I RECENTLY met with the local transport minister Richard Holden to discuss how we can bring about a solution to the reduction of local bus services which many children rely on to get to school in our local area.
Bus services such as the 458 and 936 have been cut completely and have not only led to local residents facing great difficulties getting from A to B, but also to parents struggling to get their children to school safely and on time.
I am honoured to say that I was recently re-elected as vice-president of the Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion.
I attended this year’s Poppy Launch at Bristol Parkway station and I have spent many mornings with RBL volunteers collecting for this great charity. I was also able to attend and speak at the Royal British Legion Gala Dinner, help Staple Hill launch the 2023 Poppy Appeal, and buy the first poppy.
I also had the pleasure of attending the Office for Veterans’ Affairs event in Parliament. I met with veterans and heard inspirational stories from recipients of the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award.
With policies such as the Veterans’ Railcard; and getting veterans ID cards so they can better access services and their benefits, we can build a country which is the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Promoting aerospace and defence jobs is a key priority and focus of mine. One part of this objective is to expand opportunities for young people through apprenticeship initiatives, in addition to protecting jobs working with national government support for these vital industries and continuing to press the government to increase defence spending.
This October, I visited the Rolls-Royce factory in Patchway after the news of global job cuts. We discussed the timings of any possible changes and consultation.
I was grateful to receive a briefing on the Tempest jet fighter. I am extremely confident the Patchway plant will continue to grow, and go from strength to strength.
I am so proud of the people, businesses and organisations in our local communities doing some amazing work. I attended the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Patchway Sports and Social Club to raise money for Bristol Creative Therapies CIC – a charity doing God’s work with children’s play therapy.
I recently visited The Wave in Easter Compton. They have had a successful year.
In addition to providing an excellent facility for locals and tourists alike, they are passionate about giving back to the community and are more than self-sufficient with green energy. Indeed, they are selling energy created at their site back to the National Grid.
They are aiming to be open and operating all through the winter this year – fantastic!
As always, should you need my help with anything, my office is open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm.
Please telephone me on 01454 617783 or email me at jack.lopresti.mp@parliament.uk if I can be of any assistance, or to book a surgery.