Sue Ryder in Cinderford has been a big part of our community for almost two decades. Since being elected, I've heard from so many constituents whose families have been supported by the charity, all speaking about the compassion, care and reassurance they've received during some of their most difficult moments. It was great to visit their Cinderford shop, meet the team, and hear first-hand about the difference they're making to the lives of so many local people. As a charity,

This weekend is Super Sign-Up Saturday for the Summer Reading Challenge 2026! I'm encouraging families across the Forest of Dean to get down to your local library and find out what's going on for this year's Read to the Beat! Summer Reading Challenge. It's completely free to take part and a brilliant way to help children keep reading over the summer holidays, discover fantastic books and build a lifelong love of reading. Find your local library and sign up today: summerreadin

Last week I visited Hartpury and took Ted and Aleksia, two work-experience students, along with me. It was a great chance to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing further and higher education—particularly with two young people who will be directly impacted. I’m pleased that college recruitment remains strong at Hartpury, a reflection of their broad range of courses and widespread reputation for leading the way in sport. Infrastructure was also a big part of the conv

This Alcohol Awareness Week, I’m supporting Community Alcohol Partnerships and their vital work reducing alcohol harm among young people. Their research tackles a key issue: parents often believe supplying alcohol helps children drink responsibly. Research shows the opposite is true. Let’s change the norm and champion alcohol-free childhoods.

Does your child want to send a letter of support to the 2026 FIFA World Cup England Squad? Royal Mail are running their “From Classroom to Kick-Off” project, which connects children and young adults aged 4-18 with their football heroes. It’s simple to take part: • Write a letter to the England team - or your favourite player • Share why you love football, what the team means to you, or cheer them on for their next match • Add your own personal touch - drawings, colours, or a

Two years ago, I was elected as your Member of Parliament. Since then, it has been a privilege to represent the Forest of Dean and champion the people, businesses and communities that make our area so special. Over the past two years, I've worked hard to ensure the voices of the Forest of Dean have been heard—whether that's standing up for better SEND provision, launching my annual Mock Parliament programme to empower local students, supporting action to tackle violence again

Today marked a significant milestone in Hollie Gazzard's legacy. I was honoured to attend the opening of Hollie's at Bridge Training Ltd, a new training salon in Gloucester that will ensure Hollie's legacy continues to make a real difference to the lives of young people. It was great to see Nick Gazzard OBE, Jane Harvey, CEO of the Hollie Gazzard Trust, and her family, alongside the Mayor of Gloucester City Council, Adrian Graham, and to meet students Alesha and Lexi. This in

Last week I attended the Be Internet Legends assembly at Coalway Junior School and joined the teams from Parent Zone and Google to talk about the importance of staying safe online. It was brilliant to see KS1 and KS2 pupils taking part in such an engaging and interactive session, learning valuable skills to help them recognise scams and misinformation, protect their personal information, be kind online, and know when to ask a trusted adult for help. As children spend more tim

On Sunday, I joined the panel on Politics West to discuss some of the big issues affecting our communities, including: School responses to extreme heat. Supporting farmers in the Forest of Dean and across the country. The future of our country and communities with new leadership. These conversations matter because they affect all of us. Take a few minutes to watch some of the highlights below 👇

The works along the A40 have already caused huge upheaval and massive congestion for people in the Forest of Dean. For many of you, these closures will have affected, and will continue to affect, your journeys to work, access to healthcare appointments, school runs, local businesses’ operations, and everyday life. I fully understand and share your frustrations. What Forest of Dean residents are being forced to endure is not good enough. These repairs are essential to keep

I attended the inaugural Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls Awards earlier this week. It was inspiring to be in a room with so many dedicated campaigners, charities, survivors, frontline organisations and fellow parliamentarians, all united in the shared commitment to preventing violence against women and girls and supporting survivors. The evening celebrated the incredible people and organisations driving real change across the UK. I am proud to stand alongside t

Every day, I receive correspondence from constituents about online abuse, harassment, scams, harmful content and staying safe online. As a former police officer and now as your Member of Parliament, I've seen the real impact that online abuse, harassment and intimidation can have on individuals and families. That's why I wanted to share some practical advice and trusted sources of support. Whether you're using social media, messaging apps, email, or other online platforms, it

It was a pleasure to welcome Mr Damian Clark, my knee surgeon, to Parliament last week. Damian is an outstanding orthopaedic consultant and a true expert in his field. Having experienced his care first-hand, I know the difference that his skill, professionalism and dedication make to patients and their families. His work is also a reminder of the incredible talent and commitment that exists across our NHS. Every day, NHS staff go above and beyond to improve lives, often in ch

It's been an incredible campaign and one I've been proud to be part of—from day one knocking on doors to the final day yesterday in Makerfield. This is a fantastic win for us all!

Great to meet with Sarah Jones MP, Minister for Policing and Crime, as well as Nick and Jane from the Hollie Gazzard Trust earlier this week in Parliament. Many of you will already be aware of the incredible work they do to protect women and girls, but it was fantastic to hear more about their plans, including the Hollie Guard App. I've now set it up for my entire office team and look forward to exploring the features that include ways to track journeys, trigger alerts discre

I recently visited Come & Play Day Nursery LTD in Lydney to congratulate the team after their work supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities was recognised by the Department for Education as an example of good practice. It was great to hear how programmes such as Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) and training provided through Dingley's Promise are helping young children develop confidence and communication skills. The team's commitment t

I'm proud to be #MadeInStateSchool. This Social Mobility Day, I'm joining the 93% Club's #MadeInStateSchool campaign to celebrate the experiences, opportunities, challenges and people that have shaped my journey. Like 93% of people in the UK, I went to a state school, Lliswerry High School, and it shaped the person I am today. Despite the challenges our school community faced, the teachers created an environment where we felt supported and encouraged. They gave us far more th