Despite Covid-19, Norfolk and the Eastern region remains one of the most exciting area of the UK in terms of science, technology and innovation. That’s why I have long been one of the Norwich Research Park’s biggest advocates, supporting its various bids for investment and highlighting the great benefits it will have for our area – with it bringing growth, prosperity and many of the jobs of tomorrow.

Today, I was delighted to catch up with members of the Anglia Innovation Partnership – the body that oversees the running of the NRP, and strives to drive forward its growth and better connect it to our area.

Having last year set out their fantastic ‘Vision2030’ programme, David Parfrey (Executive Chair), the rest of the Board and all of the staff on the NRP have been making tremendous strides – and ‘Mission2020’ and ‘Ambition2050’ programmes have also been announced. It’s clear that the NRP is not only focussed on the next decade, it’s also committed to facing head on and solving the challenges of today and turning them into opportunities for our area, as well as looking even further ahead at the issues that our world will be addressing in the second half of this century and the first half of the next.

The NRP has also been very active during this current Covid-19 pandemic – doing great work that will benefit us all.

Rest assured, I remain firmly committed to supporting this brilliant Norfolk asset.