Thanks partly to information we published in The National, a new grassroots pro-independence group has been set up in Ayrshire.
Pensioners for Independence Ayrshire is off to a flying start thanks to funding from the Scottish Independence Foundation.
Pensioners for Independence Ayrshire (PIA) told us that their local part of the Yes movement came together after polls published in The National showed that the older age group are the demographic section least likely to support independence.
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That was the case in the 2014 referendum, and while subsequent polls have showed some change to Yes, the older age group still has a majority voting No.
Elected first chair of PIA, Geoff Caldwell, commented: “I’m a pensioner myself and a passionate and life-long independence supporter. A few of us have got together so that we can go out and speak to other pensioners locally about the benefits of independence for Scotland. And we hope that by speaking pensioner to pensioner we’ll be better able to get our message across.
“One of the things we’re pointing out is that currently our state pension is the lowest in Europe. Yet Scotland is a wealthy country and could afford to pay more. Independence would give us the powers to do this”.
The Ayrshire group is avowedly non-party political and is one of several local groups being set up the length and breadth of Scotland under the nationwide Pensioners for Independence banner.
It has already benefitted from some seed funding from the Scottish Independence Foundation via the national organisation.
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Geoff Caldwell said: “The financial support we have received from the Scottish Independence Foundation has been vital in helping us buy campaign equipment and materials.
“The funding is great news for us and will really help us in our activities to spread the independence message to fellow pensioners and indeed all Scots.
“Our first street stall was on Brexit day where we took our message to Irvine and were able to engage positively with other pensioners there. We are now able to plan further stalls and events.”
The latest news from Pensioners for Independence is that they now have groups of pensioners active in Greater Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Lothians, Selkirk, Fife, Perth, Dumfries and Galloway and now Ayrshire and other groups “looking likely” elsewhere.
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The group said: “We’re running stalls, designing leaflets and campaign materials, and inviting speakers to public and group meetings.
“Some us are very good at getting letters into the papers, some us are co-presenters on IndyLive Radio. There’s a lot to do.”
Indeed, it is clear there’s a lot to do for all ages.
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