The Forum said it believed greater government support should have been forthcoming to help OAPs keep themselves warm during one of the coldest winters on record.

Below-freezing temperatures are still regularly being recorded across Tayside at night, but extra cold weather payments of £25 for eligible households are only triggered when the average temperature remains below zero for a consecutive weeklong period.

Fuel poverty is when you spend more than 10% of your income on energy bills.

In Scotland, one in three older people are in fuel poverty. The fuel allowance now covers just a fifth of the average bill, compared to a third when it was introduced.

Older people are hit much harder by the cold weather, as they spend a larger proportion of their income on those items whose prices are rising fastest.

Surely the government is well aware of this fact, but still does nothing.

The question authorities must ask is why thousands of our elderly die of cold-related illnesses every year and why is this figure rising year by year?

Whatever party wins the next General Election must bear this in mind and do more to assist older people in the harsh winters we seem to be getting more and more frequently. — Jack Stewart, National Pensioner’s Convention.

No-one living with cancer should be left out of pocket this winter because they can’t afford to heat their home. Macmillan is urging the Government to extend the winter fuel payment to cancer patients in need.

This annual payment is currently paid to everyone over 60, but could bring immediate relief to vulnerable cancer patients struggling with additional fuel costs.

Unless extra action is taken now, fuel poverty in vulnerable households will never go away. Join the campaign at www.macmillan.org.uk/fuelpoverty and add your name to the freeze out fuel poverty pledge.

Macmillan can help if you’re struggling to cope with the financial effects of cancer. Visit www.macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 0000. — David Anderson

I arrived by train and felt like I had stepped back in time to the kind of architecture that can only be described as industrial and functional.

The railway station is not exactly something to be proud of and as it will no doubt be the gateway to the city for many travellers, I contend it looks badly out of step compared to what I saw once I entered the city proper.

My taxi journey to Broughty Ferry took me past the developments at the waterfront and they are very impressive.

The accommodation, hotels and office developments are what a modern go-getting city like Dundee deserves.

While I was in the city I was amazed to hear that people have been campaigning for some time for a new modern railway station and as a visitor I wholeheartedly agree with what they say. — Visitor.

It was heartening to see so many school children across the city getting involved and enjoying reading-related activities. In this day and age of electronic entertainment, it is important to highlight the benefits of books. When I was young, we had no computer games, but reading was able to take me on many a wonderful adventure. Initiatives like World Book Day are of vital importance to keep the spirit of reading alive. — Bookworm.