I WANT to begin my column by reminding Tele readers that I’m hosting a cost of living surgery this Friday in the Oak Mall.

This will be from 11am-2pm, with organisations including Home Energy Scotland, Advice Direct Scotland and Social Security Scotland in attendance.

If you have any queries relating to utility bills, energy efficiency improvements to your home, money worries or Scottish devolved benefits, please do pop along as the organisations will be able to advise you and provide support

If you’re not able to attend, as always please call or email me and my staff and I will do all we can to assist.

In a bid to try to help more people this winter, my staff are undergoing training this week from Home Energy Scotland so that we can provide fuel vouchers to constituents in need.

This is only a short-term fix, but I know it does help people who find themselves without money to heat their home.

Other services like Energy Advice Scotland, which is part of Advice Direct Scotland, can provide different support through the Home Heating Support Fund that should help deliver a more lasting solution for people in who are in fuel poverty.

They also offer advice on how to reduce your energy costs by making small changes that could have a big impact.

After my cost of living surgery, I’m hoping I’ll have time to pop along to Your Voice’s Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Macmillan Cancer nurses do such an excellent job helping people affected by cancer in Inverclyde and across Scotland, so if you’re able, please do pop along to Your Voice in Clyde Square on Friday between 11am-3pm.