Since my last article, I have been truly overwhelmed by the strength of our communities coming together to support and protect each other. I want to extend my most sincere gratitude to everyone for adopting the lockdown measures with such a sense of civic duty.
Thanks to our collective efforts, the spread of the virus and the number of patients requiring critical hospital treatments is not accelerating. This shows that staying home is saving lives, and I am unequivocal in my support for an extension to the lockdown to protect us here in Melton.
I understand that the actions necessary to heal our country are difficult, but we will get there. It will take time and further sacrifice, but there is hope. On a national scale, as planned the Government is significantly ramping up our testing regime and has launched the biggest diagnostic lab network in British history to test for COVID-19. We are also working on an accurate antibody test to see who has had the virus and is now immune. The antibody test is the most useful test and is currently being trialled by the Government with nine companies. Taking the time to trial these tests is vital. In one trial, a test many people have written to me asking the NHS to roll out, gave the wrong result three-quarters of the time.
There is one thing far more dangerous than no tests, the wrong test. Our most vulnerable and NHS frontline workers deserve accurate tests and we will not accept anything less.
For my part, I have been lobbying Ministers daily to get the outcomes residents rightly deserve. From getting people recognised as medically vulnerable who need to be, to getting the COVID-19 loans process sped up, fighting for furlough for company directors and advocating for support for the horticulture industry and tests for care workers. Every day I have lobbied Government to get support for our dairy farmers and for grants to be extended to businesses based in business parks or the Melton Mowbray Cattle Market. I’m also lobbying for our pubs, calling out poor landlords to get them to step up and support our publicans.
Locally, I have been working hard to support our communities through this pandemic. Over the last two weeks my team and I have supported over 1,000 residents and local business owners with COVID-19 related concerns. From helping elderly and vulnerable residents to get food deliveries, to supporting residents to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to tackling urgent housing and welfare issues, and getting residents back from countries as far away as Peru, Nepal, and New Zealand. I will always do all I can to support all of you
I have been in frequent communication with Melton Borough Council to assure them of my support and am impressed by their compassionate and pragmatic response to this crisis. The Police have also been of huge support, undertaking additional patrols in areas such as the Vale of Belvoir (to tackle day-trippers), where asked.
I’ve also been maintaining pressure on supply chains to ensure our local GPs and care workers get the PPE they need and have raised this issue with Matt Hancock’s team and the NHS’ Director of Distribution. I have also been supporting local businesses to establish PPE production and they have kindly helped me arrange emergency deliveries. I am eternally grateful for all those businesses and organisations who have stepped up to support our country.
In these dark times, individuals and organisations across Melton have been true beacons of light. I want to celebrate kindness and good deeds. That is why I launched ‘Rutland and Melton’s Unsung Heroes’, where each week I recognise an outstanding local person or organisation. All those recognised receive a certificate of recognition, a ’Rutland and Melton Hero’ badge and will be invited to a celebratory event once the pandemic is over as a small way to say thank you.
This week, I’d like to recognise our very own Joe Orson, the Leader of Melton Borough Council. Joe has kindly taken 70 Army ceremonial horses onto his land, so that the Army can focus on defeating COVID-19.
If you know someone or an organisation who deserves recognition for their actions to support our communities through COVID-19, please do contact me to nominate them! Over the last few weeks, I have received over 40 nominations and it is wonderful to see so many residents displaying simply outstanding national spirit.
Nowhere is that unique national spirit displayed more than by our NHS and care workers who put themselves at great personal risk daily to care for the most vulnerable in our communities. These people are true heroes, and we must ensure they feel our most sincere gratitude for their valour and altruism long after our country has healed.
