• 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.
• 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.
• 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/.
• Further to the above, I wanted to share some useful resources Age UK have produced to help people save money on their bills, while still keeping warm. I understand that energy costs are a great source of concern to my constituents across Corby & East Northamptonshire right now, including my older constituents, so I know it is important to be aware of what help is available to you. You can access the new Age UK cost of living hub, here.
• 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.
• In addition to the above, the Environment Agency recently launched their annual ‘Flood Action Week’ campaign, urging people to take three simple steps: check your flood risk online, sign up for flood warnings and know what to do if flooding hits – to stay safe, limit damage to your home and even save a life. This comes as the Environment Agency has now expanded its flood warning service to reach almost 50,000 new properties at risk of flooding, and hopes to exceed its target to provide new warning capability for 62,000 properties by this winter. It brings the number of properties registered with the service to 1.6 million. Learn more, 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!
• 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.
• GivingTuesday, held this year on the 29th November 2022, is a global day of giving which in 2020 saw over £20 million donated by people across the UK to good causes. It's a day where people come together to give what they can, whether that’s money, time, goods, or a voice - to the causes that make a difference in all our lives, whatever that cause may be. This year on GivingTuesday, I am joining countless others in celebrating the amazing generosity that we see all around us, particularly here in Corby & East Northamptonshire, and the incredible work that our charities do, day in, day out, helping to improve the lives of our friends and families. You can learn more about GivingTuesday, here.
• I wanted to highlight Tesco’s Winter Food Collection, taking place from the 1st – 3rd December. Tesco are celebrating ten years of being partnered with the Trussell Trust and FareShare, and this year, they are encouraging people to donate long-life food items in their local stores, in aid of the important work they do around the UK. Tesco will also be topping up customer donations with an additional 20% cash donation to the charities.
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!