Kilmarnock Railway Station – World War 1 Stories

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Kilmarnock Railway Station – World War 1 Stories

Back in May 2016 I appealed to constituents and local groups to consider applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund for community projects to learn more about the First World War. The Heritage Lottery Fund announced that they were making money available as part of the ‘First World War: then and now’ programme for small, community grants. This was to encourage local communities interested in marking the Centenary of the First World War to learn more about how the First World War affected the local area and the impact it had on communities.

Through this programme East Ayrshire Council Education Services has come together with the Kilmarnock Station Railway Heritage Trust and applied successfully for a grant of £10,000 for their project ‘Kilmarnock Railway Station – World War 1 Stories’.

I was delighted to be visited by Graham Boyd, Heritage Projects Coordinator East Ayrshire Council along with Sixth Year pupils from St Joseph’s Academy, Ann McGiffen and Ava Hepburn to find out more about the project.

Pupils from local primary schools and St Joseph’s Academy have been researching and developing an archive on a number of Kilmarnock Railway Station workers, employed by the Glasgow & South Western Railway Company and other nearby railway works, who volunteered or were enlisted to serve at The Front during World War 1.

The pupils want to build a picture of what the town was like before WW1 and the changes brought about due to the outbreak of war. Their research is uncovering many fascinating and largely untold stories both with a local and international dimension. In order to share this forgotten heritage with the public, the pupils along with many community groups associated with the Station Village are planning to host a display of the archive along with a service dedicated to the memory of these workers.

I have always been interested in WWI and I think this project combining social history along with consideration of some locals involved in the war is a fantastic way to get a wider understanding of what life really was like. I commend them for their efforts and look forward to the displays. 

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Neighbourhood Food Collection (30th June to 2nd July)

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Neighbourhood Food Collection (30th June to 2nd July)

I visited the  Neighbourhood Food Collection on the 1st July arranged by Tescos in conjuction with their charity partners The Trussell Trust and FareShare and added my donation and the bags collected in my Constituency Office.

Over the Neighbourhood Food Collection initiative (30th June to 2nd July) Tescos received enough food to supply approximately 7500 meals to those in need in the local community.

Even though the initiative has passed there is still an ongoing need and, if you can, food can still be donated directly to the Trussell Trust and FareShare or through Tescos collection points at over 600 of their stores nationwide.

Below is a suggested list of non perishable food suitable for the collection, any and all donations would be gratefully received.

  • Tinned meat
  • Tinned fish
  • Tinned vegetables
  • Instant mashed potato
  • Cooking sauces
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Jam
  • Fruit juice (long life)
  • Tinned fruit
  • Breakfast cereals
  • Tinned rice pudding
  • Tinned sponge pudding
  • Milk (UHT or powdered)
  • Instant coffee/Tea bags
  • Sugar (500g)
  • Biscuits or snack bars
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Food collection at Constituency Office - 23rd June to 1st July

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Food collection at Constituency Office - 23rd June to 1st July

Last December we took part in the Neighbourhood Food Collection arranged by Tescos in conjuction with their charity partners The Trussell Trust and FareShare.

Sadly the referals to foodbanks continue to increase year on year with over 60% citing low pay or changes/delays to benefits as the major factor causing the need for emergency food supplies. Across the UK 1.1 million 3 day emergency food supplies were distributed by the Trussell Trust in 2015/16, over 133000 in Scotland alone. (from Trussell Trust)

To help meet this demand Tescos will be holding their 8th Neighbourhood Food Collection between the 30th June and 2nd July with collection points at over 600 of their stores. We will also be taking part to help support the community by using the Constituency Office as a collection point.

If you would like to support this initiative please bring along any bags to the Constituency Office between 23rd June and 30th June. Alan will be visiting the local Tescos on the 1st to find out how the Collection is going and will take all food collected in the office along at that time. 

Below is a suggested list of non perishable food suitable for the collection, any and all donations would be gratefully received.

  • Tinned meat
  • Tinned fish
  • Tinned vegetables
  • Instant mashed potato
  • Cooking sauces
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Jam
  • Fruit juice (long life)
  • Tinned fruit
  • Breakfast cereals
  • Tinned rice pudding
  • Tinned sponge pudding
  • Milk (UHT or powdered)
  • Instant coffee/Tea bags
  • Sugar (500g)
  • Biscuits or snack bars
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Saying thank you to Natasha Kerr on Volunteers Week

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Saying thank you to Natasha Kerr on Volunteers Week

I was honoured to meet Natasha Kerr from Catrine during Volunteers Week and to thank her for her amazing contribution to volunteering in Kilmarnock and Loudoun. Natasha has devoted over 800 hours to coaching children and young people last year with the Catrine Youth Club, Kilmarnock Harriers and East Ayrshire Vibrant Communities through her Ayrshire College course.

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Broon's been Roon the Toon

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Broon's been Roon the Toon

It was the first ever Roon the Toon 10K in Kilmarnock on Sunday and I took part along with around 1400 other runners.  My wife Cindy and my office colleagues came to cheer me on and with their help I managed to complete the 10k road race in a respectable 51 mins and 42 seconds!

Well done to all the runners who took part in the 10K including family friend Megan who ran in memory of her wonderful Gran and my Parliamentary Assistant Neal who raised money for the East Ayrshire Carers Centre.

I raised money for Kieran and Jack in my Roon the Toon fundraiser  and people generously donated £228.75 (£190 before gift aid) to Gain - Guillain-Barre and Associated Inflammitary Neuropathies. 

Thank you to all those who contributed to a great day and a great event that brought over 1400 people into Kilmarnock on a Sunday and turned the town centre a hive of activity in the Doon the Toon festivities.

I hope that the event can become a regular event in future and encourages people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun to think about taking up physical exercise through sport and promotes a healthier lifestyle for everyone.

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Broon's goin Roon the Toon

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Broon's goin Roon the Toon

I am running my first 10k on 12th June as part of the Roon the Toon in Kilmarnock and after meeting Kieran and Jack recently I have decided to raise money for Gain Charity (Guillain-Barre & Associated Inflammatory Neuropathies).

Kieran (10) has lived with this painful and debilitating condition for 2 years and is thankfully now fully recovered but still needs some support and regular 6 monthly check ups.. He and his cousin Jack are now determined to raise awareness of this rare syndrome and fundraise to help others suffering with Guillan-Barre and other debilitating conditions. 

Kieran's cousin Jack has been growing his hair for 2 years for another charity, The Little Princess Trust, but decided that he could raise money for GAIN at the same time through his JustGiving page to support his cousin. Soon Jack will be donating the money raised to GAIN and his hair will be donated as a wig to a little girl who has lost hers because of cancer treatment.

If you want to help me support Kieran you can visit and donate to my Roon the Toon fundraiser or alternatively you can visit Jack's on JustGiving

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Stewarton Academy - S3 Modern Studies visit

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Stewarton Academy - S3 Modern Studies visit

I was delighted to be given the opportunity to talk to the S3 Modern Studies class at Stewarton Academy recently on my role as an MP. The students had prepared a number of questions which related to their coursework and I was impressed with the range of questions that were asked. I was keen to make it clear that although I gave my personal view on the topics they had chosen that I was willing to hear their views as well. It is always important to show that different points of view can be informed, considered and equally as valid and that debating them can add to the understanding of complex issues.

My visit was after the Modern Studies department had held a workshop and a mock election for S4 – S6 pupils, this was to inform those students eligible to vote on the process and what to expect from the Scottish Holyrood election.

I learned that the students were organised into groups and attended a workshop to discuss what qualities and skills their perfect representative would have, what their local policies would be for the local area and their priorities given a budget of £250,000. Each group were given an opportunity to present a ‘party political broadcast’ to the other groups and then vote for the candidate or Party they wanted to represent the Stewarton Academy constituency.

I was impressed that to highlight the importance of registering the process included checking that pupils were registered and if not they were prevented from voting.

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