One of the concerns consistently raised with me by local teachers has been over special needs education (SEND) provision, the pressures that this can place upon school budgets and the speed at which SEND assessments can be undertaken.

This morning I hosted a breakfast meeting with shopkeepers on Upminster’s Station Road, Corbets Tey Road and St Mary’s Lane to discuss the issues most affecting the health of the local high street.

I was delighted to receive the news from Children's Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, today that Forest Approach Academy (formerly Dycourts) on Harold Hill has been successful in its application to the School Nurseries Capital Fund. 

This morning I attended the ‘Accessible Transport for All’ event at the Romford YMCA on Rush Green Road to make people aware of the wide-ranging accessibility that now exists on our public transport system.

This afternoon my team and I visited Upminster Infant and Junior Schools where we met executive head teacher, Miss Edgcombe. and Mr Hobson, Chief Executive of the Hornchurch Academy Trust, of which the schools became a member in September 2017.

I had the pleasure this afternoon of speaking at the monthly lunch of the Hornchurch Plus business group at the Mandarin Palace, Hornchurch.

Today I met constituents, Mike and Sarah, who both have guide dogs and were attending the rally in Westminster Hall in support of the Access All Areas campaign. 

This afternoon we welcomed former International Development Secretary, Priti Patel MP, to the constituency to join our summer celebration in Emerson Park. Priti spoke to local guests about politics, Brexit and the path ahead for our country ahead of 31 October. 

This morning I visited Radfield Home Care Havering at their Hornchurch offices to learn about their business and congratulate them for winning FSB London Family Business of the Year award. 

I received a warm welcome this morning at the St Thomas Jacobite Church on Taunton Road, Harold Hill, which I visited to get to know members of this new and growing congregation.