Generous golfers support hospice
Win cash towards a new wardrobe
Following this week’s Children’s Appeal, I was very proud to present a cheque for £2500 raised by our Westwood Golf Club for the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).
CHAS do fantastic work with children who are suffering from long-term, intractable illnesses and their families.
They provide invaluable support and were delighted with this kind donation. It was also great to catch up on the day with Westwood golfer Gary Butterworth, who insisted on bringing out our P3-4 East Milton Primary School pictures. Great memories!
As part of my local Women Against State Pensions Inequality (WASPI) campaign I am speaking at an event this week alongside Mhairi Black MP, organised in Strathaven by Linda McCorrison, where we will be meeting affected women and their families.
If you or a member of your family is a woman born in the 1950s, who has experienced pension inequality, you might be interested in getting in touch for support or in coming along.
Statistics indicate that there are approximately 4300 women affected across our constituency.
As a member of the WASPI all-party parliamentary group, I have pledged to continue to do all I can to support the progress of this campaign.
Our WASPI petition will be presented to the House of Commons after recess.
This week I was delighted that, following our invitation, minister for business, innovation and energy Paul Wheelhouse came to Strathaven Mill to discuss further support available for development of the hydro and restoration project.
We have been working closely with Strathaven Mill and its volunteers since my election last year and it is imperative that we continue to make progress on this historic local initiative.
In terms of my work at Westminster, jointly with the committee on business innovation and skills, the international development committee recently published a report on arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
This recommended suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia alongside calls for an urgent, independent investigation into potential breaches of international humanitarian law.
The committee on armed export controls, on which I sit, heard expert evidence that UK arms are being used in indiscriminate bombing raids on civilian targets by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
It’s a disgrace that the UK Government are continuing to fail to act upon recommendations from this report that innocent civilians, including women, children and medical workers, are being killed indiscriminately in Yemen.
Last week, as a member of the foreign affairs team, I went to Berlin for important EU discussions alongside cross-party colleagues.
We met the German Federation of Business, MPs from the Bundestag, the Ministry of State for Europe and Peter Altmaier, chief of the German Chancellery.
Discussions highlighted how complicated Brexit is and the serious implications for trade and for attracting companies to Scotland, who will no longer use the UK as a platform to the EU.
Uncertainty plagues Brexit and businesses are already seeking alternatives which offer security. Protecting Scotland’s interests is key and this was discussed fully with EU representatives.
Further information can be found on my “Blog from Berlin”. The East Kilbride News and H&M have teamed up to offer a lucky reader the chance to win money towards a new wardrobe.
Local fashionistas will have the chance to get ready for autumn, or simply update their wardrobe, with a £25 voucher to spend at the H&M store in East Kilbride Shopping Centre.
The winner of last week’s H&M voucher was Mrs R Robertson of Westwood who can look forward to a spending spree.
To be in with a chance of winning our fantastic £25 voucher, simply fill in the coupon below with your name, address and a daytime telephone number and send your entry to H&M comp, East Kilbride News, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA. Entries must be received by Monday at noon.
Usual Media Scotland rules apply. Editor’s decision is final. Good luck!