This week marked The State Opening of Parliament and The King’s Speech. It’s also UK Parliament Week - an annual event for young people to find out more about how our democracy works and how people can get involved with the issues they care about.
Last year 1.1 million took part including schools and groups here in Eastbourne.
One of the questions I’m most often asked about my role as your MP is, what is a normal day like? ‘Varied’, doesn’t begin to do it justice!
And here’s a flavour of what ‘varied’ means. Last Friday began knocking on doors with teams from The Blue Heart project and Our Rainwater to talk to residents about adopting water butts. This is our mission to reduce surface water flooding and reduce storm overflows. The day ended at The Eastbourne Business Awards at The Winter Gardens talking about our prospects as a town and the future jobs we will create.
In edited highlights from the days that followed, I’ve been poppy selling with the Royal British Legion in the town centre, paying tribute to the RNLI with the Salvation Army, quizzing His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools about its work and meeting with landowners in Eastbourne who could unlock hundreds of new affordable homes.
I’ve received emails on a Dog’s Trust campaign to end the puppy smuggling trade, petitions to change the assessment framework to help ensure people with dementia qualify for financial support and, not unsurprisingly, the continuing conflict in The Middle East.
Remembrance Sunday this week marks the most solemn of occasions when we come together to honour the sacrifice of all those who have paid the highest price for the freedoms we enjoy in our country today. How very precious those freedoms are.
I will be in our town at our memorial to pay my respects and to lay a wreath. As ever, Eastbournians will turn out in numbers to pay their respects too.
As the Finest Generation from the Second World War sadly leaves us, we must redouble our efforts to teach future generations of that sacrifice and the sacrifice from so many conflicts since 1945.
