An enjoyable, moving and interesting week that kicked off with the Party Conference in Manchester. It was an honour to be on the main stage for the first time making a short speech and introducing our Chancellor, George Osborne. Speaking in front of the entire Conference was a bit of a nerve-wracking experience, but the audience were incredibly supportive and it was a really incredible experience.
I was the keynote speaker for a panel debate about preventative medicine and public health, which I had previously questioned the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about at the Health Select Committee. I also spoke at an event for Yorkshire hosted by our wonderful and active local Member of the European Parliament, Amjad Bashir. It was great to see so many friends from the campaign and celebrate our successes across Yorkshire.
Back in the constituency I visited a local business for a tour and met with the Environment Agency on behalf of a constituent.
My wonderful team and I had an incredibly interesting and enlightening session with the Alzheimer’s Society and we are all now proud ‘Dementia Friends’. I’m going to be working more with the Society to make my office more Dementia Friendly, and see how we can expand this important program into the community.
I then made my way into Leeds for a meeting of ‘Team Leeds’, with MPs from across all parties in Leeds, leaders of the Council and others. The discussions were really productive and it’s always interesting to hear about the work of the City Council and how we can support it.
It was also a real pleasure to visit the Springhills Independent Living Scheme in Outwood, where I talked with the team about how to support them in creating more jobs and homes through their back to work schemes. After the meeting I met with some of the residents of the scheme and introduced myself as their Member of Parliament.
I had my surgery at Wrenthorpe where I met with some incredible local constituents, including a mother who is campaigning for a change in the law following the death of her young son.
That evening I held a social event for local residents in my office. Over thirty people came along and it was a real pleasure to meet everyone.
In between meetings on Saturday had three hours of dental surgery, which certainly wasn’t a highlight of the day! The dentist was wonderful and really put me at ease, though I’m still recovering from the procedure but soldiering on!
It is a real honour today to be a speaker at the Morley Community Churches Harvest Festival. Their service was wonderful and they are a real asset to our area. They have a worthwhile project at the moment that supports miners’ widows in Zimbabwe who are supported with livestock so they can make a small livelihood for themselves.
That afternoon I visited the Synagogue in Leeds having been invited by the Rabbi of our area, Esther Hugenoltz. I believe it is important as an MP to get an understanding of all faiths from our community and everyone was very welcoming.
And today Sunday evening was topped off with the fantastic Morley Arts Festival event with Michael Portillo. I had the pleasure of introducing him in Morley Town Hall. Michael was eloquent, interesting and thoroughly entertaining. Our Morley Arts Festival is something we should be incredibly proud of.