Keep up to date with the latest news from around Denton & Reddish

This week in Denton & Reddish
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** Dear Constituent,
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Welcome to the latest edition of Denton and Reddish Weekly News. I hope you've had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend.
A reminder that next month I will be zipwiring across Penrhyn Quarry to help Fundraise for Florence. Florence is a Dukinfield girl who has a rare degenerative condition called GM1. We are fundraising so that Florence’s family can give her some great life experiences, as well as raise money towards research and treatment. If you can spare a couple of quid it would be so appreciated - to donate, click the button below 👇👇👇
Click here to sponsor me on my zipwire for Florence! ([link removed])
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Headlines


** Gwynne launches Veterans Survey in Denton and Reddish
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has launched Labour's Veterans Survey across Denton and Reddish.

The results of the survey will enable MPs and local councilors to work with veterans, veteran's charities and support groups to build a comprehensive plan to support UK forces veterans and their families.

The consultation was initially launched after Parliament debated the Armed Forces Bill. Labour accused the government of cutting help for veterans and failing on their pledge to Forces personnel to put the Armed Forces Covenant, a charter designed to ensure Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly, fully into law.

Gwynne has also written to Tameside Armed Services Community ([link removed]) , The Royal British Legion ([link removed]) and SSAFA – The Armed Forces Charity ([link removed]) , asking them to distribute the survey amongst their networks.

In the survey, veterans are asked how supported they feel within sectors including employment, housing, social care and healthcare, as well as asking respondents questions relating to the transition process and retraining.

Commenting on the survey, Andrew Gwynne said:

“As a nation, we not only owe our armed service veterans’ enormous gratitude, but we also have a responsibility to take action and make sure they are supported both during service and afterwards.

Tameside was the first council in Greater Manchester to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, and we now need to see it properly incorporated into law so that businesses and Government have a legal obligation to look after veterans and service personnel.

Labour are developing a detailed plan to support veterans, and that’s why we’ve created this survey. We want to hear first-hand what veterans are going through, and what Labour can do to facilitate a fairer future. Every veteran deserves safe and affordable housing, mental health support and access to high-quality healthcare. It is frankly unacceptable that veterans are being left to struggle for support in a country that they helped defend.”

Labour’s Shadow Veteran’s Minister, Stephanie Peacock MP (Barnsley East) commented:

“We are building a comprehensive plan to improve support for our veterans and take every step we can to stop people falling through gaps in support.

We want to make sure that every veteran can transition back into civilian life with secure, well paid work; safe affordable housing; exceptional healthcare and wellbeing support; and life-long security for them and their families.

This survey is about listening to and working with our veterans to build a comprehensive plan and make sure that we are doing everything that we can to support them.”


** Gwynne backs Labour's plan to make our streets safer

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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is calling on the Government to crack down on anti-social behaviour and crime, and to take action against violence against women and girls.

Latest figures show that this year alone police recorded over 2 million incidents of antisocial behaviour – the highest in seven years. Even then this is still a fraction of the estimated 13.6 million adults who have witnessed or experienced antisocial behaviour during the same time.

Gwynne is backing the Labour Party’s recent pledges which would see additional funding for police officers and PCSOs, as well as a fund to enable councils to fund enforcement or pay for additional CCTV. The Party has also pledged to strengthen legal protections for victims of anti-social behaviour.

Additionally, the Party has outlined how it will tackle violence against women and girls. Proposals include increasing sentences for rape and stalking, reviewing sentencing for all domestic abuse, and better support for victims of rape and sexual violence.

Commenting on the proposals Andrew Gwynne said:

“The rise in anti-social behaviour needs to be tackled. This government has systematically underfunded our police in England and Wales, as well as cutting support for local clubs which do a great job of keeping young people engaged and part of a community.

We urgently need to see some action taken. That’s why I’m proud to be supporting Labour’s proposals. We are pledging increased funding for police officers and PCSOs, increased legal protection for victims of anti-social crime, and a fund to assist councils in clamping down on crime.

I would also urge the Government to consider Labour’s proposals relating to violence against women and girls. The current conviction rate for rape and sexual assault is dire, and we need to see increased sentences for rape and stalking alongside much better support for rape and sexual assault survivors.

We need to do things differently and prioritise making our streets safer.”


** Building a safer and stronger Stockport - my monthly article for the Stockport Express
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I’m lucky enough to have a job where I get to fight every day for the things that really matter to people in my community. One of my key priorities is ensuring that everyone in Stockport and the whole of Greater Manchester has access to policing and justice.

As with any area, Stockport has a set of policing issues that must be addressed over the coming months. At a recent Prevent briefing, Reddish ranked highly for far-right interventions – meaning several individuals were referred to the programme and given support to stop them being drawn into terrorism and hate crime. Tackling this problem will require ongoing work, and I will continue to do everything I can alongside local leaders and councillors to prevent those who are at risk of being radicalised from being drawn into criminality.

Domestic violence also continues to be a problem in Stockport, and I was therefore pleased to see Andy Burnham outlining his whole-system approach to tackling Violence Against Women and Girls earlier this year. This plan includes better access to the criminal justice system, improved services for people who are homeless because of domestic violence and a variety of other measures. As well as this, last month Stockport Council voted to seek prestigious White Ribbon accreditation. Receiving this accreditation would mean that the council has demonstrated a commitment to improving organisational culture, safety, and morale, and has pledged to help staff and communities address male violence against women.

We are also working hard to tackle problems relating to speeding and enforcement. Labour Councillors are liaising regularly with Greater Manchester Police to improve speeding enforcement and address reckless driving. Residents with concerns related to specific roads and areas are encouraged to email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to enable the police to prioritise and act at locations causing residents the most concern. Furthermore, there has been some great targeted initiatives in conjunction with GMP, including the recent Morrisons Reddish Bike Marking event which will assist in deterring theft, and help police return property to victims of crime.

On a national level, Labour is calling on the Conservatives to reverse their drastic cuts to the police service so that antisocial behaviour does not continue to rise and victims seeking justice are no longer forced to wait years for it. A Labour Government would boost funding to the police and ensure the provision of youth clubs and treatment services to help prevent crime.

Tackling crime, antisocial behaviour and dangerous driving is so important to me and to local councillors, and I look forward to continuing to work with them on creating a safer and stronger Stockport.

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at any time on 0808 2000 247.
Read More of This Week's Stories ([link removed])
Andrew in the Constituency
Balsam Bashing with Friends of the Tame Valley 🌱

On Saturday morning I joined Friends of the Tame Valley ([link removed]) for their Balsam Bashing session. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive species that can prevent native plant species from growing, it can grow up to 2.5 metres and a single plant can produce between 800 to 2500 seeds.

A big thank you to Chris and Rob for organising and for all who came down to help remove Himalayan Balsam from the river bank before it seeds.

There’s more to do, and the group has another event planned on 22 August jointly with Mersey Rivers Trust ([link removed]) . We'll be meeting at Bailey Bride, Jet Amber Fields at 10:30am if you fancy helping out!
Worker Bee Market Buzz 🐝
And then I went over to Broadstone Mill in Reddish for the monthly Worker Bee Market ([link removed]) . It’s even bigger and better than ever. A great fixture in the diary now!
Finishing off at The Old Peg 🥂

I then finished my Saturday over at the Old Peg ([link removed]) (which I still refer to as the Angel, given it’s Denton’s oldest pub - first licensed in 1597) for my friend Wendy Heyward’s Breast Cancer Now ([link removed]) fundraiser. It was so lovely to bump into several old friends in there. A fantastic local event for a great cause ❤️

Celebrating with Cllr Naila Sharif

🎉 A huge thank you to Councillor Naila Sharif ([link removed]) for inviting Allison ([link removed]) and I to her Eid party on Sunday.

The party also had two other purposes: to thank the amazing ladies of Khush Amdid ([link removed]) for the brilliant work they did to support vulnerable people through lockdown; and to congratulate Naila on her election to Tameside Council ([link removed]) as a Councillor for Dukinfield Ward in my constituency. She’s a great addition to the team.

Catching up with Gloria ❤️ 🧶
A big well done to Haughton Green Craft Club ([link removed]) for really brightening up the village. 👏🏻

There’s a lot of crocheting and knitting effort gone into the artwork adorning trees and street furniture on the Tommy Todd (village green) and along Haughton Green Road.

Here's a selfie of me with Gloria Gladrags 🌈

Bikes, Rock n' Roll and a great cause 🏍
Then to top off the weekend it was lovely to briefly drop in to the British Motorcycle Preservation Society’s charity event at the Globe Cafe Dukinfield ([link removed]) .

🕺 Thank you to organisers Alan and Bob for inviting me. All proceeds from the event are going to Prostate Cancer UK ([link removed]) this year. Over the years, Alan has raised over £35,000 for various charities. Seriously, well done!
VISITING DENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE 🔬 👩🏻‍🎓 🎨
Thank you to Denton Community College ([link removed]) for inviting Councillor Allison Gwynne ([link removed]) and me round to visit their summer school yesterday.

They’re using the opportunity for the new Year 7 intake to have an induction to the school and to help them to catch-up on some of the subjects that they may have fallen behind in during the pandemic.

It’s also great to see some of the new equipment the College has used its DfE Catch-up funding on.

We dropped into Textiles, Science, English, Maths and Photography classes. And it was fun!
A BIG thank you to all the staff at DCC for making these events possible, and also to the catering staff at Robertson’s who also ensure the children get a hot meal at the summer school.
Andrew in Parliament
Parliament is currently in recess and will return on the 6th of September. 🗓️
Andrew in the media


** State pension: MP slams 'catastrophic failings' after thousands 'blindsided' by age hikes
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📰 READ: Thank you to the Daily Express for covering the plight of 1950s-born women and the maladministration we know for certain DID happen when the state pension age changed, and for reporting my comments on this subject. Read the full piece here ([link removed]) .


** It shouldn't take a crisis to invest in the NHS - my article for the New Statesman
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📰 READ: I have written in the New Statesman about my own experience with blood clots, and the pioneering technology of the endovascular thrombectomy (which is able to remove blood clots under image guidance).

The thrombectomy is an incredible medical development that can make a real difference in specific cases, but isn't equally accessible across the country. I write about why that is, and what I want to see the Government doing to better support our NHS and innovative medical developments like these. To read the full article click here ([link removed]) .
Community Board

Local author Leanne Brown has started writing a fantastic series of books to promote, help and raise awareness for mental health in children. Leanne wants to bring these books to schools, parents and organisations to help promote mental health in children.

You can find out more, including how to buy the books, on her website. ([link removed])

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Andrew Gwynne
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