A thank you to all those who work so hard for our community

While there isn’t a ‘Job Description’ for a Member of Parliament, I find the most pleasurable part of my role is thanking the army of people who undertake so much voluntary work or go above and beyond the call of duty in their job for the benefit of our community and make a positive difference to our all lives.

This week was full of ’thank yous’ from the teachers from Devoran School who worked hard to make sure their pupils had an unforgettable school trip to the capital city and Parliament to the Coastguards who came to lobby Parliament.

I am a member of the All Party Reserve Forces and Cadets Group and am participating in the Reserves Review that is being led by the Vice Chief of Defence Staff at the request of the Prime Minister.  I am very supportive of the excellent work that the cadets organisations do in my constituency and the important role of the TA in Truro.  I am pleased to able to communicate their views directly into the review process.

Back in Cornwall, I was able to thank more teachers at Threemilestone School as well as governors, parents and partners in the community for their combined hard work to make such a wonderful new outdoor play space for their youngest pupils.  Also, to Hine Downing Solicitors for attracting the Yorkshire Building Society to Falmouth - it is good to have a building society back in the centre of town.

Thank you to the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners for so tenaciously steering the Port Master Plan into the public consultation last week.  Securing a viable and sustainable future for the port of Falmouth is vital for the future of not only of Falmouth but west Cornwall.   This will take time and require real collaboration between all the businesses in the port.

Like most residents of Cornwall, I am very proud of Shelter Box and as usual they were the first into Japan offering emergency relief.  There have been many calls on their resources over the past year or so and they have offered help in every natural disaster.  Despite the fact that people are tightening their belts during the recession, people collecting outside the Methodist Church in Falmouth were receiving about £800 each day.

So thank you to the Shelter Box volunteers too!

On Saturday night I really enjoyed all the musicians and spoken word performers who put on such a first class Gala Concert on the last night of the Cornwall Music Festival at the Methodist Church in Truro.  While each performer had obviously worked very hard they had been supported over the years by dedicated parents, teachers and volunteers who run the competition.  With such difficult decisions to made in Parliament this week regarding UK military intervention in Libya, I certainly took the words of peace in the winning song composed by Cornish resident Rico Gerber and sang so inspiringly by the Mabe Ladies Choir, very much to heart.