ONE of my favourite parts of my role as an MSP is getting to meet some of the many wonderful volunteers and organisations servicing our communities – many of which I have mentioned in previous columns.

Earlier this week I was delighted to join Margaret Burgess, Minister for Housing and Welfare, in a visit to Money Matters in Govan.

The effects of cruel Tory cuts are being felt by the most vulnerable in our society, leaving many people struggling to make ends meet.

More people than ever are finding themselves in rent arrears, having their benefits unfairly sanctioned, and facing higher energy bills.

It is in this dire situation that organisations like Money Matters and Citizens Advice, where free money advice services are on offer to those who need it most, have become so vital.

During our visit we met with Geraldine Cotter, the director of Money Matters, and chairwoman Deirdre Gaughan, as well as some of the staff who offer advice in a range of languages including Urdu, Punjabi, Polish, Russian and German.

They were kind enough to allow us to sit in on some meetings with service users in order to get a taste of the range of issues they help to address.

In my short time there I was struck not just by the expert knowledge of the staff, across a range of issues, but also by their genuine empathy for the service users.

We heard from someone who is facing extortionate fuel bills during the coldest months of the year, and a single mother from the Polish community who was near destitute after her partner kicked her and her daughter out into the street while she was pregnant.

None of these stories are easy to listen to, but the advisors have to find a practical way to help their clients find their way back to financial stability - a job they do very well.

Should you ever find yourself struggling with debt or rent and bill payments visit their drop in session at the Orkney Street Enterprise Centre between 9am and 3pm Mondays and Thursdays for some judgement-free, caring advice.

Finally, I loved watching this week’s Scotland 2016 package on the positive experiences of Syrian refugees who have recently settled in Scotland.

While listening to their stories what really shines through is how warmly they feel they have been welcomed by the Scottish people.

In particular, there was an interview with one refugee family I really enjoyed – it emerged that the first English phrase a young girl had learned was “fish and chips”, and, when asked to describe their new surroundings, her father responded wholeheartedly:

“Clydebank is paradise”