To raise awareness of this week’s Dementia Action Week, I visited the Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Cafe at the Tudor Centre in Leicester.
Over 2,500 people in Leicester are living with dementia and sadly many of us will know someone whose life has been affected.
There is help and support out there and access to the right treatments and support is vitally important in ensuring people with dementia can still live an active and purposeful life. That’s why the memory cafe is so important and I was delighted to be able to meet the people for who this service is a lifeline.
You can pledge your support or get more information on Dementia Action Week here.
On 16th May I was a guest on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC News, discussing – amongst other things – Brexit and what we need to do to get the best deal for jobs and businesses, and how to avoid a hard border in Ireland. You can listen to my interview on the BBC Radio 5 Live’s Anna Foster show here.
On 14th May I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire. There has been an appalling lack of progress on rehousing those who lost their homes in this appalling tragedy. 74 households are still living in hotel rooms and 64 are in temporary accommodation. Much more must also be done to ensure the children affected by this tragedy receive the long-term support they need. The families affected must be put at the heart of the inquiry if we are going to get to the bottom of what happened. You can read the entire debate here.
At the end of Dying Matters Week I visited the brilliant Macmillan cancer information centre at Leicester’s Royal Infirmary. Cancer can have such a devastating impact on families here in Leicester. Having somewhere people can turn to for support, advice or just someone to listen, at such a difficult time in their lives is essential. The partnership between Macmillan and LRI is so important and I am pleased to have visited the Macmillan information and support centre. The centre is a lifeline for local people and I was overwhelmed by the dedication of the nurses and healthcare professionals who support people living with cancer and their families.
I also met with Jane and Georgina who took me around the oncology and haematology wards. They have both worked for the NHS for over 30 years!
Liz visits Guru Nanak Community Centre
On Friday I was delighted to visit Guru Nanak Community Centre.
They invited me along as part of their Vaisakhi celebrations and I really enjoyed hearing about all the work they are doing to support older people and their carers in Leicester.
I’m campaigning for more affordable housing in Leicester West – including building more social housing – and a fair deal for people who are private renters.
I’m campaigning for better services and support for older people, carers and their families, and a sustainable system for funding our NHS and social care in future.
I’m working to help your family by pressing for faster progress in local schools, more improvements in our NHS, and continued investment in children’s early years.
