As your new MP I am keen to hear first hand the experiences people and
businesses have been facing through the recession, and listen to ideas
about how the Government can best support recovery, and also the
individuals and organisations who are working everyday to improve
their community.
On Friday I met with David Willis and his team at the Shepway Citizens
Advice Bureau, in Church Street, Folkestone. The Bureau helps
thousands of people every year across the District, providing
invaluable support and guidance. David himself is retiring this week,
and I would like to wish him all the best for his new life, and to
thank him for his many years of service to the community.
On Friday I also I met with members of the management team at Silver
Spring Soft Drinks in Folkestone, which has been part of the town for
over 100 years, and as readers will know went through a difficult
process of restructuring last year, with many people losing this jobs.
I was pleased to hear though that business is improving and the
demand for their products going up. This was followed by a meeting
with the branch managers of Barclays Bank in Folkestone and Hythe,
together with members of the bank’s advice team for local businesses.
The bank was able to reassure me that it had more money potentially
available to support businesses in East Kent this year, than last
year, and that it remains committed to providing face to face advice
on the high street.
This was followed by an update from the organisers of the excellent
Play for Elham project, which has received a grant from the Community
Spaces organisation to renew and improve the facilities at the play
ground in the village. Play for Elham is run by volunteers and has
been successful in bringing the community together to support this
initiative – particularly with their picnic and rounders family day on
the Whitsun bank holiday. It is a good example of the benefit of
giving more power to communities to help shape and improve local
facilities, and I know my children are looking forward to testing the
results.
On Monday this week, I met with Diane Lees the Chief Executive of the
Imperial War Musuem in London, to discuss the importance of
Folkestone’s role in the First World War and the local interest in
marking this for the centenary of the outbreak of the War in 2014. I
believe that our history and heritage should not only be preserved for
future generations, but also that we should do all we can to make them
part of the life of our community today. The important anniversary in
2014 gives us a good opportunity to do this, and the Imperial War
Musuem are keen to hear more about the development of initiatives like
our Step Short, Road of Remembrance project, and to offer whatver
support they can in the future. The Museum itself is also preparing
major exhibitions to mark this centenary, which should be of great
interest to everyone keen to mind out more about life during the First
World War.