It’s been an extremely productive day in and around Salisbury and I’ve packed in a large number of engagements. It’s such a privilege to represent a constituency where there is so much going on and so many excellent businesses and local organisations to meet with.
I started the day at Salisbury Fire Station where it was return visit to see Serve On’s Community Resilience Team (CRT). They have recently been given a £10,000 grant from Big Lottery Fund to buy a new kit van and I was on hand to mark the hand-over of the keys.
It was then on to Porton Biopharma where I had the honour of cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony for their brand new fermentation facility. It will be used to manufacture the company’s life-saving leukaemia drug, Erwinase®. It’s great to have a company in the constituency which is providing high-value jobs for local people and producing such important pharmaceutical products.
At lunchtime, I was in Wilton visiting the newly constructed Our Wilton Veterans’ Hub. This development will provide much needed accommodation for military veterans and help integrate them back into society after their military careers. There was an excellent turnout for the event and it culminated with a topping out ceremony with me climbing up in the pouring rain to lay the last tile.
I then returned to Morrison Hall in Salisbury for my weekly advice surgery before attending a Strategic Leaders Briefing at the Guildhall regarding the clean-up operation following the incident on 4 March. The meeting was led by Alistair Cunningham, chair of the recovery group and Wiltshire Council corporate director. I am keen to ensure that any messages for central government are being heard clearly.
Following the briefing, I visited William Hill to place a £50 charity bet as part of the Bobby Moore cancer campaign. Just for the record and those of you who enjoy a flutter, I went for Emmaus (11/4) in the 2.45 at Leicester tomorrow!
This evening it will be my privilege to attend the Salisbury Area Young Musicians celebratory 30th Birthday Concert at City Hall.