I had a useful meeting with the new Chief Estates and Facilities Officer Mark Holloway at the Horton to discuss what is being done to modernise the hospital’s site. The Horton is already benefitting from £5.7 million through the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and it was great to see some of the transformative work underway. The grant funding is helping the Trust in achieving its Green Plan objectives, but it will also improve the comfort of patients and staff in some of the older buildings.

Mark told me that he is undertaking a diagnostic review of the estate and will be using the findings to determine action that can be taken in the short, medium and long-term to improve our hospital’s facilities. I think we can all agree that the Horton could also do with a facelift. Mark assured me that he is focused on working to improve the overall appearance of the site and is looking to organise a clean-up action day over the summer.

I enjoyed an excellent visit to LCMB Building Performance in Adderbury. I met Managing Director John O’Brien, who founded the company in 2009 with the aim of helping his clients by transforming their buildings into more productive, efficient and sustainable workplaces. John now employees a team of 16 people from all over the world including apprentice Dom Hayes (above). 

Dom went to university but soon found that it wasn’t for him. He transitioned to a degree apprenticeship and has never looked back. Dom travels down to London South Bank University on a Monday and works at LCMB the other 4 days of the week. Degree apprenticeships are a brilliant way to obtain a degree qualification, while earning and gaining real world experience on the job.

Chiltern Railways invited me to Banbury Station to meet their senior management and see the work which is being undertaken to improve its facilities.

Chiltern have big plans for the station and are currently undertaking a much-needed deep clean of it as the first step in its major overhaul. Future work will involve a full re-painting of the station with improvements to customer facilities including toilets and waiting areas.

Later this summer we will also begin to see the start of the long-awaited Tramway Road improvements which will create a new access to the station from the south of the town. This will go a long way towards alleviating the current congestion seen on Bridge Street at rush hour.

I also used my meeting with Chiltern to raise my constituents’ ongoing concerns about overcrowding on some services. Chiltern reassured me that they have a plan to procure additional trains as an interim solution which is expected to increase capacity by up to 20 per cent.

I had a brilliant discussion with members of the Banbury & District Chamber of Commerce recently.

We covered everything from town centre regeneration and funding for local authorities to apprenticeships and the free parking trial at Castle Quay.

Cleenol Group Ltd are an extremely responsible and community-focused family business, with a history spanning over 75 years.

I was delighted to join Managing Director Sam Greaves and his father Richard Greaves along with representatives from several local charities at the launch of Cleenol in the Community CIC. Sam and his team are a credit to our local area and it is clear just how focused they are on fostering a culture of care, support and growth rooted in Banbury.

 I really enjoyed getting out and about on two of our local farms with Rupert Harrison in early April.

Jo Haw-Cook hosted us on her farm in Piddington, where we were able to sit down with a number of local farmers. Jo told us that her farm has been hit by the worst flooding this winter in over 60 years. It is clear that exceptionally high water levels on the River Ray have been causing a real issue for farmers. We are speaking to the Environment Agency and Network Rail to see what can be done to improve the situation.

At Essex Farm, Peter Deeley showed us around his mixed farming operation. This was a great opportunity to discuss a range of topics, including the Government’s future farming schemes and approach to tackling bovine TB. We were even fortunate enough to witness the birth of a new calf while we were there!

Thank you to the NFU for organising the morning.

I was delighted to host a successful Rural Crime Forum at Hook Norton Brewery. We heard from our Police & Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber about all of the work he has been doing locally and what his priorities are for Thames Valley.

It was good to discuss a wide range of topics raised by constituents with Matthew including everything from antisocial behaviour and domestic violence to equipment theft and wildlife crime.

A special thank you goes to James Clarke at Hook Norton Brewing for hosting us.

I had a thought-provoking meeting with the team at Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse. Domestic abuse is a very real issue that has devastating consequences for victims, which is why the work that CEO Dawn Hodson and the team do is so important.

Reducing the Risk provide safe, confidential support for over 200 victims at high risk of harm and trauma each year, helping many of them to navigate the criminal justice system. Working in an extremely joined-up way, the team bring local partners together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of victims and survivors and to reduce the risk of domestic abuse in our community and beyond. They also coordinate a vast Domestic Abuse Champions Network countrywide, offering ongoing training and support to over 2,300 front line staff from a range of agencies and services. 

Dawn, Emma, Stewart, Nikki and the rest of the team really are unsung heroes.

I was pleased to visit Katharine House Hospice in Adderbury for a catch up with CEO Emma Radley and Chair of the Board Sir Tim Jenner.

It was good to hear how well the team have been getting on recently. I was also able to see some of the refurbishments that have taken place which will will allow for a 25 per cent increase in beds at the hospice and enable the team to continue providing high-quality care to those they look after.

I always enjoy getting along to watch Banbury United FC play, especially when the sun is shining.

The last match of the season against league champions Tamworth Football Club was never going to be easy, but the Puritans played well and had some good chances. There's no denying it has been a difficult season, especially with the flooding we have seen this winter. However, it was really good to see so many youngsters getting involved and enjoying the game.

I will always do what I can to support the Club and help secure its long-term future.

I had a great time visiting Easington Sports FC in Banbury where I met Board members Richard, Jamie and Michael.

Easington is a much-loved and thriving sports club in our community. I enjoyed learning more about the excellent work they do to support 600 players of all ages and abilities, with 38 mens, ladies, boys and girls teams registered next season.

I am going to be working with Easington and other local sports clubs to see what we can do to improve the provision of sports facilities in our town.

I was pleased to support the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament earlier this month. The Prime Minister feels strongly about the importance of public health and believes that it is his duty to protect the next generation. Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, so it is right that we take firm action now.

When I have met school children either in Parliament or out in the constituency, this is one of the key topics of discussion. I know that making a smokefree generation a reality is something they care very passionately about and, for the most part, support. Tobacco is addictive and particularly difficult to give up. Given its dangers, most wouldn't choose to start smoking today.

I think it was extremely important that this issue was put to a free vote giving Members the opportunity to speak freely on a matter. I welcome that the Bill will now progress to its Committee Stage.

I welcome the Government's decision to increase defence spending, ensuring our Armed Forces have the necessary resources to fulfil their duties effectively. This investment demonstrates a commitment to national security and preparedness in an increasingly uncertain time. The plan to reach 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 shows a clear and reassuring strategy in place to prioritise key capabilities and support innovation.

I visited The Hague at the beginning of the month to represent the UK at the Restoring Justice for Ukraine conference, hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We discussed accountability and the opening of a compensation scheme for war damages, among other issues.