Monday morning began the same as most weeks, with an early train to Kings Cross but this time I was in the fantastic company of Sandra Orr who was coming to Westminster as a representative from Blyth Town FC. We had been invited to the Community & Charities reception at 10 Downing Street. This is a very special event which recognises great work from community groups. Sandra and the committee at Blyth Town FC work tirelessly to give support to young people, promote healthy lifestyles and coordinate lots of events for the local community. We started with a tour of the Houses of Parliament and then headed across to 10 Downing Street for the reception. It was also incredible to see community champions from all over the UK and hear about a wide variety of projects. After the event we travelled back to Blyth and I headed home, ready for a big week in Blyth Valley.
Tuesday morning started with a constituent surgery regarding the proposed location of the new taxi rank in Blyth town centre. I discussed the various options of where the rank could be moved to, taking into consideration the new cycle track planned for the area and general levelling up in the town. We are hoping to work together to get the best result for both the council and the local taxi drivers whose businesses will be greatly impacted by the changes. Later that morning I met with Kim McGuinness, the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner for the first time. Kim told me about some of the work the force has been doing to address anti-social behaviour in the Blyth Valley and it was good news to hear that there are now more than 600 extra warranted officers serving in Northumbria than there was in 2019 when I was elected. I then had the pleasure to meet Abby from the Citizens Advice Bureau for a general catch up and the potential to partner up for an event in the summer. After a quick lunch I headed to Cramlington to meet the residents and have an afternoon campaigning. It was great to hear from many voters who are greatly supportive of my adoption to the Cramlington and Killingworth seat.
The following day, I was back on the train to Westminster for an important vote on the Illegal Immigration Bill, followed by PMQ’s and an Environmental Audit Committee meeting. Late in the evening I headed back home to Blyth. On Thursday I had a meeting at the Buffalo Centre with local counsellors and the police regarding anti-social behaviour in Blyth Valley. On the back of this meeting, which was mostly productive, we are hoping to run a monthly ‘What’s on Guide’ for the constituency to get as much engagement as possible for local events. In the afternoon I headed back to the office then on to the Empire School of Boxing where I met Les and Margaret Welsh, the superstar husband and wife duo and they introduced me to some of the boxers who use the gym. From professionals to toddlers, they have a varied skillset to offer including professional coaching, NHS physiotherapy, confidence building and mental health support. The boxing gym is a great asset to the area and goes above and beyond to help the local community.
Friday was a busy day, starting with a visit to the bus depot in Blyth to discuss the ongoing issues with late or cancelled bus services in the area. There has been some improvement since we were receiving many concerns about the services. I also wanted to chat about the potential of a new bus service running directly from Blyth to Tynemouth, this will allow for more access to jobs and general tourism. I then spent the rest of the morning in the office, having a staff catch up and then headed out campaigning in the afternoon. The final event of the day was a celebratory reception for the wonderful Ofsted results at the Wise academy group. I cannot shout about the achievements of local education enough; we have brilliant teachers and school staff in Blyth Valley and I am delighted this has been recognised.
At the weekend we participated in a dog walk at Northumberlandia with Cllr Pat Heard from Dogs First, a registered charity in Cramlington. It was great to hear from Pat about the significant work they do for the animals and I look forward to working with them in the future. I was also fortunate to catch up with Cllr Mark Swinburn and Cllr Helen Morris on the walk. I didn’t let the miserable weather get in the way as I headed out campaigning with colleagues from North Tyneside. On Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the MND kite festival at Blyth Beach, this is a very important charity and it was fantastic to see such a great turn out. In the afternoon we headed home for a late lunch and a much needed relax before another busy week in Westminster.
As always, if you have any queries or if there is anything I can help you with, please email me at [email protected] or call the office on 01670 358435.
