• I wanted to highlight Asda’s new ‘Winter Warmer’ initiative to support their customers and communities during the coming winter months. It includes a new £1 soup meal deal, including a roll and unlimited tea and coffee for everyone aged 60 and over in their in-store cafés, running alongside the current ‘Kids Eat for £1’ offer. Further, for community groups, Asda are running a ‘Community Cuppa’ campaign, creating space for local groups in their cafés, who may otherwise struggle to meet. Spaces will be available on weekdays in November and December from 2pm to 6pm, and all community group members who visit will receive unlimited free tea or coffee. You can find out more, here.
• The 10th October 2022 was World Mental Health Day, but its message was equally valid then and every other day of the year. Research has shown that mental health stigma continues to have a devastating impact on millions of lives. It prevents people from accessing support, finding employment and having open conversations with their friends, family and colleagues. Ultimately, it can exacerbate mental health problems and has the potential to be life-threatening. Encouraging people to open up about their mental health – to talk and to listen – is the first important step. Support is out there, no matter how bad it may seem. You can find out more about the help and support available here.
• This year’s ACS Shop Local Report has shown that the UK’s 48,590 convenience stores are playing a bigger role than ever in the UK economy and in their specific communities. The number of people employed in the sector has now reached around 405,000 people, including here in Corby & East Northamptonshire. A big 'thank you' to all the amazing local shops in our area, who bring so much to our local communities! See, here.
• Historic England and Photoworks have launched an exciting new project encouraging people to look at their high street like never before. Over the next 12 months, they’re inviting everyone to respond to fortnightly challenges that uncover the secret life of their local high street by posting their own photographs on Instagram using the #PicturingHighStreets tag. To find out more, visit: https://bit.ly/Picturing-HighStreets.
• September was World Alzheimer’s Month; an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease and the support available for those with it. Age UK have a number of resources for individuals and families living with Alzheimer’s, from support groups to information about care. To find out more, please visit: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/conditions-illnesses/dementia/.
• Businesses should have open doors for guide dogs, but 76% of guide dog owners say they have been turned away from shops and businesses in the past. This has a damaging effect on a person’s wellbeing and confidence - we need #OpenDoorsForAll!
• British Gas have been in touch regarding their £2 million fund for their customers struggling with energy debt. As part of this, they’re contacting their most vulnerable customers to let them know they can apply for an energy grant. To find out more, visit: https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/grants-available/.
• UK Parliament Week is taking place from the 14th-20th November and this is your call to get involved! The week is aimed at raising awareness of the work Parliament does and about our democracy more generally, with schools and community groups encouraged to sign-up to receive a free UKPW kit to help them organise an activity. You can find out more, here: ukparliamentweek.org.
• Unfortunately, in extreme weather conditions, you won't be able to stop flood water, and you should always put personal safety above attempts to protect property and possessions. Despite this, there are steps that you can take to keep water out, to buy yourself time to preserve property and possessions, and to limit the damage that flood water does. Therefore, GoCompare have compiled a useful guide for preparing for a flood and how to best protect your property, which can be found, here.
• On the 24th October 2022, Royal Mail began their 100 day countdown for customers to use up their non-barcoded definitive stamps. These include the regular, ‘everyday’ stamps featuring the profile of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This means that, from the 1st February 2023, only barcoded definitive stamps will be accepted as a valid form of postage. Royal Mail are therefore encouraging their customers to use up their non-barcoded definitive stamps, with Christmas being the perfect opportunity! However, customers who are unable to use up their stock of non-barcoded stamps, of all values, may exchange them for the equivalent in barcoded stamps. There is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps – so this option can be accessed after the 31st January 2023. They can be sent, free of charge, with a completed form, to Royal Mail using their FREEPOST address. Swap forms are available from www.royalmail.com/barcodedstamps, where a form can be printed or requested; Royal Mail’s Customer Experience team – customers can call 03457 740740 and request a form be posted to them, as well as from more than 1,200 Customer Service Points at delivery offices. Please note that special stamps – those that are issued to commemorate special occasions or to celebrate British achievement – will not be barcoded and remain valid for use. This also applies to non-barcoded Christmas stamps and neither of these stamps can be exchanged.
• I wanted to highlight a campaign created by the brilliant Royal British Legion, in response to increases in the cost of living, which is also affecting members of the Armed Forces community. They have launched ‘Everyday Needs Grants’, providing up to £2,400 over 12 months for those eligible. You can read more and apply, here: rbl.org.uk/costofliving.
• The National Lottery have been in touch to highlight that the Community Fund has awarded over £248,000 of funding to provide activities and engagement with children and younger people in Corby, specifically from the Kingswood estate. This is great news for the local community and I'm sure it will be welcomed by local residents!
• The Royal British Legion have been in touch to highlight the new ‘Teaching Remembrance’ offer for young people in Key Stages 1-5. These new curriculum linked resources focus on 'service' by highlighting the role of the Armed Forces, the Emergency Services and Civilian Services. To find out more about these really important resources, please visit: www.rbl.org.uk/TeachingRemembrance.
• I understand that, as winter approaches, the unprecedented energy price increases caused by President Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine is at the forefront of my constituents’ minds. Therefore, I wanted to further highlight support that is available from Smart Energy GB and how to access it. They have worked alongside the charity, National Energy Action (NEA) and Energy Action Scotland (EAS), to put together a simple guide for anyone who may have concerns about their energy bills. You can access the guide, here.
• October was Breast Check Awareness month, so I wanted to highlight the important work that Asda and their charity partners at Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel! are doing to raise awareness of their initiative, ‘the real self-checkout.’ I believe that it is vital that, not only during October, but all year round, that people are aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, so that they may see a GP if they notice a change. Learn more here: asda.com/tickled-pink.
If you have anything you would like to be featured next week, please email all the details to pursglovet@parliament.uk.
Also, if you have taken any photos of constituency landscapes or landmarks, which could be featured in my ‘Community Notices’ headers, please send them in and I will try to use as many of them as possible (and credit them accordingly!), as a celebration of the fantastic place we live and work in. I know we have many budding photographers in our community and it would be great to showcase their work!