As we approach the festive season, I wanted to take a moment to share some uplifting news and celebrate the successes of our wonderful community. Despite the challenges of the year, South East Cornwall continues to move forward with positive developments that I am proud to highlight.

One of the most significant announcements this month is the £47-million secured for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly from the continuation of our Shared Prosperity Fund. This funding represents a vital investment in our region’s future, supporting job creation, skills development, and innovation. I have worked hard together with other Cornwall MPs to get this secured, and personally it’s been a great win to end a big year. As your MP, I will continue working hard to ensure this funding is allocated effectively and delivers tangible benefits for South East Cornwall.

This month, I had the pleasure of visiting the Liskeard Sorting Office to meet the dedicated postal workers who keep everything running smoothly, especially at this time of year. Their commitment is nothing short of incredible, and I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone working long hours to ensure our Christmas cards and gifts reach loved ones on time.

Access to postal services matters, and that’s why I’m so grateful to the hundreds of you who have signed my petition to save Liskeard’s Post Office. Post Offices are the lifeblood of our towns, providing essential services for residents and businesses alike. I’ll keep making the case that we need it to stay. You can sign the petition here: forms.gle/a1tnwqg1ctVmLRz18

Finally, one of the absolute highlights of my year was seeing the amazing entries to my Christmas card competition and presenting the award to the winner, Angelina, from Calstock School. Her beautiful design captured the warmth and joy of the festive season, and it was a privilege to celebrate her creativity with her classmates and teachers. There were so many wonderful entries I would like to have chosen them all!

This competition has been a wonderful way to showcase the talents of young people across our community, and I want to thank every student who took part. Your artwork brought smiles to so many faces! As Angelina wrote on her card, “’Tis season, be jolly!” - words that remind us to embrace the spirit of togetherness and find some joy this Christmas, no matter how small.

As we look to the year ahead, I remain committed to working for the people of South East Cornwall to deliver progress and build a brighter future.

Anna Gelderd, Labour MP for South East Cornwall