Dear John, This week has been recess which is a time that I take to get around the constituency and catch up with local events and activities as well as all the paperwork that mounts up. It was rather nice to visit the much anticipated Horwich Banking Hub which has now been up and running for a few weeks. The current site is only temporary but they do have another one in mind which is just going through the normal paperchase. The banking hub in Westhoughton has been confirmed but has not yet been publicly announced, so I’m looking forward to that so local residents can access services they’ve missed out on for too long. I’m working with James Grundy MP to get a hub delivered for Atherton so that is a work in progress. As we approach the Budget, I have been working with colleagues in Parliament to put in a range of family friendly policies with the Chancellor. Lobbying Ministers occupies much of the time of MPs in Westminster and the lion’s share of our work is around rather than in the Chamber of the House of Commons. The third ‘cost of living’ payment of £299 has been sent out which makes a huge difference to those most in need. I objected to a new battery power storage site in Westhoughton because of the potential of a chemical fire and it has now been rejected by the planning process which is a huge relief to local residents. I quite enjoyed the work experience day with Ladybridge Primary School. The school invited a group of local employers to set up stalls and chat about the world of work with the children as they wandered around as though they were in a mini jobs fair. By the end of recess I will have held four public meetings in Atherton, Smithills, Westhoughton and Horwich to listen to and answer any questions. Each has a different vibe and some turn into a really positive conversation amongst attendees rather than just remain a more formal Q&A with me. I’m holding my next Older Persons' Fair on Friday 8th March at 10am till 11:30am in Brookfield Hall, Westhoughton so do please come along. Yours sincerely, | 
