In January, I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment. By doing so, I pledged my commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust. Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations are held annually on 27th January to remember those who died in the Holocaust and to mark the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the largest mass murder in history.

I would encourage as many schools, faith groups and community organisations to engage with Holocaust Memorial Day to ensure that the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides are never forgotten. It is essential that future generations are taught about historical atrocities to make sure that they are never repeated.

The Organ Donation Bill has great potential to save lives, and tackle serious medical conditions affecting some of the most vulnerable in society. While organ donors have increased by 75 percent in the last decade, more needs to be done. Today there are approximately 6,500 people awaiting an organ transplant. By presuming consent, more organs will be available for the extremely ill people who need them so urgently.

Of course, I recognise that this is a hugely sensitive and personal issue – the right to opt out must be absolutely preserved, and families must be consulted. I am therefore pleased that the bill has now proceeded to committee where these safeguards will be reviewed.

After several years of disruption due to various road improvements, Aztec roundabout and all approaches continue to be a headache for local residents – particularly at peak times. It appears that the main problem is the phasing of the traffic lights on the roundabout with those controlling traffic at J16 of the M5.

The solution, however, is not as simple as some have suggested. The traffic signals on Aztec are the responsibility of South Gloucestershire Council, whereas those on the motorway junction are controlled by Highways England. I am actively involved in the negotiations to have the two organisations devise a practical solution and have also asked the Mayor for the West of England Combined Authority, Tim Bowles, to expedite this. I will also be meeting with Ministers in the Department for Transport to discuss longer term solutions.

If you’d like my help on any issue, please call my office on 01454 617783 or email me at jack.lopresti.mp@parliament.uk

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More than a dozen new homes could be built on a vacant plot of land bordering Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre after South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) received a £200,000 grant from the government’s Land Release Fund (LRF).

The 0.357 hectares (0.88 acres) plot, opposite the Tesco petrol filling station and bordering properties in Hornbeam Close, was previously allocated in SGC’s Local Plan to accommodate a health centre, but the authorities later decided that there was no longer a requirement for this purpose, in view of the planned expansion of existing doctors’ surgeries in the area.

In November 2006, the council made a decision to dispose of the site and it was subsequently placed on the market, albeit still as a “health care opportunity”.

Later, in July 2013, local ward councillor Brian Hopkinson put forward the idea of using the land for a self-build scheme, saying that if it wasn’t needed for health purposes, “It should be used to benefit our town in other ways.”

The adoption of the SGC’s Policies, Sites and Places Plan in November 2017 finally saw the ‘healthcare’ allocation removed, paving the way for alternative uses to be seriously considered.

Speaking about the successful bid for central government money, Cllr Colin Hunt, SGC Cabinet member for planning, transportation and the strategic environment, commented:

“LRF funding is designed to help bring housing projects forward to make new use of council-owned land. The funding could, for example, be used to help bring infrastructure and services to the site, but we are looking at a range of options. We are particularly keen to provide space for self-build housing projects, and this may involve us working with a registered provider of affordable housing.”

More: Council estimates that "around 13 homes" could be built »

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Three new organisations have now been chosen to go to vote in Tesco stores across the Stokes throughout March and April; each hoping to collect enough tokens to receive the highest amount of funding.

The West of England MS Therapy Centre (MSTC) is looking for funding to develop a therapy garden for their members and carers to enjoy at their base in Bradley Stoke. They want to use any money that they receive towards the preparation and ground work of the area, such as levelling any uneven areas, adding in appropriate pathways and generally making the area accessible for all. The centre, located in Bradbury House on Wheatfield Drive, aims to provide a range of therapies, services, information and support for people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions.

Sarah Vincent, events and community officer at the centre, commented:

“We have some land within the centre grounds and our ambition is to turn this into an accessible therapy garden within which people can enjoy what the great outdoors can offer, relax and even receive therapies such as physiotherapy and reflexology in this space, to mention but a few.”

“Many of our service users have limited access to outside space or gardens – they may be restricted due to lack of mobility or have the need to be near accessible facilities including WCs, or simply due to the fear of falling or becoming fatigued and being unable to get assistance.”

“Our centre users are just one group of beneficiaries from this project. The area will also be used by our neighbours Wheatfield Primary School as part of the children’s learning. Biodiversity forms part of the school curriculum and the therapy garden will enable children to learn about wildflowers and animal/insect habitats as well as general learning in a different environment.”

More: Other candidates from Filton and Westbury-on-Trym »

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World Thinking Day is celebrated by Girl Guides around the world, and has taken place annually since 1926. It’s a day when everyone in Guiding across the world explores and celebrates how we’re all part of a bigger movement, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

This year, it was suggested  that the Girl Guiding units in Bradley Stoke and Winterbourne should get together to celebrate.

There were seven units participating in the event, which included Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, and all their leaders, totalling over 150 people celebrating together at Meadowbrook Primary School.

Each Guiding unit was allocated a region of the world and had to include a number of activities, relating to their region, to entertain all the girls, aged from 5-15! Regions represented were the Arab region, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Other tasks included Thinking Day activities and Girl Guiding Promise activities.

The activities definitely kept the girls occupied and were nicely varied. Africa included colouring in tribal masks and basket weaving, Asia had origami butterflies and creating Chinese fans. The Arab regions included henna designing and star weaving, the Americas had traditional American Camp songs and creating maracas. At the Europe stop you’d create Norwegian heart baskets and windmills. And much more!

As leaders, we manned our stations and tried to keep up with the endless supply of girls who wanted to take part in each and every activity. Some units had created passports to be taken to each stand to be stamped, others created small bags for the girls to keep their creations in.

More: Leaders want this to become an annual Bradley Stoke event »

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