THE suspension of maternity services at North Devon District Hospital continues to be a matter of grave concern for expectant mothers in Bude, and across the north of our constituency at the moment.

Families are facing journeys of more than two hours to alternative maternity units, and understandably there is real anxiety about what these arrangements mean for those due to give birth in the coming weeks. After more than 15,000 people signed our petition, I have joined my neighbouring MP Ian Roome in requesting an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State. We will be pressing for the support needed to restore this vital service as quickly and safely as possible. Patient safety must always come first, but these temporary arrangements cannot be allowed to become permanent by default, particularly given how many North Cornwall families rely on North Devon District Hospital.

On a lighter note, I recently visited Nourish Kernow in Camelford with Cornwall Councillor Mark Burnett. Founded by Spence Rabey, this fantastic non-profit market garden is built around regenerative agriculture, growing fresh produce for local members while also providing volunteering opportunities, educational sessions and social prescribing. I saw firsthand the positive impact this project is having on the local community, and how things like this can make such a difference in communities. I’ll be doing whatever I can in Parliament to push for greater support for initiatives that bring people together in this way - and a huge thanks must go out to Spence and the team for showing us around and explaining more about their brilliant work.

At the Camelford Show, I also spoke with local farmers and veterinary professionals about the ongoing Bluetongue outbreak, which has now affected hundreds of farms across North Cornwall. I have already written directly to the Farming Minister on behalf of local farmers, urging the Government to establish a drought recovery fund to support those facing the effects of extreme weather, alongside calling for urgent action to address the problems surrounding vaccine availability. While at the show, I spoke with Dan from Penbode Farm Vets about the devastating impact Bluetongue is having on livestock and farming families, as well as the importance of getting vaccinations properly sorted. Our farmers are facing immense pressures from disease, extreme weather, and of course rising costs, and they should not be left to deal with these challenges alone. I’ll be raising these at the first opportunity in Parliament on their behalf.

There was also some welcome news for disabled bus users this week, with the Government announcing that time restrictions on disabled people's bus passes will be scrapped from April next year. This is a very important win for disabled constituents across North Cornwall who rely on public transport, following a long and hard-fought campaign by my Liberal Democrat colleague Tom Gordon MP and others. However, this is only one part of the much wider transport challenge facing rural areas like ours. Too many communities across North Cornwall still have extremely limited bus services.