Category: Community
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Liz writes August 2020
Westminster is now in recess, but my diary is as full as ever, with daily visits to local charities, community groups and kids summer activities. I’m also using my time in Blaydon constituency to visit our brilliant independent businesses, new and long-standing, to see how they are getting on in these difficult times. Last week…
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Liz writes June 2020
I’m back in Wesminster, but contrary to the Government’s rhetoric that MPs are finally “back to work” in Westminster, I have been as busy as ever during the lockdown. My team and I have been working through a huge volume of casework, writing letters to government ministers on behalf of local business owners and working…
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Liz writes May 2020
Kids say the wisest things. My young constituents, Zoe, Shevanewe, Jack and Alfie, proved this to be true on my recent Zoom call with children across Blaydon constituency. “When will schools re-open?” “How is the government keeping vulnerable people safe?” “Why are some housing estates better looked after than others?” were just some of their…
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Advice from Age UK on helping older people
Age UK has issued some excellent advice on how we can safely help older people in our family or neighbourhood. Here are five tips from Age UK for making their lives easier during this difficult time. 1. Keep in touch Phone your older relatives and friends and ask if they need anything and let them know…
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Sport England launch new Coronavirus emergency fund
Sport England has opened a new £20 million Community Emergency Fund to help sports clubs, community sport and physical activity organisations, through the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. The fund is now open and welcomes applications for grants between £300 and £10,000 to help organisations experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the…
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Liz writes July 2019
Last week our Great Summer Get Together in Ryton was a fantastic moment, as our community came together to celebrate that we share more in common than that which divides us. The annual event is inspired by the life of the young Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered three years ago. Jo’s maiden speech…
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Liz visits Brightsparks Nursery in Crawcrook
I visited Brightsparks Nursery in Crawcrook last weekend, and was delighted to see all the fantastic work staff there are doing to make it an “Outstanding” rated Nursery. Unfortunately, maintaining this standard is now going to be very difficult. The Government’s new funding regime has created a major shortfall for many nurseries -Brightsparks included-…
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Liz visits Northumbria Police
Yesterday I spent the day with Northumbria Police to find out about their work on the ground. I started at Whickham Police station, went on to the control room at Ponteland, met the Safeguarding team based in Gateshead and visited the custody suite at Forth Banks and finished by going out on patrol with my…
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Liz’s column, March 2018
Challenging events often reveal the very best in people. I would like to pay tribute to all those local heroes who have been clearing roads and digging out stranded cars, visiting older neighbours and delivering groceries to the housebound. Volunteers, good neighbours and public servants in our local councils, NHS and police have kept out…
