CAMPAIGNERS in Prestwick welcomed undecided family and friends to an event to hear more about issues affecting women, including food poverty, and debate independence.

The day, organised by Prestwick SNP Branch, was the first face to face meeting since the pandemic.

SNP MSP for Ayr, Siobhian Brown, was a keynote speaker and shared her experiences of being a woman in politics and what needs to be done to encourage more women to get involved in the political process.

Angela McNay of Unity Grill, a social restaurant enterprise which aims to bring the Ayr community together and reduce social isolation through “the sharing of delicious food”, was also in attendance.

Brown spoke about the benefits of Scottish independence for women.

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Brown said: “It was a pleasure to attend and speak at the SNP Prestwick Ladies Day. We had some fantastic discussions and debate about the issues that matter most to women in the area.

“It was interesting to see how many of those who were undecided about Scottish independence were more convinced towards the end of the day. I believe that only with an independent Scotland we can address the inequalities that hold us back that countless Westminster Governments have failed to tackle”.

SNP Prestwick women and equalities officer Kirsten Johnston said community engagement allows members to understand different challenges facing the area from different perspectives, and opens up the discussion for independence.

Johnston added: “This type of event enables information to be provided to the women in our local area about the many fantastic organisations in Scotland that help women out of poverty and to achieve their ambitions. The feedback since the event has been very positive.

“We now plan to build a purpose charter and schedule of events for next year, with the key sentiment and vision being that good things can happen when women support women.”