Dear Constituent,

Welcome to Denton and Reddish Weekly News. I hope that you've had a great week.

There's some brilliant Easter-themed events coming up over the next couple of weeks, so scroll down to the Community Board to find out more.🐣

Denton and Reddish continues to stand with the people of Ukraine.

 I’m supporting the British Red Cross's humanitarian effort in Ukraine along with Team Denton South (who set up the gofundme page) and Cllr Allison Gwynne. Please donate if you can to the fundraising page.

We hope that every donation will in some way help the people of Ukraine at this extremely traumatic time.👇
https://www.gofundme.com/.../help-ukraine-wear-yellow-or...

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has backed Labour’s ‘Children’s Recovery Plan’ after new analysis suggests that the average cost of a nursery place has increased by nearly £1,500 in five years.

Labour research has shown that for primary school children, the average cost of an after-school club has risen 17% over the same period. The data comes after a recent survey by Pregnant Then Screwed and Mumsnet found that 40% of mothers were having to work fewer hours than they would like due to childcare costs.

In the North West, the average price of 25 hours a week childcare for children aged under three at nurseries and childminders currently sits at £129.74. This represents an increase of 27% since 2018.
Labour’s Children’s Recovery Plan would invest in early years places for children on free schools meals and focus on boosting access to before and after-school clubs.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“These figures are really worrying and putting working families under a huge amount of pressure in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

In the North West, to see such a massive increase in the cost of childcare in less than five years is absolutely shocking.

The Tories are failing children and families. Labour’s Children’s Recovery Plan would provide the urgently needed investment in early years places, and give families and children the support that they deserve.”

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has thanked residents across Denton and Reddish who took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

Over 700,000 people across the UK took part, and together they recorded over 11 million birds.

Across Denton and Reddish, 489 people took part in the event. The top 3 birds recorded by local residents were house sparrow, wood pigeon and blue tit.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch first launched back in 1979, and is the world’s largest wildlife survey. On the last week of January each year, the RSPB asks people to spend just an hour counting birds in gardens or local parks, which helps the charity gain an insight into how wildlife is faring.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“It’s really fantastic to hear that hundreds of residents took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, and spotted such a wonderful array of wildlife.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is such a valuable survey and gives us a great insight into our brilliant British wildlife.

It also reminds us of our duty to protect, enhance and defend our precious biodiversity. I’d urge anyone who is interested in wildlife to get involved with the great work that the RSPB does."

To see the full results of the RSPB Birdwatch click here. 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is supporting the National Trust’s #BlossomWatch, and encouraging local residents to get involved.

#BlossomWatch is an initiative – now in its second year – which aims to celebrate the UK’s spectacular blossom season.

The UK has a vast array of blossom, whether apple, blackthorn, hawthorn or cherry. However, research published by the National Trust reveals that there are 80% fewer traditional orchards in England and Wales than in 1900. This has resulted in huge losses in habitats for nature, and fewer people enjoying spring blossom.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“I’m really proud to be supporting this year’s #BlossomWatch.

Our gardens and green spaces are so vital to local communities, and the blossom season makes being outside an even more beautiful experience.

I’ve snapped some wonderful blossom on St Anne’s Road in Denton. I’d love to see residents across Audenshaw, Denton, Dukinfield, Reddish and the Heaton’s sharing their own pictures!”

#BlossomWatch Day is taking place on the 23rd of April 2022. Those wishing to take part can find out more about Blossom spotting by using the National Trust’s Blossom Activity Pack, which can be downloaded here. 

                📸 Pictured above: Images taken by Gwynne of blossom on St Anne's Road, Denton

I had a lovely morning on Saturday catching up with my Reddish constiuent, Jez Myers, and his Ukrainian partner Maria Romanenko.

Maria is a journalist who was on Putin’s hit list. She had to flee Ukraine, and my office helped and supported her to come to Greater Manchester.

We were inteviewed for a TV documentary piece about her experiences. 

I had a great morning out on Sunday with the Friends of the Tame Valley, where we helped clean up the area around Dunkirk Lane, Dunkirk Wood & the Peak Forest Canal.

A huge thanks to Danny for making and donating some FOTV hi-vis!

Lots of rubbish removed. Thanks to all!

#TameValleyFriends

I spent Wednesday evening on the #LabourDoorstep in Haughton Green with Councillors Claire Reid and Jack Naylor.

We spread the good news that our Tame Valley is saved!

And then decided to stop by for a quick pint in the Bay Horse.

                           Parliament is currently in recess, but will return on the 19th of April 📅

 

 WATCH: Last year, Immensa Health Clinic in Wolverhampton issued a huge number of false negative Covid-19 results to people across the South West. An estimated 43,000 people were affected, and the scale of the error will have had huge implications for people right across the country.

Immensa didn’t exist before May 2020, but was given a huge £120 million contract by the Government anyway – which it then messed up. Serious questions need to be answered, and we need to see the full report on what exactly went so wrong.

I spoke with BBC West about the scandal. You can also read the full story here. 

 

📰READ: Thanks to The Yorkshire Post for reporting on comments I made in reaction to the news that six A&E departments in West Yorkshire are urging patients to stay away because of soaring waiting times and overwhelming pressure on hospital resources.

As Labour's Shadow Public Health Minister, I'm really concerned that a decade of Conservative under-investment has left the NHS unprepared to cope with the current pressures, so patients are going without the care they need. 

Read the full story here. 

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To access the full survey click here.