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A nineteen year old member of my staff is raising money for those diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the MND Association through a sponsored silence.

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It attacks the nerves that control movement; people can still think and feel, but their muscles refuse to work. It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk, and eventually, breathe.

Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage said, "Chrissy has worked for me about eighteen months and she is one of the most courageous people I know. She lost her Mum to Cancer in late 2013 and her father was diagnosed with MND earlier that year.

"This month is MND awareness month and Chrissy is helping to raise funds for the MND Association through a sponsored silence, which I have happily contributed too. Read more about her efforts here and please consider supporting her."

The MND Association was founded in 1979 by a group of volunteers with experience of living with or caring for, someone with MND. It kills five people every day in the UK, half within 14 months of diagnosis. Five people die from MND every day in the UK and it affects up to 5,000 adults at any one time.

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Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage, has welcomed the new Conservative Government’s legislation to offer 30 hours of free childcare per week during term time. This is worth around £5,000 a year, in support for local families. All three- and four-year-olds in working families will be eligible for 1,140 hours of free childcare per year, double the current entitlement.

Stephen McPartland Member of Parliament for Stevenage said, "Childcare costs can be a burden on family finances that prevents parents from going back to work. We want to make it easier for those parents who do want to work, to do so and that is why we are going further than ever before to help with childcare costs, helping hardworking families and giving people the opportunity to get into work.

"Doubling free childcare will make a real difference to thousands of local families. Parents will be able to return to work and hold on to more of their hard-earned money, while their children benefit from 30 hours of free, flexible childcare."

The new Conservative Government is on the side of working people – helping them get on and supporting them at every stage of life.

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During the recent election campaign a local slimming group invited Stephen McPartland MP along. He heard first hand the positive impact on members lives, and also had his weight checked by Tracy Copping, who runs the Timebridge and Poplars Slimming World groups. Stephen returned as promised after the campaign, and as is traditional with the group was applauded for his weight loss between the two visits.

Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage, said, "The group made me feel very welcome on both my visits and I can see how enjoyable being a member can be. The community spirit is fantastic with support and information provided along with a lot of fun, and this week the group donated over 100 bags of clothes to Cancer Research UK as part of the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw campaign. I am proud of the difference being made in Stevenage, which is being recognised through nomination for the national Group of the Year, one of only 5 from 9,000 across the UK."

Tracy Copping, Slimming World Consultant, who runs the Timebridge and Poplars groups, said, "I truly believe I have the best job in the world. I am passionate about helping people to change their lives by losing weight and seeing them succeed is the most important thing to me, but being nominated for Group of the Year, from 9,000 groups in UK is a wonderful bonus. I am proud to see Stevenage on the map in such a positive way! I have worked really hard this year to make sure that members who join my group get the highest level of service and the weight loss success they deserve."

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The local Beds and Mid-Herts branch of Coeliac UK is doing their bit to help raise awareness of coeliac disease and the importance of earlier diagnosis. They invited Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage, to join their stall at Sainsbury's Coreys Mill during Coeliac Awareness Week 11-17th May.

Stephen McPartland MP said, "I am pleased to support the local Coeliac UK branch help raise awareness of their new national campaign, Is it Coeliac Disease? Shortening the time to confirm a diagnosis of coeliac disease reduces potential damage to the digestive system and is usually treated by excluding gluten from the diet. The volunteers are giving their time to help make the lives of local people better, showing the strong community spirit we have in Stevenage."

Stevenage resident Vera Wagstaff organised the event and commented on the day, “We were very pleased to meet some new people and provide help and information to enable people to ask the right questions of both themselves and then their GP's in order to establish a diagnosis. Once diagnosed, people can eliminate gluten from their diet and start to feel better soon after. We are very grateful to Stephen McPartland for showing his support to this often debilitating disease.”

Around 1% of the UK population has coeliac disease, but only 24% of those with the condition are medically diagnosed. This means that half a million people in the UK are living with coeliac disease, undiagnosed. Coeliac UK's campaign aims to halve the length of time taken to confirm a diagnosis, which is currently on average, 13 years. Treatment is simply to remove all sources of gluten from the diet, and is usually very successful in restoring energy levels and overall feeling of health. Coeliac UK offers an online assessment at https://www.isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk/

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Stephen McPartland MP said, "I would like to thank the thousands of local people who took the time to vote in this election.

"I am proud and humbled by the support I have received from every part of our community and look forward to building on what we have achieved together over the last five years."

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Vote for Stephen McPartland today for a strong local voice in Parliament standing up for our area

Today you have the opportunity to vote in the most important election in a generation. The election will be a very clear choice and the result will affect our country for many years to come.

We need to finish the job of repairing our economy, backing opportunity and aspiration for all. We have a long term economic plan, which is providing security for you and your family. There is nothing caring about the risks Labour will take with the economy and all our futures.

I live in Stevenage with my wife Emma, a local Primary School Teacher and understand that locally, our quality of life depends on how quickly the roads are repaired, streetlights fixed, rubbish removed, what schools our children attend, the quality of care in our local NHS and how the Police fight crime. I am proud to have secured over £300 million infrastructure investment in our local schools, hospital, housing and jobs from the Government.

We can only have a strong community if we have a strong local voice in Parliament.

Please don’t leave it to someone else to vote, as they may be leaving it to you.

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Stephen McPartland said, "I am really enjoying the campaign and have met thousands of local people. Please remember the 3 positive reasons to use your vote for me today:

1. Investing in our Local NHS

Stephen is proud of the NHS and proud to have secured a £150 million investment in our local health service. The Lister Hospital is being transformed with new buildings and services, making it one of the most modern and advanced facilities in the UK.

2. Investing in our children's future

Stephen believes everyone has the right to a good education and is delighted to have secured over £200 million investment in our local schools, housing and jobs. Schools have been rebuilt, while others are being refurbished. Young people are taking advantages of our new apprenticeships and unemployment locally, is less than half the rate Labour left behind. Help to Buy and Right to Buy are helping hundreds of local families onto the housing ladder.

3. Investing in our local Roads and Railway

Stephen is proud to have sealed the deal in Parliament to widen our stretch of the A1(M) motorway and needs your vote to deliver the project. Stephen has secured more seats on our train services and better facilities at our stations, including the new passenger lifts at Stevenage Railway Station. A new platform is close to being agreed and direct services to Gatwick and Brighton in 2018 will ensure we are leading the economic recovery.

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Parents need strong, well-funded childcare provision so they can go out and work – and so working pays. A Conservative government will fund 30 hours of free childcare for all working parents of 3- and 4-year olds, worth £5,000 a year to each family. We have already extended the universal entitlement so that all parents can access free childcare for 15 hours a week, as well as the same provision for over a quarter of a million 2-year-olds from low-income families. To help families make their money go that bit further, from autumn 2015 tax-free childcare will also be available to nearly 2 million households.

Stephen McPartland said, "I know that this will be a major boost to local families as the cost of childcare spiralled out of control under the Labour Government. Good quality, affordable childcare provision that suits parents’ needs is what every family needs. I understand this and I have been working to make this a reality for local families.

"Parents also need to have confidence that their children are going to be safe and happy while they are being looked after, so improving the quality of childcare has been a priority. As well as making childcare more affordable, we have taken steps to make it more widely available to parents.  We are encouraging more schools to offer nursery provision and to open from 8am to 6pm. We have also made it easier for schools to teach children under three by getting rid of the requirement to register separately with Ofsted."

You can only have stronger public services with a stronger economy and only the Conservatives have a clear long-term economic plan to secure a better future for families.

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