Fiona Bruce MP welcomes announcement of Government money pledged to combating malaria

Fiona Bruce MP welcomes announcement of Government money pledged to combating malaria

Fiona Bruce MP is pleased that the Department for International Development announced recently that the Government will be pledging £1bn towards combating malaria and other infectious diseases. The announcement comes ahead of the Spending Review on Wednesday, which will see a fundamental restructuring of Britain’s aid budget along with an increased focus on prosperity and security.

The fund, known as the Ross Fund, will be run in partnership with US philanthropists, Bill and Melinda Gates who are known for their work championing the cause of malaria across the globe.

The fund is named after Sir Donald Ross, the first ever British Nobel Laureate who was recognised for his discovery that mosquitoes transmit malaria. The Chancellor first pledged to see malaria tackled and eventually eliminated on a visit to Uganda in 1997 where he saw the devastation that the disease causes.

Fiona is both a member of the International Development Select Committee and an Officer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases and as such has actively campaigned for this funding, so is extremely pleased that the Government is recognising the need for assistance in this area.

Fiona said: ‘This announcement of £1bn of funding towards combating these deadly diseases is immensely valuable. I have seen first-hand the devastation that malaria can cause, indeed, a young friend in Africa sadly dies from it. We have already made great strides in the global fight against malaria and the UK has shown tremendous leadership, but there is still a long way to go. This commitment from the Government will have an enormous impact in seeing malaria and other infectious diseases eradicated once and for all, saving some 600 million lives across the globe.’

Fiona Bruce MP attends St Luke’s Hospice support event in Middlewich

Fiona Bruce MP attends St Luke’s Hospice support event in Middlewich

Pam Clarkson, owner of Jennie Edwards fabric shop in Middlewich held a Festive Open Day today with mulled wine and mince pies in support of St Luke’s Hospice.

 

Fiona Bruce MP said

“As Vice President of St Luke’s, it was a pleasure to support the Festive Open Day at the Jennie Edwards shop in Middlewich. I was particularly pleased to be there as support for St Luke’s by the shop owner, Pam Clarkson, is an ongoing commitment to the hospice. Pam, supported by Winsford Upholster, Richard Edwards, donates items of furniture, available through the shop, in support of St Luke’s which Richard beautifully reupholsters full of charge like the chair in the photo, upholstered in archive William Morris fabric in St Luke’s primary colour of blue.”

Pam told Fiona that “As an individual shop we attract customers not only from Middlewich but also from Holmes Chapel, Sandbach, and further afield and I would like to thank all my customers who attended the Festive Open Day and for their support throughout the year.” 

Fiona Bruce MP speaks in Parliament on importance of early intervention and support for better outcomes for children

Fiona Bruce MP speaks in Parliament on importance of early intervention and support for better outcomes for children

Fiona Bruce MP spoke yesterday in Parliament on the launch this week of an in-depth report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) of which Fiona Bruce is Vice-Chair (http://www.fasdtrust.co.uk/) and urged Government to radically review its advice to expectant Mothers regarding alcohol intake during pregnancy and that the UK Government should be saying – as many other countries do, that “no alcohol is safest for baby and you” and that “without such a clear message, pregnant women in the UK are left confused and uncertain.”

Quoting from the report Fiona Bruce said

“this is astonishing and deeply worrying, and something which must be rectified as a matter of urgency.”

She added “The original clinical diagnosis of FASD was made in 1973. Our inquiry showed that in the four decades since then, the UK as a whole has still barely acknowledged its existence. That must change, and the Government must take a lead.”

Fiona’s contribution came during a debate on the 1001 Critical Days Manifesto Report launched in the last Parliament to which Fiona Bruce contributed and which was re-launched with additional support from new MPs this week in Parliament.

Fiona Bruce said “The importance of the first 1001 days in a child’s life, starting with conception, cannot be overstated. Identifying a baby’s needs as early as possible in a baby’s development can significantly improve the long term health and mental well-being outcomes. The benefits to both the baby and the parent are immense with society as a whole enriched if we can get a pre – Troubled Families Programme engaged into our mindset of how we do our public health and children’s social care across Government nationally and locally.”

END

Notes to Editor

1.    MPs from all parties have put their names in support of the 1001 Critical Days Manifesto (http://www.1001criticaldays.co.uk/) and are pressing ministers to adopt it as a Government policy across a number of departments.

The 1001 Critical Days Manifesto takes its title from the period from conception to age 2 when a baby’s brain is developing fastest and he or she is most susceptible to forming strong bonds of attachment with a primary carer, which will have a lasting impact and certainly set a child up for the best start in life, in school and into adulthood if we get it right.

The Manifesto highlights that many of the social problems seen in society today have resulted from poor parenting skills often as a result of a parent having had bad experiences as a baby and creating generational downward spiral. The goal is for every baby to receive sensitive, appropriate and responsive care from their main caregivers in the first years of life with more proactive help from the NHS, health visitors, children’s centres and other public bodies engaged in a joined – up preventative strategy to affect great change, as pregnancy and the birth of a baby is a critical window of opportunity. 

Fiona Bruce MP supports Small Business Saturday

Fiona Bruce MP supports Small Business Saturday

Fiona Bruce MP visited Rode Hall Christmas Market on Small Business Saturday, 5^th December, to support local small businesses.

Fiona met with local small businesses including, Ann Rogers, founder and producer of Alsager Pottery, and with Carole Vestey of Woodside Apiaries of Rode Hall Estate, Scholar Green which sells honey and candles from the bees it has had for over 40 years.

Fiona said 

“Small Business Saturday is now in its third year, with hundreds of thousands of small businesses participating. Its aim is to highlight small business success and to encourage the UK to support small business. It was a pleasure to meet up on the day with original, innovative and quality small businesses. Alsager Pottery produce traditional English slipware platters and chargers which are hand thrown in a small family workshop using local red clay and exporting all over the world as well as available locally such as at the Salt Line Studio, Crewe Road, Alsager. Woodside Apiaries sell their honey and candles locally at Little Moreton Hall and at Tatton Hall and are first prize winners at the Nantwich Show.”