News Release: Energy Action Scotland saddened by the loss of two influential and inspirational figures

Energy Action Scotland (EAS) was saddened and shocked by the death of two of its most inspirational and influential supporters, Margaret Ewing MSP and Lord Gray of Contin. Margaret Ewing was a current EAS Vice President, while Lord Gray was a past President. Both figures gave support and guidance to the charity from its inception in 1983. The thoughts and sympathies of the Board, staff and members go to their respective families, staff and friends.

Lord Gray was EAS’s first President, at a time when fuel poverty was not acknowledged by his party’s government.  Never one to follow the party whip blindly, Lord Gray helped raise the profile of EAS as the fuel poverty campaigning organisation in Scotland.

Margaret Ewing had been talking, almost single-handedly, about fuel poverty and excess winter deaths since her election to Westminster in the 1970s. Margaret was the founder member of the Westminster All Party Warm Homes Group and was to host a visit to the Scottish Parliament by the Group in April.

Margaret was still an active participant in many EAS events and was a regular feature on the EAS annual conference programme. She had a marvellous sense of humour which showed that sometimes politics can be fun.

Although Lord Gray was less active with EAS in recent years, he still took an interest in the work of the organisation and continued to requested a personal copy of EAS’s ‘Energy Review’.

EAS will carry on the work of tackling fuel poverty and campaigning for warm, dry, affordable to heat homes, but the input and support of these two political giants will be sorely missed.