Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
SCARF, a company established to promote sustainable use of energy and tackle fuel poverty, yesterday (Wednesday) held a presentation of prizes to winners of their 2007 Energy Efficiency Calendar Competition. The competition attracts around 4000 entries from primary school pupils, who are asked to submit illustrations which raise issues in relation to energy efficiency in the home.
Mr. Stevenson congratulated local prize winner, Lauren Stables from Fetterangus Primary School, Mintlaw and met with representatives of SCARF to discuss the serious issue of energy efficiency and the challenges of fuel poverty faced locally in the North-east.
Speaking following his meeting Mr. Stevenson said:
"I was delighted to see SCARF bringing its vital message of domestic energy efficiency to the Scottish Parliament. With 328,000 fuel poor households in Scotland today, fuel poverty is an issue of growing concern, particularly in the North-east and practical solutions to the issue of affordable heat are desperately needed.
"The presentation was an extremely positive event binging young and old together to celebrate the hard work put into the calendar by the winning pupils, but also to push the issue of energy efficiency in the home to the fore.
"The Energy Efficiency Calendar has a very wide circulation and I was extremely pleased to see that one of my constituents had succeeded in having her illustrations published in this year’s edition. I extended my sincere congratulations to the winner from Mintlaw who has represented her area in an outstanding fashion and should be very proud.
"I took the opportunity to discuss the issue of affordable energy with SCARF representatives and raise with them the various problems relating to fuel poverty faced by my constituents in Banff & Buchan"
