Douglas Alexander MP

Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Paisley Daily Express Column - 25 Nov 2009

MAKING SURE RENFREWSHIRE GROUPS CASH IN ON LOTTO CASH

Last Thursday a meeting was held in the Wynd Centre to bring together groups and charities from across Renfrewshire and funding organisations that can help them.

For years I’ve been campaigning and working to make sure local organisations here in Renfrewshire get their fair share of award cash.

The meeting brought together Renfrewshire Council for Voluntary Services members with representatives from Comic Relief, the Big Lottery Fund, BBC’s Children in Need, and Awards for All.

Awards for All is a small grants scheme supported by three of the National Lottery distributors in Scotland: The Scottish Arts Council, Big Lottery Fund and Sports Scotland.

Recently the Paisley Carers Support Group were awarded £1,155 whilst the Renfrewshire Deaf Women’s Group were awarded £4,300.

Often relatively small amounts of money can make a real difference to local community groups, so I would encourage any local Renfrewshire group that is in need of extra funding, to apply for an “Award for All”.

To find out more about how to apply, go online to www.awardsforall.org.uk or call RCVS on 0141 587 2487.


MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK

I was out in Paisley last weekend knocking on some of the very doors that saw terrible flooding back in the early nineties.

It was a reminder of just how close to home is the threat of severe flooding here in Paisley and how much we all owe our emergency services.  

Last week, in Cockermouth and Worthington, we were all reminded of the bravery and sacrifice of our policemen and women when disaster strikes. In different ways and at different times, we all rely on our local police to keep our community safe.


JOHNSTONE LIGHTS UP… DESPITE THE DOWNPOUR

It was pouring on Saturday, but that didn’t dampen our spirits in Houston Square. The Alexanders were there to see the Christmas lights switch on.

This celebration came just a week after chart topper Lemar helped light up Paisley with a great performance as the Dunn Square lights were switched on.

In Johnstone, Clyde One Roadshow hosts Gima McKie and Gavin Pearson were on hand, along with the junior and senior choirs from Johnstone High, despite the downpour.

There are now only THIRTY days left till Christmas – so now’s the time to support our local town centres and use them to buy those special gifts for friends and family.

 
FURY AT FORTNIGHTLY COLLECTIONS

On Sunday afternoon I was out knocking on doors in Paisley and one issue kept coming up. Local people simply don’t understand why the Council has forced through fortnightly bin collections.

All of us support new efforts to encourage recycling, but how does fortnightly collecting of rubbish help?

Some houses just cannot accommodate an extra, third wheelie bin. I just don’t see why we can’t improve recycling rates here in Renfrewshire without the Council cutting important services like a weekly rubbish collection.