DURING this special time of year, it is just fantastic to see the community spirit across South East Cornwall really come to life, with some wonderful celebrations this season.

Earlier in December, I had the pleasure of attending Liskeard Lights Up and taking part in the Lantern Parade. There’s something spectacular about seeing our towns and villages covered in different coloured lights that really brings a festive atmosphere to our high streets. A special thank you to Liskeard Town Council, organisers Rachel and Sally, as well as deputy mayor Cllr David Braithwaite, who donated funds for the wonderful Christmas trees. A thank you too, to all the wonderful volunteers, schools, councils and groups for their work.

Our community is also incredibly thoughtful towards those who are less fortunate at this time of year. I was honoured to help gift-wrap presents for David Pond’s incredible mission to Ukraine, where he’s donating them to an orphanage in Lviv, and personally driving them all the way there! Other local organisations are putting in tremendous amounts of effort too, with Liskeard and Looe Foodbank providing Christmas Hampers for over 200 families.

Local craftsmanship is particularly on display at this time of year, with many great markets popping up, making for perfect gifts for family and loved ones. This was particularly true at the Millbrook Christmas Market, and I’d like to thank all the organisers who made it possible.

Earlier this month, we celebrated Small Business Saturday. Supporting independent businesses is a key part of my mission to unlock economic growth in South East Cornwall. As your MP, I have visited countless businesses throughout this year to speak about how we can make our economy as strong in January as it is in July. Announcements like the £30-million Kernow Industrial Growth Fund have been a welcome step forward in this mission.

One of the highlights of my festive season was choosing the winner of my Christmas Card Competition. I had dozens of brilliant entries from children all across South East Cornwall, which made it so difficult to make a final decision! The winner was Joseph from Braddock C of E Primary School in East Taphouse. This design was just superb and was used for my official Christmas card, which was sent to people around our local area and colleagues in Westminster. A special shoutout to Ray, Bruno and Lilianna, who were very close runners-up. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition. It once again showed just how talented the children of South East Cornwall are.

I know the Christmas season can be a difficult time for many, missing loved ones who are no longer with us, and additional stress and changes in routine can be very hard. For anyone who is having a particularly difficult time, the Samaritans are always just a phone call away on 116 123.

I hope you all get the opportunity to enjoy yourselves and wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.