Make the most of your opportunities

Linwood lottery boost In 2003 Linwood was awarded over half a million lottery monies to support better facilities and community health initiatives. Three years on and the final monies are now being allocated to the upgrading of the skatepark in Linwood and new changing facilities for  Linwood Rangers football club. Well done to those who put the bids together. It is good to see Linwood now getting its fair share of lottery money.

Over 60s

Anyone over 60 can now benefit from free, unrestricted bus travel throughout Scotland.  Whilst many just use the bus for short trips in and out of town and to and from Glasgow, others have ventured further afield with trips to Largs, Oban and Edinburgh to visit relatives and do some sightseeing. Some are even planning a trip to the Scottish Parliament. So if you are over the age of 60 and have not yet claimed your free bus pass contact Renfrewshire Council on 0141 842 5000 or Strathclyde Passenger Transport on 0141 333 3211 and make the most of this great opportunity.

The over 60s also often miss out on other benefits because they do not realise that they qualify. According to Age Concern older people are more likely than any other group to miss out on benefits, such as Council Tax Benefit. If you feel you or any member of your family is missing out, contact my office for a copy of my Dignity In Retirement booklet which gives details of benefits and support for pensioners. Tel: 0141 560 1025

Under 60s

And there is good news for the under 60s too. The new national minimum wage rates which will apply from October will see the adult rate rise from £5.05 to £5.35 an hour. Young workers aged between 18 and 21 will see their minimum hourly pay increase from £4.25 to £4.45.

Meanwhile on a more personal note – my big challenge since my last column has been trying to get my newborn twins into a routine. But it is proving easier said than done!

Most of the fashionable baby ‘gurus’ now champion “positive parenting” with its firm routine, no snacking and no dummies. But when I’ve tried to show the twins who’s boss, the final score has been Twins 3 – Wendy Nil.

But we are persevering! And as the nights shorten the babies’ sleeping happily lengthens. 

Certainly for some weeks yet the baby monitor and breast pump will continue to take precedence over my laptop and my Blackberry!  But there are other ways of staying in touch.  I am now a dab hand at taking calls at home “hands free” (or rather “twins full”). And the chance to cuddle one of the babies is a great incentive for my dedicated office staff to offer to drop round with some  constituency correspondence! 

I expect you  will be reading this on Easter Monday when we hope to take the twins on their first day trip to the promenade at Largs – weather permitting!