I love the few weeks before Christmas, with the wonderful constituency events I attend helping to make it such a special time. With the previous two years’ activities curtailed due to Covid, it made this year’s Christmas festivities extra special. Whether it was the Carols by Candlelight at Arena Church, the concert organised by the Rotary Club of Long Eaton with the Derby Army Cadet Band playing their Christmas repertoire, Chaucer Junior School’s Christmas Concert or eating warm mince pies at Sandiacre Lock Cottages, it has been a great way to start the festivities.
On a more serious note, my constituency visits have also included seeing some great young achievers at the Long Eaton School’s Awards Evening, a variety of local businesses and Brackenfield SEND School in conjunction with East Midlands Airport with Santa Claus and Rudolf handing out Christmas gifts to every child, as well as attending the Long Eaton Towns Fund Board meetings.
Two schools in Ilkeston received some good news a few days ago. Kirk Hallam Community Academy and Saint John Houghton Catholic Volunteer Academy have been selected as two of the latest 239 schools that will be rebuilt or substantially refurbished as part of the fourth round of the Conservative Government’s School Rebuilding Programme, delivering on the Government’s commitment to level up opportunity by giving every child access to the best classrooms, wherever they go to school. This funding follows that for Wilsthorpe School and more recently, Friesland School.
Last Wednesday was a very special day in Parliament – His Majesty the King came! It was a bitter-sweet occasion as his purpose was to unveil the plaque to commemorate the Laying in State of Her Late Majesty the Queen in Westminster Hall. The King also officially unveiled two ornate lamp standards that all Parliamentarians had contributed to – Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords – to commemorate the Late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Sadly, Her Late Majesty never saw the lamps in situ.
Also in Parliament, I spoke in a debate about cancer services, with a particular focus on prevention and diagnostics, two aspects which I am passionate about and will be pursuing further. I am currently working with the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Radiologists to set up an All Party Parliamentary Group on Diagnostics to raise the profile of this aspect of medicine, ensure adequate funding and staffing levels.
As you can imagine, I get many emails every day from a wide range of organisations. One recently came from National Grid about the opportunity for young people across Erewash to apply for their apprenticeship scheme, further details here: hiring for our apprenticeship programme. Applications for the scheme are now open and will be closing on Sunday 26th February. Apprenticeships are a great way to earn and learn and gain some great skills.
Over the Christmas and New Year period, my community office will be closed from 5pm 22nd December until 9am on Tuesday 3rd January 2023. However, my email box will be monitored on a regular basis and any urgent issue will be acted on.
May I take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and a successful 2023.
With best wishes, Maggie Throup MP
Member of Parliament for Erewash
P.S. My Community Office is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday from 9am-5pm and on a Thursday 8am-5pm. Should you have an issue I can help you with, please either phone my office on 0115 930 0521 or email me at [email protected].
P.P.S. Your friends and family can now sign-up to receive my Westminster Despatches, by visiting www.maggiethroup.com. In addition, should you know of anyone who does not have access to a computer and would like to receive paper copies of my e-news on a regular basis, then please do let me know their details (including their full name and address).
Promoted by Ian F. Gutteridge, on behalf of Maggie Throup MP, both of Unit 2 The Old Co-Op, South Street,
Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 5SG.
