It's been a busy July as I settle into the role as your MP.
I want to provide regular updates for you going forward of what I've been doing. For now, here is a summary from the past few weeks, including the 11 days I've spent at Westminster since Thursday 4th July.
๐ ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐!
I will be in Crewkerne with my team this Saturday from 10.00am to 12.00pm. We will be at Falkland Square. Feel free to come say hello with with any issues or concerns you may have ๐
Today, I, alongside fellow Liberal Democrat MPs, will be voting against the Government's plan to remove the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners not on Pension Credit.
Over 22,000 pensioners in Yeovil and South Somerset will be affected by this change.
๐งต
I'm currently at
@LibDemConf
in sunny Brighton. โ๏ธ
This is where party members help form policy that we aim to implement where we can.
I also want to wish the best of luck to the South Petherton Carnival tonight. I'm sad I'll be missing it for the first time in 32 years!
Concerns have been raised about severe overcrowding on trains going via Pen Hill to Weymouth.
I have written to the CEO of Great Western Railway (GWR) to ask for them to address this situation.
You might have seen the distressing news relating to Michael Frison - a young man from Chard who went missing in Sardinia.
I made my first intervention in Parliament last week on this matter as I urged our government to do their part.
This week is Sexual Health Week.
I was fortunate to spend two years as the Executive Member for Public Health at Somerset Council and saw the incredible effort that goes to help educate and support people around this matter.
๐งต
@libdemdaisy
was so brave to tell everyone this story.
It's so important to highlight we need to fix the NHS to make sure we save as many lives as possible.
A huge thank you to Leonardo for the invitation to
@FIAFarnborough_
to see the incredible selection of technological capabilities and services they provide.
Leonardo is a major employer locally, employing over 3000 people in the production of helicopters.
It was a privilege to meet representatives from Action for Children and
@barnardos
in Parliament.
It's shocking that 3 in 10 children in this country are growing up in poverty, with 152,000 children living in temporary accommodation and record levels of homelessness.
Good luck to everybody receiving your exam results today!
Whether you get the grades you were hoping for or not, don't panic - there will be so many opportunities for you.
I have no doubt you will go on to achieve incredible things.
I can understand concerns that there will be more construction work in Yeovil Town Centre, but the Glovers Walk area really does need to be regenerated.
It was great to see so many familiar faces and spend time talking to local businesses, residents, visitors and the mayor of Yeovil.
I met many like-minded people celebrating
#EarthDay
I look forward to being part of the many green and sustainable projects happening in the area
@Parlez_me_nTory
@SFCAssociation
@EdwardJDavey
We canโt help that a green member wants to support sarah ! They know itโs the only way to get the Tory out Maybe if the government brought in pr every vote would count !
Congratulations Cllr Andy Kendall for being elected as Mayor of Yeovil. I was honoured to have been there to witness this and wish you every success for your term ahead of you.
New analysis shows an estimated 22,021 pensioners in Yeovil and South Somerset are at risk of losing the ยฃ300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.
Thank you to everyone who organised the
@SomersetBusPart
Coffee Morning yesterday at the Jubilee Hall in Winsham.
It was important to hear what the decline of bus routes has had on residents. I will continue advocating locally and nationally for much-needed improvements.
We canโt help that a green member wants to support sarah ! They know itโs the only way to get the Tory out Maybe if the government brought in pr every vote would count !
It was also welcome to hear that the Government has extended the Household Support Fund. I hope that this paves the way for a stable and long-term support.
A big well done to everyone involved in setting up a wonderful coffee morning at Horton Cross on Monday in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support as part of the Worldโs Biggest Coffee Morning annual event.
It was wonderful to attend and to see so many yummy treats on offer!
The financial model for council housing is broken, holding back our ambitions to upgrade & build new homes.
We have joined over 100 of Englandโs council landlords asking the new government to take urgent action to
#SaveCouncilHousing
๐
While we understand the dire state the Conservatives left the public finances in, now is not the time to be cutting support to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Levels of poverty are high with 254,974 food parcels given out by The Trussell Trust in the South West alone.
I spoke to one of the guests who told me her heartbreaking story about being homeless and pregnant while not having enough money to feed herself or her children.
Since these plans have been announced, I have been inundated with local people expressing their disappointment at this decision so Iโll be standing up for them in Parliament.
#SomersetCuts
Leader
@DJAFothergill
says there'll be a five minute pause in the meeting until people stop clapping!
The response... cries of "shame" and calls for five minutes of clapping.
@DaveRackliff
You're right, carers need a lot more help. This is something in particular
@EdwardJDavey
is very passionate about about and will be leading on this Parliament.