Welcome back to my monthly column. As your Member of Parliament for Stourbridge, I’m currently on the Parliamentary recess, but while I am taking a short break to recharge, I am already looking forward to the weeks ahead!  

I am excited for the return of Parliament in September, but grateful that I get to spend the rest of the summer back home in the constituency, visiting local organisations, and meeting with residents across our towns and villages.

The last few weeks have been a busy and rewarding time. 

I got to partake in my first Black Country Day as an MP on the 14th July, which was undoubtedly a significant highlight to end my first year in Parliament.

This day marks a huge moment of pride for all of us who call this part of the world home. Being an MP that grew up in the Black Country and now gets to represent a Black Country constituency makes this day even more special for me.

I had the honour of speaking in Parliament to mark the occasion at the Black Country Day debate in Westminster Hall, celebrating our heritage, our people, and the unique character of the Black Country. 

In fact, I was delighted to make a small bit of history by becoming the first person to officially enter a few well-loved local expressions into the Parliamentary record.

For the first time ever, the Hansard now includes words like “owamya” and the brilliant phrase “black over Bill’s mother’s”, as I made sure to dial up our traditional vocabulary in front of my colleagues when I had the chance to speak about the area I love.

These phrases might baffle a few in Westminster, but for us, they’re part of our cultural identity and I was proud to share them.

Earlier in July, I also had the pleasure of visiting the Black Country Skills Shop.

This excellent facility plays a vital role in helping local people develop the skills they need to succeed in today’s job market, from young people at the start of their careers to those looking to retrain or return to work.

The team there are doing fantastic work, and I was particularly impressed by their hands-on approach to training and the strong links they’ve built with local employers. It’s centres like this that give me real hope for the future of skills and employment in our region.

As always, I remain incredibly proud to represent Stourbridge. We’re from a place of hard work, resilience, and strong community spirit. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be out and about across the constituency, continuing to listen, to learn, and to speak up for the people who make this area so special.

Please also look out for my leaflet marking what we have achieved together over the previous year, which should be landing in your letterbox soon enough!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I am sure I’ll see many of you around the constituency soon.