IT’S been great seeing many of you at recent local events, including at the Winterbourne Down Village Carnival and some of the many VE Day commemorations.
Thank you to all who organised and attended community events marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, including those I attended at FACE youth centre in Filton, Blossom Fields Care Home in Winterbourne and the Bradley Stoke beacon lighting.
We will never forget the sacrifice so many made to defend our freedoms.
It was super to hold the finish line for the children at Christ Church CofE VC Infant School in Downend, as they completed their mini-London marathon, and to attend the South Glos Schools Forum to hear from those who lead and teach in our schools.
We had a good discussion at my latest Coffee with Claire event – this time in Filton – around the need for an approach to housing, infrastructure and green spaces that works for all.
My next one of these will be in Downend. Anyone who lives in Downend is welcome to sign up at tinyurl.com/245k44k7.
My team and I have been working on 362 new cases helping local residents. If you need support, please get in touch at claire.hazelgrove.mp@parliament.uk.
I recently welcomed the Prime Minister back to our community to visit Rolls-Royce and see the world-leading projects they’re working on for our forces and our NATO allies, after the government’s significant announcements on investing in defence.
I also welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister to Brabazon to see the new homes and green spaces, alongside hearing about the infrastructure and transport links planned – alongside the commercial investment and 30,000 jobs being created.
At Westminster, the government has introduced new powers to clamp down on fly-tipping by using drones and CCTV to track down vehicles used by offenders, to seize and crush them.
I see the waste being dumped on our roads and in our waterways, and I’m glad our government is taking tough action to punish and deter waste criminals.
The Water (Special Measures) Act that I was proud to work on in Parliament has come into force to clean up our rivers and seas. Its introduction was one of the first actions of the government. I spoke about the positive impact this will have on our area in the House of Commons.
Our NHS is starting to get back on its feet: the new NHS app is making it easier to book appointments, prescription charges have been frozen for the first time in years, 1,500 new GPs have been appointed and three million extra appointments delivered. The North Bristol Community Diagnostic Centre in Cribbs has already seen 38,000 tests carried out in its first year.