My work last year as your Member of Parliament took on a form I didn’t expect, with zoom meetings and phone calls taking over much of what I would have done in person. One of my biggest disappointments was not being able to get out and about around the constituency and meet many more constituents.
Thanks to the hard work of my team, I was able to help with over 6,300 enquiries and I myself asked 26 written questions and spoke in Parliament 107 times – including a question to the Prime Minister down the line from my home in Crickhowell.
I cannot pretend that our country isn’t in a bad way at the moment. These wretched Covid regulations appear to be both never ending and often changing. Like many of you, I have at times struggled to see an end in sight.
But we start a New Year with a light at the end of the tunnel. In a year to forget, the day of vaccine approval was one to remember – while we still have a long way to go, there is a glimmer of hope that 2021 may be a year of recovery.
We have all heard some fantastic stories of shops and businesses right across the constituency who bent over backwards to support their customers and neighbours last year and I am grateful to those retailers who prioritised their elderly and vulnerable customers to ensure they had everything they needed. Many have made their innovations permanent, with telephone orders, takeaways and deliveries. I know it’s not always possible to completely ignore the larger supermarkets and online shops but spending in our local high streets directly benefits our communities. From our local butchers, green grocers, beauticians, bookstores and our favourite takeaway we were reminded in the run up to Christmas to shop local, however now we look to a New Year, let’s remember that shopping local is for life!
Covid highlighted the strength of our communities last year and I simply cannot thank those people enough.
If I can help in any way please do not hesitate to call my office 029 2233 8545 or email [email protected].
