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Thank you to everyone who nominated an individual or organisation as their local hero. 

It was a very competitive field and I will write to everyone who was nominated but the Top 3 most named were:

1. Ray Collins Charitable Trust
2. Helping Hands
3. Maymessy

I want to draw attention to another local group doing great work in the constituency by sharing this story:

Play2Give founded in 2007 is a Didcot-based fundraising organisation supporting raising money and awareness for many Oxfordshire charities.

SOFEA's model 'helps uplift and upskill young people, empowering them to directly support the communities in which they are they are expected to thrive.'

They focus on three key social challenges:

Maymesssy's mission is to empower disadvantaged groups through cookery classes and wellness activities so they gain greater life skills and wellbeing.

Volunteers' Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role volunteers play in Oxfordshire and the wider country. 

To ensure that our charities and social enterprises can continue to step up to respond to the crisis, the government has made available an unprecedented package of support, including £750m targeted specifically at these sectors.

Since my last column several pieces of legislation have been debated in the House of Commons. The most exciting one in my view was the Agriculture Bill, which simultaneously supports 2 key interests for the Wantage and Didcot constituency – farming and protecting the environment. 

Earlier today, I replied to constituents who have emailed me about Dominic Cummings. Below I copy what I have sent to them:

‘Due to Covid’ has become the new ‘due to Brexit’