I would like to start by thanking Newton News for putting this issue together and I am delighted to help in sponsoring alongside our local area action partnership, GAMP.

It is important that we continue to reach out with information to everybody. It is very easy to believe that just because things are on websites, the Internet and social media generally that everybody knows what is happening and where to get help if they need it.

There are also too many opportunities for false news and misleading information, I would encourage you all, if you can, to access the Durham County Council, .gov and .NHS websites as your primary sources of information and beyond them your local press and in particular the Newton News are your most reliable places to look.

There are many people who do not access social media for many reasons, they either can’t use the technology, don’t have the technology or simply don’t like it. It is imperative that we do everything we can to ensure that everyone knows where help is available should they need it.

The primary purpose of this edition is to provide that information. You will find submissions from many organisations where help or assistance can be found and these remind us that there are some fabulous people doing extraordinary things in our community. One of the great personal frustrations for me is that I can’t get out to meet as many of you as I would like but I have also included some updates around my parliamentary world. At times like this it would be normal for me to be out and about seeing where help is needed but like everyone my movements are restricted and I am only going where I have been specifically invited and know that social distancing can be managed.

I would again like to thank all our frontline workers for their outstanding efforts at this time. This starts with those in the NHS and social care environments but there are so many others that are critical in this difficult time. I think of teams working for the council whether they be at GAMP, be providing any of the day-to-day services we normally take for granted or indeed have been retrained to support others. We should not forget the Ambulance, Police and Fire Services nor the many private businesses from shops to farmers to factories trying to survive and give our economy the best chance of recovery and I must of course thank my team of Jonathan, Rachel and David whose outstanding efforts are helping me to help you.

A particular thanks as always to the many volunteers that have stood up and are providing invaluable help to so many people. I would also like to give a special mention to people who are putting a smile on the faces of others by entertaining them, so a shout out to Georgio who I think started off the craze for entertaining the street and putting it live online, others that have followed include Amy Harrison, Nev Jones and who could forget Professor Nincompoop who does a live children’s balloon making and magic show at 3pm on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

So please follow the guidelines, stay home, protect our NHS, save lives.

Thanks to you all we can start to see the beginning of the end of this and if there is anything we can do to help please ask.

Paul Howell MP

Member of Parliament

for Sedgefield

paul.howell.mp@parliament.uk

07464 898442