Summer Recess 2025
Parliament went into ‘recess’ at the end of July and for me, that means the opportunity to come back home and get to spend time back in our area.
Without Westminster commitments, I’ve been able to get out and about across the area, meeting with local people, community groups, charities, businesses and many other organisations. This allows me to better represent our area in Parliament by hearing directly from you on the issues that matter locally and using the stories and experiences I hear to best stand up for us.
I even got the chance to get around some of our stunning parks and green spaces like my own local, Big Waters in Brunswick, as well as the Rising Sun Country Park and Valley Park in Cramlington.
As the summer draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on some of the highlights!
The Cramlington and Killingworth constituency is made up of our two new towns in name but also so many villages and many of these have local volunteer and community groups. This summer I’ve had the chance to get out and about to see many of these and the work they do whether it is Friends of Holywell Dene, Collery Row Allotments, New Hartley Community Garden or the Seghill Community Centre and Foodbank and heading along to Harbour Day in Seaton Sluice.
Grassroots sports clubs are also at the heart of our communities, so it was so lovely to get to join Cramlington Rockets, Burradon Juniors and Backworth Hall Cricket Club and hear about their work in their communities and the activities that they put on locally. I also got the chance to get along to Rising Sun for a couple of parkruns myself after a rather long running hiatus!
Similarly, it was great to visit local cultural spaces such as Seaton Delaval Hall and Backworth Hall – though I knew some of the history, chatting to staff and visitors helped me fully understand their heritage and continued significance for our community.
I also got the opportunity to catchup with local businesses who provide jobs and opportunities, many working nationally and internationally but based right here in our area. It was fascinating to visit Fergusons Transport, Merit, Miller UK, Transmission Dynamics and Persimmon at their site at the Fairway, as well as business groups like the North East Chamber of Commerce and Stephenson Mohl. I heard the challenges that they face but also the huge potential and opportunity in our region and I’m energised to do all I can to support making this a fantastic place to do business and create opportunity.
I met with local charities who do so much for our area including Forward Assist in Dudley supporting veterans, the North Tyneside Disability Forum providing advice, support and activities for disabled people, Age UK North Tyneside and Northumberland supporting older people and Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland.
And I also got the chance to join frontline public services with North Tyneside Council’s neighbourhood team, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, Northumbria Police’s Cramlington team, and Royal Mail at their Forest Hall sorting office and on the round in Killingworth, as well as meeting with the Police Federation, Dinnington GP Surgery and the Leader of Northumberland Council.
Of course, my campaign on Moor Farm and securing this vital investment has continued and this summer I have met with National Highways, the North East Combined Authority and Transport for the North to continue to make and build the case for this investment.
As well as this, the normal day to day of the office has continued with surgeries held in Dinnington and Shiremoor and my team and I have worked to support hundreds of local people over the summer and responded to thousands of e-mails and phone calls that have come in from residents.
It’s been a busy summer, filling me with energy, ideas, experiences, stories and challenges that will support me in helping deliver for our communities and engaging with government and other agencies.
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