Sharon Hodgson MP's report - May-Jun 2016 - number 86

Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - May-Jun 2016 - number 86

Sharon visits Carr Hill Primary in Gateshead to see the Action for Children's Roots of Empathy "tiny teachers" programme.

Image copyright - Action for Children, 2016.

Caption: Catherine Joyce, Action for Children, Katie Cohen – Roots of Empathy, Baby Penelope and mum Lucy Hailes, Joanne Drummond – Carr Hill Primary, 2 Year 4  Roots of Empathy pupils and Sharon Hodgson MP.

Sharon Hodgson MPs report - Apr-May 2016 - number 85

Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Apr-May 2016 - number 85

Sharon  has come out in support of a joint venture between the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Royal Mail to provide a free-of-charge confidential service designed to improve communication between MPs and constituents who are blind or partially sighted.

With nearly 1.9 million people living in the UK with sight loss, this means that an average of 3,000 people in every Parliamentary constituency are struggling to access information and communication with their MPs as part of democratic accountability.

Using the confidential Transcription Service, RNIB can transcribe Braille or audio post from constituents to their MP, and can translate this communication into a format accessible to constituents.  This service is provided through a grant by Royal Mail, and will be free to use by blind or partially-sighted constituents.

Sharon said:

“It is vital that all constituents, regardless of their circumstances, have access to communication with their elected representatives, and that is why I am pleased to offer my support to this important joint-venture between the RNIB and Royal Mail to allow this to happen.

“It is important that in the 21^st century that everyone has access to information and it is wrong that for many constituents they may feel isolated from the democratic process when trying to contact their local Member of Parliament.

“That is why I will be encouraging my Parliamentary colleagues to use this service to enable further engagement with their constituents who may be blind or partially sighted.”

To find out more about the transcription scheme, or the RNIB’s ‘Articles for the Blind Scheme’ in general, visit their website here:

http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-benefits-and-concessions-concessions/free-postal-service-articles-blind

May 2016.

News from Westminster

Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Mar-Apr 2016 - number 84

As part of the launch of National Apprenticeship Week 2016, Sharon was invited to be a part of the North-East launch at Unipres in Sunderland and gave a speech in front of staff, apprentices and young people about the great work seen by Unipres to invest in the economy and workforce on Wearside, the importance of National Apprenticeship Week, along with the benefit of young people doing an apprenticeship to help them on their path to career success.

As part of the visit to Unipres, Sharon met with various young people from local schools who were interested in doing an apprenticeship and those who are currently doing an apprenticeship at Unipres and how it has benefitted their lives. The visit also included a tour of the factory and to see the skilled workforce in action working with the machinery – including the two new presses which went live in December 2015 to accommodate the increase in demand from Nissan and other car manufacturers across the country.

Following the launch at Unipres, Sharon said:

“It was wonderful to be invited to take part in the celebrations at Unipres here in Sunderland to welcome the start of National Apprenticeship Week.

“Unipres has been a vital employer in Sunderland for 27 years now and has provided essential employment to over one-thousand people on Wearside, and the wider North-East, and it is welcome that they have been able to double their apprenticeship numbers in the last year.

“It is always important to recognise and showcase the route to a high-quality and well-paid job through an apprenticeship and I hope that this year’s celebrations in the North-East, and across the country, for National Apprenticeships Week are a success.”

You can read Sharon’s speech to the apprentices, Unipres staff and pupils from Link School and Biddick Academy here.

News from Westminster

Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Feb-Mar 2016 - number 83

Welcome to my online monthly report - News from Westminster - which details some of the highlights from Westminster and the constituency.

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Feb-Mar 2016 - number 83

Read more of Sharon's reports here >

Labour MPs Sharon Hodgson and Catherine McKinnell hear from a young man with learning disabilities about his hopes for the future.

Left to right: Amie Dobinson (Development Co-ordinator and Head of Transitions), Catherine McKinnell MP, Sharon Hodgson MP, Joe, and Stacy Milner (Service Manager)

Tories hand millions to wealthiest councils – but there’s only cuts for Sunderland.
 
Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West, has accused the Tory Government of a stitch-up after the Chancellor handed hundreds of millions of pounds to the wealthiest Tory councils to ease the pain of spending cuts – but offered nothing to Sunderland City Council.

Read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Jan-Feb 2016 - number 82

Welcome to my online monthly report - News from Westminster - which details some of the highlights from Westminster and the constituency.

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - News from Westminster - Jan-Feb 2016 - number 82