I HAVE been delighted to meet so many people in our local area who are doing fantastic work in their communities over the past month.
I had the pleasure of visiting Snack Attacks in Norman Scott Park, run by Patchway Town councillor Denise Lansdown and her family.
I am so pleased to see that the Brightwell Centre in Bradley Stoke is going from strength to strength. I recently met with Doro Pasantes, CEO and Geoff Marshall, chairman of the trustees.
A few weeks later, I met with Richard and Lucy from Inclusive Change, and I held one of my regular surgeries at the centre.
From sustainability to the excellent work to help those with neurological diseases access services and get into work, I am so very proud of the work being done here.
The Aerospace Bristol museum is a marvellous institution, which showcases the past and our area’s aerospace heritage, and combines it with optimism for the future of the industry.
I was given a tour by Amy Seadon and Sally Cordwell, who showed me some of the new exhibits such as Britannia, as well as showing me the archives.
With so many aerospace and defence manufacturers nearby, many of which are featured in exhibitions and displays, I have written to some of them on Aerospace Bristol’s behalf to request funds for the museum to hire an archivist.
I was so pleased to have recently visited Holy Trinity Primary School in Bradley Stoke, to see their excellent teaching standards and to discuss school funding, which is improving.
In addition, I have worked hard to ensure that bus services, such as the 459 or 936 which get many local children to school and have been cut, be reinstated. I have met with the Roads and Local Transport Minister on this matter, and I have made clear that the current situation is unsustainable for parents in Frenchay, Winterbourne and elsewhere.
I feel encouraged by the news that South Gloucestershire Council have agreed to continue funding the 84/85 and 918 bus services.
I recently returned from my sixth visit to Ukraine. While in Kyiv, I attended the Yalta European Strategy conference. I had a series of meetings with defence manufacturers in Ukraine and am working to build better cooperation between defence manufacturing companies, as well as defence ministries in our two countries.
I was delighted to meet with young apprentices in the aerospace and defence manufacturing sector with companies such as Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace at an event in Parliament, which showcased the excellent work apprentices do in these strategically important sectors.
We have all seen the terrible news of knife crime in the Bristol area. I have met with Police & Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford and Chief Inspector Dan Forster to discuss the terrible incident which took place in Little Stoke Park. We discussed the ongoing investigation, and how we can get knives off our streets and protect our young people from being lured into violence, crime and thuggery.
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 for assistance or to book a surgery.