It was great to host the DGA for a defence industry roundtable in Parliament. It is vital that policymakers remain closely engaged with the challenges facing the sector, as well as the opportunities and solutions ahead.
The Government is investing £1bn into the Connect to work scheme, designed to support people who face barriers like due to health conditions, disabilities, or other barriers that might make it difficult for them to either get into work or stay in work. workwiltshire.co.uk/connect-to-w...
Happy International Women’s Day!
Molly 'Meatball' McCann is a women who inspires me, one of the most famous UFC fighters from the UK, and she has inspired a generation of girls and women to actively get involved in mixed martial arts, and I think that's pretty cool!
Great to meet Frazer at Jungle Kingdom in Swindon to learn more about his business and the ways he's bringing that extra level of joy to young people across the region. If you're looking for a great time out, I'd really recommend a visit - www.junglekingdom.co.uk?fbclid=IwY2x...
Honour to be invited down to HMS Portsmouth to discuss their international operations and deployments and plans for the future.
With thanks to Commanding officer Captain Ben Power of HMS Prince of Wales who took the time to talk to me about the direction of the Navy during these changing times.
NP Aerospace, a UK company pioneering the first female-form ballistic plates. Women currently receive up to 7% less protection at certain angles, a critical issue given the aerial threats seen in Ukraine. NP Aerospace’s work directly addresses this gap.
#WomeninDefenceAPPG.
Lovely to meet Linus Pardoe from the Good Food Institute Europe, a not-for-profit organisation working with scientists, businesses, and policymakers to advance alternative proteins, including plant-based and cultivated meat. I look forward to hosting a tasting event in the future.
I'm proud to welcome Neros Technologies as the 6th drone manufacturer to commit to Swindon, bringing up to £10m of investment into our town over the next five years.
This is a huge vote of confidence in Swindon’s growing role in advanced manufacturing and defence technology.
Today I spoke to the BBC about the governments decision to allow the US to utilise UK bases in defensive operations relating to the Iran conflict. I want to be clear that this is for defensive purposes only. If you're in the region, register your presence www.gov.uk/government/n...
I had wonderful time joining the Holi celebrations yesterday! Holi is the Hindu festival of colours that signifies the arrival of spring.
It is a celebration of unity, it was amazing to see so many different community groups come together 🎉
It was a pleasure to take part in today’s Defence Round Table alongside Tristram Kirkwood OBE ADC and Royal Navy colleagues, together with key voices from across industry.
A huge thank you to Cllr Junab Ali, our Armed Forces Champion, for bringing this important discussion together.
It was a pleasure to take part in today’s Defence Round Table alongside Tristram Kirkwood OBE ADC and Royal Navy colleagues, together with key voices from across industry.
A huge thank you to Cllr Junab Ali, our Armed Forces Champion, for bringing this important discussion together.
This Labour government has a golden opportunity to transform the life chances of whole generations of young people. I want to make sure the government gets this right, which is why I’m asking you to contribute to my survey.
willstone.org.uk/send-reform-...
Great to join Heidi Alexander and Jim Robbins for a visit by Lord Vallance (UK Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear ) where we showed him the plans for the town centre, revitalising it and our work delivering on the Drone Hub.
It was incredible to visit QinetiQ's DroneWorks at Boscombe Down to see the work they're delivering in partnership with the Royal Air Force's Air and Space Warfare Centre.
It was great to meet Captain Joe Dransfield RN. Until last month, Joe served as Deputy Head of Operational Assurance at the Military Aviation Authority, and his experience will add significant depth and detail to our work.
I really enjoyed speaking to Business and Digital students at New College Swindon about my experiences as a former business owner and the move into politics. I was impressed by the wide variety of questions, covering topical questions on government policies to how to get involved in politics.
I had a fantastic visit to Crocodile Packaging, an innovative bespoke packaging company based in South Marston. It was inspiring to see the original concept developed by Quentin Philip brought to life on the factory floor, where the company now employs 50 local people.
I'm proud to have put forward an application to get a Government Defence Tec college in Swindon, working alongside Swindon college and industry from across the country.
If we are successful Swindon will have a defence tech college opening up this financial year.
Whether you're celebrating Shrove Tuesday before the beginning of Lent, or simply enjoy making pancakes, I hope you all have a great day!
Great to meet Pamela Farries, an expert on North West Aviation. It was valuable to connect on the aerospace, defence, and sustainable manufacturing sectors across the Thames Valley area, discussing key issues around supply chains, skills, and education.
I really enjoyed visiting Rodbourne Bowls Club, they're a great club with members from 21 to 90 taking part in the sport and are celebrating their 100 year anniversary on their current site this year!
I had a fantastic time up in Gorton and Denton campaigning for the wonderful Angeliki Stogia. I am proud to have taken part in such a positive campaign.
Great to speak to the Festival of Tomorrow Breakfast meeting discussing the Future of Swindon alongside Cllr Jim Robbins and Matt Griffiths, chaired by Kate Westbook.
Great to catch up with George from Seeing Systems who currently provide drones for the Royal Marine Commandos and several other units in the UK. I'm committed to expanding the Drone hub in Swindon and brining in more opportunities for local people.
Great to catch up with Chris and Danny from Avnet Silica, a leading manufacturer in key products for UAV resilience. I met them a few months ago in Swindon and I was keen to catch up with them in parliament.
We are seeing a correlation between excessive screen time and poor mental health. I used my intervention in the debate on the Impact of screen time on young children to call on social media companies to take greater accountability for what they are allowing the next generation to see.
Really great meeting Jonny, a Swindon North resident, and Etienne, CEO, of Iona Drones, a company doing exciting work in the tech space. They’re developing civilian cargo drones to support rural communities.
Great to visit Icon 100 and see how far the development has come. It sits just off Thamesdown drive near the Aldi and I look forward to working to bring a great company to fill out the impressive structure.
It was great to meet with @GamblingwithLives about gambling-related harm and suicide, a growing UK public health crisis.
Their vital work supports bereaved families, drives national campaigning, and pushes for real change.
