A new MP has met with a local community group to foster close relationships with her constituents.
Patricia Ferguson, MP for Glasgow West, visited Kingsway Community Connections on Monday, August 5 to hear about their concerns on behalf of local residents.
Over some tea and biscuits, board members from the Scotstoun group were able to discuss issues within the area including the effect of covid, the cost of living crisis and austerity.
Lainy Bedingfield, managing director of the group, says fostering these relationships is important for the people who come to them for help.
She said: "I had contacted Patricia, I congratulated her on her successful candidacy representing Glasgow West and I invited her to come in and have a chat with us.
"Patricia assured and committed that she would try her best to speak up and support this sector in parliament, which was very welcome.
"It's very important that we foster close working relationships with all elected members so that we can support them when they're taking on casework on behalf of residents.
"If we build that relationship, we can be a conduit between the resident and the elected member.
"We are often frontline, the residents know the staff here, they are on first-name terms. So there's a lot of trust involved there, so if we can have that relationship with elected members."
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Patricia was also able to share how she has been adjusting to life in Westminster and Lainy was able to share their excitement for their upcoming 25th anniversary.
Lainy added: "It was really relaxed, we had some pastries, some biscuits and some fruit. Patricia told us about adjusting to life in Westminster and then we just had a little conversation.
"Our 25th birthday will be November next year, but we'll be doing a host of different things throughout the year.
"It was a nice meeting. It's just really warm and you get a sense that she's genuinely concerned and supportive of her constituency.
"I just hope to see that being the case over the years."
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