
Karen recently had the pleasure of celebrating the West Midlands horticultural achievements at an event hosted by the NFU in Westminster and in conjunction with the official launch of Asparagus Season.
Interestingly there are 30,000 hectares of horticultural crops grown throughout the region with a farm gate value of £350 million and a Gross Value Added contribution to the region in excess of £600 million. The sector employs over 13,000 full time workers and a further 7,000 part time workers. These are figures to celebrate and be proud of.
Access to fresh fruit and vegetables is a significant issue for local people and the wider population. With nearly 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 10 children aged 2-10 obese; this crisis places a major burden on the NHS at a cost of approximately £4.2 billion per annum. Growers in the West Midlands are extremely well placed to assist with the national 5 A DAY campaign.
Many might be surprised to learn that growers from the region produce 20% of the total UK soft fruit production and a staggering 65% of the UK asparagus crop plus also growing significant volumes of field vegetables, salad and protected crops. Yet more reasons to celebrate!
Of course the sector is not without its challenges and to identify these, the NFU working with an organisation called the European Food and Farming Partnership (EFFP) together with Wychavon District Council have undertaken a region wide survey to highlight issues raised. Karen has also taken the opportunity to meet with local farmers in the area recently to listen to and discuss their industries’ concerns.
Karen is pictured with Asparagus Man and also with fellow local MP’s Harriet Baldwin and Peter Luff.
Karen went back to her home town of Wrexham to help in their local elections.
Karen recently paid a visit to St Augustine’s Catholic High School to meet with students during their Citizenship class.
As part of Tenacres First School ‘Fruity Friday’ celebrations children had the opportunity to learn more about eating healthily and take part in a range of ‘fruity’ activities. The School Council organised a Fruit drawing/painting competition with prizes for the best entries which Karen Lumley MP took time to judge, picking winners from each year group.
Karen recently paid a visit to HMP Hewell to learn more about the about the aims, objectives and progress of the Hearing Dogs training program as it nears its six-month stage. The project is the first of its kind at the prison and has proved to be a huge success and extremely beneficial for all involved.
Woodrow Library celebrated World Book Day by having a “Where’s Wally” tea party.
The new Abbey Stadium was completed recently and was reopened by a host of celebrities and digniaries. Karen went along with council leader Carole Gandy and town mayor Anita Clayton.
Karen Lumley MP for Redditch County, conveyed her extreme disappointment today at the resignation of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, ‘Anni’, following days of grave unrest in the country.