World Book Day: Annanhill Primary
/World Book Day is always a fantastic event. It’s great to see the kids and teachers all making an effort and dressing up to celebrate. On Twitter, I was able to see some wonderful pictures of schools all across the constituency making the most of it.
Ahead of World Book Day itself, on Thursday (2nd March), I visited Annanhill Primary to mark the occasion. I read Horrible Histories: Frightful First World War to the P4GM class.
For me, this was perfect as I was able to relate one of my biggest interests to the pupils. I have a great passion for history, and in particular, the First World War, and the class were brilliant.
We carried out a quiz with the class and I also participated in a Q&A with the pupils which was really fun. The importance of reading cannot be underestimated, and it is vital we do all we can to convey this.
Despite living in a digital age where everything is accessible at the click of a button, nothing beats picking up a hardback and reading away at your own leisure! It was refreshing to see how keen the kids were.
Many thanks to P4GM, Mrs Gemmell and everyone at Annanhill for having me.
Fuel Poverty Report (Wise Group)
/It was a pleasure to attend The Wise Group’s parliamentary reception at Westminster led by Ewan McCall, a former constituent.
Great to hear of the fantastic work they carry out, especially during this cost of living crisis.
At the lectern is Lord Bird, founder of The Big Issue.
You can view the report on fuel poverty from the launch below.
Net-Zero Stagecoach Fleet
/I was delighted to attend Stagecoach West of Scotland's launch of 27 new zero-emission buses at Ayr bus station on Monday (21/2/23).
The Scottish Government have invested around £15.7m in this project which will see 25 Volvo BZL single-deck buses, the first to operate in the UK, added to the West Scotland electric fleet. Additionally, two Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) BYD single-deck buses will be introduced, taking the total ADL fleet to 17.
These buses will operate all across Ayrshire and is a massive step towards our leading climate change targets and Net-Zero goals.
I already use one of the buses in the Number 1 service from the Irvine Valley to Kilmarnock - it is fantastic. Therefore, I am really looking forward to this fleet being on the road by March and available for users across Ayrshire and the West of Scotland.
Visit: Royal Mail
/Yesterday I enjoyed meeting with representatives from Royal Mail at my local depot at Queen’s Drive in Kilmarnock.
The purpose of the visit was to learn more about PDAs (Postal Digital Assistants). It is a matter which has been controversial with a lot of postal workers feeling that it is infringing on their privacy and essentially tracking them as they work.
I spoke with workers on the floor and members of their Union before noting some of their concerns and raising these with their superiors.
It was reassuring to hear that the PDA data cannot be accessed for live tracking in place. The management figures were adamant that the purpose of this device is to improve efficiency and they do not have the capacity to spy on workers.
They hope the data it gathers will spread the workload better for workers and identify areas which are of higher demand and need more assistance.
The discussions with both parties were positive and it was great to have an open dialogue which I hope provided a lot more clarity for both sides.
It was also great to see the relationship between the management team and Denis, the local Union Rep, I liked the fact they could both raise their concerns and still maintain a strong working relationship – it is a testament to the individuals as a lot of other workplaces may not be as receptive.
That doesn’t mean however, that that there are not concerns about the use and monitoring of the PDA data, and there is no doubt that the Royal Mail workforce feels “big brother” is watching them. the company has to do more to prove this is not the case.
I look forward to being kept up to date with the proceedings and being part of the BEIS Select Committee's ongoing enquiry.
Picture L - R: Emilio Jaconelli, John Paul Hannan, Alan Brown MP, Denis Connelly (CWU Local Rep).
Video: Net-Zero
/"...the reality is that the Scottish cluster needs to commence in order for Scotland to meet their 2030 target of a 75% emission reduction."
Darvel F.C.
/It just wasn't to be...
The boys did so well to get themselves back in the game and were unlucky not to equalise during that spell in the second half.
This cup run will live long in the memory and what a magnificent effort from everyone involved to get to this stage.
It may be the end of this year's senior Scottish Cup but the club's journey is far from over - Mon the Vale
Visit: Ayrshire Credit Union
/Appreciated the time of Aaron Kerr (Chairperson) and Tom McWhirter (Manager) yesterday as I visited Ayrshire Credit Union in Kilmarnock.
For those unaware, Ayrshire Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that offers financial support to its members. To become a member, all you have to do is live or work in Ayrshire.
The new premise is looking fantastic and the location on the town's King Street is perfect - both Aaron and Tom commented that footfall has increased since their move and membership is up.
They gave a great insight into their initiatives and I was glad to hear about their partnership with East Ayrshire Council's Financial Inclusion Team in relation to cost of living support.
For further information on this and more information on how they can assist please drop in and see them.
