With party conferences ongoing Parliament is “in recess”. Many MPs are still working in Westminster though - and it was a pleasure to show Horsham Probus and the WI around this week. Recess also provides an opportunity to touch base with many organisations around the constituency.
I greatly enjoyed joining many from Billingshurst, Headteacher Peter Woodman, Chair of Governors Graham Parr, staff and students at The Weald School for the formal opening of their new building. If anyone thinks that the standard of teaching or the difficulty of subjects has reduced over the years I would really recommend they spend a few minutes listening to lessons in this Outstanding school! Numbers have grown and their academic results this year are the best the school has ever achieved.
I visited the Chief Constable on National Police Memorial Day – one of a number of policing meetings I have coming up. The same day it was a pleasure to meet a new group who call themselves Horsham “Rusty Brains”: they are living with dementia and meet for discussion and activities. The group had organised a “Memory Walk” in Horsham Park to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. They are far from alone – over three thousand live with the condition in Horsham and Mid Sussex Districts and the Society does invaluable work in the field of research and helping those who have dementia and their families.
A discussion about the pharmacy sector at the Arun Valley pharmacy, a visit to the “Networking Mums” business and sales event in Horsham, the District Council’s first rate “Jobs Fair” at the Drill Hall, the inauguration of the new church parish of Colgate and Roffey at Colgate….
Huge fun was also had at the Barns Green Half Marathon and 10k. In its 35th year, the organisers do an amazing job, securing sponsorship, dealing with the myriad forms, sorting out everything from road closures to medical support. Despite warm running conditions (how the feathered bird and Batman to name but two runners coped I don’t know…) it was a huge success with record numbers and a huge amount of money raised for the village and St Catherine’s Hospice.
Photo caption: With Nigel, Sue and Graham some of the brilliant volunteers who keep the Barns Green Marathon, now in its 35th year, flourishing.