Battling Villagers Rewarded For Efforts

THIS week I had the pleasure of congratulating community activists in New Deer as they won the Calor Scottish Community of the Year Award, when I attended the ceremony which was held in Edinburgh.

I am absolutely delighted for the village and for the people who helped bring this honour to Buchan.

I believe one of the main reasons it was won has been the positive and battling spirit displayed by the village when it was faced with losing its only bank.

It is quite unprecedented for a community faced with this situation to take the campaign to other financial institutions and manage to attract a new bank to set up in the village.

There are many other facets of village life which make New Deer such a great place, but this campaign was absolutely key and I am thrilled for the campaigners that their hard work has been recognised in this way.

I hope that other villages and communities from Banff and Buchan will be following in New Deer's footsteps by challenging for next year's award.

These awards highlight the benefits of village life and shows that there is such as thing as society.

I am never surprised when the Banff and Buchan character is recognised, because having encountered and sampled the hospitality and friendship of the people of the area I know that others too would appreciate it. This is another selling point that some people might say is unique to the North-east.

And, I must say, I am proud and honoured to be representing the people of Banff and Buchan.

Smoking change in the air

AN EXPERT group on smoking prevention has published its recommendations, and, as a result, the Health Minister agreed to change the law by raising the legal age for buying cigarettes.

This step may be introduced by the first anniversary of the smoking ban, which so far has proved a success, as the vast majority of Scotland's citizens have observed the ban.

The response from those people who have worked in places where smoking was rife have stated that they feel the health benefits, so I welcome the fact that there will be legislation to raise the age of buying cigarettes from 16 to 18.

We must remind ourselves of the stark facts associated with smoking. About 12 times more people in the UK have died from smoking than were killed during World War II.

And the population of Scotland – 5 million people – died from smoking-related diseases across the world in 2000.

In Scotland, tobacco use kills 13,000 people in every year, and this makes it one of Scotland's greatest public health challenges.

When it comes to the youth of Scotland, the more barriers we can put up to stop them entering a lifelong habit of smoking must be acted upon.

Five per cent of boys and 7% of girls are regular smokers at the age of 13. This rose to 14% and 24% by the age of 15.

This highlights the need for a change of thought and, if the new law is passed, I hope that it is just as successful as the smoking ban.

It's time that Scotland kicked its sick-man of Europe tag into touch.