John Milne MP: Getting around the community

Oakhill provides 48 beds for people with nursing and dementia care needs. The first thing you notice is the lovely welcoming atmosphere, and that’s to the credit of the staff led by manager Elga.

But today the main attraction are the amazing paintings lining the walls. They’re all the work of Gerry, one of the residents, and today was the occasion of his debut art auction. Gerry is both prolific and talented, having painted no less that 130 works in a matter of months. Bidding was brisk under the direction of Andy, a professional auctioneer.

On Saturday I attended Horsham District Council’s annual Jobs & Skills Fair at the Drill Hall. This long-established event provides a fantastic way to link local employers with local talent. In an age when so much recruitment has moved online, it’s great to see face-to-face conversations going on all round the room – and attendees hopefully making successful connections.

The weather gods were definitely on my side. By the time I left the Drill Hall, Saturday’s Biblical deluge had ended, and it was bright sunshine when I arrived at the West Grinstead Ploughing Match & Agricultural Show at Westons Farm, Itchingfield. Thousands of visitors had either braved the mud or, judging by the look of some of the children, appeared to actively enjoy it.

We’re lucky to have so many high-quality farmers in Horsham District who set the standard for excellence in produce. My host was David Exwood who also happens to be Deputy President of the National Farmer’s Union. I’m sure we will be having more meetings both in Horsham and Westminster, as I look to ensure farming interests remain high on the agenda for the new government.

Last but not least I joined the members of Crawley Horsham Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club at Rookwood Golf Club, for a very welcome Sunday fry-up.

There are some duties for an MP which can appear onerous. Turning up for a cooked breakfast definitely isn’t one of them!