A Proud First Minister

On Saturday morning Brian and I joined OutBritain for their pre-Pride Edinburgh social meet. Not long after arriving Matt Dabrowski received a phone call from Paul, another OutBritain member, who is also a volunteer for the Scottish National Party. They were looking for an appropriate t-shirt for John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, to wear to Pride Edinburgh and could they assist?

Matt tells Paul that I’m sitting opposite him, and maybe I can help. There’s a quick three-way chat about which one of my t-shirts it should be. We settle on my Heart: Progress Pride design on a dark grey shirt. I immediately set off to collect the shirt and deliver it to Bute House, the First Minister’s official Edinburgh residence.

Walking home I remember my Saltire: Progress Pride t-shirt design. A game of telephone tag then ensues with this new suggestion, and I’m asked to deliver both t-shirt designs, so that Mr Swinney can choose. Which I do, and then return to the OutBritain event.

Later, as Brian and I participate in the Pride March, we meet Paul. He thanks us for assisting the SNP, tells us that John Swinney is wearing the Saltire motif t-shirt, and that he’d like to meet to say thank-you. All of which happens later at the LGBTQ Community Market event in the McEwan Hall.

Mr Swinney told me that when he saw my Saltire design he knew immediately that was the shirt for The First Minister of Scotland to wear to Edinburgh Pride.

Perfect!