New faces at helm of Seniors Together
Duo tasked with steering group through lockdown
A project that aims to improve the quality of life for older people in South Lanarkshire has a new chair and vice-chair.
Seniors Together provides a collective voice for older people on issues and topics that affect their lives. Their new chair is Catriona Mason, with the vice chair John Graham.
The group focuses on activities and opportunities, health and wellbeing, safety, information, Men’s Sheds and active days (although with the current Covid-19 restrictions the majority of the work has now shifted online).
Catriona, who first became involved with Seniors Together in 2010, said: “I was delighted to have taken on the role of chairperson, albeit in the middle of a global pandemic, and to be part of the re-structuring of the project to continue to work with our members during lockdown.
“This new slimline structure better meets the needs of providing a voice for Older People in South Lanarkshire.”
There are now two groups that meet to oversee the work of the project, the executive group and the organisational group.
The executive is made up of partners and members and is responsible for strategic work while the operational group is responsible for more issue-based and practical work including active ageing.
Catriona said: “Since March 2020 all our meetings have been online and our members have risen magnificently to the challenge of a completely different way of communicating.
“I became a trustee of the Scottish Older
Peoples Assembly in October 2020 and enjoy working with members from all over Scotland.
“Our Facebook page has enjoyed a huge increase in followers since the pandemic and it is encouraging to see so many older people join us on a daily basis.
If you have not joined us already I would welcome and encourage you do so.
“I am enjoying my retirement with all of the activities and events I have been involved in through the years with Seniors Together and have met many people who have become good friends.
“Due to the growing online presence, I have been able to continue to meet with them even although I have been at home since March 2020.
“I look forward to many more retired people joining Seniors Together and helping us to provide a collective voice for older people in South Lanarkshire.”
Vice-chair John added “After spending 43 years working in local authority I joined Seniors Together when I retired to make sure I didn’t let my brain retire too!
“The small dedicated team who run
Seniors Together do an excellent job and, as a volunteer, I saw this as a chance to become much more involved in assisting them achieve better things for older people in South Lanarkshire.
“All those who volunteer with Seniors Together feel that it gives them the chance to have a voice on issues that impact on their lives and the lives of older people in general.”
South Lanarkshire’s spokesperson for older people, Councillor Jim McGuigan, said: “Catriona and John have already settled well into their new roles, and have done an excellent job during what has been a very challenging period for everyone because of the global pandemic.
“I am sure they will help lead us through this period and we are all looking forward to better days ahead where we can get together and resume many of the wonderful projects that have had to be put on hold.”
Anyone wishing to find out more about the group should email christine. calder@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or visit the group’s Facebook page.
Ourmembershave risen magnificently to the challenge of a completely different way of communicating Catriona Mason
End of life charity, Marie Curie, is calling on people across Scotland to step into spring next month by completing a daily 10,000 step challenge to show support for those impacted by death, dying and bereavement.
Marie Curie’s flagship fundraiser the Great Daffodil Appeal - which is reaching its 35th anniversary next month – has, for the first time, had to cancel all of their iconic public collections for the campaign. The charity is facing a potential loss of over £3 million due to this, but is encouraging Scottish people to support in a variety of creative ways.
One way the charity is hoping their supporters will back the campaign is by donning their trainers, getting out in the great outdoors every day and walking 10,000 steps.
The Great Daffodil Appeal is the largest fundraising campaign in the hospice sector and, since it began in 1986, the money raised has helped Marie Curie run its essential frontline services providing care and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families across the UK. Last year, the charity saw a 16.5 per cent rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life, compared to 2019 and their support line saw a 20 per cent increase in calls too.
For more information on how to fundraise, donate or set up a virtual collection, visit: www.mariecurie.org. uk/daffodil
South Lanarkshire Council is set to trial pesticide-free weed killing this summer.
Exact details of the trials were not disclosed to the climate change and sustainability committee on Wednesday, February 10, but officers committed to report their findings in six months’ time. However, following previous trials, grounds services manager Ian Guild told the committee that the use of glyphosate-based weed killer“is the most efficient and effective at the moment”.
In December, councillors voted down a motion from Lib Dem group leader Robert Brown (Rutherglen South) to make South Lanarkshire pesticide free before they had more detail about the consequences.
A number of other councils across the UK, including neighbouring North Lanarkshire, have already committing to stop using pesticides.
The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer found glyphosate to be“probably”carcinogenic and the EU has called for its use to be reduced.
South Lanarkshire Council have taken steps to reduce the use of glyphosate-based weed killer but they still use almost 4500 litres every year.
Although the carcinogenic link has not been fully proven, Councillor Brown argued that the damage glyphosate causes to biodiversity was an important factor in considering its use.
He said:“The starting point is why do various reports encourage us to reduce the use of glyphosate if there are not perceived problems?
“People who know these things take the view that it is not desirable to have increasing amounts of glyphosate going into the ecosphere.”
In December, Larkhall councillor Peter Craig put forward an amendment to Cllr Brown’s motion which was accepted by the council.
He welcomed the report into the consequences of going pesticide free and argued that other options should still be considered.
Councillor Craig said:“The doing nothing option, I think as we move forward in the years to come, will be an option that we will be taking because not only does it help biodiversity, it helps reduce the amount of weed killer that we use.
“That is a bit of a controversial option but I think there is real merit in that. I am really happy to see that we as a council are investigating other avenues.”
Hamilton South councillor Lynne Nailon and leader of the Labour group Cllr Joe Fagan (East Kilbride Central North) also supported the doing nothing option provided communities could be mobilised to take on some of the responsibility for their areas.
Conservative group leader Councillor Alex Allison (Clydesdale East) added:“This is a very, very complex situation on how to take forward. It can’t be dealt with by council motions.
“I have, in my farming life, stopped using chemicals. That does not mean just stop because there are consequences. You need to look through these and manage how you can do these types of things. Sometimes it is possible, sometimes it is not.”
Mr Guild said:“There sees to be a general consensus that we’ve not found anything as suitable for dealing with the weed issue and the costs seem to be higher across the board.
“We have tried two alternative products. One was foam-based and the other was an alternative chemical but we have also got some information from local authorities who have tried a range of alternative methods.
“Those include different forms of contact herbicide, thermal treatment, flame treatment and acetic acid. None are really considered appropriate to take forward at this time.
“We will continue to review what is available on the market.”