THERE was a wealth of political experience on hand at an Annandale care home recently.
Both Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell and Mike Freer, a former House of Commons colleague with links to Dumfries and Galloway and north Cumbria, were visiting staff and residents at Annan Court.
Mr Mundell welcomed the opportunity to chat to residents, including some he had visited in the past at their houses prior to them transferring to a care setting.
He said: “It is always good to catch up with constituents whatever phase of their life they are in. Care is a vitally important sector and I believe it is helpful to keep up-to-speed with current trends and developments.
“I hadn’t been at Annan Court for a while and was able to meet the manager and a number of other staff and heard positive plans for the future.
Mr Freer, who held several UK ministerial positions during his political career, stood down prior to last July’s general election after 14 years as Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Margaret Thatcher’s former constituency, which includes a large Jewish population.
It followed a period of growing tension in the Middle East when, following threats, he was supported by anti-terrorism police to improve his personal security at a time his north London constituency office was also burned out as a result of a suspected arson attack.
He subsequently opted for a complete change from politics and was visiting Annan Court in his new capacity as a non-executive director of Advinia Health Care, which owns and operates the Annan facility and 35 other homes across the UK.
Mr Freer is no stranger to Annan as his late mother Marian Freer lived in the Royal Burgh for many years and ran the successful Marian’s Pantry cafe, then situated close to the former auction mart in Murray Street.
“It’s great to be back,” he declared, as he later enjoyed a nostalgic stroll around the town centre.
