March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month and we will do all we can to raise awareness, funds and support to help those living with this terrible diagnosis. In her last ever speech in the Lords (following the diagnosis of an aggressive brain tumour) Dame Tessa Jowell called for all patients to benefit from the latest and greatest science and to be able to focus on living with cancer rather than just dying from it. The Brain Cancer Mission in her name was launched to deliver this and on Tuesday 9 Centres of Excellence were announced with the sole intention of bringing together the smartest and the best to ensure that wherever brain tumour patients live they can access the treatment and care they need. The Mission has committed to making the UK the global leader in treatment and care of brain tumour patients. To see a truly moving and encouraging video go to https://vimeo.com/518199012/ac3f39f805.
Covid-19 has the additional effect of distraction us from things that matter here in West Cornwall and I wanted to use this column to assure you that I refuse to allow myself to be distracted in this way. As your MP, in addition to the various responsibilities in Parliament (albeit virtually), in the past week I have attended both the St Ives and Penzance Town Deal Board meetings where we continue to focus our minds to the task of securing £25m investment in both towns. I also chaired a worthwhile discussion regarding how remote working can actually become a blessing rather than a curse to our local economy and I hosted a meeting to bring together the expertise needed to drive forward a low carbon transport plan connecting St Ives, Penzance and Hayle on road, on rail and off road.
I took part in a meeting to approve our submission to Government for investment into improved low carbon transport links for Helston and co-hosted the first of many climate focus events with over 60 people taking part in a discussion regarding the efforts made to reach a net zero emissions existence here in West Cornwall. I was privileged to contribute to a conference on reform of the voting system and devolution and wrestled with others regarding identifying suitable youthwork provision in Penzance. I safely visited a great project that uses surplus food to prepare nutritious meals for local families and hosted a round table event with fishermen and the Secretary of State to grapple with the challenges facing the fishing industry at the moment. In the continued pursuit of public investment in the area the Local Transport Board for the Isles of Scilly link (which I chair) met to further our ask for Government commitment to invest in new ships and improved harbour infrastructure.
Thank you to all those who put forward suggestions on how the G7 Summit can deliver a legacy for Cornwall and to those who offered expertise and their business to help with the event itself. These have gone to No 10.
As I write I have no inside knowledge regarding the content of the budget but I’ll be surprised if we don’t hear positive news of investment in green energy and low carbon transport etc. The Government may just be significantly more committed and focused in this area than some would suggest or acknowledge!
