Last week I was able to welcome volunteers from Barnardo’s charity shop in Cowdenbeath to the Scottish Parliament for a tour around the building.

The group, led by Shop Manager Amelia Howie, were shown around the Parliament, including the Garden Lobby, Committee Rooms, and the Chamber before taking their places in the public gallery for General Questions and First Ministers Questions.

I was then joined by local MSP Helen Eadie and we were able to sit down with the volunteers to discuss Barnardo’s and local issues. It was good to be able be joined by Helen and have a conversation with them as it’s important to hear the views of local constituents and hear any concerns they may have.

The visit comes after I volunteered in the Cowdenbeath shop as part of Barnardo’s Scotland’s Make a Difference Day. It was lovely to be able to invite Amelia and her colleagues to my own place to work after I was invited to theirs. Volunteering is a valuable and enriching experience and it was good to be able to offer them the opportunity to come across to Edinburgh.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking everyone around the Parliament and answering their questions. One of the advantages of having a Parliament on your doorstep is the ability to ensure it’s open and transparent and allow local constituents the opportunity to see the inner workings.

Barnardo’s is a great charity that works with more than 10,000 children, young people and their families in over 98 specialised projects in communities across Scotland.