At the start of March I was pleased to be asked to speak at the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tourism Forum at Gloucestershire College’s Berry Hill campus (of course just a few months later the College would be celebrating the opening of their brand new home at the Northern Quarter, but more on that later!).
The event was organised by Dean Forest Wye Valley and I am always pleased to support Chief Executive Officer Maureen McAllister and her team with the good work they do promoting our area. Tourism plays a vital part in our local economy and this year’s Forum was well attended.
One of the schemes the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tourism Association is taking a lead on is providing Shared Apprenticeships opportunities. This project enables smaller businesses in the tourism sector to share an apprentice, meaning the cost is shared, and the apprentice benefits from a wide ranging opportunity. It was good to talk to Amy Ruck (pictured with me) who is an Apprentice with the Association, to find out how the scheme is working for her.
Elsewhere in March I had a really enjoyable visit to Wyedean School and Sixth Form Centre in Sedbury. I am always pleased to support this School and it is clear to see why they are rated as “Good” by Ofsted.
During my visit, I met with the Principal, Mr Rob Ford and some of his Leadership Team, and had a useful update on some of the things the School is involved with. I also spoke to a Year 12 politics class on subjects that ranged from our electoral system to foreign affairs.
March also saw me visit Bristol Airport where I joined the Green MEP Molly Scott-Cato and EU migration expert Emma Carmel in an interview with David Garmston for the BBC’s Sunday Politics West programme. The runway certainly made for an interesting backdrop!
Finally, back in the constituency, it was good to call in on Lucozade Ribena Suntory in Coleford, where Site Manager Mick Pedder presented me with a bespoke bottle of Ribena, to celebrate their brand new recipe. The new formulation halved the sugar and calorie content of the popular drink.