I understand that for many of us last weekend wasn’t quite what we’d hoped for, but I hope you and your families had a peaceful Easter at home.
We know the lockdown is working, and that the spread of the virus is not accelerating, and the number of cases requiring hospital treatment and in critical care is reaching a flat curve. This shows that staying home is saving lives, but we must continue adhering to the lockdown to protect our communities, and I support an extension to the lockdown to protect us here in Rutland.
I thought writing today I would share with you how I’ve been working to support our community during the pandemic. In the last two weeks I’ve supported over 1,000 residents and have been lobbying Ministers daily to get the outcomes residents deserve. From fighting for furlough for company directors, to getting people recognised as medically vulnerable who need to be, to tests for care workers, to confirmation on critical worker roles, to getting the COVID loans sped up and advocating for support for the horticulture industry. I’ve been particularly working to get support for our dairy farmers and the £10,000 grant for businesses based in business parks or the Melton Mowbray cattle market.
I’ve also been helping residents get food deliveries for vulnerable and older family members, assisting with urgent welfare issues and have been in frequent communication with the Police who have kindly patrolled additional areas where asked. Additionally, my team and I have been working to get residents back from Peru, Guatemala, Nepal, Australia, Nigeria, New Zealand and beyond.
I’ve been working hard to get our local GPs and care workers the PPE they need, raising the issue with Matt Hancock’s team, the NHS’ Director of Distribution, and maintaining pressure on supply chains. I’ve also been arranging emergency deliveries and supporting local businesses to establish PPE production. We will shortly have thousands of pieces of PPE being made every day in Rutland and Melton alone, and for that I thank all those businesses and organisations who have stepped up to support our country.
It is moving at this dark time in our nation’s history how individuals and organisations in Rutland have been true beacons of light. I’m extremely grateful to be able to recognise such tremendous contributions through my ‘Unsung Hero’ awards.
This week, I’d like to recognise Iain Stares and Alyson Kyle who own the Larder coffee shop in Oakham as ‘Unsung Heroes’. Despite being asked to open their doors as a take-away, they have focused all their efforts on providing free meals to anyone in need, with the elderly, self-isolating individuals and key workers prioritised. I am so enormously touched by their generosity.
All of us make our communities stronger than ever before as we play our part in the national fight to beat coronavirus. We must not forget the decisive and noble contributions of those around us. In particular I wish to express our collective gratitude and pride in our NHS and care workers, who are working so heroically to support patients and residents at this incredibly difficult time.
