Marie Curie Marie Curie Cancer Care does fantastic work in supporting patients with cancer, their carers and families. As well as hospices throughout the UK, Marie Curie also supports cancer patients at home. I know many of my constituents have had a direct and positive experience of support from Marie Curie. I was therefore pleased to be able to lend my support to the Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal at the Scottish Parliament. I met with staff and heard at first hand about their work across Scotland, but also here in Renfrewshire. The appeal is Marie Curie’s biggest fundraiser and donors are asked to wear the daffodil pin to help raise awareness of Marie Curie Cancer Care. I can’t praise the works of Marie Curie enough. Their support is caring and professional and makes a real difference to Renfrewshire families. If you want to get involved visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil or call 0845 601 3107.

Lochwinnoch Station I’m backing local Councillors Derek Bibby and Chris Gilmour in their call for Transport Scotland to provide better disabled access at Lochwinnoch Station. The station is a real asset for Lochwinnoch but it’s wrong that disabled passengers are being overlooked. 92,000 passengers per year use Lochwinnoch so it’s a well used station. For some reason Transport Scotland, the Scottish Government’s transport agency, has decided that disabled passengers at Lochwinnoch are not a priority. I have written to the Transport Minister to ask for his help to release the necessary funds. I know Derek Bibby and Chris Gilmour have the backing of local villagers. Let’s hope the Scottish Government sees sense on this. I Am Me My children and grandchildren spent many happy hours with PACE, the local youth theatre company. PACE has started many young people on the road to a career in entertainment. But PACE has also been a pioneer in producing plays and shows with a strong social message to take into schools and the community. Along with Police Scotland, PACE is involved in a project which aims to raise awareness of disability hate crime and the devastating effect this can have on the victims. It’s hard to imagine that there are halfwits and morons who take pleasure in victimising people with disabilities. I Am Me helps to bring this to public attention and explores how incidents can be reported. I was pleased to endorse the I Am Me project for the community group category in the UK National Diversity Awards. The work of PACE and Police Scotland sends a powerful message that disability hate crime will not be tolerated.