"Stand up Speak up"

After David Cameron's visit last week we have continued our campaign to stamp out violent crime in Darwen with our first Stand up Speak up event. The meeting was an opportunity for the people of Darwen to make their voice heard and to help shape our manifesto for winning the next General Election.

The meeting was attended by over thirty people and we had an hour and a half of vigorous debate. Everyone who attended wanted to help fix our broken society and to make Darwen a cleaner, safer and better place to live. We even had a couple of Police Community Support Officers attend to let us know what is happening on the streets.

Thank you everyone who attended we will feed all your comments back to the Conservative Party via the "Stand up Speak up" website.

You can join the debate by visiting

http://standupspeakup.conservatives.com

wednesday 22nd August 2007

David Cameron today paid a visit to Darwen to announce the Conservative Party's plans for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.

The Conservative Party Leader visited the Sudellside Community Centre in Darwen with Jake Berry the Parliamentary Candidate for Rossendale and Darwen, where he was greeted by local residents and Party volunteers.

He made reference to the rise in violent crime which has including the recent violent attacks in Bacup and the recent murder in Darwen.
David Cameron also stated that he wants to give magistrates increased sentencing powers and stop the early release of crminals and called for an end to Labour's obsession for paperwork and targets and said he would free up police to fight crime on the streets,
He later visited Darwen Police station and met Bob Clinton the Superintendent from Darwen Police.

For more information and to view a video from David Cameron's speech in Darwen please visit.

Stubbins Garden Party

Those of you who are avid readers will remember that in May and June I helped the residents of Stubbins get ready for the Britain in Bloom Competition. Although the results are still pending the residents of Stubbins decided to have a get together last Sunday to celebrate all their efforts to improve their environment.



Gloria Oates kindly offered her fantastic house and garden for the occasion and with a massive community effort and despite the weather the garden party (now indoors) was very well attended. There was music from local folk artists and a prize giving for those who had made a particular effort to brighten up the Village.



Cllr. Darryl Smith presented Best Front of House (with garden), Cllr. Anne Cheetham presented Best Front of House and I presented Best Shop Frontage which was won by Somewhere in Time Antiques.



I am delighted to see the real pride in their own community the residents of Stubbins have taken. Since the Residents’ Association first proposed entering the Britain in Bloom Competition the whole area has improved. Community action does work, just go and visit Stubbins!!

Fight on to Save Fairfield’s Maternity - Online Petition

William’s petition has gone online at www.ipetitions.com/petition/fairfieldhospital

David obtained 1,684 signatures and delivered his petition to John Saxon, Chief Executive, Pennine Acute Trusts, Fairfield General Hospital.

With you help we can add to that number and send a message that we must keep Fairfield’s Maternity Wards open.

Signing this petition could save a child life.

Win at trip to the House of Commons for your 18th Birthday!!

A few weeks ago I launched biggest survey of 18 year olds in the constituency ever carried out by the Conservative Party. The survey is being posted to every 18 year old appearing for the first time on the Electoral Register for Rossendale & Darwen.

We know from the last election that young people in Rossendale and Darwen are the least likely to vote. That’s in spite of the fact that young people are really affected by some of the big issues in the country. Young people are more likely to be a victim of crime; they also have the greatest difficulty buying their first home and many young people I know have very strong views on climate change.

I’m not bothered whether someone is Conservative, Labour or Green; it’s important that all young people have the chance to be heard and I hope that everyone who receives it will complete the survey. We have already had a fantastic response and everyone who replies goes into a free prize draw to win a trip to the House of Commons.The survey will be available on our web site next week http://www.rdca.co.uk/ so everyone who is young (I will let you interpret what that means but you must be over 18 to go into the prize draw for the trip) can complete it.

A busy week for me in the office

On Monday evening Denis Gee and I headed over to the Hollins Grove Conservative Club to meet the club committee to discuss using the Hollins Grove for future events. I am slowly but surly making my way around all the Conservative Clubs in the constituency, I think it’s an important part of my job.

Tuesday was Bacup Town Branch AGM, a lot of changes were discussed at the meeting as well as a lot of idea’s of future events, I am looking forward to doing a lot more work in Bacup there is a great network in the association we just need to work together.
On Wednesday night the Darwen Association held a meeting to decide who will in next May’s Local Elections. Our campaign has already started for the May elections, it is vital we maintain control of the council.

On Thursday night if was time for another meeting about the William Hague dinner as always at David Trippiers place so nice and Local for us. It was the first chance for Charlotte and me to meet Michelle Wiseman, PPC for Bury South. It didn’t take Michelle and Charlotte long to get down the real important organisation of the dinner, the menu and table decorations!! The rest of the arrangements are coming along nicely, we are getting good support from Local Businesses so the evening is shaping up to be a great event. I am really looking forward to hearing William Hague speak.

On Friday I had another meeting with David Trippier and Cllr. Duncan Ruddick at the Robin Hood. Duncan and I ended up at the newly reopened White Horse Restaurant in Helmshore which I can highly recommend the food was excellent! I spent the rest of the weekend moving various bits of furniture around England and Wales while Charlotte had a friend visiting. We spent Sunday morning at the car boot sale in Ramsbottom and in the afternoon had a bit of good news a second viewing of the house in Knutsford and I think we have a sale.

The week of the 23rd July was a busy week for me in the office, not too much going on in the evening so I made the most of it and caught up with some work. On Saturday I was unable to attend the Rossendale Transport open day in Rawtenstall, as I was still in the office, but I hear it was a great success, even the sun came out for the day.

We did make the Flower Festival at St Annes Church in Turton, as well as the Sunday service. We had not been into St Annes before but what a wonderful church absolutely full with flowers. We then spent the afternoon at Nuela Smiths fifth birthday, happy birthday to Nuela and thanks to Darryll and Phil we had a lovely afternoon with there family and friends.