A PEEBLES woman has been chosen to be part of a virtual exhibition created by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) ahead of COP26.

Lorna McNae, 40, is one of 45 contributors who wrote poems about their vision of a greener Scotland for the exhibition.

The virtual exhibition, named the Great Scottish Canvas, includes artwork, a poem by Alexander McCall Smith, and a book written by Jackie Kay.

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“I thought that the Great Scottish Canvas was a really positive way to demonstrate to our own and other world leaders and delegates attending COP26 that Scottish people are passionate about climate action and to welcome them to Scotland,” said Lorna, a communications manager for a company delivering sustainable infrastructure in Africa.

“I was proud and surprised that my poem was chosen, I’ve had a look at the gallery and there is a real variety of wonderful artwork and poetry on show from all ages and parts of Scotland which is great to be a part of.”

The Great Scottish Canvas will also be shown at the COP26 conference in Glasgow in November.

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Lorna told the Border Telegraph that she was inspired by the environmental efforts of other countries.

“I wanted to reflect my vision of a Scotland that has taken the steps needed to create a better environment for both people and the environment and which prioritises peace – Costa Rica disbanded its army and has invested in renewable energy and rainforest restoration and I feel it’s a positive example of where Scotland could go with all of our natural assets,” she said. “I hope that the exhibition can give people hope that there are tangible steps we can take to protect, not only Scotland, but the wider world from the impact of current and future climate change and to care deeply about our land and each other.”

 Lang Banks, Director at WWF Scotland, said: “We were blown away by the quality of work sent to us, and also delighted that so many people wanted to get creative in sharing their hopes for a fairer, greener Scotland with us.

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“The strength of The Great Scottish Canvas is that it belongs to everyone – it is a platform for diverse voices from across Scotland. It’s a place where people who may not necessarily be climate activists or engaged in policy debates have the opportunity to share their own ideas and hopes for the future.”

To view the exhibition, visit: www.wwf.org.uk/updates/great-scottish-canvas