Good Evening john,

My weekly newsletter includes reporting on Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Apprenticeship Funding, welcoming constituents to Parliament, and a tribute to HRH the Princess of Wales. 

As ever, if you have an issue you would like to raise with me as your local Member of Parliament, please email me at: [email protected].

🧠 Marking Brain Tumour Awareness Month in Parliament



Brain tumour awareness is personal to me after I collapsed in the House of Commons in 2011, and later diagnosed with a meningioma, a type of tumour that grows from the layer of tissue that lies above the brain just inside the skull.

This week, I welcomed Brain Tumour Research Charity to Parliament for the launch of their 2024 Manifesto. I was also joined by fellow Northumbrian, Tom Sanderson, who himself was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour when he was age 15. 

To mark the 20th year since his brain tumour diagnosis, Tom Sanderson set himself the challenge of 20 long walks across the space of a year, which was completed in December 2023 and raised over £11,000 for the Brain Tumour Charity in the process. 

It has been a privilege to be a part of Tom’s fundraising journey and a great honour to have had the opportunity to join him on one of his many walks, along Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, and finishing at the iconic Sycamore Gap. 

If you would like to donate to either charity, please visit: https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/donate or https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/donate/
 

👷‍♂️ Record Apprenticeship funding



This week, the Prime Minister pledged to build on the incredible progress we have seen on apprenticeships. From April this year, under a new £60m scheme, the Government will FULLY FUND apprenticeships up to the age of 21. 
 
Apprenticeships are fantastic ways for students to enter the world of work, helping them to build new skills and gain vital industry knowledge – all while being paid.

This will reduce costs for businesses and build on the incredible apprentices success story we have seen in Tynedale, allowing local employers to provide more high quality and well paid opportunities for young people.
 

📌 Welcoming Anne King to Parliament

 

I welcomed constituent Anne King and her son Nick for a tour of Parliament. 

Anne is a former First Officer at HMS Calliope and committed 30 years of dedicated public service. Her story is inspirational and it was a genuine pleasure to see her in the House of Commons. 

Anne had the opportunity to meet fellow Royal Navy servicewoman Penny Mordaunt MP. The pair shared stories of their service at sea. 
 

Catherine, Princess of Wales

 

Last week’s news shocked and saddened us all. Almost everyone in Tynedale will know of a family member or loved one who has been affected by cancer. 

My thoughts and well wishes go out to the Princess of Wales and her family at this incredibly difficult time.

Guy Opperman MP

Member of Parliament for Tynedale and Ponteland