I have a vision of the days running up to Christmas. There are long, frosty walks ending in cosy village pubs, perhaps in Eastling or Stalisfield; visits to colourful Christmas markets in Bearsted, Lenham or Leeds Castle choosing hand-made decorations for our family tree; and starlit evenings singing carols at Church.
The reality is a bit different. We’ve got a week of late night votes in Westminster, I still have a pile of Christmas Cards to sign and a list presents to buy. I’m hoping Father Christmas is more organised for my children.
Parliament finishes today, and then we’ll be escaping as fast as we can to Kent. Something important will almost inevitably get left behind. But never mind, it will all work out in the end and the important thing is we’ll all be home together.
Christmas is one of the few times many of us get to slow down and spend quality time with our families. It’s also a time to think about others, particularly those who don’t have anyone to celebrate with. Every year I spend time with Age UK as a befriender. Over half of people aged over 75 live alone and can go for days without speaking to anyone.
Age UK matches volunteers with older people who need a bit of companionship and friendly conversation. It can be a lifeline for people and bring enormous satisfaction and lasting friendships for volunteers. Visit www.ageuk.org.uk to get involved.
Christmas is also a time to reflect on what we’ve achieved in the year. One of my biggest ambitions for this area is to improve care for people with mental health problems. Half of mental health problems start before the age of 14, so early diagnosis and treatment is vital. So I’m delighted the Government has announced that teachers at every school in the country will get training to spot the signs that children are struggling. It’s also great that A&Es in Kent are getting nearly £500,000 to make specialist psychiatric liaison available 24 hours a day.
I wish everyone in my constituency, from from Headcorn to Hernhill, Boxley to Boughton-under-Blean, a merry Christmas and happy new year.