Dear Friends,

Thank you for taking the time to look at my monthly newsletter for January 2026.

I hope you enjoy this update on some of the work I have been doing in Erith and Thamesmead and in Parliament over the last month.

As ever, if you want to get in touch, don’t hesitate to contact me using the email address: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk

Abena

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone in Erith and Thamesmead had a restful Christmas and New Year, and I wish you all the very best for 2026. This year, I am excited to continue delivering change in Erith and Thamesmead and across the country. This Government is intent on hitting the ground running in 2026. Recently, we have announced:

• A Warm Homes Plan: the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history to cut bills, tackle fuel poverty and create jobs.
• Legislation to overhaul the Leasehold system including capping ground rent at £250.
• An Animal Welfare strategy that delivers ambitious reforms to keep pace with the latest scientific evidence and closes loopholes.
• A historic clean energy security pact with European allies to bolster energy security for families and businesses and a new water strategy to deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
• The first National Youth Strategy in over two decades to support our young people meet the evolving challenges of today.
• A Violence Against Women and Girl’s strategy that sets out the government’s vision for meeting its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

I welcome the Government’s continued engagement with the public to help inform policy decisions. Please do not hesitate to raise any policy concerns or casework with me. I recognise that this is a challenging time for many, and I am always happy to support my constituents wherever I can.

Shikshapatri Event

It was an honour to see the Shikshapatri at the SKS Swaminarayan Temple in Woolwich with Linda Bird, Mayor of Greenwich. I was fascinated to learn about the Temple’s significance and the Swaminarayan.

Thames Water works and 244 Bus Diversion in Shooters Hill

Residents of Shooters Hill will be aware of road closures caused by burst Thames Water pipes, which have disrupted the 244 bus service since early December. This prolonged disruption has been highly detrimental to the local community.

I have raised this issue repeatedly with all relevant stakeholders and have escalated my serious concerns directly to the CEOs of Thames Water and Transport for London.

I am pleased that we have finally been able to secure a better diversion of the 244 to the top of Shooters Hill and the works are set to finish shortly. I want to thank all residents who have taken thetime to raise this with me, the Council and local representatives.

I shared an update on the situation here and will continue to monitor developments on this issue closely.

Visit to Greenwich Food Bank

At the end of last year, I volunteered at Greenwich Food Bank. This was a great opportunity to help an organisation that provides crucial support for families in the area.

I’m inspired by the incredible team of volunteers who make their work possible. I was proud to promote their winter appeal, which you can find more about here.

Christmas Celebrations

Last year’s Christmas Card Competition was as competitive as ever. My thanks to all the students who sent in their designs. I really enjoyed meeting the winner, Tanvi, Year 1, at Belvedere Infant School whose drawing of Lesnes Abbey Wood Park was sent to, amongst others, the PM and the King! I also shared the design with the Speaker in Parliament.

I was also delighted to give a reading and help decorate the tree at Christ Church Erith’s Christmas Carol Service.  It was a wonderful evening where I was joined by Revd Anthea Harris-Faulkner, Cllrs Nicola Taylor and Chris Ball, and so many from our local community.

It was great to join the Erith Rotary Club for their Annual Sleigh Tour, the Community Hospice for their Carol Concert, and the Speaker for his Christmas Reception as well.

Finally, it was a pleasure to attend the Greenwich Mummies Forum’s joyful Christmas event with local children, parents and elders. It was a very festive occasion and great to support and celebrate with such a fantastic community group in Plumstead!

Opening of Asian Oriental SuperMart

I had the honour of opening Asian Oriental SuperMart on Plumstead High Street in December. It is always a privilege to champion local businesses throughout the constituency.

Small Business Saturday

I celebrated the local high street during #SmallBusinessSaturday at the start of December. This included a visit to the Community Hospice shop, where I learnt more about their work supporting hospices in Erith and Thamesmead.

Royal Mail Visit

Really pleased to visit Royal Mail in December and celebrate the hard work of our brilliant posties ahead of the festive rush!

Holocaust Memorial Day

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January, I attended a commemoration event at Woolwich Town Hall. I also signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment in Parliament – I fully support the Government’s commitment to tackling antisemitism that this Memorial Day reaffirms.

Parliamentary Work

On top of continuing in my role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, I have recently had the chance to speak in Parliament on behalf of my constituents.

Firstly, I welcomed the Government’s plan to develop Thamesmead Waterfront as part of their New Towns strategy in the House of Commons. I firmly believe this is one of the biggest opportunities in the country that will provide up to 15,000 new homes, thousands of new jobs, an expanded new town centre and high-quality green spaces for Erith and Thamesmead constituents. You can watch my speech in full here.

As well as this, I raised the case of one of my constituents whose mental health is negatively affected by the noise produced by the fireworks at a Westminster Hall debate. I support the Government’s consideration of reform to fireworks legislation and their use in a safe and responsible manner. You can watch my intervention here.

Lastly, I spoke during the budget debate where I welcomed the funding the Government has allocated for the DLR to Thamesmead. You can watch this speech here.

It has also been a pleasure to join several parliamentary events and learn more about the advocacy of some terrific organisations, including the Samaritans, Young Women’s Trust, The British Beauty Council, L’Oreal, Show Racism the Red Card and the Armed Forces.

Furthermore:

• SL11 Launched – the new SL11 is now running. While it brings quicker journeys and new connections, I also know some residents have concerns about the changes to the 472 that the introduction of the SL11 has affected. Please feel free to share your experiences with me.
• President of Germany’s address to Parliament – great to listen to President Steinmeier’s address in the House of Commons in December.
• Martin Luther King Day – proud to mark MLK Day on January 19^th and his commitment to anti-racism.
• Burns Night – wished all my Scottish constituents a very happy Burns Night.
• ARC and CIC You Tour of Parliament – Great to sponsor their visit to Parliament, many of whom had never been before. If you are a resident or organisation based in Erith and Thamesmead constituency, don’t hesitate to reach out to organise a tour at: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk  

Stay updated on social media

For regular updates on my activities, follow me on X (@abenaopp), Facebook (Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Erith and Thamesmead), and Instagram (abena.oppongasare.mp).

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