Page 68 - Phonebox Magazine March 2012

Out and About with Mark Lancaster
Our local MP
Mark Lancaster TD MP
Suite 102, Milton Keynes Business Centre, Foxhunter Drive, Linford Wood, Milton Keynes MK14 6GD
Tel: 01908 686830
Happy Birthday Brooklands!
Brooklands Dental Clinic Ltd is celebrating its 5th year anniversary this month. To commemorate this important milestone the Clinic commissioned the design on the front cover of Phonebox Magazine.
Over the years and through difficult economic times, Brooklands has built up an enviable reputation of providing high quality family dental solutions at affordable prices.
Founder and principle dentist, Dr Wynand de Jager, pictured here, with some of his team, commented: “Dentistry doesn’t have to be dull, my team work tirelessly to think up new and creative ways of exceeding our patients expectations. The front cover uses pop art to tell a story about us in a unique and individual way.”
Brooklands is now entering its sixth year in business and goes from strength to strength. It puts its success down to clear goals, strong values and innovative patient focused solutions. To contact Brooklands please visit www.brooklandsdentalclinic.co.uk or call us on 01908 235124.
I write having just spent the day at the Olney Pancake Race, I confess the temptation to put on a skirt and join in is overwhelming some years but I guess running in the Pancake race is just one of the many things that men just shouldn’t do, multi-
month I rolled up my sleeves and joined helpers from BTCV with their Railway Conservation Group.
Meeting in a quiet corner of Newport Pagnell, on this occasion, the group go up and down the disused railway in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area to help clear the park space along the route. I was asked to help them to clear scrubs away and restore the woodchip path in the area, to try and improve the site for locals and stop anti social behaviour occurring on the site.
I am continually impressed by the work that local residents get up to and this was a fantastic way to spend a morning. If you have green fingers like me and are interested in getting involved in this community project then take a look at BTCV’s website where you can find out about all of the projects they run locally on www.btcv.org.uk or in the local newspapers.
I also recently took a trip to the Blood Donation
event which is held regularly at Lovat Hall in
Newport Pagnell, as part of a campaign to boost
blood donors in Milton Keynes. With over 96% of Mark us needing blood at some point during our lives
and only 4% ever donating blood, I am keen to encourage people to give blood.
Blood donation couldn’t be easier, if you are aged
between 17 and 60, weigh more than 50 kg and are in general good health you can donate. The NHS needs 7,000 voluntary donations of blood daily in order to keep a healthy
stock of blood and meet the demands from hospitals. It couldn’t be easier to do locally and I would
encourage you to have a look as to when the next local event is scheduled to be on www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.
As ever, I am always here to help so please do feel free to contact me on 01908 686830, be it for assistance or if you would like me to come and visit your organisation and in the meantime, I hope you are all looking forward to the fast approaching Easter holidays.
Mark at Olney Pancake Race
tasking is of course another! Watching the race however did remind me just how very varied my job is. just recently there has been a very strong theme emerging in my visits, opportunities
for young people. At a time when the economic conditions
are tough, the increasing provision being offered around our local area demonstrates what a strong community we have and how supportive local employers are being.
Many of you will know Hanslope as a quiet rural
Mark and FCO Apprentices
Buckinghamshire village but what you might not realise is that it is also home to Hanslope Park, the base for the Foreign and Commonwealth Service, providing technical services to our embassies and people all around the world. It is in fact, one of Milton Keynes’ largest employers offering jobs to over 2000 people.
With the secrecy of Hanslope Park causing me much intrigue, teamed with the evident opportunities being offered to local people at the site, you can only imagine my delight at being asked to visit and speak at a celebration of National Apprenticeship week.
Young people are now required to stay in education or training to the age of 18 and apprenticeships are becoming a popular alternative to A Levels, allowing for practical hands on paid training. Hanslope Park has offered 340 apprenticeships in the past 40 years with over three quarters of those who have been trained through their scheme, still working for them. A clear demonstration as to why they are valuable not only to the apprentice but also to the employer.
I have also been out exploring different areas of the constituency and on a frosty morning last
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