News

Stephen McPartland, MP for Stevenage, was welcomed at last Saturday's Stevenage Farmers Market.  The market is held at the White Lion Yard off the High Street and offers a range of products from locally-based stallholders. There was a festive feel, with local Councillor Jamie Fraser taking on the town crier role.   Stephen and Jamie are standing in front of a Fowler traction engine owned by John Saunders of Stotfold which was very generously made available for the day.

The market has been going for almost four years under its current formation, building on a tradition going back 100's of years.  The Stevenage Farmers Market Committee is a non-profit making committee with the aim of helping to revitalise Stevenage High Street as a shopping centre. If you would like any further information on the market please see the website at www.stevenagefarmersmarket.com

Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage is helping make sure collections to charities this Christmas are genuine by raising awareness of the new mobile website from the Charity Commission specifically designed for use on mobile phones. It means that when people are out and about they can immediately check if an organisation asking for donations is a registered charity and so encourage safer giving.

Stephen said, "Giving is a lovely thing to do, especially at Christmas when, as well as our families we can give to charities and help others in many different ways. Having this website available and being able to check quickly if a good cause is actually a charity is really useful and provides reassurance that money given will be used properly."

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has launched the site, http://m.charitycommission.gov.uk, specifically designed for use on mobile phones.

Stevenage Dog Watch had their Christmas Fun Day at the weekend at Pets At Home in Stevenage town centre. Stephen McPartland MP opened the event and, along with Santa of course, judged some of the classes. Pets At Home sponsored the prizes for the dogs and overall the event raised £307.87 for the Pets At Home adoption scheme.

Stephen said "This is a really fun event which the dogs and their owners get very involved with and I wanted especially to thank Sarah Sheldrick, the Stevenage Dog Watch co-ordinator, for all her hard work, and the team at Pets at Home for kindly sponsoring the prizes for the dogs".

Stevenage DogWatch was developed with Neighbourhood Watch and encourages dog walkers to keep their eyes and ears open and report suspicious incidents to the police. If you would like to know more please contact the coordinator Sarah Sheldrick on 07792 101893 or visit the website at http://www.stevenagedogwatch.org.

Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland was out in Foxfield, together with Michael Hearn, local councillor for Martins Wood, to take a look at the new road markings.  Stephen was brought in following concerns raised by Foxfield residents about the long-standing problem caused by many drivers ignoring the one-way restrictions.

Stephen said, "Following my discussion with Hertfordshire Highways, they have replaced missing no-entry signs and added additional one-way signs, and also improved the painted signs on the road surface.  These now show clearly that it is a one-way street which should go a long way to addressing the problem.  We will continue to monitor the situation and I am ready to take further action with Hertfordshire Highways if needed."

Stevenage Arts Society is celebrating over 40 years with its latest Winter Art and Pottery Exhibition at Springfield House in Old Stevenage.  The Chairman of the society and other members welcomed local MP Stephen McPartland, and showed him around the exhibits which are all work of the members of the society.

Stephen said "I was very impressed with the high standard of the work on display and proud of the artistic talents we have here in Stevenage."

He added, "I very much look forward to coming back and having a go at the pottery - I understand it can be quite messy, which sounds like great fun".

Stevenage Arts Society has permanent studios for both painting and pottery, as well Denington Galleries which allow them to mount exhibitions both of members' works and open exhibitions.

Local MP, Stephen McPartland, was in Datchworth recently visiting the primary school during which he joined the staff and pupils in their school assembly and quiz.

Stephen also took time out to look at some of the many artefacts in the Datchworth museum as well as signing the visitors' book.

Stephen McPartland MP and Asthma UK have joined together to campaign on inhalers for emergencies in schools across the UK. Under current legislation, bronchodilators (blue ‘reliever’ inhalers) are prescription-only medicines, which means that the law prevents schools from having a spare inhaler kit available for emergencies, something Stephen is keen to change.  He gained support across all parties when he launched the campaign in Parliament.

Stephen said, "Asthma is a big killer with three people dying in the UK every single day.  It is important this disease is taken seriously and children in schools have access to an inhaler in emergency situations.  At the moment, the law prevents children from carrying their inhalers in schools and they have to be locked away in a medicine cupboard.  This is ridiculous and it is time the law was changed so these inhalers can be kept in first aid kits in schools.  This simple change in the law could save lives."

Stephen McPartland, MP for Stevenage, is the chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Asthma, a group of MPs and Peers who have a special interest in asthma issues.

Stephen McPartland MP visited W J Rowe, a family-run chip shop in Bedwell Crescent, Stevenage, to congratulate them on being short-listed for a regional award.

Stephen said, “The chips tasted fantastic and I was delighted to congratulate William Rowe and his team for making it to the regional finals. I know they have done a great job for the community over many years and I wish them every success.”

William said, “I was so pleased to receive the letter from our MP. I really didn’t expect it.”