| Alan Masterton of Monifieth, whose three-year-old daughter Nicole died after a bonfire accident, presented a petition on behalf of a children’s charity in the Scottish Parliament in October.
Mr Masterton is a member of the Scottish Burned Children’s Club, which helps in the rehabilitation of children who have sustained burn and scald injuries.
The petition calls for thermal mixing valves (TMV) to be standard fittings in all new-build and renovated homes in Scotland.
The bid to reduce the incidence of scald injuries is receiving widespread support and gained the backing of Dundee University rector Lorraine Kelly.
Mr Masterton will give evidence before a Scottish petitions committee in an effort to convince all political parties that this measure must be adopted.
“We are receiving a steady flow of support letters still from every corner of the country,” he said. “I cannot believe how the news filters throughout the land, and abroad. But we do not want to get complacent, though, and still need folk to support the petition.
“I was invited to a meeting of a self-defence class in Edinburgh last week and collected 380 support letters.
“On the way home on Sunday I was asked to stop in at a prison officer’s home on the outskirts of Edinburgh and collected another 215 support letters.
“As I said, this kind of participation and support is pretty humbling. We would ask anyone who reads about the campaign to download a form and photocopy it then get them passed around the workplace. We have had workplaces with 100% sign-up — amazing.
“I have just received further information from Holyrood today which confirms the petition was formally lodged into the parliamentary system on November 3.
“The date for appearing has been confirmed as the 24th — my birthday. What a birthday present that will be if we get this through.”
People can log on to www.theburnsclub.org.uk and either download a support form and send it by fax to 01382 805037 or online to alan@theburnsclub.org.uk
Every year in the UK, some 430 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital with severe scalds caused by bath water.
The thermal mixing valve fits under the bath and goes into the plumbing system.
It uses cold water to cool the hot water to a temperature hot enough to bathe in, but not hot enough to scald a child, even if the child came under the full flow of the hot tap.
The petition is a joint initiative between the Scottish Burned Children’s Club and 17-year-old Darren Ferguson, who was six months old when he was scalded in an accident with bath water.
He has had 59 operations to repair burns to his face and chest.
The Falkirk teenager is challenging Scottish ministers to look him in the face and say legislation can wait. |
