• 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://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/high-street-culture/picturing-high-streets/.
• 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, see here.
• 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.
• 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. 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.
• I was pleased to hear from the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner that the Flare Report app has recently been launched for use across Northamptonshire. This is a tool to enable women to quickly and anonymously report non-emergency issues of street harassment and similar behaviour so the Police can create a clearer picture of what incidents are happening in the county, and, importantly, take appropriate action to stop them. Every month, they aim to feed back to the public and stakeholders that reports have been heard and outline what action has been taken. I very much welcome the introduction of this app, which is free to download onto any mobile device – street harassment like cat-calling and other inappropriate behaviour is unacceptable and women should not simply have to ‘put up with it.’
• I wanted to highlight an update made to Persimmon Homes’ 'Community Champion' scheme, which is now offering increased funding to local organisations across the constituency. In the last two years alone, Persimmon has donated over £1.5 million to over 5,000 charities, sports clubs and community groups across the UK, and local organisations may benefit from this fresh support - you can find more details and apply at the following link: https://www.persimmonhomes.com/community-champions-2022.
• As part of this year’s Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Day, I am pleased to be able to show my support for people affected by the six less common survivable cancers. Whilst the last few decades have seen remarkable improvements in the survival rates of other cancers, progress around less survivable cancers has not kept the same pace. This means that, today, only 16% of people diagnosed with these cancers will survive for five years. For other common cancers, the average survival rate is much higher, demonstrating a gap that must be closed as treatments advance.
• I was very pleased to hear that an outstanding student from Kingswood Secondary Academy was awarded a scholarship by the Reading List Foundation - a relatively new charity helping students succeed at university by giving funding to Year 13 students from lower-income households to buy their textbooks once they start their degree. They also impact schools and colleges that other charities can’t, with more than 80% of their schools not offering similar prizes, grants, or scholarships. They have a fantastic aim to award their 1000th scholarship by this summer – which is great news and my congratulations go to the local student involved! To find out more, you can check out the Reading List Foundation on Twitter, @ReadingList01, and at www.readinglistfoundation.org.
• Applications for the Sutton Trust’s UK Summer Schools and Apprenticeship Summer School are now open! I’m pleased to say that schools in Corby will also be receiving further information soon. Sutton Trust UK Summer Schools, for Year 12 students, consist of a week-long residential with one of thirteen leading UK universities. This is a fantastic opportunity to attend academic taster sessions and meet like-minded individuals from across the UK to experience what university life is really like. Further, the Apprenticeship Summer School is a three-day residential designed to equip students with the skills to navigate the apprenticeship landscape. All costs associated are covered by the Sutton Trust and their partners, so they are free for students to attend. Participants who complete the programme leave with increased confidence, skills and the experience needed to navigate the university and apprenticeship application process. Interestingly, Summer School participants are four times more likely to receive an offer from a top university than their peers. You can visit the Sutton Trust website at https://www.suttontrust.com/our-programmes/, for more information on these exciting opportunities. Make sure you don’t miss out!
• As we approach Holocaust Memorial Day this Friday, I wanted to highlight to local schools and anyone that may be interested, that on the 26th January at 10am, @HolocaustUK are hosting a live, interactive webcast with a Holocaust survivor to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. You can find out more and sign up at: https://www.het.org.uk/education/outreach-programme/webcast-2023. This is an important opportunity for schools and individuals to hear first-hand about the experience of life during the Holocaust – please do attend if you can, as we all have a role to play in tackling hatred in all its forms, and its terrible consequences, head-on. We must never forget the lessons of the Holocaust and remember all those who lost their lives in such awful circumstances - never hate, never forget.
• This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week – it is important now, as it is every week, to be aware that with HPV vaccines and regular cervical screening, it would be possible to end Cervical Cancer. Do see the following link for more information, advice and support: www.jostrust.org.uk/ccpw.
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!