Really enjoyed seeing in the Nepalese New Year 2080 with the Royal Borough of Greenwich Nepalese Society and Greenwich Mummies. I want to thank Cllr Jit Ranabhat for the kind invitation.
I hope that everyone celebrating across Erith and Thamesmead had a great celebration with family and friends.
We all know that Defibrillators and CPR save lives. I’m happy to support all the great work done to increase awareness and the number of Defibrillators and CPR Training in our communities.
This month, I hosted an event with the British Heart Foundation to discuss the work they are doing on this important issue and share our thoughts with other Members of Parliament. You can see my post about this here: https://twitter.com/abenaopp/status/1638501687051558912
I want to send a special thank you to Bonnie McGhee, my local constituent who first contacted me about this issue regarding the lack of Defibrillators in our community. You can read about her story here. You can also learn more about BHF’s RevivR on their website here.
If you have any thoughts or would like to help, please get in touch with me at abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
It was great to host another of my “Meet your MP” Coffee Mornings this month at the Bookstore Café at the Exchange Erith.
The conversation we had was very valuable to me and I want to thank all of you who came along. It’s so important to spend the time to engage about the many pressing issues we have and also the great opportunities available in Erith and Thamesmead.
A number of issues were raised including how we can provide more opportunities for young people to play football, and what we can do to tackle youth violence. We also discussed the Cost of Living crisis, that is hurting so many, and how we need to work as a community to make sure the most vulnerable are not left behind.
I was very impressed with how passionate everyone was and I’m looking forward to catching up again with everyone who turned up. I hope you can share the following link with friends and family, who may be interested to sign up to a future event.
Sign up: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/upcoming-events/coffeemorning/
I was very pleased to join the Ukrainian community and a number of constituents from Erith and Thamesmead at this celebration event this month.
Last month, we all paused to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. While the illegal war started by Russia continues, I want all the Ukrainians who have settled in our area to know that our support for you and all of the Ukrainian people remains.
It was a great event with great music, dancing, performances and beautiful artwork on display from across the community.
It was great to attend the re-opening of the Hawksmoor Youth Hub last week. The Hub has long delivered fantastic services to the young people and wider community of Thamesmead but has also faced considerable challenges with the state of its facilities.
On the 23rd of February, I met with their great team to hear about the fantastic plans they have for the future. I want to say a special thanks to Claire Hallinan who has been working hard to make this happen.
Check out the Hawksmoor Youth Hub here: https://www.young-greenwich.org.uk/.
On 26th January, I was pleased to join the launch of Age UK’s Befriending Café in Thamesmead. It was great to see so many having a good time and join for tea, bingo and other games at Lakeview Court, Thamesmad.
You can find out more about Age UK Bexley’s Befriending Café through the following link: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bexley/activities-and-events/befriending-cafes/.
As ever, if you want to get in touch, don’t hesitate to contact me using the email address: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
Small Businesses are the lifeblood of Erith and Thamesmead, providing jobs and supporting families. I am delighted to have supported Small Business Saturday on 3rd December and encourage people to shop local and support local businesses and families.
I was so pleased to be invited to see a number of thriving businesses and to discuss their important needs as our economy recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
On the day, I was able to visit Buds of May, Morgan’s Greengrocers, and Crumbs Bakery in Northumberland Health. I was also able to visit the Birchwood pub, Afunkie Beauty and Erith Flooring Ltd in Erith.
Many thanks to all those working so hard for our local businesses.
On Remembrance weekend, we paid tribute to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and we stand with our armed forces, veterans and their families.
I was honoured to lay wreaths across our community in remembrance of all those in Erith and Thamesmead who gave their lives to protect our freedom. Standing together with members of the constituency, we expressed our gratitude for those who serve and their families.
On Saturday 12th November, I laid wreaths at Thamesmead War memorial followed by the War Memorial at Plumstead Cemetery.
On Remembrance Sunday, I attended the remembrance service at St. Michaels & All Angels Church in Abbey Wood and then laid a wreath at the Abbey Wood Memorial Gardens.
I want to express my thanks to Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Royal British Legion for arranging the services. I was also happy to support their poppy appeal in Thamesmead, who continue to do an invaluable service as they raise funds for our armed forces community.
We will remember them.
At this jam-packed 3-day summer school, young people aged between 16 and 18 had the opportunity to gain the skills needed to make a real difference in our community.
This was a hands-on, first-hand insight into the exciting world of political and social campaigning. The school brought together a wide variety of speakers from businesses like Graylings UK, showing the students tools they can use to influence the Government and make change, and from Meta, to discuss how important Facebook and social media is to campaigning in the 21st Century.
We were also joined by important influencers who have been at the frontline of campaigns that have caught the public’s attention. We heard from Laura Coryton, who started the very successful #EndTamponTax petition, and from former Love Island contestant Shaughna Phillips, who is now advocating for a better public discussion on body image and mental health.
I know from my own experience that whether you’re dealing with environmental issues, crime, or education, effective campaigning is the key to influencing and challenging those in power. So, I am determined to do all I can to empower our young people to be the change they want to see in the world.
Over the course of 3 days, attendees designed their very own local campaigns on important issues such as women’s rights and increasing accessibility access in our community. What’s more, I am personally helping action the best ideas into real campaigns to benefit our residents.
For the students, this was a unique opportunity to see their ideas turned into action and to learn how they can make their voice heard in our democracy.
