'I am urging my constituents to continue to take sensible precautions'

MP for Ellesmere Port

Looking back on the Christmas and New Year messages that I wrote at the end of 2020 I had hoped to be much more positive in my contribution 12 months later.

Obviously I had wanted to be in a position to congratulate everyone on their efforts to conquer Coronavirus and to banish the pandemic to the history books.

Well I certainly do wish to pay tribute to everyone who has played a significant part in trying to ensure that we get the better of COVID-19, sooner rather than later.

And I do place on record thanks to the thousands of residents of all ages who have come forward willingly for first, second and now booster jabs aimed at securing their own safety as well as doing their best to safeguard the interests of all those around them.

Not forgetting, of course, the mix of professionals and volunteers who have given so many hours of their time to ensure that all those who want to – said now to be nine in every 10 citizens – receive their vaccinations.

And remember that, thanks to the brilliant work of scientists across the world who have devised at least three drugs capable of minimising the effects of COVID-19, we have up until recently enjoyed a better year than the miserable time we endured in 2020.

However, it now transpires that we have worked so hard to get rid of the Delta variant, only for the fast-spreading Omicron mutation to come along to try to stop us in our tracks.

So during the Christmas and New Year period I am urging my constituents to continue to take sensible precautions and to fall in line with the various precautionary measures that have been introduced. And if you have not done so already, please do come forward as soon as possible to get jabbed.

Difficult as I know it is for so many of us, as Coronavirus advice seemingly changes all the time, you should still feel able to meet up in small numbers with family and friends.

In the run-up to Christmas let me thank the registered charity Ellesmere Port and Neston Helping Hands for helping to deliver some Christmas goodies to hundreds of people in my constituency. The festive parcels have been distributed because we have been unable to organise Christmas parties in Ellesmere Port and Neston for two years now because of pandemic restrictions. I would like to thank in particular the local business who have made donations that have made this possible including Essar, Encirc, Peel, the Round Table, M53 Ford, Veolia, Innospec and Ash Waste as well as the many individuals who have given up their own time to ensure all the hampers get delivered.

Please also do your best to help our local traders who have done so well to keep afloat during what has been for many of them miserable times.

As we approach the end of another exacting year, let us renew our thanks to health workers and many others who work in public service who have done their best time after time to ensure our safety.

Let me wish you all a very happy Christmas holiday time and I do so hope everyone a has much better 2022.