News

Stephen McPartland, Member or Parliament for Stevenage, popped into Odyssey Health Club in Knebworth to try out some of the new equipment.

Stephen said "I was quite keen to get a look at the new equipment and try out the vario. In particular, as it is a low impact machine which takes the strain off your knees. It is a great piece of kit that seems to have gone down well with those who train regularly. One of the biggest barriers to keeping fit are injuries and anything that reduces the impact on your knees and other joints should always be welcomed. I imagine there are a lot of Marathon runners feeling the pain in their knees, and I would like to congratulate them as they have achieved something amazing and raised lots of money for charities."

The Government is giving our area around £260,000 a year for academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to provide significant additional funding for primary school sport, to help improve coaching for the youngest pupils and inspire the Olympic and Paralympic stars of the future.

Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage, said, "This is great news as the money will go directly to our primary school headteachers to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all their children. The best news forschools is that they get the freedom to choose exactly how to use this funding to improve sport and PE. This could vary from specialist coaching and teacher training to dedicated sports programmes, Change4Life sport clubs and support for after-school or weekend competitions. Whatever they decide, I am delighted that this investment will help a generation of children who will feel the benefit for many years to come."

Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland supported MBDA apprentices as they took time out to redecorate the day centre used by Crossroads Care Hertfordshire North, at Roebuck in Stevenage.  The apprentices completed the work over a weekend as a community project as part of the Brathay Challenge which is a national challenge for apprentices.

One of the business apprentices commented, "Our thanks to Stephen McPartland for joining the team and responding to a challenge we set him during his visit to MBDA during National Apprenticeship Week."

The work done has been welcomed by staff at the charity.  Jo Wilkinson, executive assistant at Crossroads Care, said "The day centre looks great; it has really brightened up the place.  The MBDA apprentices have done a fantastic job and I would like to say a big thank you on behalf of everyone at Crossroads."

Stephen McPartland, Member of Parliament for Stevenage, popped into North Hertfordshire College yesterday to meet Pete Wheatley the National Union of Student President. Stephen and Pete chatted about working together on some projects and an event in Parliament.

Stephen said "It was very kind of Pete to invite me to sample the new smoothie bar at the Student Union and show me the facilities. It was a good start to the day and I look forward to popping back for another."

Stevenage has the highest rate of Dementia diagnosis in Hertfordshire, as this condition is affecting more and more local families. Help is at hand as people living with Dementia and their carers in Stevenage can now benefit from the appointment of Tia Davolls, an Admiral Nurse, to help provide families with the emotional and practical support they need.

Stephen McPartland, Member for Parliament for Stevenage, introduced Tia and gave his backing to the local pilot scheme when they visited Al's Café which provides a carer-friendly community.

Stephen commented, "I believe that it is very important to help people living with Dementia and their carers achieve improved quality of life through help such as that offered by Tia in her new role as a local Admiral Nurse. The benefits are clear to see and really add value as well as preventing isolation, socialising and sharing experiences when getting together. This is a pilot scheme and Tia needs 80 families in Stevenage to sign up to her free service for it to be judged a success and have the potential to continue for years to come."

Tia said, “I feel very proud to be part of the Admiral Nurse team, working with a group of carers whose own needs are not always recognised. Carers are essential in the care of their loved ones, but there can be significant consequences to their own health from the physical and emotional stress of caring. I have always had a great admiration for carers so I’m passionate about helping them have a voice, so that both they and the people they are caring for get the right support at the earliest opportunity.”

Working for Carers in Hertfordshire, Tia is a registered mental health nurse specialising in dementia. Her work aims to improve the health and wellbeing of carers and enable families to understand the impact of dementia, manage everyday life in the best way possible, be supported with decisions as the condition progresses and plan for the future in a positive way. The Admiral Nurse post has been funded by People’s Health Trust, using money raised by HealthCourage through The Health Lottery.

If you would like some personal advice from Tia, please contact her on 01992 58 69 69, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Al's Café, at the Glaxo Day Hospital within the Lister Hospital, offers carers an opportunity to socialise every Monday evening as well as sharing experiences and information.

Stephen McPartland, MP for Stevenage, is supporting the Magic of Play Appeal project to build a new playroom for children to use while they are undergoing treatment at the Lister Hospital.  The appeal is led by the East and North Herts Hospitals Charity and will replace the existing portakabin.

Stephen said, “I am always impressed by the dedication of staff at the Lister hospital who work with children during difficult illnesses. The staff work hard to make the children as happy as possible and try to give them some control over their illness. This is a fantastic project that will really help local children during their time in hospital."

The Magic of Play Appeal was launched by the celebrity patron for the charity, Esther Rantzen, with a target of £250,000 to fund the new facility, which will include a dedicated room for those who are unable to mix due to their illness.

Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland declared the new Companion Care Vets surgery officially open, helped by owner of the surgery, Andrea Titiliuc and staff at Pets at Home.

Stephen  said, "It is always exciting to welcome new companies to our town, which will employ local people and provide a valuable service to our community. The facilities are absolutely fantastic and our local pets really will have access to some of the most advanced technology available combined with an incredibly caring and enthusiastic staff."

The opening of the surgery comes with a £200,000 investment and up to seven jobs will be created locally.

The Companion Care Vets surgery is located within the Pets at Home store in Stevenage and is equipped with modern facilities including digital x-ray facilities, an in-house laboratory and isolation unit.

Stephen McPartland MP is urging local schools to apply for Pupil Premium Awards of up to £10,000.  These awards are available for schools that have done the most to boost the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils.

Stephen said, "Every young person deserves the chance to benefit from a good education and it is especially important that poorer pupils have access to transforming educational opportunities. The Pupil Premium Awards provide direct recognition to schools that are doing the best for disadvantaged pupils and I am sure that our local schools are amongst the best."

The 2013 Pupil Premium Awards will celebrate the successes of schools throughout England that can demonstrate objectively how they have used the Pupil Premium to achieve a measurable advance in the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils (defined as those entitled to free school meals, or pupils who have been in public care for six months or more).

The best schools in every English region will gain recognition, and regional winners will be invited to a reception in London, where the overall prizes will be announced. Judging will be by an independent panel of education experts.

Closing date for entries is 17 April, and the final will be held on 26 June.

The 2013 Pupil Premium Awards are being delivered in partnership with TES: further details and applications are available on the Pupil Premium Awards website.