As 2023 begins, I would like to thank all of those selfless people here in Swindon who spent their Christmas day working or volunteering and caring for others, including the wonderful volunteers who helped out at the Christ Church Alone At Christmas Event.
More than a hundred people helped to organise this fantastic event in total, including the advance support, the help on Christmas Eve, which I joined in with, setting up, peeling veg, wrapping presents, etc, and on the day, the many volunteers who helped with table running, general support, driving people to and from the event, and in the kitchen.
Without all of the wonderful volunteers, and generous donations, this event would not have been possible, so thank you to each and every one of you for helping to make sure that those who would have been on their own this Christmas, instead had company, fun and laughter, and a three-course meal.
If you have Christmas gifts that you do not need, or you are not likely to use, please do consider donating them to one of the excellent local charity shops we have here in Swindon, such as the Walcot Community Shop, who support the community of Swindon when it is most needed.
I would like to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful New Year 2023. It's been a challenging time for all of us, and those challenges will continue. But I think it's important to reflect and remember that in the last year, we've seen the lowest unemployment in nearly fifty years, an extra 15,000 police officers have been recruited, an extra 34,000 NHS staff have also been recruited, and the biggest energy intervention that we've seen in many a year is now in place to deal with the unprecedented challenges of the war in Ukraine and international pressures on inflation.
In 2023, I will continue to work hard both here in Swindon and Westminster, serving you as your MP, and I will continue to work to support a Conservative government that is dedicated to getting us through the toughest of times, to ensure that our economy is resilient for the challenges ahead.
To tackle the cost of living, the Government has already put in place the Energy Price Guarantee and cut National Insurance, putting an extra £330 back in the pockets of 30 million people across the country. The National Living Wage has also been boosted by £1,600 – the largest increase in history. This week, the most recent cost of living intervention has come into effect with the Government subsiding most single bus fares to £2 from 1st January to 31st March 2023. This includes Swindon Bus Company and Stagecoach single bus fares here in Swindon.
I am also pleased that just before Christmas, the Government awarded Swindon more than £3 million in new funding, which will be distributed to several community groups and charities locally and used to help tackle Swindon’s levelling up challenges and support youth work in the town.
Charities and community groups who will receive a share of the funding include, Julia’s House and The Big Dog Art Trail, Harbour Project, Alzheimer’s Society, and the Wrong Shoes Theatre Company.
Organisations working with and for the Council will also receive funding to improve accessibility for those wishing to use resources, and money will also be allocated to improve apprenticeship offerings within the council.
£1.2m will also be spent on an adult numeracy programme called Multiply, which aims to help improve numeracy skills in adults who don’t have a maths GCSE at grade C or equivalent.
When it comes to Government funding, along with North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, I will continue to work hard to ensure that we receive our fair share here in Swindon.
Finally, my local charity of the week is Headway Swindon. Since 1989, this excellent local charity has been supporting adults with traumatic and acquired brain injury, their families, and carers here in the town.
The Charity aims to enable brain injury survivors to regain and relearn skills that have become impaired as a result of a brain injury and provide them with support and advice.
The charity’s centre in Dorcan is a relaxed, safe, and non-judgmental environment for adults with a brain injury. Activities at the centre promote cognitive and social rehabilitation, and each service user has an individual plan to enable them to meet their goals and achieve their potential.
You can support Headway Swindon in many different ways, including volunteering in a variety of roles, fundraising, and donating. For further details about this wonderful local charity, please visit https://headwayswindon.org.uk/
