Last week Alex visited Bence the builder’s merchants. Bence has served as a local Cheltenham employer since its establishment in 1854. Impressively it now turns over millions each year and employs many people in Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Community Projects is a local charity which provides housing for troubled young people in our town. They aim to improve the lives of young people who have often run into difficulties for one reason or another. Whether they want to reintegrate into education or find a job, CCP provides them with the security to enable them to get back on their feet.
In October Alex Chalk had the chance to chat to representatives from Cheltenham's Third Sector Services who focus on providing community transport to various different groups in our community who often struggle to get about on their own. Cheltenham TSS does a fantastic job in connecting our communities and preventing social isolation. Alex commented "I am absolutely in awe of the work that is being done in our town by volunteers. We need to do more as a town to ensure community champions get the recognition that they deserve."
At the weekend Alex attended the 10-year anniversary celebrations of Cheltenham Borough Homes at the Town Hall. Not only do CBH build new homes, but they also rejuvenate communities here in Cheltenham and improve the standard of living for thousands of people. Commenting, Alex stated "It was such a privilege to join the celebrations, they were thoroughly deserved."
Alex Chalk is urging people across Cheltenham to nominate their local favourite small business as party of the Conservative Party's national campaign. Nominations will compiled ahead of Small Business Saturday on 7 December 2013, where businesses across the UK will be celebrated for the hard work that they do.
On 19 October I was at Leckhampton Village Hall to see the latest Joint Core Strategy presentation for building new homes in the county. For those who have somehow missed these proposals (unlikely I realise) the figures are truly eye-watering. 33,449 new homes are earmarked for construction across Gloucestershire between 2011 and 2031, swallowing up nearly 20% of the remaining greenbelt. That’s the equivalent of concreting over 2,000 football pitches.
On 21st September, I continued the 'Ask Alex' series, visiting Sacred Heart Church in Charlton Kings. As with previous Ask Alex events, I held a question and answer session as well as meeting several residents face to face. I was delighted to meet a local nurse to discuss her concerns regarding ambulance waiting times. This is the second time in 48 hours that exactly this concern has been raised with me. It's something that needs to be addressed.
