The weather hasn’t always been full of sun this summer, but it has been a busy few weeks with lots to do and plenty to be getting on with.
Summer recess is a good time to prepare work for when Parliament returns, but equally important it’s a chance to get out and about, meet with residents, community groups and businesses and listen to your views – whether it be speeding along Barns Lane, the recurrent unauthorised encampments or many other local and national issues that matter to you. There has been lots happening across Aldridge-Brownhills, and that includes of course Streetly, Rushall-Shelfield, Pelsall and Walsall Wood too. Rosie’s Walk was very special this year, ending as it began 15 years ago and I was very pleased to be able to join those who took part. As Aldridge residents will be aware the charity Rosie’s Helping Hands has made an invaluable contribution to local voluntary groups over the years and deserves our grateful and heartfelt thanks.
Across the constituency this summer we have also welcomed a number of new businesses. It’s important to support these events, recognising all that small businesses bring to our local economy.
August bank holiday weekend brought sunshine and some sudden showers but it didn’t dampen our spirits. It saw the IWA Festival of Water gathering at Pelsall North Common, and with it a spectacular display of narrowboats. It was a super weekend with lots of stalls and displays including Armitage Birds of Prey, the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust as well as the Friends of Pelsall Common, St Giles Hospice and the Pelsall Branch of the Royal British Legion. And we could not end the weekend without adding another piece of painted barge-ware to our collection on ‘Bucket’!
