It has been a busy few weeks across my Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and once again it has been good to meet with so many of you locally at your events.

One of the highlights of last month was undoubtedly my visit with friends and family to the Pantomime. The final night of the 2018 Aldridge Youth Theatre pantomime ‘Humpty Dumpty’ was simply superb. The Aldridge Youth Theatre and all of its budding young actors and actresses as well as all of the volunteers who work in the background are an absolute inspiration to us in Aldridge, for the work they do on behalf of the Village and the wider community. It was also wonderful to get my own first ever mention in pantomime – “Oh Yes I did!”

It was a privilege to meet the staff and volunteers at the British Red Cross in Streetly no learn more about the work they do. Their service helps people get their lives back on track, often after a stay in hospital, through loaning medical equipment which can make a big difference to mobility.

At the end of January I also had the opportunity to go onsite at the new Churchill Retirement Living development in Aldridge Village. This type of specialist retirement housing is proven to have a beneficial effect on older people’s health and wellbeing and the development of new retirement properties is a significant addition to our housing provision.

I was pleased to meet with Staff and Governors from Ryders Hayes School for a tour of their ‘Young Ryders’ facility for 2-year olds and the magnificent new Teaching School which has been developed. Congratulations to all the Staff and Pupils and thank you again for the visit.

As part of the celebration of 100 years since women’s suffrage Sue Satterthwaite and Len Boulton, our magnificent local historians, have put on a display at the Aldridge Library to celebrate the remarkable life of the ‘Aldridge Suffragette’. It was lovely to learn a little more about how Ellen ‘Nell’ Cotton played her part in the Suffragette Movement.

My ‘New Year News’ has continued to be delivered, bringing residents an update of my work in Parliament, on the issues which matter to us across the constituency. Hopefully you will have received your copy, but if you would like an electronic copy then please e-mail me at wendy.morton.mp@parliament.uk

It has been a busy few weeks and it promises to be equally as busy with The Great British Spring Clean planned for the start of March and my annual Aldridge-Brownhills Business Breakfast.