A good Friday in Harlow

I had a busy day today which started off by visiting Harlow Community Transport with Cllr. Clive Souter. Sam Stopplecamp who runs the organisation is quite an inspiration. He is determined to make Harlow CT one of the best bus services in Essex.

The CT is like a fourth emergency service. Through the help of volunteer drivers, pensioners, the infirm and the disabled are given means of transportation which they might otherwise be denied. I am glad that the CT is shortly to become a charity as this will give the organisation some great opportunities.

It was also good to see the new Bus. It has the most amazing facilities for the disabled including special facilities for wheelchairs.

In complete contrast, after I met a company based in Hastingwood and Epping called 'Yummy Jobs'. They work closely with the hospitality industry and help supply key workers to Disneyland in America. They are looking to expand the skills base here. The Yummy Jobs Director, made the point to me that Tourism degree courses in the UK often did not provide students with vital 'on the job' experience, purely because students could not afford to pay for a year abroad.

I was pleased to also go to Barclays Bank in Harlow to meet friendly and hard working staff to get a useful update as to the banking situation in Harlow. No one is quite sure as to whether our economic woes are over.

P.S. The pictures show the new community bus and myself with Lucy from Harlow Barclays.


Rob Halfon - Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering