JODY Jamieson, Scottish Green Party candidate for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, had a hectic day as he launched his campaign in Biggar, Moffat and Canonbie.

JODY Jamieson, Scottish Green Party candidate for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, had a hectic day as he launched his campaign in Biggar, Moffat and Canonbie.

First stop was Biggar, where Jody volunteered at a coffee morning to raise money for Fairtrade Fortnight.

Jody, 30, from Peebles, rolled up his sleeves to serve fair trade teas and coffees when he met and chatted with Biggar residents. The event raised over £150 for the Fairtrade Foundation which supports better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers at home and around the world.

Next stop was Moffat where he met local activists concerned about the future of Moffat Hospital. He also meet campaigners working to find a new use of the derelict Mercury Inn building before heading to Canonbie to meet with members of the group Canonbie Residents Against Coal Development (CRACD) to hear their concerns about Buccleuch Estates’ plans for coalbed methane extraction in their area.

Jody said: “It was great to be able hear about such wide a range of issues at first hand. The Fairtrade coffee morning is just one example of how the local community comes together to tackle issues at home and abroad.

“Fairtrade is a great way to empower people in the developing world and enable them to take control of their futures. In Moffat I heard real concerns about the future of in the Health Service, something that Greens will fight hard to protect, while the proposals for unconventional gas extraction at Canonbie show how some private landowners are putting their own profits above developing a sustainable future energy policy based on renewables.

I’m really grateful to all of the communities for welcoming me.” More events, formal and informal, are planned across the whole of the constituency.