Out and About in Our Community Over the Summer Reccess
One of the best things about recess is the opportunity to get around our community knocking on doors, meeting as many people as possible, and finding out if people have any concerns they'd like to discuss with me.
I’m very much aware that not everyone would think of contacting their MP when they have a problem I may be able to help with, so I make it my mission to get round as many of the towns and villages as possible. I have even had help from Bella on some days!
Just some of the towns and villages I’ve been to over the summer include: Cepen Park in Chippenham, Katherine Park in Corsham, George Ward in Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon, Pewsham, Bowerhill, Monkton Park, Holt, Harden’s Mead, Queens Crescent, Hilperton, Limpley Stoke, Semington, Lacock and many more!
On the map below you can see everywhere I’ve been over the summer - anywhere I haven't visited yet I will be getting round to! 👇
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Resident's Advice Surgeries
I've also been holding my regular advice surgeries, including at my office in Chippenham, in Corsham town centre, street surgeries across two days on Chippenham high street, at the Pig and Whistle in Melksham, and at the Kingfisher in Chippenham.
I hold surgeries regularly so if there is anything you would like to discuss with me, please do send me an email or give my office a call, and I'd be very happy to get you booked in. My office can also help with any issues you may be experiencing in the meantime, so do let us know.
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Work Experience Program
I was also delighted to have nine local young people take part in my work experience program, which was designed to introduce them to life in an MP's office over the course of a week. They had the opportunity to get out and about in our community with me, design a survey for young people, and visit the Business Cyber Centre in Chippenham for an exciting workshop, which included speaking to two local reporters about a career in journalism.
The students also had the fantastic and unique opportunity to design Levelling Up projects, which they then presented to the Minister Lia Nici MP in a virtual meeting. Lia and I were extremely impressed by the range of projects the students designed!
You can read more about my work experience program and what the students got up to here.
If you know of a local young person who would like to complete work experience in my office, please do ask them to send me an email and I'd be very happy to have them.
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Would you like to volunteer?
If you'd like to come and give us a hand we are always looking for volunteers! You don't have to be a member and it's a great way to get round the community and find out how we can help, you can do as much or as little as you would like. Please do email me at: [email protected] if you would be interested in helping out.
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Other Work Over Summer Recess
Some of my other work over recess included:
- Led a £5 million bid for Melksham House in the second round of the Levelling Up Fund; Wiltshire Times has the story which you can read here.
- Took the issue of local variations in fuel prices up with the CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority and the CEO of Sainsbury’s - it makes very little sense that fuel in Melksham is 10p a litre cheaper than fuel in Chippenham at garages owned by the same supermarket! Thank you to everyone who brought the issue to my attention.
- Held a brilliant Q&A session with the Melksham Free Diners, it was lovely to meet them all again.
- Discussed the issues people have been experiencing with Bradford-on-Avon Health Centre with representatives from the Health Centre and the Integrated Care Board, who manage our local NHS budget. I've been continuing to raise this with the Health Centre as it is clear that some have not been able to access vital services like GP appointments. It was a very productive meeting, however, and you can read more here. Do let me know if you are struggling to access healthcare services locally, I'd be very happy to take a look.
- Met the Head of Banking Services at LINK to discuss my campaign to get Melksham a bank hub, which would help to preserve access to banking services for the community.
- Continued to work with the Corsham Town Team on the bid to get Corsham a train station, having already secured £50,000 to kickstart the process.
- Chaired the next meeting of the Chippenham Town Centre Partnership Board, which I created to bring all of the stakeholders in the town together, so that when opportunities to secure funding and investment are available, Chippenham has the best possible chance of succeeding.
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter, as ever if there is anything I can help with, or if you would like to speak to me at one of my surgeries, please do let me know.
Best wishes,
Michelle
Michelle Donelan
Member of Parliament for Chippenham Constituency
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