There have been many great events happening locally in our constituency recently and it’s been an honour to be invited to join. If you have events happening, please do pop me an email as I’d be honoured to join. I joined Sussex University for the ‘Get Britain Growing’ Conference alongside Katy Bourne PCC. This was the 6th Chamber UK event part of a national series exploring how local leadership can unlock inclusive economic growth across the country. I focussed my remark on our young people and making sure the next generation get the chances we had.
I then joined East Sussex Fire and Rescue team for a tour of their Uckfield station and a chat with the crew. A great opportunity for me to find out about local challenges, operational priorities and funding challenges on investing in public safety and rightly maintaining high standards in fire protection and prevention. None of these matters should impact the safety and resilience of our communities.
I then ‘Wore It Pink’ joining the Uckfield WI Divas for their fabulous Macmillan coffee morning at the Civic Centre. Last week Macmillan also had their annual Coffee Morning in Parliament too. I know from talking with constituents their work resonates deeply with many in East Grinstead, Uckfield, and the villages from supporting people living with cancer to driving change in cancer care. I was proud to show my support and celebrate the 35th anniversary of the nation’s biggest gathering in support of people living with cancer. There are many events happening locally organised by our brilliant community, so do keep an eye on my Facebook stories where I'll be sharing local events and more.
I had the honour to open a new Fairfield premises in Isfield. We not only celebrated the opening of a new facility, but the beginning of an exciting new chapter for a business that’s been part of our community for over 20 years. This new facility is a clear sign of investment confidence. Confidence in the brilliant team here at Fairfield, confidence in the strength of our local economy in Mid Sussex and East Sussex, and confidence in the opportunities ahead for British business. It means greater capacity, new investment, and most importantly, more opportunities for skilled jobs and local careers for people here in our community.
On Friday, I visited Claire Davies Hair in Uckfield showing my support in championing a local female-led business here in EGU ahead of the UK’s annual ‘British Beauty Week’. These businesses contribute £30.4 billion to the economy; that’s 1.1% of GDP, 9% growth from 2023-24 and four times faster than the wider economy. It also generates £32.4 billion in consumer spending and has had the largest presence of any retail business on the high street for the last decade. This year’s British Beauty Week focus is on the ‘Future of Beauty’, a theme encompassing the impact, growth and development of this crucial sector. Whilst in Uckfield, I also popped into see Partners4Training as part of British Beauty Week. They are training the teams of the future and pleasingly busy with apprentices despite a challenging time.
Nationally, we have been in Parliament voting on the Sentencing Bill – check my social media over the coming week for further updates and my views.
