
And now, at its meeting on Wednesday, the Committee will hear about the success Callum had in raising money to buy reusable water bottles and what action he would like to see taken on the issue.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon praises youngest ever person to bring petition to Holyrood
Convener of the Committee, Jackson Carlaw MSP said: “Creating a public petition lets the Parliament know about the issues that are most important to people across Scotland.
“At 7 years old Callum is our youngest ever petitioner and he’s already campaigned for – and brought about – positive change in his own school.
“Now he wants to see that change extend across the whole of Scotland. I look forward to hearing more from him tomorrow and what he hopes we can do to help his campaign achieve wider success.”
Callum’s petition was also raised with the First Minister last week, when the Convener’s Group questioned her on issues around Covid-19 recovery and net zero.
Callum said: “I am going to Parliament on 9th March 2022. I am going to ask the Committee for two things:- to give every primary school pupil in Scotland a Klean Kanteen; - to fix the broken taps in schools so that we can use the bottles properly. I am feeling confident and excited to be able to speak to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee and maybe Nicola Sturgeon.”
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