Toby Perkins MP

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins visited the Ashgate Hospicecare store in Hasland as part of a national campaign to encourage people to become charitable shoppers in the run up to Christmas.

The Charity Retail Association, which represents 80 per cent of charity shops in the UK, including Ashgate Hospicecare’s charity shops, is running the #GoodCauseSantaClaus campaign, which asks people to add a little Christmas spice to their Secret Santa by buying gifts only from charity shops. Companies, schools, social groups and individuals are all encouraged to join in.

The initiative seeks to highlight the many benefits of shopping in charity shops. Apart from raising money for hundreds of good causes, charity shops encourage people to reuse and recycle, they also provide volunteering and training opportunities, keep high streets buzzing and much more besides.

Toby Perkins said:

“I really enjoyed my visit to Ashgate Hospicecare’s shop which sells such a diverse range of quality items.  I was very pleased with my purchases – pair of red socks and snooker themed mug!

“If you want to get your Secret Santa something extraordinary that you know they’ll cherish then I can definitely recommend it.  It was also great to know that my purchases were directly supporting the work of Ashgate Hospicecare, who do so much to support people with life limiting illnesses in Chesterfield.”

Kevin Brown, the shop’s manager said:

“We’re right behind the #GoodCauseSantaClaus campaign which encourages any club, group or workplace to participate in a Secret Santa game and to buy their gifts only in charity shops. Where better to find a bargain!?

“If you buy your Secret Santa present at one of our 14 stores you can know that every penny of profit we raise goes back into providing care and support to our patients across North Derbyshire.”

Matt Kelcher, Head of Public Affairs and Research at the Charity Retail Association said:

“Every time you buy something from a charity shop you’re not only getting a high quality product at an affordable price, you’re helping to keep items out of landfill, boost volunteering opportunities and support a great cause. So, buying your Secret Santa gift in a charity shop is a great way to spread some Christmas cheer.

“We’re really grateful to Toby for his support for the #GoodCauseSantaClaus campaign and his backing of Chesterfield’s brilliant local charity shops.”

Toby with Matt Kelcher, Head of Public Affairs and Research at the Charity Retail Association and Kevin Brown, Shop Manager at the Ashgate Hospicecare store

Figures from Chesterfield Food Bank showed that they helped feed almost 300 people last Christmas, and Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has warned that he expects the number to increase again this year and has urged residents to provide donations to help those in need.

Toby visited the Loundsley Green Food Bank to take in his own donation this Christmas and to speak to the staff and volunteers who work there. Toby was joined by local councillors, Avis Murphy, Tom Murphy and Ray Catt.

Toby said, “I am always impressed by the dedication of the volunteers at our food banks but disappointed that people are becoming increasingly dependent on them. The Chesterfield food bank provided food parcels to over 280 people last Christmas and I suspect that this number will increase again this year. I urge people to donate what they can this Christmas to help those in need.

Toby added, “Food prices have continued to increase whilst wages and benefits have not kept up with prices. We have also seen the disastrous roll-out of Universal Credit continue, which is causing massive disruption and leaving families without the money they need to pay the bills and buy food. We are also seeing vulnerable people losing their disability benefits and being expected to contribute more to their own care. The Government have abrogated their responsibilities and I am very grateful that we have a strong community spirit in Chesterfield to help protect in the direst circumstances.”

Toby with food bank volunteer Jim, and local councillors Avis Murphy, Tom Murphy and Ray Catt

The Derbyshire Times reported on the 22^nd November that around 65 youngsters at Old Hall Junior School in Brampton had written letters to local businesses to raise awareness about the impacts of plastic on oceans and animals. Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins saw the story in the newspaper and immediately got in touch with the school to support the campaign.

Toby said, “I was touched to read that one pupil spent her lunch break in the library to look up my office contact details. I fully support this important campaign and hope that it makes residents and businesses in Chesterfield look again at their use of plastic products. The over-use of plastics is having a detrimental effect locally in terms of litter and added waste, as well as globally on our oceans and wildlife. It was great to visit the school and be able to discuss this important issue with the children”

The letters from pupils provide advice on small changes they could make, such as using paper, metal or reusable straws, to make a big difference. The school has received a positive response to the campaign from many local businesses.

Toby added, “I am very proud of the schools in Chesterfield, who are teaching students about what they can do to improve the environment so that hopefully when you get to my age, a long time from now, the planet is not ruined by pollution and waste.”

Toby with Erica Kipling, Matthew Phillips, Daisy Smith, William Hallam, Evie Jackson and Joe Savage.

Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins, spent the day as an observer with the East Midlands Ambulance Service to see first-hand how the crew responds to 999 emergencies and learn more about the service they provide and challenges they face on a daily basis.

Speaking after his shift, Toby said “The dedication and expertise of the paramedics and technicians is exceptional and they approach their role with empathy, dedication and a good sense of humour. I was struck by the variety of calls that they have to respond to on a shift. They really don’t know what they will have to respond to next, from something relatively minor to serious traffic accidents or suspected heart attacks. The crews have to be ready for anything.”

Toby with ambulance crew, Michelle Martin and Rebecca Stokes

Toby added, “There are pressures on our ambulance service that have caused unacceptable delays for several of my constituents who have called 999 in an emergency. These pressures are being exacerbated by patient holdover times at A&E departments, difficulties securing GP appointments, cuts to health & social care and other factors. I have discussed these issues with senior managers at EMAS but it was interesting to see how this is impacting on ambulance crews.

“One of the biggest frustrations for paramedics is when they are called out to non-emergency situations that did not require an ambulance, which could be preventing them from attending serious incidents. It is important for people to remember that the ambulance is an emergency service and should only be called for life-threatening conditions or serious injuries.”

A festive atmosphere and stunning artwork was on display at Chesterfield town hall as Toby Perkins MP announced the winning design of his Christmas card for 2018.

This year’s winning design

In previous years Toby has asked a different local school to design his Christmas card, but this year he challenged students at Chesterfield College and had high expectations for the winning design.

Toby said, “The quality of entries this year has been excellent and made it difficult to pick an overall winner. The use of colour, the thematic content and the exceptional artwork from all the entrants should make Chesterfield College very proud. My winner for this year was Hetty Stewart’s fantastic depiction of Chesterfield town centre at Christmas, which is bright, festive, and has a great attention to detail. Hetty has clearly put a lot of work into her design and I would like to say well done to her and all the runners-ups.”

The Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield hosted the presentation event for the winner and runner ups of this year’s competition and were joined by students, parents, college staff, councillors and the local businesses who sponsored this year’s card. Over 3,000 cards will now be sent out to Chesterfield residents, businesses, organisations, MPs and dignitaries such as the Queen and Prime Minister.

Toby added, “I would like to say a big thank you to the businesses that have sponsored this year’s Christmas card and made this event possible. They are Weightron Bilanciai, Casa Hotel, CCS Media and the Skills People Group.”

Toby with the runners-up, Octavia Inns, Alicja Novak, Lauren Coupe, Heidi Hurst and the winner, Hetty Stewart

Few issues are debated as passionately as the state of our town centres, and as we head towards this year’s Small Business Saturday, the future of our small independent retailers will be on many people’s minds.

Independent town centre retailers should be for life and not just for Christmas. However, local people can use this Saturday as a way of ensuring the long term health of our small shops and the diversity of our town centre.

There are many fantastic shops in Chesterfield that are well worth going to for thoughtful gifts this festive season and for Small Business Saturday on December 1st.

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins visited many small businesses in the run up to SBS in order to encourage Chesterfield shoppers to visit the independents. Small Business Saturday is an annual initiative that promotes the importance of using the businesses that bring diversity and uniqueness to our town centres as they are a crucial part of the economy and often offer different products and more personalised service than the big high street names.

Toby said “Small Business Saturday is a great idea to promote smaller companies. In Chesterfield we have some fantastic small firms, often just off the main high streets. For example, in the Shambles and the Yard that I would strongly encourage everyone to visit. Urban Flamingo in the Yard has some great gift ideas and Fabulo in the Shambles sells quality swimwear nightwear and lingerie that you won’t find elsewhere in Chesterfield. Tall Bird Records is another great independent in the town, servicing and driving the vinyl revival as well as selling CDs as well as music related t-shirts and books.

I really hope that SBS will give these unique shops a boost and help keep Chesterfield a great place to visit and shop. We often hear people moaning about the decline of the high street but we have some great businesses here that we need to use or lose.”

For more information about Small Business Saturday visit: http://www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com

Fabulo: https://fabulolingerie.co.uk/

Urban Flamingo: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Gift-Shop/Urban-Flamingo-453782981645931/

Tall Bird Records: http://www.tallbirdrecords.co.uk/

Toby with Maria from Tall Bird Records

Toby with Sharon from Fabulo Lingerie in the Shambles

Christmas stock at Urban Flamingo in The Yards

Toby promoting Small Business Saturday in Parliament

Toby Perkins MP listened to Helen Aronson, who survived the Holocaust as a teenager, at the launch event in Parliament for Holocaust Memorial Day 2019.

Holocaust Memorial Day, held on 27 January each year, remembers the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, and the millions of people killed under Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

Survivor of the Łódź ghetto in Poland, Helen Aronson said: ‘It is vital that we do everything in our power to ensure that these things never happen again, anywhere in the world.

‘Children must be allowed to grow up safe and secure and not be wrenched from their homes, like I was.

‘That’s why it is so important that you, as members of parliament are here today and that we make a commitment to mark Holocaust Memorial Day every January.’

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) supports HMD activities across the UK and chooses a theme each year. The theme for 2019 is Torn from home.

Toby said: ‘The experiences of survivors such as Helen remind us about the importance of marking Holocaust Memorial Day – a day when we remember the millions of people who were affected by the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

‘I want to encourage people in Chesterfield to mark HMD on 27 January 2019.’

Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: ‘As the world becomes more fractured and divided, we need to come together to learn from genocide – for a better future.

‘We can all mark HMD, and the resources HMDT provides enables individuals and organisations to organise their own HMD activity.’

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins called for urgent action to relieve the suffering of millions of people after seeing with his own eyes the reality in Yemen, one of the worst humanitarian situations in the world, in the Houses of Parliament today.

Using virtual reality headsets, MPs were able to visit a school that had been almost completely destroyed, a home where eight members of the same family were killed and a settlement where Yemeni families who had fled fighting are now living without running water, toilets or any other basic facilities. They heard from people affected by the conflict and the challenges they face.

Airstrikes and fighting are continuing across Yemen despite efforts by the UN to get both sides to agree to a cessation of hostilities and hold peace talks later this month. 22 million Yemenis are in need of aid and protection.

Toby said: “I’ve just been sat with a virtual reality video that shows some of the scenes that are everyday for the people of Yemen and I witnessed what life was like in the displacement camp – people in the most desperate circumstances, and people whose entire lives have changed in a way they could never have imagined”

Toby confirmed his support to the people of Yemen and contributed to the urgent Parliamentary debate today. Toby praised the government’s decision to propose a UN Resolution that would aim to end the fighting in Yemen, but in a Parliamentary statement, he warned Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP to ensure that both the Saudi-backed government forces and the Iranian-backed rebels – the Houthis – shared responsibility for the catastrophe.

Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam Great Britain, Action Against Hunger, War Child and other organisations involved in the exhibit are calling for the UK Government to suspend arms sales to any party in the Yemen conflict and to push all parties to the conflict to cease hostilities immediately. They are also asking the UK Government to pressure all parties in the conflict to allow commercial and humanitarian supplies of food, fuel and medicine to reach those who need them most. 14 million Yemenis are at risk of famine and nearly half of all children aged between six months and five years are chronically malnourished.

Toby Perkins MP said: “The British government should be doing everything they can to use our influence to try and make sure this crisis is brought to an end, and the suffering of the people of Yemen is finally concluded”