The MP for the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency, Claire Hazelgrove, recently held another of her ‘Coffee with Claire’ events, this time at the Baileys Court Activity Centre in Bradley Stoke on Saturday 8 March.
Claire is committed to ‘doing politics differently’ and is holding informal local events where residents can come together with their MP, neighbours and councillors to look at how to make ours an even better place to live.
Armed with tea and coffee, residents joined tables to identify and discuss their priority issues in Bradley Stoke. These included transport, anti-social behaviour and local infrastructure. Claire guided the groups through conversations with three key questions: what is the issue like currently, what would it be like if it were improved, and what will it take to get there and who is involved?
Many great ideas were suggested including how we transform grey-belt areas not in use into thriving community spaces and the need for a sustainable and reliable public transport system that helps people join up across our community. All politics were left at the door during the discussions, and everyone came together in that shared purpose of improving the local area.
One attendee remarked: “I have lived in Bradley Stoke for over 30 years, and this is
the first time I’ve been invited to an event like this”.
Claire Hazelgrove said: “I believe in doing politics differently and bringing people together across our community to talk about how we can make ours an even better place to live. I also hold regular advice surgeries to provide support across the constituency and knock on doors to listen to local people almost every Saturday, so I hear directly from many hundreds of people a month, which is important to me in being able to know your priorities so that I can serve you well in Westminster.
“I also wanted to set these informal Coffee with Claire events up too, so that fellow residents have more ways to engage with me as your MP, not only when facing a specific problem that I can help with but in shaping our area’s future. These new community
events help us break down barriers that I think are often too high between elected representatives and those we’re here to serve
– over a cup of coffee.
“Residents chose the issues they wanted to talk about most together here in Bradley Stoke, and we had some important conversations on key issues like transport, community infrastructure and the NHS. I invited local councillors too, from all parties, so that we could look at where different responsibilities sit in all this, too.
“By working together, along with businesses, community organisations, residents and elected representatives – I know that we can make ours an even better place to live. It would be super to see you at a Coffee with Claire event soon.”
Residents who would like to join a future event are encouraged to keep an eye on Claire’s social media or to sign up via Claire’s website to be notified when an event is happening near them.