February Update from Guy Opperman MP


** February 2021
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Dear john,

I hope you and your family are keeping well.

This month has seen us make fantastic progress with vaccination, bringing the light at the end of the tunnel ever closer. As I write this, almost 18 million people have received their first vaccine dose - more than one quarter of the population! A remarkable achievement for all involved and I would like to thank those working tirelessly across our community who are making this happen.

This week, the Prime Minister unveiled his roadmap which laid out the route back to normality. The government’s gradual approach means that we can measure the impact of each phase of easing. I set out the full details of the roadmap on my website which you can view using the button below.

I want to thank you for your continued patience and I know that we can beat this virus soon.
Click here to read more about the Roadmap ([link removed])


** Nominate an unsung hero to be a Coronavirus Community Champion!
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It's always brilliant to hear constituents tell me of their gratitude to a particular person, business or organisation that has gone the extra mile to help them through this difficult time. But most of these acts of kindness that are being carried out every day are largely going unrecognised.

That is why I am delighted to launch my Coronavirus Community Champion Awards, created specifically to recognise people who have gone above and beyond to help others during this pandemic.

I want to hear from you about the people who have gone out of their way to make your life a little bit easier, by nominating them for a Coronavirus Community Champion Award.

This could be a teacher, delivery driver, care worker, shop worker or someone who has gone out of their way to help their vulnerable neighbours, to list just a few examples!

So if you would like to say thank you to an unsung hero of this pandemic, please nominate them for a Coronavirus Community Champion Award using the button below.
Click here to nominate ([link removed])


** George Stephenson's Birthplace set to reopen its doors
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I am delighted that following our long-running campaign George Stephenson's birthplace in Wylam will finally be back open for visitors.

George Stephenson's birthplace was closed in 2017, however after long-term discussions with myself, local County Councillor Karen Quinn and Wylam Parish Council and the National Trust, it is great news that the National Trust have confirmed that the cottage will be open ten times between May and October. I am really pleased that the National Trust have listened and taken action, and I hope that visitor demand means that we can see the birthplace open even more throughout the coming years.

George Stephenson is one of Wylam's most famous former residents and is known as the 'Father of Railways' because of his pioneering work on the railways and steam locomotives. He is such an important part of the history of Wylam and Northumberland as a whole, and I am so pleased that more people will now be able to share in this important piece of our heritage.
Click here to read more ([link removed])


** Febuary is LGBT History Month
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Thanks to the efforts of LGBT campaigners, attitudes around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people and their lives have changed dramatically in the last thirty years.

In 2013, I backed gay marriage- a measure that was controversial at the time, but I genuinely believe that almost every MP would now vote to introduce same-sex marriage.

However there is still so much more to do. Specifically, HIV and AIDS is still a significant issue for the LGBT community, and unfortunately attitudes towards HIV/AIDS are still too often stuck in the past.

There is good news though- there are now effective HIV/AIDS treatments and the aim is that the rollout of PrEP will have ended new cases by 2030. It is so important to remember that those on effective treatment cannot pass on HIV, and so this is a really significant step forwards.

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