South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth this week visited Dalbeattie Men’s Shed to discuss his plans to bring forward a bill to the Scottish Parliament to create a dedicated commissioner for older people in Scotland.

The local MSP highlighted that one of the key roles of the Commissioner would be to tackle discrimination and prejudice against older people by highlighting the enormous contribution they make to local communities. He said Men’s Sheds such as Dalbeattie are a great example of that contribution.

The award winning Dalbeattie Men’s Shed provides an opportunity for local men from age 50 upwards to turn their hand to many skills from woodcrafting to specialist printing, which has benefited a huge number of local groups and businesses. The group have even built a replica of a Skeoch Cycle Car originally built in Dalbeattie over 100 years ago.

The visit to the Men’s Shed came after the Secretary of the local Dalbeattie group, as well as Ambassador for Men’s Sheds in the South of Scotland, Geoff Allison contacted the charity Age Scotland after he had read a report about the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales and asked if such a role could be created in Scotland.

At present, children and young people have standalone commissioners in each of the four nations of the UK, including Scotland, while Wales and Northern Ireland have commissioners for the older people.

Colin Smyth plans to bring forward a bill to create a similar post for Scotland and has been speaking to groups across the region and this week he attended Dalbeattie Men’s Shed with local Councillor Davie Stitt.

Colin Smyth said: “It was great to visit Dalbeattie Men’s Shed, which is a brilliant example of the enormous role older people take in our local communities, not to mention the contribution Men’s Sheds make to the mental and physical wellbeing of the men who go along.

“One of the key roles of my proposed Older People’s Commissioner for Scotland is about challenging the negative stereotypes of ageing and celebrating the immense positive contribution of those in later life. Too often they are portrayed in a negative way and talked about as a burden to society but from the workplace to our communities they make such a vital contribution.

“A commissioner will also have an important role in helping tackle issues that the members of the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed were keen to highlight to me, such as raising awareness of prostate cancer to the shocking level of suicide among men, often older men in isolated rural communities. I believe that the issues facing older people aren’t high enough up the political agenda and I want to change that.

“We have an Older People’s Commissioners in Wales and Northern Ireland doing a great job, and a big campaign for one in England. Why should older people in Scotland be any different?

“An Older People’s Commissioner would be the independent voice defending the rights, services and care of older people that was missing during the pandemic.

“Beyond that, it will help promote the positive role of those in later life, such as older workers.”

Colin Smyth added: “As always, it was a pleasure to visit Dalbeattie Men’s Shed and it was fantastic to speak to the group about my Bill, to get so much positive support for my proposals but also to learn more about the great work they are doing and the issues that matter to older people in our area.”

A consultation on establishing the post of Older People’s Commissioner for Scotland is currently at the half way point.

If you head along to www.colinsmythmsp.com you will be able to find out more and take part in the consultation before the closing date on 12 September.