After a long week in the Houses of Parliament a couple of weeks ago it was a marvellous relief to roll up my shirt sleeves, gather some wooden balls and smash them vigorously into a shelf stacked with crockery.
Moreton Primary School’s Summer Fair offered this wonderfully cathartic opportunity to MPs, children, staff and parents on a glorious sunny day last month. I was also rather good at throwing toilet rolls into a toilet, installed especially on the school playing field for the occasion, and my wife was delighted with the bar of cinnamon and orange soap I won to take home for her.
Headteacher Nikki Batt joined me on a haybale for an ice cream and a chat about the last year in education, which has seen schools across the constituency take in vulnerable young children who have come to the UK after fleeing violence and terror in countries like Afghanistan and Ukraine.
Hopefully the recent Government decision to increase public sector pay, including that of teachers, will make a difference to those working so hard in our local schools, and I thank them for all they do to make our children happy and safe.
I’ve also had the chance to have a chat with Royal Mail about the ongoing issues with postal deliveries in the Ongar area. It seems there have been a number of staffing issues in Ongar and Ingatestone, caused by sickness and external factors over which Royal mail had not control, but I am assured both offices are now fully staffed and deliveries are taking place six days a week. If there is an issue with a round on one day, it will be prioritised the next day for delivery, but please continue to let me know if and when you experience any problems.
