Previously, Chris wrote to the Secretary of State in order to pass on his support for the vaccine and to ensure it is rolled out effectively and efficiently once it is deemed safe. Chris said, “I have met with many constituents who have experienced either the loss of a child or a loved one because of Meningitis and I understand their concern at the delay of a vaccine. Therefore, I fully support an investigation and analysis into the Bexsero vaccine and as a member of the Health Select Committee I will strive to ensure that the process sees no further delay.”

Chris will also be hosting an event in Parliament for the Trust and will continue to support them throughout this process.  

Following the success of his regular Kingswood Job Fairs. local MP Chris Skidmore has teamed up with training provider N-Gaged to offer a regular jobs club at his Kingswood constituency office. Starting this month, N-Gaged’s specialist advisors will be available at the office to offer advice and guidance to local job seekers. This service is offered on a drop-in basis and no advance appointment is required.

After visiting N-Gaged’s Brislington site Chris said,” I am committed to getting local people back into work. That’s why I’ve been organising job fairs across the Kingswood, Longwell Green and Hanham, with Cadbury Heath planned in the near future. The Kingswood Jobs Club will help local people with careers advice and support, and I’m delighted to be working with N-Gaged and the National Careers Service on this exciting project.”

The Jobs Club will be held on Thursdays from 10am-1pm, starting on 11th January, at 47 High Street, Kingswood, BS15 4AA. For more information please contact the Kingswood Office on 0117 9081524.

Chris said, ” I believe that there are a large number of people who have genuine and serious concerns whcih need to be addressed, but may feel uneasy about approaching an MP’s office. That is why I decided to bring my surgeries to the people and be as accessible as possible in the run up to Christmas.”

If you would like to find out more about Chris’ surgeries, then please call his constituency office on 01179081524.

Chris met up with Sarah Fergusson, from Keynsham, who found a job with Wickes in Longwell Green through attending one of the Fairs in Kingswood. She is just one of many people who have found work through the MP’s scheme aimed at ensuring local people can find out what vacancies are available with local employers.

Chris said: “I’m really pleased that the Jobs Fairs that I have been organising are helping local people to find work. I’ve run three so far, and the feedback I’ve had has demonstrated that they’ve been really worthwhile- as the local MP, I want to help local people find work, its great that the fairs have been able to help.”

Wickes run a detailed programme with ensures that new recruits are able to work their way through the company and into its management structure through its ‘masters course’. Sarah is one of several new recruits who joined the company through the local Kingswood Jobs Fairs.

Chris will be organising another Jobs Fair in the new year- if you would like to find out more information please contact chris.skidmore.mp@parliament.uk or phone 01179081524.

Mr Skidmore said: “This is the third jobs fair I have held in the local area. They are a great way of getting employers looking to recruit and people looking for work to meet, and I personally know that local people have found work from attending previous jobs fairs, which is fantastic. As the local MP I’m determined to do all I can to get people back into work. I will be organising more in the next few months, as they have definitely proved a hit so far.”

Details of Chris’ next Job Fair will appear on the website oncea date and location has been secured. If you are interested in attending as an employer, please contact Joe on 01179081524.

Chris formally opened the ‘John Knight Memorial Nets’ before being bowled at by twenty members of the youth teams. The nets were the result of an award of £50,000 to the club by Sport England.

The nets, with three separate pitches, are constructed from state of the art materials and will ensure that the club and its youth teams, ranging from 7 to 17 will be able to practice in all seasons and weather. The nets were named in honour of a stalwart of the club who had worked hard to get the project off the ground, John Knight, who sadly passed away recently.

Chris said: “Local cricket clubs like Carsons and Mangotsfield are going from strength to strength- in addition to the superb new facilities at Pomphrey Hill these nets will help bring a new generation of cricketing talent to the local area. I certainly felt that after my time batting in the nets against some superb young bowlers that we might hoepfully one day see some future national players coming through.”

Chris said: “Conham woods are a secret treasure within the kingswood constituency, set in a beautiful surrounding and make a perfect day out. It is fantastic that this new community group, the Friends of Avon Valley Woodlands, has been established to protect and preserve the woods, and was delighted to take my ‘Impact’ team out to help with their work.

The group have other work days planned. If you would like to join them for a work session then contact David Mathews (group chair) at dcm_1939@tiscali.co.uk or 0117 9611965.

The path crosses the Kingswood constituency from Bitton through Oldland Common, North Common, Warmley and Mangotsfield to Staple Hill and the MP said, ” I have already had a significant number of local people come to me to raise the issue of crime and anti-social behaviour on the track. Clearly this is something that greater attention needs to be paid to, which I why I’ve teamed up with Ken Maddock to thoroughly investigate what local peoples’ experiences have been. The cycletrack is a fantastic resource which allows local people to cycle to work or to enjoy themselves on- its use must not be threatened by crime, which is why action needs to be taken.”

Chris commented: “While all the short-listed pubs would have been worthy winners, and are each excellent, this year the Queens Head clinched the title on account of their dedicated service to the local community, not just in providing a great atmosphere for locals to relax in and their regular functions, but for their commitment to raising money for local charities and
providing a base for organizations such as Kingswood Rotary. Congratulations to the Queens Head on becoming the Kingswood Community Pub of 2012, and thank you to everyone who took part in the competition.”

Chris said: “Whether local people agree with the planning application or not, what is vital is that everyone gets to have their say over this application. It is important that residents are fully involved with the application process, and that they know what is happening in their commuity. I’ve always made sure that with major developments such as this, a truly wide consultation takes place – that’s where i believe as a local MP I can be of assistance.”

The Challenge which begins on 14 July is for every child aged 4-11 years to read six books of their choice from their local library during the summer holidays. Children earn stickers along the way and will be given a certificate or “Olympic style” medal when they complete the Challenge. This is the 14^th year of the Challenge and this year the theme is “Story Lab” which is set in a city hosting the Olympic Games www.story-lab.org.uk.

Over 20 popular children’s authors are supporting the campaign including children’s laureate Julia Donaldson and fellow award-winning writers  Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson,  Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Jacqueline Wilson.

Chris Skidmore said; “I hope parents and carers in Kingswood will take their children to their local library this summer and if they aren’t already members sign up and do the Summer Reading Challenge.  It’s free and makes reading fun, a vital ingredient in building literacy. Last year 5818 children in South Gloucestershire took part in the Challenge. I hope we will beat that figure this year and show local libraries how much we value them.”

This year libraries will be linking the Challenge to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as it is an official project in the London 2012 Festival – the finale of the Cultural Olympiad www.london2012.com/festival. Details of local events are available from local libraries.

Miranda McKearney, Chief Executive of The Reading Agency said;“ With so much pressure on libraries, this year of all years is the time to support the work libraries do to inspire children to enjoy reading. Research shows that children who use libraries are twice as likely to be above average readers and that children who take part in the Challenge go back to school with improved reading skills and a boost to their confidence.“

Justin Tomlinson MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Libraries said; “An international reading and literacy study found that only 40% of English children were keen readers as opposed to 64% of Italians.[1] It’s really important that we tackle this as reading for pleasure is a more important determinant of children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status.[2]”

Tony Durcan of the Society of Chief Librarians said; “The Summer Reading Challenge showcases how libraries are modernising the way they support children’s reading. It combines a fun, incentivised challenge with book talking support from library staff and teenage volunteers, lots of live events, and a fantastic website – www.story-lab.org.uk. “

Annie Mauger, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is an incredible initiative and great way of encouraging children and young people to keep reading and using their library over the summer. Knowledgeable, passionate and skilled library staff in schools and public libraries are so important to engage children with exciting books and brilliant writing.”

This year the Challenge is also a Children’s University validated learning activity.   Children enrolled in a Children’s University can get their passports stamped at their local library and earn up to ten hours of “Children’s University learning” if they complete the Challenge. They will be able to earn a further four hours if they complete additional activities organised by local libraries. The hours will count towards Children’s University certificates.

Chris said, “Since my previous Jobs Fair, I have heard back from several people who got a job from meeting an employer there- I hope that this Hanham fair will prove just as successful”

Chris also announced that the next Kingswood Job Fair will take place on Friday October 5th.

If you’re looking to get back into work or for a change of career, come along to Chris’ job fair and talk to local employers about the opportunities they can offer.

Alternatively, if you’re a business is currently looking to fill a key role within the organization, get in touch with Chris’ office and book yourself a stall at the event. January’s Job Fair attracted over 400 local people so it’s a great opportunity to meet your next employee and promote your business in the local community.

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Kingswood celebrated its second annual St George’s celebrations, organised by Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore.
The celebrations included a Fun Day in Kingswood Park, with music from the Youth Creative Network. The event was opened by Dennis Stinchcombe MBE, the Bristol Branch president of the Royal Society of St George, who is pictured above with Chris.
The local MP, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the All Party Group on St George is now looking to establish a Kingswood branch of the Royal Society of St George. If anyone would be interested in getting involved in establishing this branch, please email Chris at chris.skidmore.mp@parliament.uk. Chris is also calling for a debate in Parliament to see whether St George’s Day should be a public holiday. Chris said: “Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland all have a national holiday to celebrate their identity. We shouldn’t be afraid to celebrate English identity and St George’s day is a great way of bringing local communities together.”

A team of volunteers are on hand to give advice and support on making CVs, interview advice and training for those seeking work. The Jobs Club will run on Monday mornings at Kingsmeadow Community Flat Kingswood, Barrington Close.

The Jobs Club has been organised by Karen Brasier from Soundwell Community Trust who said:

“I wanted to create a hub of hope for young people living in the community who really need it; sometimes educational establishments can bring back bad experiences so we carefully chose our venues so that they were local and relaxed.”

“The job clubs are not only about helping individuals to write a CV or provide guidance on Interview skills, we will also provide the opportunity to raise self-esteem and confidence and look to equip young people to progress towards long term employment and improved quality of life.”

Mr Skidmore, who previous to becoming to an MP ran a Jobs Club in Kingswood and since has organised a Jobs Fair in Longwell Green at which 400 people attended said: “It is great news that local volunteers are coming forward to set up Jobs Clubs like this. They provide invaluable support and ensure that for people looking for work, they can gain the confidence and knowledge about how to effectively apply for a job. It is a great example of the local community ties in Kingswood, of local people wanting to look out for each other, and I hope that the Club goes from strength to strength.”

Besides Karen, a team of volunteers include a trained counsellor (Alex Whitefield, MBE), listeners, and people with relevant experience who know how to stay positive and want to provide support to the community.

For further information contact:

Karen Brasier, Soundwell Community Trust

Chris Skidmore MP at the job club opening

Tel: 07905 598 165

Email: karen.brasier@s-c-t.org

Part of the Kingswood Foundation, Orchard Woodpeckers are a small business made up of six local people who make and sell their own jewellery,  woodwork and sewing crafts. Despite each having their own learning difficulties, all six members have spent the last two years refining their skills at the Orchard Workshop and are now able to sell their craftwork at local fairs, shops and other events.

Commenting on his visit Chris said: “I was delighted to be able to come along and see the great work that is being done here. I understand that everyone involved has really benefited from the independence that this venture has provided for them and I was only too pleased to be able to write to David Cameron and suggest that he carry out his own visit to the Orchard Woodpeckers should he ever be in the local area.”

Yate Leisure Centre currently host the Bowls Club but look set to replacing the bowling rink with facilities for a local gymnastics club. Many of the Bowls Club’s members are worried they would be unable to continue with their membership if it meant having to make a lengthy trip out to Thornbury.

In his letter Chris said: ”I am aware that the space at Yate Leisure Centre is needed for the King Edmund Acrogymnastics Club, which is also a highly used group, as it has outgrown its current premises. Nevertheless, my constituents would like you to explore the possibility of whether there is a way in which the competing needs for space can be accommodated.”

Chris also added: Many people in our local area use it, particularly the elderly and disabled people, since it is the only indoor bowls club locally for miles around. I hope a resolution can be found and the indoor bowls rinks saved. I hope I can try and help the trust to change its mind.”

Led by local resident Rob Withers, campaigners want to see homes in the Gunning Close area be recognised as Hanham rather than Kingswood postal addresses. Mr Withers believes a Royal Mail error was to blame for the incorrect addresses.

After providing a map to prove the location of the Kingswood-Hanham boundary, Mr Withers said: “This is all about identity and having an error that was made in the past corrected. I know the line of an address that gives the name of an area, such as Hanham or Kingswood, is irrelevant to Royal Mail and has no operational significance to them. It is not used when processing mail for delivery and my request does not require any changes to post codes, but it can be irritating that we are continually told we live in Kingswood just because of a Royal Mail error.”

Lending his support to the proposal, Chris Skidmore said: “It would be a very welcome change that would ensure Hanham’s independence as a small town in its own right is recognised. Hanham is not a sub-district of Kingswood but a proud community with its own distinct character, with its own High Street, community organisations, vibrant church groups and local businesses. I believe many people living in Hanham would welcome this move.”

Chris is hopeful that the changes will be implemented once they have been approved by South Gloucestershire and parish councils and the chamber of commerce.

Chris Skidmore (right) with local campaigner Rob Withers (left) and Hanham councillors John and Heather Goddard

Last year, 75.6% of people over 65 years and 50.2%[1] in the at risk groups were vaccinated against flu in Bristol, compared with the national averages of 72.8% for the over 65s and 50.4% for those ‘at risk’.

Chris Skidmore member for Kingswood, said “The seasonal flu vaccination is important to help protect those people who are more susceptible to serious complications or even death from flu. I would encourage all those that are over the age of 65 or are in one of the ‘at risk’ groups to visit their surgeries and get vaccinated,” he added.

Dr George Kassianos, a GP and Fellow and Immunisation Lead of the Royal College of GPs, said “Despite the relatively mild flu season last year, people should remember that flu remains a serious threat, particularly for those aged over 65 and those of any age with medical conditions that put them at increased risk from influenza infection and its complications, for whom it can be a pretty nasty and debilitating illness. It’s not too late, and I would encourage everyone at risk to get their annual flu jab.”

The Department of Health provides free seasonal flu vaccinations for at risk groups, which include those aged 65 or over; people with chronic respiratory disease (including asthma), heart, renal, liver or neurological disease; diabetes; low immune systems; as well as people living in long-stay facilities such as nursing and residential homes, and carers of elderly or disabled people[2].

The initiative is sponsored by the UK Vaccine Industry Group (UVIG) and is supported by the Department of Health as a useful way to highlight the importance of flu vaccination.