Constituency

Glasgow Central MP, Alison Thewliss and actress and presenter Linda Robson have joined forces to ‘get behind the daffodil’ this March and help Marie Curie Nurses provide care and support to people living with a terminal illness.

Alison Thewliss and Linda Robson were pictured together with Marie Curie Nurses, Leonie Christian and Elisabeth Goze, at a parliamentary event in Westminster to celebrate the launch of the Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign.

Ms Thewliss pledged her support to the appeal and is encouraging local people to help the charity raise more money than ever before by simply giving a donation and wearing a Marie Curie daffodil pin, available from volunteers across the country, or Superdrug and WH Smith’s shops, and Wyevale garden centres, during March.

Ms Thewliss said: “Marie Curie carry out hugely important work in supporting people who are suffering from terminal illnesses. They are a fantastic organisation and I will be wearing my daffodil with pride this March”.

Linda, who plays Tracey in the hit television show Birds of a Feather, and co-presents ITV’s Loose Women, is a long-time supporter of Marie Curie, having experienced first-hand the vital work of the charity. She said: “Our mum Rita was cared for by Marie Curie and we could never have coped without their constant support and care in her final months. Our family still cannot put into words just how grateful we are.”

“I’m delighted to be here with Alison Thewliss to help launch the 30th anniversary of the Great Daffodil Appeal – and to thank personally Leonie and Elisabeth for their incredible care and support when we needed them the most.”

Scott Sinclair, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said:

“Having the support of Alison and Linda makes a huge difference to Marie Curie in terms of raising awareness about what we do and helping us to reach more people who need us.

“We know that seven out of 10 carers say people with a terminal illness don’t get all the care and support they need. We don’t think that’s good enough. That’s why we are asking MPs to commit to ensuring that everyone has the right to palliative care when they need it and help support our annual fundraising appeal.”

“Our services rely on charitable donations, so I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who gives a donation and wears a daffodil pin during March.”

The money raised from the Great Daffodil Appeal will help Marie Curie Nurses provide care and support to people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones at home and in one of the charity’s nine hospices.”

To coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie has also published a new report which shows that people living with blood or brain cancer – which together account for around 10% of all cancer deaths annually – are more likely to miss out on care and support focussed on providing relief from symptoms, pain and emotional stress. The report, backed by Bloodwise and the Brain Tumour Charity, argues that all people with cancer should have their palliative care needs assessed when they are first diagnosed.

For more information about the Great Daffodil Appeal and to volunteer to collect for Marie Curie, please call 0845 601 3107* or visit mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil. To donate £5 text *DAFF to 70111 or call 0800 716 146 and donate over the phone.

Alison Thewliss MP is supporting the Air Quality Bill, published yesterday with the support of the British Lung Foundation, Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. The Bill, presented by Geraint Davies MP, follows a report from the Royal Colleges that diesel fumes cause 40,000 premature deaths every year from lung cancer, strokes and heart disease. Diesel fumes also lead to underdevelopment in children and impact on foetuses, among other health effects.

The Air Quality Bill makes provisions for emissions testing to reflect on-road driving conditions, and assessment at the point of MOTs. The Bill also empowers local authorities to designate low emissions zones and pedestrianisation, and promotes cleaner public transport alternatives such as tram systems and LPG-powered vehicles.

The Environment Agency would be able to step in when a pollution cloud has hit an area, so that windows, doors and even roads can be closed, and if necessary local people evacuated until it is safe to return.

Alison Thewliss MP said, “Diesel pollution causes 40,000 deaths a year, and costs £20bn according to the Royal College of Physicians. That is why I am supporting the Air Quality Bill, published today, which aims to save thousands of lives and billions of pounds. This is achieved through effective emissions testing, following the Volkswagen emissions scandal and promoting greener transport systems and vehicles.

“Local residents in Glasgow are rightly concerned about their children coughing and wheezing, especially if children are already asthmatic. We now know that these health effects, and indeed thousands of deaths, are caused by toxic diesel fumes, which is why I am keen to support this important Bill.”

Geraint Davies MP, who published the Bill, said “Our cities are pumping out diesel clouds which threaten the lives of families, in particular young children and unborn babies. The Bill will ensure reliable vehicle emissions testing, new powers for councils to clean up local air, and a focus in the Budget on sustainable transport. This will help save thousands of lives and billions of pounds lost to diesel pollution.”

Dr Penny Woods, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, said: “Air pollution causes tens of thousands of early deaths every year, increases the risk of lung cancer and impairs child lung development. Geraint Davies’ Bill further highlights these unacceptable dangers to the nation’s lung health. Immediate action must be taken by the government.”

On 1st March Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, attended the launch of the first All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fairtrade at a special breakfast event in Parliament for MPs to mark Fairtrade Fortnight (29 February-13 March). The event also heard from the International Development Minister Desmond Swayne, Co-Chairs of the APPG Holly Lynch MP and Jason McCartney MP, and two Fairtrade farmers, Julio Mercado Cantillo, a Colombian banana farmer and Patrick Kaberia Muthaura, a tea farmer from Kenya who have travelled to the UK for the campaign.

Ms Thewliss also met campaigners and secondary school students from West Yorkshire, who are supporting this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight campaign which is highlighting the hunger faced by millions of farmers in developing countries who, despite working hard to grow some of the UK’s favourite foods, do not earn enough to know where their next meal is coming from.

The event was also supported by UK retailer the Co-operative which provided breakfast refreshments and is doubling donations during Fairtrade Fortnight as part of its online growingstories.coop project which shares the experiences of farmers with the UK public.

Commenting on the launch of the APPG, Ms Thewliss said:

“I’m delighted to be supporting the Fairtrade movement. I am pleased that many events will be taking place across my constituency in support of Fairtrade Fortnight and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their efforts in supporting positive change for the world’s farmers, who supply us with essential products every day.”

Michael Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, said:

“Communities have always driven the Fairtrade movement, by using the pound in their pockets to make a positive change and by campaigning for better, fairer and more sustainable trade regimes enabling people to lift themselves out of poverty.

“This Fairtrade Fortnight, as thousands of communities stand in solidarity with the farmers who grow our breakfast products, I’m delighted that the people of Holme Valley have shown that action can lead to change. Establishing this APPG is a huge achievement and provides an opportunity for the public, parliamentarians and businesses to work together and make a difference to the lives of farmers around the world.”