Sunday 1 July 2007

Standing up for rural communities

I spent today dodging the rain. Firstly at Bulkington where I attended the annual carnival which I last did when Bulkington was in Nuneaton constituency and I was the candidate there. Now it's in Rugby and despite the downpour, people were just as enthusuastic. I then went to the Royal Show where I joined volunteers on the CRAG (Conservative Rural Action Group) to collect signatures on a petition calling for support for rural communitites. With Post Office closures, shortages of rural affordable housing, the shutting down of A&E units at local hospitals, increasing levels of Council Tax and the rural payments crisis, those living in rural areas are having a tough time. We met many people, and heard their thoughts on rural problems, while standing up to our knees in mud.