Domestic abuse skyrocketed in Norfolk during the Covid lockdowns – affecting men and women alike, and people of all ages. Having seen the effects of domestic abuse in my own family as a youngster, I know first-hand that it doesn’t just scar the immediate victims: it triggers a cycle of downstream PTSD, child trauma and emotional damage for many of their family and friends.

That’s why I always appreciate the opportunity to visit The Daisy Programme in Watton – a wonderful group that provides a sanctuary to men, women and children across Breckland who are facing domestic abuse.

Leigh and the inspirational team at the Daisy Programme first formed in 2015 and have become one of the most prominent domestic abuse charities in Norfolk in the years since. I welcomed the chance to talk to them about their latest efforts, and to find out how I can help them better connect with local partners so that we can deliver more support to those that need it.

To find out more about their incredible work, please visit their website here

Our local councils do so much to care, support and provide for us ALL here in Norfolk – and that’s why I value greatly the conversations I regularly have with our local council leaders, councilors and staff, who take the time to keep me fully updated on all the work they are doing, brief me on what I can do to support them and also explain how they can help inform my work locally and in Westminster too.

On Friday, I had great chats with Cllr Andrew Jamieson (Cabinet Member for Finance) and Paul Cracknell (Executive Director of Strategy and Transformation) at Norfolk County Council – learning more about their portfolios and discussing what work they were doing with councilors and officers to support and improve the lives of people across the county.

Those conversations followed the regular MP briefing that NCC Leader, Cllr Andrew Proctor, holds for my fellow parliamentary colleagues and I – and, in addition to working closely with a number of our excellent local councilors on a variety of Mid Norfolk issues, I have also had positive catch ups with Cllr John Fuller (Leader of South Norfolk Council) and Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen (Leader of Breckland Council) in recent days.

THANK YOU to all those in elected office in Norfolk, as well as all of the council officers and support staff. You do so much for our wonderful county and we are truly lucky to have you.

As the UK embarks on its quest to become a true ‘Science Superpower’ at the forefront of the Green Revolution, Norfolk (and the East) will play a leading role in the science and innovation required to make that happen – bringing thousands of exciting new jobs of tomorrow, growth and prosperity which, alongside the advances being made, will improve the lives of us ALL.

The ‘jewel in our crown’ is the Norwich Research Park – which I have long supported and advocated for, and which I believe, in the years to come, will see more and more companies spin-out from it and set up in the towns and villages around it – especially in what I call the Norfolk Research Triangle: the area between Dereham-Norwich-Wymondham/Attleborough. 

That’s why I was delighted to visit the NRP again this past Friday for a busy day of events:

• Meeting Dr Pete Jackson, the new Non-executive Chair of the Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP (which runs the Research Park), to talk all things NRP.

• Meeting David Parfrey, the Chief Executive of the Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP, and others on the Board to catch up and hear more about the great work being done on the Park.

• Speaking to an audience of NRP staff, NRP associated businesses, local councilors and NRP key collaborators about my work as Co-Chair of the Prime Minister’s Taskforce for Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform and how many of our Taskforce’s recommendations can boost science and innovation in the UK.

• Participated in an excellent panel discussion titled “Future of Business in East Anglia” with Chris Sargisson (CEO of Norfolk Chambers), Chris Starkie (CEO of the New Anglia LEP) and Dr Pete Jackson – also answering questions from our brilliant audience.

It truly is an exciting time at the NRP – and for Norfolk and the East more generally. I look forward to continuing to do all I can to support the NRP, and speaking up for science and innovation in our part of the world, in the weeks and months ahead.

Norfolk has more medieval churches than anywhere else in the world and they all require upkeep and maintenance.

That’s why the brilliant Norfolk Churches Trust are so active with their fundraising – to protect and maintain these wonderful historic buildings so that we, and future generations, can continue to enjoy, and learn about, them.

This year, the Trust are hosting their annual bike ride once again – on 11th September.

Since starting the first Bike Ride in 1983 more than £3,937,519 has been raised, with 831 people raising over £173,000 alone last year!

Due to COVID-19 over the past year or so, the traditional way of fundraising such as fetes, bake sales and more have not been feasible so it is imperative to come up with alternative solutions! It’s the hope of the Norfolk Churches Trust that this event will appeal to those who have been enjoying cycling, running and walking over lockdown! This event is open to those on foot, on bikes, cars and even horseback!

There is a photography competition on the day and the winners will receive a £50 prize and be sent to the EDP. If you’re competitive but not photogenic there is a space on the wall of fame for those who visit the most churches on the day!

For more information visit: https://norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/bike-ride-walk/

Having worked for fifteen years as an entrepreneur before coming to Parliament, and having been a former Business Minister, I have always done all I can to support and endorse local business – the engine of our Norfolk and national economies.

That’s why I was delighted to catch up with David Dent, the Chair of the Wayland Chamber of Commerce, last week at Broom Hall in Saham Toney to discuss all things local Business.

The past year has been particularly tough for local companies and entrepreneurs and therefore I was delighted to hear more about the outstanding work David and the Chamber are doing to support local businesses in Watton and Wayland. They are also involved in a number of initiatives to boost skills training in youngsters around the region.

Examples of the Chamber’s work are the Spring Back Business Grants, the Shop Front Improvement Scheme and Chamber Workshops, which offer education on Cloud Accounting and Website Use amongst many other helpful things.

I look forward to continuing to support David and the team in the months and years ahead, and wish them and all their members all the best.

For more information regarding the Chamber’s initiatives, please visit their website: here

Can we combine productive farming with enhanced habitats and biodiversity?

That was the question posed on my recent visit with Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network – and the answer is yes!

After being shown some of the ongoing work of this group, it’s clear to see what the impact of cultivated field margins have in developing the wild seedbanks, and how the wild flora and fauna thrive alongside the birds, bees and creepy crawlies!

The Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network is a farmer-led group comprised of 52 members and cover over 44,000 hectares of farmland. The focus of the group is to create a landscape scale wildlife network as the Brecks are not only a special area for agriculture, but home to a vast range of animal and insect species, some that are nowhere else to be found in the UK.

More information on the Network’s work can be found on their website: here

Since becoming the MP for Mid Norfolk in 2010, one of my central missions has been to avidly campaign for improving the local area’s transport and commuting lines. Prime examples of this hard work includes the approval to start breaking ground on the £300 million A47 improvements between North Tuddenham and Easton as well as the dualling of the A11!

However, improved connectivity must not come at the cost of our rural heritage and way of life.

That’s why, as part of the ongoing campaign with colleagues, members of the public, local parish councils, passionate community groups and representatives of both Norfolk County Council and Highways England, the south of the A47 Taskforce that I helped established met again this past Friday to continue discussions around mitigation measures that will be required to combat rat-running in the corridor between Honingham-Wymondham in the years to come.

Following Norfolk County Council’s expansion of their traffic survey work earlier this year, their team reported back to us on the latest data – and continued the discussion around which measures might be appropriate both in and around the corridor in question. I look forward to supporting their efforts further in the weeks and month ahead.