Ladybird Eco-Workshop

Fiona Bruce MP meets with Alsager Eco-Workshop

Fiona Bruce MP with the Chairman Shirley Jones and Deputy Chairman Doris Burgess of Alsager Town Council met with local eco-workshop owner Su Hurrell recently. Su runs a ‘totally mobile eco-workshop” from a vintage 1970s Norwegian chateau mobile caravan which she bought online and has converted it into a travelling workshop for festivals and fairs and other events at which it is used as a base for demonstrations on things such as seed bomb making and window salads and art workshops for groups ranging from memory maps to “up-cycling” and garden projects. Su also creates and sells ‘up-cycled’ art from tin cans and other discarded materials.

Su says that “I like to be able to set up practically anywhere and share my love of nature and gardening.”

Fiona said “It was fantastic to meet Su and her innovative moving classroom. From her eye catching caravan to innovative workshops, it is an excellent project which combines art, nature and gardening to create a wonderful outreach that is both fun and educational”

Cheshire Brave Officer of the Year 2014

Fiona Bruce MP congratulates Brave Officer in Parliament

PC Greg Cross, Cheshire’s Brave Officer of the Year 2014, was congratulated in Parliament by Fiona Bruce MP and Graham Evans MP.

PC Cross, a dog handler, was on duty in Sandbach when 5 males armed with a machete and a baseball bat tried to rob a security vehicle in Congleton. After they fled the scene PC Cross followed the suspects’ vehicle at high speed as it approached and passed the motorway junction. When they abandoned their vehicle PC Cross gave chase, with his police dog, on foot, without hesitation despite the suspects being armed. He called for reinforcements and they apprehended two of the suspects before also apprehending the further three. PC Cross then continued to search the surrounding area for evidence vital to securing a conviction.

Fiona Bruce said “It was a pleasure to meet PC Greg Cross, who certainly deserves the title Brave Officer. He is clearly an asset to the Cheshire Constabulary having risked his own safety to make our community safer for all. He deserves the highest commendation.”

Alsager U3A

Fiona Bruce MP meets with Alsager U3A

Fiona Bruce MP met with members of the Alsager U3A recently to discuss the opportunities for retired people in Alsager and the surrounding areas.

Fiona Bruce MP said “I have met with the Alsager U3A members many times and enjoyed sharing in their activities. They are a very important part of the Alsager Community and I strongly encourage anyone interested in finding out more about their wide range of groups and interests to get in touch with them – you will find a very warm welcome!”

Alsager U3A is open to anyone who is retired or no longer in full-time employment.

Alsager & District U3A is keen to contact qualifying people who live alone and /or do not get out and about much.  The U3A can offer many new opportunities aswell as friendship and companionship.

·         There are opportunities to stay physically fit, keep mentally active, learn a new skill.

•           At Talk Time on Monday mornings from 11.15 am to 12.15 am at the Civic Centre Alsager, there are speakers who talk on topics of general interest or local history.

•           There’s time to meet with like-minded people for a cup of coffee before the talk.

•           There are Coffee Mornings at which non-members are welcome, on the third Friday in the month from 10.00 am to 12 noon at the Civic Centre Alsager. 17th October, 21st November and 19th December.

Membership is £9 for a full year and payment for 2015 can be made from November 2014 between 9.30 am and 11.15 am on Mondays at the Civic Centre and transport can sometimes be provided if necessary for Monday morning Talk Time.

For more information call 01270 873975.

Fiona Bruce MP Visits Lovell Court Holmes Chapel

Fiona Bruce MP visits Lovell Court, Holmes Chapel

Fiona Bruce MP visited Lovell Court, Holmes Chapel recently to meet with residents and see the facilities this block of retirement apartments provides for those who enjoy independent living!

Situated close to Holmes Chapel village facilities these apartments offer a house manager, 24 hour emergency Careline system and communal areas meaning that residents can live either entirely independently or enjoy social time and events together.

After chatting and enjoying tea and biscuits with some of the residents Fiona Bruce said “I had a thoroughly enjoyable time meeting residents at Lovell Court. There is a real sense of community there and I felt very welcomed. We had some really interesting discussions on topical political issues such as the Scottish Referendum, local planning issues, and whether Cheshire East and West should form a united Council. It was really helpful for me to gauge the residents’ views on such issues.”

Start Up Loans

Fiona Bruce MP: New figures show Start-Up Loans supporting new businesses in the Congleton Constituency

Fiona Bruce has welcomed new figures which show the Government’s Start-Up Loans scheme has so far supported 23 people in this constituency with the ideas and determination to start a new business with more than £141,000 of loans to help them get going.

Across the UK more than 20,000 Start-Up loans, worth over £100 million, have been awarded to help new businesses get going.

Fiona Bruce MP said:

“This is great news. It shows the Start-Up Loans scheme is giving people in this area with the ideas and determination to start a new business - who have struggled in the aftermath of Labour’s Great Recession - the finance they need to kick-start and grow it.

“So far 23 loans, worth a total of £141,197 have been made in the Congleton Constituency to help people put their business idea into practice. This means more jobs and opportunities for local people.

“The Conservatives’ aim is to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business. This is all part of our long-term economic plan. By backing businesses to create more jobs, it is ensuring that more people in this constituency can have the security and stability of a regular pay packet, with a brighter future ahead of them.”   

Mayor and MP Greet Maasai Warriors in Middlewich

MP and Mayor greet Maasai Warriors in Middlewich!

Fiona Bruce MP and Paul Edwards, Mayor of Middlewich, and his wife and consort Sonya, welcomed the Osiligi Maasai Warrior Troupe to Middlewich Town Hall Function Suite this week.

The visitors from Kenya performed the story of their lives combining rhythm, song – and amazing jumping!

Fiona Bruce MP said “It was a privilege to welcome visitors from Africa. The colourful and dramatic performance of the Maasai Warriors showed that Middlewich cultural events know no bounds and was thoroughly enjoyed by the residents who attended from primary school children upwards. Having met members of the Maasai when I visited Africa, in Tanzania, these visitors to Middlewich looked and sounded every bit the real thing!”

The performance was part of a fundraising tour across England and Scotland by members of the Osiligi tribe to help raise money for a school and medical clinic in their village.