Surrey Heath News
Burglaries: Following a recent spate of burglaries in Surrey Heath, which have understandably alarmed so many, I wrote to the Chief Constable of Surrey Police. I received a very helpful response from Bob Darkens, Surrey Heath’s Neighbourhood Commander, which you can read here. For further advice on how to protect your home from burglary, please visit this website. Meanwhile, I will continue to keep in touch with the local police, and will report back with any news.
Poppy Appeal: 2019 marks 100 years since the first two-minute silence was observed on Armistice Day, 11 November 1919, and I had such an enjoyable time selling poppies for the Royal British Legion at Sainsbury’s in Watchmoor Park, Camberley. I was heartened as ever by the friendliness and generosity of local residents and shoppers. The Legion does brilliant work supporting serving and ex-serving personnel and their families, and you can donate here.
Rail Services: South Western Railway (SWR) has just launched a Consultation on its proposals to remove a small number of late night and early morning services from Sunday to Thursday from December 2020. SWR say that these changes will allow Network Rail more time to carry out essential maintenance work and help keep trains running on time, and will enable the introduction of additional late night services on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Consultation closes on 23 December, and you can view the proposals at this website.
School Visits: At the start of October, Cllr Paul Deach and I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the inspiring Portesbery School for young people with severe learning disabilities. The unmatched work ethic, devotion and ambition of the school’s staff is truly admirable. At the end of October, I also had the pleasure of visiting Crawley Ridge Junior School, and was given a tour by four hugely impressive Year 6 pupils.
Frimley Health Trust: I am very pleased to report that Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is one of the 78 trusts that will benefit from a multi-million pound funding injection to upgrade cancer testing and detection technology. This money comes from the £200 million of funding the Prime Minister announced last month to improve screening and early diagnosis of cancer. It is part of the Government’s commitment to ensure 55,000 more people survive cancer each year, and our Long Term Plan to ensure the NHS is always there for everyone.
Heatherside: On 11 October, I had the honour of unveiling the Heatherside Community Pillar. Local resident, Len Williams, has worked incredibly hard to secure this superb sign, which was designed by local artist, Matt Lindsay. Despite the rain, lots of local residents and schoolchildren turned out for the occasion, and I was delighted to cut the ribbon.
Pembroke House: This is a lovely care home in the heart of Camberley, and I very much enjoyed joining its residents for a chat and a cup of tea. It was also wonderful to meet the team that work there and to hear about how they manage to sustain a high level of care, particularly for those who are suffering from dementia.
Avondale flooding: I chaired a recent meeting of the Environment Agency, Network Rail, Surrey County Council and representatives from the Avondale estate in Ash. This particular area has suffered from flooding in the past, and I will work together with all parties to ensure that the solutions required to prevent further flooding are secured as soon as possible.
Oysters: This awarding winning fish and chip shop in Lightwater celebrated its 10th anniversary on 12 October, and I was thrilled to be able to drop in and enjoy some of the best chips in Surrey! Small local businesses are at the heart of our economy, and it is fantastic to see Oysters doing so well.
Re-selection: It is a huge honour and a privilege to serve as MP for Surrey Heath, and I am absolutely delighted that I have been re-adopted as the Conservative candidate for the next General Election.
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