 1 in 8 adults are carers, yet half the UK public believes there isn't a single carer among their family and friends. Across the UK we have 7 million unpaid carers who make a phenomenal contribution and sacrifice so much for the people they love. We need to value carers each and every day.
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 The Tooting Triangle stay and play is a much-loved community asset in Balham. It is vital for local families that staffed stay and play for children aged 5 and under remains at this location three days a week. I wrote to both the Chief Executive Officer and the Leader of Wandsworth Borough Council to raise concerns and press for answers.  It was a pleasure to visit the newly refurbished Pearl Chemist in Furzedown tonight - a fantastic local business which has been serving people in the community for many years.
Winter is upon us and it's due to get colder, so make sure you've got your flu jab. Remember, you don't have to visit your GP for this; pop into your local chemist and they can provide this service for you. Thanks to the team at Pearl Chemist for inviting me, and to everyone who attended.  Keeping fit reduces obesity and helps tackle mental health problems. Today I launched The Daily Mile at local Tooting schools with Adelle Tracey, British middle-distance runner. The simple but ground-breaking initiative encourages schools and nurseries to take children outside, running or jogging, every day. It's just 15 minutes, but it will bring years of benefits.  Yesterday I visited Southfields Academy - a school on the edge of Earlsfield, but one that teaches hundreds of local children. Southfields Academy has undergone a real transformation in recent years, and the grades tell their own story. Meeting with staff and pupils, it was heartwarming to see just how inclusive and hospitable the school is - an ethos championed by their fantastic Principal, Jacqueline Valin.  This year marks 100 years since the Parliament (Qualifications of Women) Act was passed, which allowed women to become MPs for the first time.
Today I had the privilege of speaking at the Fawcett Society event celebrating a century of women in Parliament. We have made progress - Labour leading the way with the highest percentage of female MPs (45%) - but there's still more to be done. I will continue to fight, represent and speak out for gender equality and women's rights.  Today we had commuter chaos, yet again, as passengers were hit with train cancellations. South Western Railway cancelled hundreds of trains between Surbiton and London Waterloo (the UK's busiest railway station) because of overrunning engineering works. To advise people to 'not travel' is simply not good enough. Key NHS staff will not be able to get to clinics and hospitals, and teachers are late for school. The knock-on effects extend far beyond the station barriers.  I was so pleased to work with The FA to secure England vs USA tickets for local schools, clubs and organisations. Fantastic to see so many local people enjoying this opportunity to visit Wembley, many for the first time. It has been great to receive your pictures and see the huge reaction on Twitter - so much so we got #TootingGoesToWembley trending!  It was such an honour to read the names of the fallen at St Nicholas Church, Tooting for Remembrance Sunday. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armstice and allows us to recognise the significance of the end of the First World War. We shall never forget them and the sacrifices they made for us.  At Centre for London's Conference this week I spoke about the heartache I have witnessed in A&E when a child's life is taken by needless violence. Teenagers once full of bravado on the street, now crying out for their mothers after being stabbed, pleading with us to save them. It's unbelievably tragic. |