Last Saturday I strayed into the Leominster constituency to open the Rock Church Easter Art and Craft Exhibition. 
It is a tribute to the organisers including John Instance that it is so well supported by local artists and craft workers. The impressive Norman church was filled with paintings of every imaginable style with arrays of pottery, wood turning, walking sticks and even a video displaying artistic advertising techniques. I was fascinated to explore the church, included among Simon Jenkins' thousand best churches, with its superb Norman arches and font, it's Medieval dug out chest and defunct stocks and whipping post.

I am delighted that Advantage West Midlands (AWM) plans to invest £370,000 into the Sandy Lane Industrial Estate. 
This with contributions from Stourport Forward, also funded by AWM, and the County and District Councils makes a total of £600,000 which promises to transform the Sandy Lane Industrial Estate into a high quality working environment that will encourage more businesses to move into the area.

I have two important notices about the Lottery. 

1.  First a consultation runs until 31 May on the future of the Lottery. 
A survey for completion can be obtained from www.natlotcomm.gov.uk or by telephoning 0207 016 3422. 
2.  Secondly the Arts Council, the Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England are re-launching their Awards for All scheme. 
This is claimed to be an easy to access lottery grants programme to help small groups in local communities. Applicants can apply for grants from £300 up to £10,000. More information can be obtained from www.awardsforall.uk or by telephoning 0845 600 2040.

I receive large numbers of postcards from constituents organised by lobbying groups or charities. I regret that I cannot acknowledge these due to their sheer numbers. 
Recent examples include hundreds from Friends of the Earth, "Stop UK companies destroying my home" campaign to limit rainforest being cleared for palm oil production and Europeans for Medical Progress, "What a difference a little DNA makes". 
With the first I have conveyed the message and the strength of feeling to the relevant Government Minister and with the second example I have signed the Early Day Motion to which it refers.

We have again attracted considerable national press interest this week because of our stand over the hospital downgrading in 2001, 
plus items broadcast on

• Radio 4
• Radio 5

Due to the NHS deficits other acute hospitals are now threatened. 

My view is that when threatened hospitals are merged with neighbours
(if there is a fair sharing of services and of disadvantages among affected communities) then the changes will be more acceptable. 
The reason for our revolt was that the downgrading here was a total robbery of services to bail out the rest of the county with no sharing of the resulting pain. 

The Independent Reconfiguration Panel now exists, thanks to our stand, to to take politics out of contested decisions, if the Government will use it.

R.T.

© Independent Kidderminster Hospital & Health Concern 1995-2006
(webdesign@chaddesley-corbett.co.uk)