Our wonderful NHS staff are greatly deserving of being awarded The George Cross by Her Majesty the Queen, only the third time this has been awarded collectively. It is the highest award to non-military citizens and equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award. I want to congratulate every NHS worker in Mid Sussex who has now received The George Cross – it is fully deserving.
Receiving my second Moderna jab last weekend was a strange, huge mixture of excitement and relief. It’s been good to see Clair Hall busy once again with the recent walk up opportunities too. www.SussexHealthandCare.uk has the list of walk ups and I understand the Clair Hall team are happy to receive more volunteer recruits too. We’ve all seen the latest positive data showing how much protection these brilliant vaccines give us against Covid-19, and the vast majority of people now in hospital are those who have yet to receive their jab, so please keep coming forward if you haven’t already!
Last weekend was UK Independents’ Day UK, when we focus support on local independent shops and traders across the country. It was great to join traders in Cuckfield on Friday at JoJo’s boutique with local Councillor Robert Salisbury and Cllr Stephen Hiller, the Cabinet Member from MSDC, as well as to meet local producers and companies working together to help each other through some difficult times. Please keep shopping local!
What a brilliant few sporting days it’s been for the England football team and the nation after beating Germany and Ukraine in the Euros. Plus, we have a new tennis star in Emma Raducanu, who wowed at Wimbledon as an 18-year-old wild card - we’ve certainly all needed these sporting lifts after the last year. Fingers crossed for another win against Denmark, and for football to hopefully, finally come home!
Local sport and community means so much in Mid Sussex, and I was honoured to attend the tribute rugby event and unveiling of the Matt Ratana silhouette at the East Grinstead Rugby club with PCC Katy Bourne, Town Mayor John Dabell and MSDC Chairman Cllr Margaret Belsey . It’s a stunning tribute to their New Zealand-born Head Coach, who was loved by so many and inspired people of all ages to play. It was a very special and fitting day to honour a special coach, friend and policeman.
I’ve also met with volunteers and stalwarts Sue and Mike from Cuckfield Cosmos FC at Whitemans Green, about facilities and what local sporting opportunities mean to so many local families and to our young people’s wellbeing. Thank you to all the superb volunteers who make this happen week on week across Mid Sussex.