Easter Recess is always a welcome opportunity to spend even more time at home here in Swindon, visiting local businesses, organisations, and charities, as well as holding advice surgeries and meeting with local residents.
I was delighted to visit The Platform Project in Dorcan last Thursday, to present the dedicated team at this excellent non-profit organisation with a Purpose Coalition Award.
The Platform Project works hard to help disadvantaged and vulnerable young people develop the skills, confidence, and experience that they need to launch their careers and take positive steps towards a thriving future.
I nominated The Platform Project for a Purpose Coalition Award in the category of “Giving the Right Advice and Experiences to Young People” and I was delighted to discover that my nomination was successful. I would like to thank the dedicated team for the positive difference that they are making to the lives of so many young people in and around our town.
Since first becoming Member of Parliament for South Swindon back in 2010, there have been over 9,980 apprenticeship starts in South Swindon. With nearly 700 apprenticeship training courses now available, people of all ages have a diverse range of career pathways available to ensure they learn the skills they need to succeed in their chosen careers.
The Conservative Government’s announcement of a major package of reforms to support businesses to deliver even more apprenticeships, benefitting local small businesses and people across the country, including here in South Swindon, is further welcome news.
Backed by £60 million of new funding for 2024-25, the Conservative Government will fully fund apprenticeships in small businesses from 1st April by paying the full cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21 – reducing costs and burdens for businesses and delivering more opportunities for young people to kickstart their career.
Alongside reforms to apprenticeships, the Conservative Government has also established 12 Institutes of Technology, including one here in Swindon.
Our brand new £21m state-of-the-art Institute of Technology offers a wide range of university equivalent courses, designed with the help of local employers and industry professionals. These courses will help Swindon to further develop a high-skilled, high-paid local economy, as well as attracting further investment to the town.
You may have read in my column a few months ago that thanks to a Conservative Government grant of £100,000 two new accessible toilets have now opened at Coate Water and Lydiard Park. These larger accessible toilets with equipment such as hoists, privacy screens, large changing benches, peninsula toilets, and space for carers mean that everyone is now able to enjoy both of these parks in Swindon.
I am pleased that following this, a new mobile accessible toilet has now also been purchased thanks to funding from the Conservative Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to help make events in Swindon more accessible to everyone.
While the facility will be used by the Council at their various events across Swindon, it will also be available for hire at private local events that need specialist additional toilets. For more information, please email [email protected]
I would like to thank the wonderful local group, Mums on a Mission, for all of their hard work and campaigning over the years for Changing Places and inclusive and accessible play parks here in Swindon.
