This has been one of the most enjoyable weeks I’ve experienced as an MP. On Friday, I was joined by the Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan MP at the official opening of the Stem & Health Skills Centre on Truro & Penwith College’s Bodmin campus. It was a fantastic day and the guests met with the college's brilliant staff and students as they took us on a guided tour. It brought home to me just how far North Cornwall has come along in the last few years. When I grew up here in North Cornwall, we had nothing close to the facilities available to young people.
When I left Wadebridge School, I took a BTEC down in St Austell, but the courses available were quite limited. Along with many of my friends from school, we did what we could and took the jobs available to us if we wanted to stay living in North Cornwall. The other choice was to go up country and work or go to university. I stayed down here and worked as a postie for twenty years, and I’m very proud of it. I still have many friends doing their post rounds in North Cornwall, and although it’s hard graft, it’s an incredible community to work in. North Cornwall’s posties have always been a vital part of our community and they will continue to be.
I’m also very proud that during the last nine years that I’ve been MP, I have done everything I can to ensure that young people in North Cornwall don’t have to decide to leave if they want a different career path. They should have the chance to get a world-class education right here, not hundreds of miles away from home – that’s what we’ve achieved with the STEM centre in Bodmin and the college at Callywith. When I first started in politics on the old North Cornwall District Council, the site the college is on was a field with a campsite; a decade later it’s an ‘outstanding’ level further education facility. A huge thank you goes out to all the staff and students at the STEM centre who made it such a special day, and to the Secretary of State and her team who travelled down for the opening.
Following the opening of the STEM centre I made the trip up to Bude to meet with the Climate Jury. It was a very informative meeting where the jury put across their points and recommendations to me in a very professional manner. I committed to them, and the people of Bude, to ensure their recommendations are raised with the Secretary of State. I also committed to speaking with colleagues across the House, especially those representing coastal communities threatened by climate change. I look forward to meeting with them again.
I hold regular advice surgeries across North Cornwall, over the phone and online to book in please contact me via [email protected] or 01208 74337. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/therightMannforNorthCornwall.
