KIND-HEARTED volunteers in Gourock are stepping up their efforts to keep people warm as the first cold snap of the winter grips Inverclyde.
The Gourock Community Engagement Group is supporting drop-in 'bowl and blether' events at St John's Parish Church in the town and at the nearby Coppermine Community Centre.
The group was set up to help locals struggling to cope with hefty increases in heating bills and with the cost-of-living crisis more generally.
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Their incredible efforts were recently recognised by Inverclyde MP Martin McCluskey, who visited St John's to thank them for reaching out to those in need.
Volunteer Angela Slaven, who helped set up the group, said: "I think we recognised that there was a real need in Gourock for people to have somewhere to go.
"There are a lot of people in the town who live alone or who are alone during the day. They are in the house themselves and need somewhere to go.
"The community group came about because we needed to do something. We needed to make sure that there was no one missing out.
"The idea was to make sure that there was something on every day in Greenock West and Gourock."
Angela, who runs Zumbathon sessions at the Coppermine centre, which is run by the local Scouts, set up the 'soup and bowl' sessions there, which run twice a month.
As a result of their efforts, and thanks to Inverclyde Council's Warm Hand of Friendship funding last year, the drop-ins are proving a big hit.
The Coppermine started up their drop-ins in the autumn with a 'bake off' style celebration, with fantastic home made treats, and the sessions have stayed busy as temperatures have steadily - or, this week, suddenly - dropped.
Reverend Teri Peterson, minister at St John's, was on board with the engagement group and came along to the first meeting.
She said: "This is what church is all about. This is what we should be doing. I went along to the first meeting and it was very constructive.
New MP Martin McCluskey paid tribute to the group and the drop-in sessions in his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
He recently visited to hand them over a copy of his speech and talk to them about their work.
Afterwards he said: "It’s important to me, as MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, that I use my platform to highlight the great things that people across our community are doing.
"We know how much community spirit there is in our area and how people look out for each other and are always there to provide a helping hand.
"In my first speech in Parliament, I was really pleased to be able to highlight many of these groups and organisations.
"One of them was Bowl and Blether at St John’s Church in Gourock.
"As a councillor, I saw how much good work the team at St John’s did with the small grant they received from the council’s Warm Hand of Friendship programme.
"It’s a testament to their dedication that this group is still running several years later providing good company and a warm lunch to anyone who wants to drop in.”
Families, parents, toddlers, older folk, home care workers and passers by are all welcome to come along to the drop ins.
The Coppermine Community Centre drops in take place on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, from 11am until 1.30pm.
The sessions at St John's Parish Church run on the first and third Mondays of each month, from 12 noon until 1.30pm.
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