FOR centuries ‘Made on the Clyde’ was the proudest boast that could be made about any ship sailing the high seas so I am delighted that this tradition will be carried on in the modern era for years to come. The long-awaited UK Government announcement last Friday about the start date for the new Type 26 Frigates to be built at the Govan and Scotstoun yards guarantees that.

The Trades Unions, and their convenor Duncan McPhee, have battled long and hard to secure the work and have been true champions for their industry and its local communities. Medals should be struck for their tenacity which has been rewarded by winning shipbuilding jobs, not just for the workers in the yards now, but for another generation yet to light a blow torch.

I visited the shop stewards in the two yards in the summer and despite their grim determination then, there was no hiding the echoing emptiness in the huge halls at the yards. I was genuinely worried for the future and wrote to the Minister of Defence, Michael Fallon to express my concerns. Give him his due he has come up with the goods, or ships you might say, even if the announcement of the building of 8 Frigates is well overdue.

A new dawn has broken for shipbuilding on the Clyde. The hurrahs on Friday were as loud as any ever heard in the old days as the hulk of a ship ‘Made on the Clyde’ edged down a slipway.

Now there’s no doubt who is the Glasgow yards’ most famous son. I met him last week at Glasgow’s Euro 2020 branding launch - Sir Alex Ferguson. And what a pleasure it was. I was tickled as pink as the strips Scotland will wear against England in the World Cup qualifier on Friday.

Glasgow is one of the cities selected to host a number of games in the next European Championships in 2020. I couldn’t resist getting a quick pic with Sir Alex next to the European Championship trophy. As we got ready, he quipped “this is one of the few trophies I’ve never actually won.” LoL as they say.

Sir Alex also spoke warmly of his memories as a young Glaswegian. I was really taken with the genuine affection he showed for his home city as well as his love of the Beautiful Game. The world won’t see a manager like Sir Alex again. We should cherish the fact that he’s a son of Glasgow.

I don’t know about you but over the last week I’ve definitely been putting on an extra layer and the thermostat’s been turned up a little bit further every night to keep the house warm. There’s no doubt about it, winter is definitely on its way.

For lots of folk winter is a really difficult time, with higher bills really hitting their pockets and leading to big decisions about how to keep warm.

That makes Glasgow’s Affordable Warmth Dividend - the £100 payment made to citizens aged 80 or over - vital for people like Charlie Harris who lives in Wellhouse in the east of the city. When I visited him recently he told me how worried he gets in winter as his electricity bills soar. He was delighted with his £100 Dividend and told me it would go a long way in what will now be his own cosy flat.

Over the last 5 years more than 70,000 Affordable Warmth payments have been made to people across the city. That’s a total of £7m well spent to help older Glaswegians pay their winter energy bills - a real winter warmer.

So if you’re over 80 this winter, or know someone who is, keep an eye out for the Affordable Warmth letter coming through the letter box in the next few weeks. If you haven’t claimed before and are over 80 fill it in and post it asap. The Affordable Warmth grant isn’t limited to a single payment per household so if you’re an older couple you can get two Dividends.

Want to find out more right now? Go to www.glasgow.gov.uk/affordablewarmth ring 0141 287 7961 during office hours, or email

g-heat@thewisegroup.co.uk . The winter warmer awaits.