• On Sunday 3rd March, Marie Curie will be leading the fourth UK-wide ‘Day of Reflection’ to remember those who sadly passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, whatever the cause, and to show support for those who have been bereaved. They’ve already seen over 850 organisations and millions of people support the 'Day of Reflection' in previous years, and they’ll be sharing resources in the run-up to support community groups to host events.
• Following their record-breaking year in 2023, with over £76 million invested in grassroots sports facilities across England, the Football Foundation are gearing up for an even bigger 2024. As part of this, they’re announcing even more funding opportunities to enhance grassroots sports clubs, both here in Corby & East Northamptonshire and across the country. Whether you’re looking for a grass pitch that can be used all year round, floodlights to illuminate the pitch in winter, or a welcoming community space, they’ve got local grassroots sports clubs covered. You can find out more about the funding available, here. And get applying!
• I was very pleased to hear from the Reading List Foundation that they have once again awarded an outstanding student from Kingswood Secondary Academy a Reading List Scholarship to support them as they embark on their exciting next chapter at university, which I’m sure was a welcome boost. Last summer, they achieved the fantastic milestone of awarding their 1,000th scholarship, which is really fantastic news – they’re doing great work to support students and my congratulations go to the local Corby student involved! To find out more about their work, you can check out the Reading List Foundation on Twitter, @ReadingList01, and here.
• Tesco have been in touch to let me know about their £8 million 'Stronger Starts' scheme, which aims to help local schools and community groups to provide healthy food and activities. Funding has already been awarded to over 7,000 projects across the UK, with more than £5 million specifically allocated for children and young people. Nominations for future funding rounds are open and I would encourage schools and groups across Corby & East Northamptonshire to apply for grants, here. Don’t miss out!
• Following a rapid rise in measles cases in the last few months, the UK Health Security Agency has emphasised the need to increase vaccination uptake. Measles, mumps, and rubella are all highly infectious conditions and spread between unvaccinated people, and can lead to serious problems, including meningitis and hearing loss later in life. Given the high stakes, it’s especially important to make sure our children are all adequately protected, and two doses of the MMR vaccine represent the best protection against these conditions. If you or your child have missed any of these doses, please do ask your GP surgery to arrange a catch-up for receiving the shots.
• The Corby Town Deal Board are advertising a multi-use property in Grosvenor House, Corby, to identify interested local charities or not-for-profit organisations who wish to show their interest as a potential tenant once renovations are complete. The board are asking for any interested parties to submit a declaration of interest form to show their interest in being either the main tenant/anchor tenant, or a sub-tenant. This exciting renovation is being funded through the Government's £20 million Corby Town Deal funding and if this is of interest to you, you can find out more and submit your interest, here before the closing date on Wednesday 14th February.
• Sutton Trust UK Summer Schools consist of a week-long residential with one of 13 leading universities. By attending academic taster sessions and meeting like-minded individuals from across the UK, students get the chance to experience what university life is really like. 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 and the skills needed to navigate the university and apprenticeship application process. 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, here for more information on this exciting opportunity. Well worth a look if you’re weighing up what next!
• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has recently announced a review into the car finance market, which follows the 2021 ban on discretionary commission, which tackled increases in car loan charges, and whilst many have complained about potentially being overcharged before the ban, most claims have been rejected by providers. The FCA is assessing this issue to ensure that if customers have lost out because of previous poor conduct, they receive proper compensation. Find out more, here.
• National Grid have been in touch regarding their apprenticeship scheme, and are encouraging young people in Corby & East Northamptonshire to send in applications. With a range of important challenges facing our energy sector currently, from the need to cut carbon emissions to bringing down bills and improving energy security, there’s never been a more critical time to get involved – making a real difference in tackling these issues head-on. This is an excellent apprenticeship scheme to be part of – indeed, the National Grid were the first UK apprenticeship provider to be ranked excellent by Ofsted for three years running – and so it is not to be missed! You can find out more, here.
• New data from NHS England reveals that there were 51,245 additional nurses in September 2023 compared to 2019, thereby hitting the Government’s manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 50,000 nurses six months early. We’ve met this commitment by boosting training and education routes, recruiting overseas, and boosting retention rates. We’re also providing a financial package for eligible nursing and midwifery students with grants of £5,000 per academic year to help meet this target, and ensure that Corby & East Northamptonshire has the frontline staff it needs. This development represents the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, which will help deliver hundreds of thousands of extra appointments, tackle waiting lists, and improve care for patients.
• I’m really pleased that grassroots community projects in Corby & East Northamptonshire can apply for up to £20,000 of funding through National Lottery 'Awards for All'. I’m excited to see the great ideas come forward that will have a lasting positive impact on our communities! More information, here.
• British Gas have been in touch to let me know that their Energy Support Fund has reopened for applications, which can provide grants of up to £1,500 to customers who are struggling to pay their bills, and which I know will provide much needed support to those in need as we head into the winter months. British Gas has committed £100 million to help consumers since the start of the energy crisis, with support including grants to cover energy debts for consumers and businesses, non-repayable credit to prepayment customers, and funding for advice centres and charities. Find out more, here.
• Calling all filmmakers and scriptwriters here in Corby & East Northamptonshire! 'Film the House' is an exciting film competition celebrating creativity - and your chance to have your work seen by industry experts, sponsored by the likes of Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery and The Walt Disney Company! I’m always keen for local talent to be showcased, so don’t miss out! Enter by the 29th February 2024, here.
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!
