Welcome to this week's newsletter.
Today is election day for Crewe Central! If you haven't already I would encourage Crewe Central residents to get out and vote for Roger Morris! This is a real chance to start building a different team of local councillors in Crewe that can get things done. Find out more about Roger here:
https://www.crewecentral.org.uk/
This week we marked the remarkable milestone of local war hero Bernard Morgan's 100th birthday. I met him last week to offer my congratulations in person, but I was also able to surprise him with a personal video from the Prime Minister, show to him at his party. Thank you Bernard for all that you have done, I hope you had a fantastic day! I know lots of people went along to make it a special occasion.
It is great to see a significant boost for the Crewe Youth Club Project on Mirion Street, with additional funding of £765,231 secured from the Government's Youth Investment Fund. This injection of funds will not only provide a new home for the South Cheshire ABC but also revitalise the old youth club site, offering vital services to young people in Crewe. Congratulations to all involved in this transformative project.
The stage is set for a fantastic performance as the Crewe Amateur Musical Society prepares their rendition of Kinky Boots at the Crewe Lyceum. Don't miss the chance to support local talent - get your tickets now via the link below:
https://trafalgartickets.com/lyceum-theatre-crewe/en-GB/event/musical/kinky-boots-tickets
This week is National Apprenticeship Week and we're reminded of the invaluable opportunities apprenticeships offer to young talents. From real-world experience to formal qualifications, apprenticeships pave the way for fulfilling careers and skilled employees. I got to meet an apprentice who is a constituent of Crewe & Nantwich in Parliament and it was great to hear her positive story.
Finally, the Government this week launched its NHS Dentistry Plan. Backed by £200 million, this plan aims to improve access to dental health services, ensuring everyone can receive the care they need. While challenges persist, this initiative marks a step towards better dental care for all.
Have a great weekend.
Happy 100th Birthday Bernard Morgan!
Over £750,000 Secured for New Boxing Club Home
Kinky Boots - Get Your Tickets Now
National Apprenticeship Week
NHS Dental Recovery Plan
Traffic Report
Happy 100th Birthday Bernard Morgan
Wednesday was local war hero Bernard Morgan's 100th Birthday!
Thank you to everyone who sent their best wishes in my Facebook comments last week - we have presented all of them to him in a card.
I met him last week to offer my congratulations and have been able to arrange a little surprise, with Johnny Mercer, Minister of State for Veterans' Affairs and another special guest recording their best wishes.
Click on the video above to watch the video and his reaction! I know lots of different people have played their part to make this a really special birthday for him so thanks to all those involved.
Happy Birthday Bernard, and thank you for all you have done!
Over £750,000 Secured for New Boxing Club Home
Fantastic news that the project to regenerate Crewe Youth Club on Mirion Street will receive £765,231 in additional funding from the third round of the Government's Youth Investment Fund.
The Mirion Street Project is already being supported by £732,000 of Government funding as part of the £22.9 Million that Crewe is getting for the Crewe Town Deal. This will provide a new home for the South Cheshire ABC allowing them to support an additional 100 young people per year.
As part of this development, the old youth club site will be regenerated, allowing community access to the land following the devastating fire in 2014. It will also protect the long-term success of the South Cheshire Amateur Boxing Club and improve the range of services offered to young people in Crewe. The need for this service was identified and supported by the Police and Crime Commissioner and Cheshire Police who continue to support the club.
This wider Town Deal funding will also help pay for other youth-focused projects such as the Crewe Youth Zone, and the Flag Lane Baths Community Hub project which will provide new activities and services for young people.
This is fantastic news that will not only help develop a local derelict site but also aid the amazing team at the South Cheshire Amateur Boxing Club in their work supporting young people in our community.
Well done to Nathan from the Boxing Club, Rob from the Crewe Youth Club and everyone else involved for all of your hard work on this project!
Kinky Boots - Get Your Tickets Now
The Crewe Amateur Musical Society is putting on a new production of Kinky Boots at the Crewe Lyceum between the 17th and 20th April.
I recently went to a rehearsal and spoke to Margaret and Nick about the fantastic work they and their amazing cast are doing.
If you would like to go along and support local amateur theatre, tickets are available via the link below or by calling 0343 310 0050.
https://trafalgartickets.com/lyceum-theatre-crewe/en-GB/event/musical/kinky-boots-tickets
National Apprenticeship Week
This week marks National Apprenticeship Week, a celebration of the incredible opportunities apprenticeships offer.
As young people begin to think about their post-school or post-college plans, apprenticeships are an attractive option. They offer invaluable real-world experience alongside formal qualifications, preparing young talents for thriving careers.
It was great to speak with a local constituent Jodie at an event in Parliament who has taken up an apprenticeship at Airbus. Jodie talked to me about how her apprenticeship is giving her the skills she needs. Jodie is an example of so many fantastic young people out there who are very focused on building a career for themselves and earning as they learn. It was genuinely inspiring to speak with her and to also hear how she has gone back to her school to speak about apprenticeships to inspire other young people to follow in her foot steps. Thank you Jodie! We can't have too many people shouting about the benefits of apprenticeships.
One thing we can be proud of is the number of Apprenticeship opportunities that have been created. In Crewe and Nantwich in 2009/10 there were only 170 people starting apprenticeships, now that stands at 13,870.
This not only brings fantastic opportunities for young people to progress and get on in life but also provides employers with new, high skilled employees.
NHS Dental Recovery Plan
Everyone who needs to see a dentist should be able to get one. The pandemic created backlogs that in some areas we haven't ever really recovered from. Too few dentists are willing to undertake NHS work. I know that far too many of you are having difficulties in getting treatments.
This week the Government launched its NHS Dentistry Plan, backed by £200 million, which will help create more than 2.5 million appointments - improving access to dentists and wider dental health.
The plan includes:
- Incentivising Dentists to work in areas where they are most in demand
- ‘New patient’ payments for NHS dentists to treat adults and children who have not seen a dentist in over two years
- A smile for life programme, bringing dental professionals into schools to teach children about oral health
I know there are real challenges locally accessing dentistry and I am under no illusions about this being a quick fix. I have now written to the local NHS to find out how they are going to use this extra funding to improve the availability of services in Crewe and Nantwich.