Click the above image to download the letter

Sharon has received the above response from the Planning Casework Unit regarding the Rolton Kilbride planning application. The call in request has moved to the next stage. 

You can read Sharon's original call in request letter here

Click on the above image to download the letter

Sharon has written to David Gallagher, Chief Officer of Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), to formally register her opposition to the consultation "Making urgent care work better in Sunderland".

Constituents have until Sunday 2nd September to share their views with the CCG, and can do so on the CCG website here.

Sharon received a response to her 31st July letter after this letter was sent. You can read the CCG's response here.

Sharon's 31st July letter to David Gallagher can be found here

Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Health joined the campaign

Sharon joined the campaign launch at Bunny Hill

Click on image above to download letter.

Sharon has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, requesting a call-in of the Rolton Kilbride planning application.

Sharon has received a response to her letter on 27th July.

Click on image to view the letter (please note this will open in a new tab)

If any constituents have any queries about this response, please do email Sharon and we will forward your concerns on to Rolton Kilbride and the Local Planning Authority at the Council for you.

Click here to see Sharon's 27th July letter 

The Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West has met local teenagers helping a community farm as part of their National Citizen Service (NCS) experience.

Visiting the young people at Page Pastures Farm, Sunderland, on Tuesday 30 July, Sharon Hodgson MP saw first-hand how NCS participants are supporting local communities during the school holidays. The team of young people opted to help the farm as an important community space which is also used to train young people on apprenticeships.

Sharon visited the group as they ended their final week of the NCS programme by weeding the farm and helping with the animals.

Sharon Hodgson MP, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West said:

“It was great to meet young people participating in the NCS programme at Page Pastures Farm, and to hear all about their time on the programme.

“The NCS summer programme is a great initiative giving young people the opportunity to experience various different activities, develop key skills and can really make a difference to their confidence. I wish them all the best of luck in the future.”

The parliamentarian also heard first-hand how NCS - the fastest growing youth movement in our country for a century - is helping to develop participants’ life skills, resilience and wellbeing while boosting community engagement.

Anna Ingram, 16, from Washington, said:

“Our team loved meeting Sharon Hodgson, it was a good opportunity to demonstrate just some of the work we've done in the community through NCS.

“Sharon visited on our last day of social action to see us convey all of our new skills such as confidence as well as our teamwork and leadership. I've made friends for life! I would totally recommend this programme for anyone and without a doubt would do it again.”

NCS is a flagship government initiative that provides young people aged 15-17 the chance to take on new challenges, experience exciting activities, make long-lasting friendships and develop vital skills that will support them later in life.

Maxine Tennet, Director of Operations for vInspired, which delivers NCS in the North East in partnership with NYA, said:

“It was brilliant that Sharon Hodgson MP made the time to visit NCS again. The young people really appreciate her support for their work in the community.

“In Sharon’s constituency this summer, nearly 300 teenagers have signed up to do NCS – collectively, that’s over 8,300 hours devoted to helping local causes. Empowering young people to give back to their communities is just one of the things that makes NCS such a life-changing experience for participants.”

Over 400,000 young people have completed the NCS programme to date, giving up an incredible 11.7 million hours to social action projects since NCS started.

There are still places available for 15-17 years to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity, with the few remaining places now available for just £35 when young people use the code NCS35 when booking via NCSNORTHEAST.co.uk or by calling 0191 247 4020.

Click on the image to view Sharon's letter.

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West, recently visited St Mary’s RC Primary School in Jarrow to see children getting involved in a range of fun activities at one of Sainsbury’s Active Kids Holiday Clubs.

(Picture Credit: Richard Booth, NCJ Media)

On the day (Wednesday 25^th July 2018), Sharon met with representatives from UKActive, Sainsbury’s and Premier Sport, who are running the clubs, to discuss their work to get more children active in a fun and engaging way.

St Mary’s is one of 25 Sainsbury’s Active Kids holiday clubs that will be delivered in schools and academic institutions across the UK over the course of the six-week summer holiday in 2018.

The holiday clubs offer children a range of activities tailored by age group, including sports, games and performing arts classes, and also provide children with a nutritious lunch and healthy snacks.

Research undertaken by ukactive and Premier Sport has found that children’s cardiovascular fitness levels drop considerably over the summer months. This study found that the lack of structured support over the summer months played a significant role in the health and well-being of children. It also found that the hardest hit were children from deprived communities, who saw their fitness levels drop by as much as 80%.

Based on these findings Sainsbury’s decided to shift their focus from providing kit and equipment to schools and into providing experiences to help kids between the ages of 5-15 years old stay active during the summer months.

During the visit, Sharon said:

“It is a pleasure to be here to see the children taking part in a wide variety of activities, and join them in the fun and games!

“Our children today are the most inactive generation ever, so I welcome any initiative that can help us get more kids moving – this is a great example of one doing just that.

“The school holidays can be a very difficult time for some families, so I’m pleased that this initiative is offering families a service that will help them, as well as encouraging their children to be fit and healthy over the school holiday.”

ENDS

Sharon has again written to Rolton Kilbride for answers to constituents' questions.

Today (7th July), Sharon Hodgson MP, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Public Health, visited Sunderland Royal Hospital to mark the 70th birthday of the NHS.

Photo Caption: (left to right) Midwife Michelle, baby Hayden, Alex and Sharon Hodgson MP

Sharon received a tour from Carol Harries, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Affairs and Andrea Hetherington, Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs.

During the tour of Sunderland Royal, Sharon visited the new emergency department and the maternity department to meet some of the newest arrivals.

In the maternity ward, Sharon met with new mum Alex and baby Hayden who was wearing a special NHS 70 baby grow.

At Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sharon said:

“It was great to visit Sunderland Royal Hospital today to mark the 70 th birthday of our NHS and see the amazing work the staff do here every single day, despite the huge pressures on them with funding cuts and increasing demand.

“The NHS was established by a Labour Government, and it is only a Labour Government that will properly fund our NHS to ensure that it can continue for many more years to come.

“It was lovely to meet Hayden and see him in his NHS 70 baby grow. I will continue to campaign for our NHS to be free at the point of use for everyone, so that when Hayden grows up, he can benefit from it too.”

Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Jonathan Ashworth MP joins local residents at Bunny Hill to help campaign against the CCG's plans to close Urgent Care Centres in Bunny Hill, Washington and Houghton.