Welcome to this week's newsletter.
It was another fantastic Holly Holy Day last weekend in Nantwich - celebrating our local history and bringing business to the town. Thank you to everyone who took part and made it a great occasion!
In Parliament, I met with the Sports Minister to discuss the Fan-Led Review of Football - the latest in a series of meetings I have had on the subject. I reaffirmed my support for the proposals, which would bring in a new regulator for football and give fans a greater say in the running of their clubs.
It was great to meet Becky, a Hungerford Primary teacher who is a UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador. This is a fantastic opportunity for her to gain first-hand knowledge of the working of Parliament that she can take back to her students!
You might remember that ever since the Beechmere fire I have been working to secure stricter fire regulations for timber framed buildings, especially those that house people at higher risk. I attended another meeting of the Fire Safety APPG this week to lobby the new building safety Minister. Importantly the Government have launched a public consultation on proposals to make it mandatory for all new care homes to have a sprinkler system. Find out how you can submit to the consultation below.
The Government is taking more steps to crack down on hunting trophy imports - watch the video below to find out more!
Many residents have contacted me, concerned about the closure of the WHSmith in Crewe and what this will mean for the Post Office branch. I wrote to the Post Office and have been told they are looking at an offer from other retailers to take on an agent. I will update you all when I have more information.
Friday was Holocaust Memorial Day, and I attended a series of memorial events in Parliament this week. It is right that we never forget the horrors of the Holocaust that took the lives of millions of Jews and other groups so that history is never repeated.
Finally, I made a speech in Parliament praising the opportunities that apprenticeship brings to young people as an alternative to University. We have some fantastic local employers that provide valuable programmes in various industries and job roles.
In my speech, I talked about the final of the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Apprenticeship of the Year Awards. It was with great sadness, however, that I was informed that Mia, who I mentioned, had passed away suddenly last weekend. I did not know her, but all the love and sadness expressed by friends and family speaks volumes. Mia's friends, with her family's blessing, have set up a fundraising page on Just Giving in support of SADS UK. If you are in a position to make a donation, you can do so here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rememberingmiajennings
Mia's success is now permanently on the Hansard records of Parliament, and I hope to send a copy to her family.
Have a great weekend.
Battle of Nantwich
Apprenticeships
Meeting With Sports Minister
Holocaust Memorial Day
Banning the Import of Hunting Trophies
UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador
Post Office
Traffic Report
Battle of Nantwich
It was another fantastic Holly Holy Day that celebrated our history and brought business to Nantwich. It was great to inspect the troops and lay a wreath with the Mayor Peter Groves! Thanks, as always, to the societies and volunteers like Nantwich Buddies and sponsors like Whitegates, Rhino Safety and Applewood, who make this happen for everyone.
Fire Safety Consultation
Since the Beechmere fire, one of my priorities has been to improve fire safety, particularly in buildings housing vulnerable people and made of timber. You can read my original research into the risks of timber buildings here:
https://www.drkieranmullan.org.uk/news/beechmere-what-i-have-found-regarding-timber-buildings
Other countries that use timber have stricter regulations for example by requiring sprinklers. I think this is particularly important if the building is housing vulnerable people.
The Government has launched a public consultation on proposals to make it mandatory for all new care homes to have a sprinkler system. I met with the Minister this week to press the case at the Fire Safety APPG and I will be writing into the consultation to say I support greater use of sprinklers, particularly in timber frame buildings.
Have your say on this issue by clicking the link below:
There is an online form as it covers a few areas but you can also just email them your views on the issue of requiring sprinklers in care homes using this email:
ADBconsultation@levellingup.gov.uk
The Deadline is 17th March.
Apprenticeships
It was great to again promote the fantastic opportunity apprenticeships provide young people in Parliament this week.
Apprenticeships are a great alternative to University for school leavers - getting on-the-job training while receiving a qualification and earning money.
We are fortunate to have many organisations like Crewe Engineering & Design UTC and Cheshire College who make these programmes possible. We also have some amazing employers of apprenticeships locally, such as Bentley Motors and ALSTOM.
I also mentioned the winners and runners-up of the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Awards Apprenticeships of the Year. These are:
Connor Smith - Cheshire College - South & West
Mia Jennings - Everybody Health & Leisure
Matilda Turner - Mental Health Charter C.I.C
Catherine Bennett - Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Adam Sidcock - WR Partners
and the Winner Joshua Hallam - Amplo Group
In very sad news, Mia passed away unexpectedly at the weekend. I didn't get to meet Mia at the awards and she wasn't a constituent of mine but you can see the enormous warmth and affection people had for her on Facebook. Mia's friends, with her family's blessing, have set up a fundraising page on Just Giving in support of SADS UK. If you are in a position to make a donation, you can do so here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rememberingmiajennings
Meeting With Sports Minister
This week I met with the Sports Minister, Stuart Andrews, in the latest in a series of meetings about the Fan-Led Review of Football. This follows my meeting with other ministers and Crewe Alex over the past few weeks.
Once again, this review sought football fans' views and brought forward several recommendations to improve the game. This includes the creation of a regulator and giving fans a more significant say in the running of their clubs.
Holocaust Memorial Day
Friday was Holocaust Memorial Day, where we remember those murdered in the Nazi genocide, including 6 million Jewish people.
I attended a memorial service in Parliament on Thursday to personally pay my respects.
This evening at 4pm, the Light the Darkness National Moment took place. People across the nation lit candles and placed them in their windows to remember those who were murdered and to stand against prejudice.
National and Local Landmarks were also lit up in purple.
We must never forget the important lessons from this darkest period of history and ensure that it is never repeated.
Banning the Import of Hunting Trophies
Watch the video to see what the Government is doing to crack down on hunting trophy imports.
UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador
It was great to meet with Hungerford Primary Academy's UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Becky during her visit to Parliament. Attendees at the programme engage in a Q&A with the speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Speaker, and MPs from all parties about their work.
The teachers can then return to their school and give their students a better understanding of the UK Parliament and democracy.
Post Office
Residents have contacted me regarding the closure of WHSmith in Crewe and what this will mean for the Post Office branch.
I wrote to the Post Office, and they told me that multiple retailers in Crewe have expressed interest in taking on an agent to have a Crewe Post Office.
Currently, they are awaiting and working with retailers to see that official applications are made.
If the Post Office provide any further updates to me, I will relay those updates.
Traffic Report
The following are road closures for the week ahead, as reported by Cheshire East.
Middlewich Road - Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/KieranMullanUK/posts/pfbid0anK63SQyzag2hqXJvW19BiFzNZoUdFKs7g57q7jr4tz2DBMbPVXqAJy9fxZQpNwel
Goddard Street, Crewe - 30th January until 31st March
Waterloo Road, Haslington (Between Cross Road and Field Road) - 18th January until 7th February
Mill Lane, Oakhanger - 16th January until 14th April
Lime Tree Avenue, Crewe - 19th January until 3rd March
Flag Lane, Crewe - 18th January until 10th April
Delamere Street (Between Flag Lane and Saint Mary's Street) - 18th January until 10th April
St Andrews Avenue, Crewe - until 3rd February
Clay Lane (Between Clay Lane and Maw Lane) - 23rd January until 3rd February