If you are a regular reader of my Weekly Updates you will know that for the past three months I have been working closely with Twycross Zoo to help Dr Sharon Redrobe and her team look after the animals in their care through lockdown. At times it has looked very bleak indeed.

So I was absolutely delighted to hear earlier this week that Twycross Zoo will be able to open once again from this coming Monday, 15th June.

The zoo will once again have access to its primary source of income, visitors, but it is important to note that to maintain social distancing numbers will be restricted and access can only be gained by pre-booking, the challenge to be sustainable hasn’t gone away.

I will continue to press Government for an appropriate package of support for Twycross and all good zoos.

If you can please consider supporting our local zoo by becoming a member, you can do so by visiting: https://twycrosszoo.org/membership/

My thanks also go to my colleague Andrew Rosindell MP, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Zoos, for his kind words in the chamber of the House on Thursday.

Of course, it isn’t just Twycross Zoo that opens on Monday but non-essential retailers too.

Please do support our local shops as much as you can.

It will be strange at first but to protect shop workers, other customers and yourselves please follow any instructions that are operating in local shops.

Aside from that I have:

• Asked the Home Secretary about measures put in place to reduce knife crime.
• Took part in the Health and Social Care Select Committee.
• Had a conference call with the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, and Policing Minister, Kit Malthouse MP, where we discussed the police approach to protests; tackling county lines drug gangs; and, understanding more about the impacts of lockdown on domestic violence.
• Received written answers to questions on: safe opening of entertainment venues (cinemas/theatres), safe shopping, returning to school and support for vulnerable children and funding for domestic violence support in Bosworth – you can see the answers here: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?pid=25805&pop=1#n4
• Wrote to the Secretary of State raising concerns about the aerospace industry and Driving tests/instructors.
• Took part in the Sports APPG meeting to discuss the impact on COVID on both elite and amateur coaching.
• And as we start to return to normal my team and I are making inroads to our ‘non-Covid’ postbag of casework.