Harlow Community Update

Quite a few things on in recent days. Here is just a selection:

Tesco and Schools: Two visits to Tesco - Church Langley and Tesco Harvey Centre - to help hand out goodies to schools children based on the Tesco vouchers they had collected. It is a good scheme by Tesco and fully encouraged and supported by the Staff.
The children clearly enjoyed the occasion tremendously.

Harlow Olympics Committee: This was our second meeting to try and raise the profile of Olympics in the Town. I was pleased to bring with me James Huckle, Olympic Shooter who will be helping to spread the Olympics idea amongst young people. Harlow is lucky to have a number of Olympians and Paralympians - this is something that we should be very proud of.

Penguins Swimmers: To the leisure zone to support a fabulous sponsored swim from all young swimmers. Organised by Amy, it was a great event with much funds raised for some worthy charities including St Clare's Hospice.

Open Road Drugs Charity: This drugs rehab organisation does great work in encouraging abstinence from drugs. It is very active in Harlow and is looking to raise funds to get an S.O.S bus into the Town. I look forward to supporting this and was glad to discuss their work with the Chief Executive.

The Apprentice. As you will have seen from the local newspapers and the blog, our Apprentice Andy Huckle has started in the Commons to great fanfare. Earlier in the week, he was introduced to Apprentice Minister John Hayes and Lord Baker in a special meeting in Westminster with Harlow College Principal, and the Leader of Essex Council Peter Martin.

Harlow Women's Institute: A gentle Saturday morning visiting the WI fete. The WI Hall in Old Harlow was packed and I went away laden with lemon and mustard jam, cakes and a range of other goodies, including some hand-made drinking coasters. When you put the hot mug of coffee on the top, it releases the smell of the pot pourri inside the coasters. Remarkable.

Breast Cancer Awareness.  I was pleased to meet with Harlow representative Marilyn Morris from Breakthrough Breast Cancer in the Commons, and have agreed to support a Commons Motion to support Breast Cancer awareness and to encourage women to take up breast screening appointments.