It was a privilege to welcome Raju Patel, Anita Nye and Kai Nye to Parliament in recognition of their incredible efforts to support the Orpington community during COVID-19.
The 2-year long global pandemic was undeniably a dark and difficult time for us all, but in the face of adversity some truly remarkable constituents stepped up and placed others before themselves. They are Orpington’s Local Heroes.
Many constituents wrote to commend those who had helped them personally or were volunteering for the area. Before we benefited from the vaccine roll-out and its protective shield against the virus, many inspiring individuals were selflessly stepping up to the task.
That is why I ran a campaign to ensure that their contributions were not only acknowledged but valued across the constituency.
As part of Eldred Premier Stores, Raju, Anita and Kai donated daily to the Help Orpington NHS free shop, close to the Princess Royal University Hospital to help NHS staff easily access shopping during the peak of the crisis. Their efforts helped to support more than 5,000 workers.
I very much enjoyed being able to offer them a tour of the Palace of Westminster and hear about their exemplary efforts in their own words. We also discussed contemporary challenges facing many businesses, such as antisocial behaviour, the cost of processing card transactions, ensuring a strong local police presence and the impact of the ULEZ expansion.
Orpington owes you a great deal of thanks.