Small Business Football and Table Tennis

Its a strange life being a Prospective MP. My day started meeting Colleen Morrison who runs a recruitment business in Bush Fair. Over poached eggs on toast we discussed local issues including the complex parking issue. I also chatted to the local butchers about the issue. Independent butchers are rare these days and I was sad to see Dewhurst shut down in Broad walk not so long ago - particularly since I was a great fan of their Roasted Lamb on a spit!

I then rushed off to Starbucks to meet a wonderful lady, June, Editor of the North Weald Village Life and the website of the same name. She has set up the magazine from nothing and it is now a profitable venture. I was meeting her to discuss Hastingwood issues as Hastingwood is new part of the Harlow Constituency for the next election.

After, loads of casework and correspondence, helped by my hard-working volunteer Assistant Ann Russell Day.

Then it was time for Pickles- of the Eric variety. The neighbouring MP for Brentwood and Conservative Party Chairman, was in Harlow visiting Harlow Football Club and the Norman Booth Centre.

Simon Morgan, HFC Chairman, is making the Club even better and is doing loads of work in the community. I was pleased that Eric could see the club. Later at the Norman Booth Centre, Eric and I played some young lads table tennis, and we lost 11-3!!!!!!

Eric then did a great dinner to Harlow Conservatives and spoke about love bombing- what he meant was that we should treat our opponents with respect and not rise to the bait if they do underhand tactics and try to provoke. He was right.

Today I am off to Harlow Writers Workshop and then its free time until Monday, Its my 40th birthday tomorrow! I am lucky to be celebrating it with my beloved girlfriend Vanda.

Roads and Table Tennis

Yesterday was a really good day for my work in the Constituency. I first met with the David Smith , the mastermind behind The Best of Harlow website. He has set up an amazing site for businesses in Harlow, on the web. I then went to Harlow Renaissance to be briefed about the latest regeneration plans for Harlow. I think Renaissance are a tremendous organisation who have a determination to transform Harlow for the better. I also had a great meeting with Simon Price who is a technical long distance driver. Simon supports my campaign for an extra by pass on the M11 and was helping me out with some ideas. At McDonalds, we pored over maps to try and examine possible routes for the by-pass.

But the best part of my day was on Friday evening. With Cllr Muriel Jolles, I visited the Norman Booth Centre in Old Harlow. Thanks to the inspiration of Neil Brierley and others, Norman Booth has been transformed into one of the top Table Tennis Clubs in the country. It is also self financing as the Centre also has a range of other sporting activities and a great cafe and viewing area. This place should be in the top ten of one of Harlow’s proudest achievements in recent years and shows what can be done with leadership and determination. I enjoyed playing table-tennis with young Rhys Williams and got trounced of course!

Finally, for those who read my blog a few days ago, you will recall a Pigeon decided to do his business on my suit, in the Water-Gardens Car park. Well I had an email from a friend in Northern Ireland who said it is a sign of good luck! Well, he was completely right! My girlfriend who is Brazilian, got her Visa to study in the UK, so I was really happy. She will be back next week and I have to pick her up at the crack-of dawn on Thursday morning. So thank you Mr Pigeon, wherever you are.......