Wednesday 7 April 2021 The Cultural Recovery Fund created by the government to provide financial support for cultural and heritage organisations across the country has been vital during this year of Covid-19. I was pleased to see on Good Friday the announcement of further grants for our area, worth over half a million pounds. This […]
Wednesday 31 March 2021 On Monday this week we took the next positive step in our roadmap to lift the COVID-19 social contact restrictions. It is great to see that grassroots sport is back and that people can once again meet in public spaces and outdoors in their gardens in groups of six, or as […]
This week we mark the anniversary of the first national COVID lockdown. It’s been a year like no other, which has affected all of our lives. Our first thoughts are with the people we have lost to the coronavirus. Nationally it has claimed the lives of 148,125 people, and in the Folkestone and Hythe district […]
We have all been moved by the tragic death of Sarah Everard, and the discovery of her body in woods near Ashford. Given that a man has now been charged with her murder and will stand trial later in the year, it would not be appropriate now to discuss the specifics of this case. However, […]
This week all students will return to school for the first time since Christmas. Many will have been looking forward to escaping from remote learning and having a chance to be with their friends again. This is an important step on our journey out of COVID lockdown. Nationally, the spread of the virus is now […]
NHS data published on 26th February showed that over one third of residents in the Folkestone and Hythe district had received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is above the national average, and the highest vaccination rate in Kent. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the […]
This week the Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his plan to take the country out of the lockdown and the COVID restrictions that we have endured to varying degrees of severity for nearly a year. The final deadline for the lifting of all social contact restrictions will be 21st June. The longest day finally […]
I would like to thank all of the NHS staff and volunteers who have worked so hard since December to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine across the Folkestone and Hythe constituency. It has been a fantastic effort that everyone over the age of 70, as well as those in the most vulnerable groups in society has […]
Last week a fire was started deliberately at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, following a dispute between asylum claimants being accommodated there, and the staff that run the facility. There can be no excuse for this action. Arson is a criminal offense, and it could have led to loss of life. I'm grateful for the emergency […]
On 26 January the first mass vaccination centre in Kent for COVID-19 opened its doors in Folkestone town centre. This is based in the building known as Folca, which was formerly the Debenhams department store. Last week I visited the building along with the Leader of Folkestone and Hythe District Council, Cllr David Monk, to […]