Page 53 - Phonebox Magazine August 2007

Out and About with Mark Lancaster
Our local MP
Mark with local artists and Jenny Townsend, Chief Executive of Southern Africa’s Children, at the North Crawley Institute.
The last Aston Martin to be made at Newport Pagnell.
Mark at the Newport Pagnell Pre-School Alliance 35th Birthday party.
The Olney Sevens winners: Mark with Mannie Howkins and the winning team, the Lady Rohesia Boat Club.
Phonebox Magazine 53
SOUTHERN AFRICA’s CHILDREN
One of the great joys about becoming the Shadow International Development Minister has been discovering the enormous links the constituency has in this field. Some are obvious, like the headquarters of World Vision in the city, others links however are less so. Take for example local charity Southern Africa’s Children, dedicated to providing shelter and education for ill, disabled and vulnerable children in Southern Africa and founded by Chicheley resident Jenny Townsend. In the last twelve months Southern Africa’s Children has raised over £30,000 to construct a dormitory at Hope School in Tanzania for forty eight AIDS orphans and I was only too pleased to be able to support the recent art fair held at the Institute in North Crawley to raise more much needed funds.
VETERANS DAY
Many will remember June 27th as our former Prime Minister’s last day in office; I will remember it as the second annual Veterans Day. Rather than sit in the chamber for Mr Blair’s historic last Prime Ministers Questions, I came to Milton Keynes for the day and joined in the Veterans Day celebrations held at the Newport Pagnell and Olney branches of the Royal British Legion. Maybe it is because I am a soldier, but I was determined to acknowledge the contribution that so many of our veterans have made to make Britain what it is today and I would like to thank all those who made the day really very special for our veterans that attended.
ASTON MARTIN FINAL PRODUCTION CAR
It was with mixed emotions that I attended the ceremony to mark the final production car roll of the line at Aston Martin at Newport Pagnell on July 17th. On the one hand it is clearly very sad that all production will now be transferred to the firms Gaydon plant, on the other the day turned out to be a celebration of the professionalism and craftsmanship that so many local workers have demonstrated in producing the worlds finest sports car in the town.
NEWPORT PAGNELL PRE-SCHOOL ALLIANCE 35TH BIRTHDAY
Another anniversary in Newport Pagnell was reached on the same day as the final Aston Martin rolled of the production line with the 35th Birthday of the pre-school alliance based at the Youth Club on Wolverton Road. Already very much an institution in the town judging from the tremendous support the organisation enjoys I hope it will be around for another 35 years at least, but well done to Gemma, Linda and the team for all their hard work.
OLNEY RUGBY 7s
After all the rain in recent weeks weren’t we lucky for the Rugby 7s? The first of what I hope will become an annual event like so many local residents I had a marvellous day watching the ‘Lady Rohesia Boat Club’ win the cup. I am not sure how the team name was arrived at for the tournament but a Google search throws up quite a bit about ‘The Lady Rohesia’ as a classic written by Thomas Ingoldsby. Alas having presented the cup, by the time I caught up with the team again they had already begun their hard earned celebrations so I sense it may be another year before we find just why they named themselves after a novel. K
MOBILE SURGERY
Finally the mobile surgery returns in early September, dates below, as ever no appointments necessary but please feel free to ring the office to check times and locations.
4th September:
9.30 – 10.30 Hanslope
10.45 – 11.115 Castlethorpe 11.30 – 12.00 Haversham 13.00 – 13.20 Gayhurst
13.30 – 14.00 Stoke Goldington
5th September:
9.30 – 11.00 Newport Pagnell 11.00 – 11.30 Lathbury
6th September: 9.00 – 11.00 Olney
11.15 – 11.45 Emberton
12.00 – 12.30 Clifton Reynes
13.30 – 14.00 Newton Blossomville
7th September:
9.30 – 10.30 Sherington
10.45 – 11.15 Chicheley 11.30 – 12.00 North Crawley 13.00 – 13.30 Astwood 13.30 – 14.00 Hardmead 14.30 – 15.00 Moulsoe
To contact Mark please call or write to: Mark Lancaster TD MP 13a High Street, Newport Pagnell, Bucks MK16 8AR
Tel: 01908 615757 Fax: 01908 618433