Everyone Deserves an Easter
It was fantastic to bring the Everyone Deserves an Easter campaign – an extension of the campaign we ran at Christmas – to Blaenau Gwent, providing hampers containing ingredients for a roast dinner and Easter treats to families who need a helping hand.
In the lead up to launching the campaign I held a coffee morning at Ebbw Vale Institute café and then the day before Good Friday I made the trip to Swansea to help pack the hampers for delivery.
Thanks again and a big well done to Sian and the team at the EVI for distributing them to families here in Blaenau Gwent.
Thanks to the large number of donations we had I was also able to pop along to Sirhowy Food Share to drop off some Easter Eggs for the children.

Thales
It was great to welcome Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens MP to visit Thales in Ebbw Vale to hear about the brilliant and important cyber security work taking place here in Blaenau Gwent and to meet some of the young apprentices.
Thales’ outreach work to inspire local young people’s interest in cyber and digital, alongside the fantastic pipeline we have coming out of the Cyber College Cymru course I helped set up at Coleg Gwent Ebbw Vale, are so important for getting the next generation ready for the jobs of tomorrow.

Safe Hands
Once again, I asked a question about the Safe Hands funeral scandal.
This is a situation where 47,000 people – including constituents of mine –  lost a total of £60m when Safe Hands funeral plans collapsed. The company is now being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s communication has been poor. It seems that the Treasury missed red flags and is now shuffling its feet.
The Minister totally failed to answer my question about restoring victims’ confidence in a system that has badly let them down.

Defence
Last month I asked the Defence Procurement Minister about what amounted to a defence budget cut of £2.5bn in cash terms.
The UK’s armed forces are being badly let down and our defence capabilities are being compromised.
With tensions rising and threats increasing, war in Europe and conflict in the Middle East the Government has no plan to secure Britain’s defences.
The National Audit Office has previously highlighted MOD pilot training failures –  shortfalls in those being trained, and long waiting lists for those waiting to be trained. I asked the Minister if the RAF is now meeting its quotas and if he is satisfied with the progress being made.

Tredegar Leisure Centre
It was great to help mark the 50th birthday of Tredegar Leisure Centre by popping along and joining staff to mark the occasion.
I still remember the centre being built when I was in Tredegar Comprehensive and I was using the swimming pool there recently, taking part in one of the great classes on offer.

Parkrun
I was really pleased to notch up my 200th parkrun at Parc Bryn Bach, Tredegar a few weeks ago.
It’s the highest parkrun in the UK and the closest place to heaven I reckon.
Big thanks to our Run Director Lee Aherne who pitches up week in, week out to set up and encourage us all and also to all the parkrun volunteers.

Advice surgery
My next advice surgery will be taking place at 11am on Friday, April 26th at Georgetown Community Hub, James Street, Tredegar, NP22 4JG.
Please come along if you wish to speak with me about anything I may be able to help with.
If you can’t make it but have an issue you want to speak with me about please either email me at nick.smith.mp@parliament.uk or call my office on 01495 313167.