As ever, it has been a busy month across the Gosport Constituency and Westminster from surgeries to reshuffles! After two years as Minister of State for Care in the Department for Health and Social Care, I am starting a new role in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport as Minister of State for Digital and Culture. We have also had some good announcements from the launch of the Veterans Railcard, to tackling climate change through household emissions and more funding for buses and bikes!
A great start this February as I joined the Gosport Sea Cadets to celebrate the start of work on their new premises at Fort Blockhouse after securing a 25-year lease with the Ministry of Defence. Another exciting opening in the Constituency when, alongside the Mayor; Kathy Jones I celebrated the new £6.5M Travelodge on the High Street. Added to the recent successful Heritage Action Zone, this heralds a great opportunity to breathe new life into our town centre.
I also enjoyed a visit to the Yellow Edge Art Gallery on Stoke Road to see their collections of contemporary fine art and discuss their upcoming shows and talks, and Kingsbury - a local company who have been manufacturing high-quality industrial machines for many years in our area.
Exciting to talk to Libby Ainsworth from Teach A Friend to Read and Sarah Shephard from the Filskit Theatre who are both looking to expand their programmes. I also met Autism Hampshire CEO Debra Harrison-Sales to discuss their local work and upcoming projects.
I joined businesses from across the local marine and sailing sector at the Portsmouth Harbour Marine Networking Event at the Alverbank Hotel, it's wonderful to see how the former Gosport Marine Scene group, which I dreamt up in 2012 has evolved. We heard more about the International Yacht Racing Forum and the Americas Cup.
Visiting Pauper and King Barbers. 'Turf-cutting' With The Sea Cadets.
This month we celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with the theme of 'Look Beyond.' I was thrilled that apprentices across the Gosport Constituency, from Costa Coffee to Blackball Media, took over my Instagram and Twitter to show what an apprenticeship has meant to them. I closed the week with a visit to Pauper to King Barbers shop where I met the fantastic award-winning apprentice Chris and new apprentice Riley.
In Parliament, I was lucky enough to chat with apprentice Ben, who is working at Forterra, about his work . I also met with MAKE UK who represent employees across the manufacturing sector.
Manufacturing is hugely important for our constituency, representing 3000 jobs - 12.5% of employment - so it was very interesting to discuss their priorities for the sector.
I was fortunate enough to meet some of the patients and the six charities that are part of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, such as The Brain Tumour Charity, for World Cancer Day to hear about their work closing the gap between survival rates.
I became a RNIB Champion - a charity working with those with sight loss - meeting with representatives from the organisation including David and Michael, and their gorgeous guide dogs Denis and Mac to learn more about what I can do to better support people with visual impairment through my work as an MP.
It was good to join constituents in Parliament at the Fairtrade Fortnight event where we heard from Rosine Bekoine, a cocoa farmer from the Ivory Coast, whose life has been radically changed by Fairtrade.
I joined the Climate Coalition to 'Show The Love' with a lovely handmade badge from the Women's Institute. I am incredibly honoured and thrilled also to be nominated by constituents for their Green Heart Award in the MP Local Champion category - a massive thanks for those who put me forward!
After two years of taking a #PlasticPledge for Lent - giving up single-use plastic - this year I am tackling a new challenge as I am going #LentilsForLent! After picking up some fantastic habits from my plastic free pledge, I am hoping that this will encourage a not only healthier, but more environmentally friendly, diet. You can find out more about why I am taking the challenge here. Please do remember to check my website and social media for updates.
As ever, this month has been about campaigning and tackling the challenges that our Constituency faces. I caught up with the Regional School Commissioner Claire Burton as well as Matt Atkinson - Chief Executive of the Lighthouse Learning Trust - to discuss further education in our area. I also met with Education Minister Nick Gibb to discuss early years funding and raise the concerns that have been brought to me by local nurseries and pre-schools.
I also met with Gosport and Fareham's Chief Inspector Mark Lewis to keep me up to speed with local crime and police action across Gosport, Hill Head, Stubbington and Lee-On-The-Solent. I was also updated by Gosport Borough Council talking about decriminalised parking and progress on the Daedalus Waterfront.
I know that many residents will be disappointed to know that the Stoke Road Medical Centre, which is part of the Willow Group, will be closed on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from March 2nd. Although I have been assured there will be no reduction in the number of appointments, this is obviously a matter of concern for myself and residents. I have spoken to the Clinical Director of the Willow Group - Dr Harlow - who has assured me all patients will continue to have full access to the Willow Group via phone, email and e-consult, as well as being able to attend face to face appointments at other Willow Group sites. There is more we can all do, last month 134 did not attend their GP appointment with the Willow Group, which meant 33 hours of GP valuable time was lost. Please do cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend or no longer need it, someone else could use it!
Coming up in March, don't forget International Women's Day on March 8th. The Gosport and Fareham Multi Academy Trust are also holding a teacher recruitment evening on Thursday 5th March, between 5-6.30pm, at Bay House School.
