Toby Perkins MP

Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins experienced first-hand the results of over £2.7 million in good cause funding from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) since 2007 when he visited two projects benefitting local people.

Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the East Midlands, Mick McGrath, accompanied Toby Perkins MP on the visit to see two groups in his constituency: Chesterfield Citizen’s Advice Bureau’s Financial Exclusion Project and Chesterfield Fairplay.

At Chesterfield Citizen’s Advice Bureau the MP met workers from the Financial Exclusion Project to hear first-hand the difference they are making in Chesterfield for local people who struggle with budgeting, accessing basic bank accounts and help them to make more informed financial decisions.

The project received a Big Lottery Fund grant of £176,051 in 2008 from the Reaching Communities programme and includes basic budgeting skills, increasing understanding credit, safe systems of lending and saving and managing the financial impact of utility costs.

Fairplay’s project delivers regular clubs for disabled young people in Chesterfield and Derbyshire. The project received £337,261 earlier this year, also from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme, to provide the clubs for young people with physical, sensory, learning and behavioural difficulties where they can enjoy activities together including arts, music, cooking, sports and computing classes.

During the visit the MP could see the impact the project was having over lunch, as the young people made their meals in the training kitchen and was able to witness the fun and safe learning environment that the project provides.

Mick McGrath, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the East Midlands, said:

“In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that people can access the advice and support they need and these projects are providing a vital service for the people they help. BIG is pleased to be able to fund these and the many more projects that we support across the Chesterfield for the benefit of local communities.”

Toby Perkins MP, said:

 “It was great to visit two projects funded by The Big Lottery Fund in my constituency and to see the facilities which may not exist if it wasn’t for this investment”.

Worried Chesterfield residents have enlisted the help of their local Member of Parliament, Toby Perkins, after their parking spaces were sold to Tesco. This followed the decision to allow the opening of a brand new Tesco Express store on the site of the former Angel public house on Derby Road, at which local people had parked for around half a century.

Car owners living on Derby Road had previously had authorization to park unconditionally in the Angel public house car park. However the decision of the Council has meant that spaces may not be offered to those living in and around the Tesco’s store, leaving elderly and disabled members of the community with a one mile walk to and from their vehicles. The campaigners are hoping for a little divine intervention after Father Flynn of the Church of the Holy Family expressed his concerns about parking for mass and christenings at his church, particularly on weekends.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“The parking situation on Derby Road, like many other areas of Chesterfield, is very difficult. I am worried that the opening of the new Tesco Express will make it incredibly hard for residents along Derby Road to park their cars safely and within an acceptable distance from their homes. I am writing to Tesco’s to see if we can come to a solution which is both agreeable and feasible for all parties involved”.

Chesterfield Community and District Transport, a locally based charity which delivers bus services for hundreds of elderly and disabled members of the community, has warned that a government decision to axe vital grants could lead to its closure. Local Member of Parliament, Toby Perkins, is writing to the Coalition to demand that charities such as this retain their grants so that vital services reaching the most vulnerable citizens often in rural areas can continue.

The Bus Service Operator Grant, worth around £70K to the charity based on New Street, near Queen’s Park, is needed to provide buses capable of assisting people requiring wheelchair access. The charity is also reliant on grants for petrol and training for drivers. In the last 12 months Chesterfield Community Transport has made over 180,000 passenger journeys and hopes to deliver a service to over 20,000 people in the Chesterfield area this year. In his letter to the Department of Transport, Mr. Perkins warned that taking away the much needed funding would mean dozens of people, many disabled and with mental health issues, would  become isolated and left unable to afford regular transport services to Chesterfield and other towns for appointments.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“Chesterfield Community Transport is the lifeblood for many elderly and disabled members of our community, and provides an outstanding service in areas without regular bus services. Without the Bus Service Operator Grant the charity would be hit hard, and those who rely on the work of its hard working staff and volunteers would suffer”.

Patrick Dawson, Chief Executive of the charity said:-

“We had an excellent meeting with Toby Perkins who showed genuine concern. It’s very encouraging to see that our new MP is truly behind us.”

 Toby Perkins MP welcomed David Miliband to Chesterfield on Monday 23rd August as part of his Labour Party leadership campaign. David and Mr. Perkins spoke in front of around 150 Labour Party members and supporters at the impressive Market Hall in Chesterfield town centre after an informal meeting with councilors and party officers.

David spoke about his background, including when senior members of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa called by his house to meet his parents as a youngster, his politics and his vision for Britain. The audience had travelled from Chesterfield, Amber Valley, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire to come and hear the forerunner in the contest speak. They were then given the opportunity to ask the former Foreign Secretary questions on many topics from education to the economy.

The Chesterfield MP then accompanied David Miliband to the West Indian Community Centre in Derby to attend a rally. Also present at the event were Bex Bailey (Rushcliffe CLP Youth and Students Officer and standing for East Midlands Youth Representative on the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum) and Martin Repton (local Derby Councillor and senior CLP activist supporting David.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“It was great to welcome David to Chesterfield and for so many members of the party to come and put their questions to who will hopefully become leader of the Labour Party and the country. As I have said previously, I believe David is the man to take the Labour movement forward, and from speaking to many members after the event, I know I am not alone. He is an experienced and seasoned politician of the highest caliber and it was clear to see from the speech he gave to a packed out Market Hall”.

Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, visited the new cutting edge orthopaedic wing of Chesterfield Royal Hospital during his meeting with Chief Executive Eric Morton. Mr. Perkins hailed the new project as “a top class addition to a great local hospital” and vowed to bring pressure to bear on the Coalition Government to ensure investment in the NHS continues.

Mr. Perkins met Mr. Morton to discuss the challenges facing Chesterfield Royal from Coalition Government cuts to the health budget and the new Tory blueprint promising top down reorganization.

Following the meeting Mr. Perkins said:-

“It was a pleasure to see the cutting edge, state of the art new Orthopaedic Wing at Chesterfield Royal and to meet with its Chief Executive, Eric Morton. The new development is not only an example of a fantastic example of top class NHS facilities but a flag bearer for the NHS and the incredible job it does in our community. The Coalition Government has promised not to cut front line services in the NHS and I will be monitoring their policies closely to demand they keep that promise. The Tory plans for top down re-organization will cost the taxpayer around £1.7 billion, money which could have been better spent on buildings such as this sort of improvement to frontline services”.

Community volunteers and the local MP have warned mindless vandals that they won’t give up on their award winning community-based facility after a nighttime attack. Mr. Perkins met with Marion Wilcockson and volunteers at Hunloke Community Gardens, who have worked tirelessly over many years to make the site into such a focal point of the Grangewood area, to see the damage caused when vandals went on a wrecking spree ripping up dozens of plants.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“Only last week I was delighted to speak to those who enjoy Hunloke Community Gardens for what it is – a ten year re-generation success story. This week saw acts of mindless vandalism, a shocking reminder that we must keep treasures like Hunloke safe for the community to enjoy and to benefit from. For the vast majority of law abiding residents it is hard to imagine why a minority would want to damage local investment projects aimed at improving the lives of the entire community. I will work alongside the police and volunteers to protect Hunloke Gardens from yobs and to maintain a peaceful and enjoyable environment for local people to spend time”.