For too long our area has been dismissed by some as a ‘rural backwater’.

Having given up my fifteen year career starting small businesses in our area, my mission as a newly-elected MP in 2010 was to make our towns and villages hubs of enterprise and opportunity once more, securing the dualling of the A11 and the major £300m investment in the A47, as well as £60m for fast broadband.

Central to that vision of a ‘Rural Renaissance’ is skills training and apprenticeships, the reason why I launched my The Norfolk Way campaign and was so proud recently to host the first Norfolk Innovation Awards and launch the first round of the Rural Enterprise Bursaries. That’s why I was delighted to visit Poultec Training at Mattishall last week to see their great work in providing skills training.

It was a privilege to meet Ed Bales, the Managing Director, and Neil McArdle, Training Director, in their state of the art facilities and to hear more about their business and their plans for the future.

Photo: With Ed Bales, Managing Director and Neil McArdle Training Director