Shropshire MPs' column - the latest from the county's representatives in Westminster
Read the latest column from the MP for Telford, Shaun Davies.
November has been a whirlwind, and when I say I’m “Standing up for Telford,” I mean it in everything I do. This month alone, I’ve taken the voices of our community including a local charity, West Mercia Police and Telford & Wrekin Council straight into Parliament and into the heart of government pushing for the changes that will make a real difference to our town.
Hosting Lingen Davies in Parliament to launch their £5 million campaign was truly special. Having Telford voices championing a new Chemotherapy Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital was so important. Health Secretary Wes Streeting joined us to discuss improving access to cancer care, something personal to him as a cancer survivor himself. I don’t believe residents should face gruelling treatment and long journeys, which is why this centre matters so much. Huge thanks to everyone who made the day special. Delivering Telford’s first cancer treatment centre is something we can all get behind.
A key issue residents continue to raise with me is the broken special educational and disability needs system for children and young adults. I hosted my first SEND Roundtable in Telford this month; bringing together those who experience this broken SEND system every day. The aim was simple: to listen. We discussed the challenges families face, explored practical solutions and shared ideas for improving services locally. While SEND reforms are underway nationally, it is essential that local voices and experiences shape how these changes are delivered on the ground. This was an important first step in ensuring policy reflects the reality for families in Telford. There will be more to follow in the new year on this important issue.
We have also seen this month the new Veterans Strategy published. I had previously brought the Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, the most highly decorated veteran to be an MP to Telford so he could hear directly from our local veterans about what needed to change. The new strategy focuses on helping veterans access jobs, supporting wellbeing, and ensuring they remain a key part of our national security. In Telford I am working with our veterans, the NHS, councils, and charities to make sure Telford’s armed forces community gets the support they deserve. Progress is being made, but we’re not stopping there. Making our town and our country – the best place for veterans to live is so important.
I was incredibly proud to take Ian Preece from Telford to Number 10 to mark the launch of the first-ever Men’s Health Strategy. When the chance came for men from Telford to visit Parliament, I jumped at it because this is what it’s all about: real people who live in our town sharing their views; it is vital that we keep encouraging conversations about mental health and the pressures of daily life. For too long, too many men have struggled in silence. That has to change. The new strategy will help drive that change including suicide prevention projects, men’s health community programmes, improved prostate cancer care, expanded support in schools and a major partnership with the Premier League to challenge stigma and reach men through football.
Every day, I work to stand up for Telford and to serve our country. For weekly updates on my work in Telford, and details of where you can meet me, please visit shaundavies.org. In a time when so much attention falls on problems and division, my aim is to stay focused on practical solutions because building a better Telford and a better Britain is a goal, we can all share.
