Westminster Diary June

With the smell of brewed coffee and freshly baked croissants, the One Stop store in Feltwell was very much the place to be. I was delighted to officially open the new post office within the shop; offering extended opening hours, seven days a week, plus a wide variety of produce and essential items, I am sure this addition to the village will be highly valued by the rural community. It was great to chat to the owners Mr and Mrs Benning as well as the staff and many customers - the new layout and comprehensive refurbishment of the site was proving to be a big draw! I also enjoyed a lively discussion with local constituents and businesses about the EU referendum. Held in the spacious oak room at the Bedingfeld Arms in Oxborough, the questions asked included the impact on trade, labelling of goods and the movement of people and services. This was also something that the National Sheep Association raised with me during a recent visit to Elveden Estate. But it was not just the EU that farmers wanted to discuss; the possibility that an application would be made for the re-introduction of lynx to Thetford Forest was also causing considerable concern. This would be damaging to not only livestock and wildlife, but also the unique biodiversity of our stunning Brecks landscape. Industry, recreation and the environment in Thetford Forest would be threatened if the lynx were introduced and I do not support such a proposal. I had a fantastic afternoon meeting carers and hearing about the outstanding work they do when I opened the new Carers Trust Offices in Swaffham. The Carers Trust offers respite care, activities and advice for family and young carers and this support is truly invaluable, especially for those in rural areas. They currently support 306 families in Norfolk, and I am delighted that this new office will enable them to reach out to even more. For more details please go to the eastern region website www.carerstrustcambridgeshire.org.