The branch had been looking for a way to celebrate John’s lifelong commitment to the labour and trade union movement – and to his beloved Hearts football club. Monica Niven from UNISON and Keith Ferguson of the Heart of Midlothian Disabled Supporters Club came up with the idea of setting up a seated rest area for disabled Hearts fans at the back of the Gorgie Stand with a plaque in John's name.
Although his type of rest area is in place at some English football grounds, this is the first of its kind in Scotland.
Speaking at the short ceremony in December, branch president John Stevenson said of John Ross: “For him, disability was always a trade union issue – always a political, as well as a social issue. What we have today is a celebration of Rossi in hard copy – he didn’t do electronic versions.
“A celebration that we can come back and look at – but most of all, that lets us share our love, respect and affection with all the people who come to this place that he loved.”
See the report on the Heart of Midlothian website at http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20130103/sitting-pretty_2241384_3025700
And more details on UNISON City of Edinburgh at http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/johnrosscelebration.html