Success in Paris contrasts with disorder at home
I am thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our UK’s athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympics, especially those from the South Cotswolds. As a rower myself, I know the level of commitment and dedication it takes to reach such a level. These individuals are truly inspiring – they embody the very essence of the Olympic spirit.
So I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Tom McEwen, who has once again brought glory and a sense of positivity to our region. Tom, along with his teammates Ros Canter (nominative determinism, surely!) and Laura Collett, successfully defended their Olympic gold medal in team eventing. Their performance at the Chateau de Versailles was the absolute pinnacle of equestrian excellence.
Our Olympians remind us of the power of dedication, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence. As we celebrate their successes, let us also reflect on the values that the Olympics represent and are so needed here right now – unity, respect, and the relentless pursuit of being the best versions of ourselves.
Tom, our local swimmer Alex Cohoon, and all their colleagues serve as beacons of inspiration for our community against the darkness we all witnessed this week.
The upbeat and celebratory mood in Paris is in such a contrast to the awful, shocking rampage in Southport, and the thuggery and rioting that followed. My heart goes out to the families of the three little girls who lost their lives in this week’s unfathomable and apparently senseless attack, and to the people of Southport who must be reeling in horror after what has happened in their community.
The violence that has erupted since will not bring those little girls back. And when that violence targets groups that had nothing whatsoever to do with the attack, there is absolutely no justification.
Yesterday I had briefings from both Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Police, and am reassured that both forces are taking all appropriate steps, putting more bobbies on the beat to ensure that calm continues to prevail in the South Cotswolds. I commend their proactive, upstream approach to keeping the peace.
I am proud to represent the welcoming, tolerant constituency of the South Cotswolds, which has welcomed refugees in their time of need, recognising that we are all humans together and that our communities are enriched by cultural diversity.
While we as a nation grieve the tragic loss of three bright young souls, let us do this not with violence and retribution in our hearts, but with dignity and respect for the memories of those three young girls. For their sakes, let’s build a better and more tolerant future for our beloved country.
LIB DEMS ARE HIRING! South Cotswolds Liberal Democrats are looking to recruit a full-time Campaign Organiser. Details here. This is an important role, and we’re keen to fill it ASAP, so please take a moment to think what smart, energetic people you know in the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire area and forward this email on to them. Or maybe this description fits you?!
A NOTE: If you’ve written to me and haven’t yet received a reply, please accept my apologies. The amount of correspondence has been quite overwhelming, and we are still in the process of recruiting our constituency team. We will get back to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, thank you for your patience.
A few of the things I’ve done this week…
✅ Celebrated the end of my first month as an MP! (video on FB)
✅ Met with leaders of Cotswold and Wiltshire Councils, and with numerous councillors (of all parties) to discuss local issues and priorities
✅ Briefings with Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Police about the measures they are taking to preserve peace and calm in the aftermath of the Southport attack
✅ Spoke at a jobs fair at the Bristol Beacon for the design engineers who were recently made redundant by Dyson (FB post)
✅ Spoke and answered questions at the relaunched Tetbury Chamber for Businesses, hosted by Kevin Painter
✅ Attended Yatton Keynell Parish Council meeting
✅ Visited the Cotswold Archaeology dig outside Minety, uncovering a well-preserved Roman tile kiln that made tiles for the Roman town of Corinium, now Cirencester, to meet volunteers and archaeologists (FB post) – pictured at the top of this newsletter
✅ Visited Cirencester Opportunity Group to talk with Chair of Trustees, Kevin Traish, and Centre Manager, Cath Fowler, about their fantastic work (FB post)
✅ Update in Gazette & Herald on what I’m doing for WASPI women
✅ Secured lease on a constituency office – more details coming soon
✅ Recruited a third caseworker to help with the workload (yes, there’s a LOT!)
Quote of the Week
“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”
– Marcus Aurelius
Have a great week!