Teddington's MP Munira Wilson published the below 10-point update on her website yesterday.

Happy New Year, I hope that you had an enjoyable and safe festive period!

I am excited to be back at work in Parliament, having already directly asked the Government multiple questions since being back.

The mental health of children has been a long-term priority for me, not least because of the huge

local need, but also in my previous role as Health Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, and now

as Education Spokesperson.

As our children have been returning to school, I know many parents like me are concerned about the

prospect of schools having to partly or fully close due to staff shortages caused by Covid. As Omicron continues to spread rapidly, many children face being off school with the virus. Our children cannot afford to lose yet more face-to-face education. The lockdowns have been so damaging for both

their learning and their wellbeing.

This is why I continue to press ministers to ensure our schools are safer and to ensure that measures are put in place to reduce Covid transmission.

You can see below how I have been holding ministers to account, in particular, to ensure clean air in our classrooms. In the winter months, having the windows and doors open all the time, or teaching lessons outside, is simply not practical and is uncomfortable for pupils and teachers alike.

Local meetings, events and news

1. Visit to Collis School

I was delighted to visit Collis School and hear about how wellbeing is at the heart of all that they do

with their pupils. They have a fantastic wellbeing room with cushions, coloured lighting and music allowing every child to have dedicated wellbeing time each week. I was also told about the great new school dinners and the thriving after-school club attended by over 100 children, run by a police officer on sabbatical. Thank you to Mr Hogston for showing me around and to all the children who asked stimulating questions at the virtual assembly!

2. EAL Friendship Group English Language Lessons

I enjoyed my time at the EAL Friendship Group's English language course at the ETNA Centre. The charity provides free English lessons for people who have English as an additional language and aims to bring people together from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious, economic, political, ethnic and social backgrounds, while breaking down barriers and celebrating differences and learning from one other. Thank you to Ruth and the enthusiastic group of women I met from around the world. You are all welcome in our community.

3. The Real Junk Food Project

The ETNA Centre in Twickenham is also home to The Real Junk Food Project, who provide an award-

winning pay-as-you-feel surplus food café & stall.

Their mission is to take food that was heading for

the bin and turn it into nutritious and tasty lunches for the community. The café was doing a roaring trade when I visited and I look forward to seeing them continue their great work over the coming months.

4. Visit to Richmond Furniture Scheme

Just before Christmas, I visited Richmond Furniture Scheme, the local furniture re-use and up-cycling charity providing affordable furniture for those in need. The work they do is fantastic, collecting 100 tonnes of furniture a year. Council grants are available for those in need to buy discounted furniture. This small, dedicated team includes 40 volunteers of all ages. The scheme is good for the planet, wellbeing and tackling poverty. If you have any unused items of furniture, are looking for pieces for your home, or would like to get involved and volunteer, this is a great charity to support!

5. Support available this winter

For many local residents, this winter has been particularly difficult, especially so due to energy prices. Local residents are eligible to apply for grants of up to £170 towards their annual energy bill through the Council's Fuel Grant Scheme to protect residents at risk from fuel poverty. This fuel grant is open to all on benefits or low income, including pensioners. The closing date to apply is Thursday 31 March 2022. More information is available at www.richmond.gov.uk/services/housing/housing_grants/heating_grants/fuel_grants Additional grants are also available from the Household Support Fund for food, bills and other essential items, via Citizens Advice Richmond and Richmond AID. See more information on this here.

Standing up for you

Highlighting the Government's failure to support schools and children

Children have been failed throughout the pandemic by the Government. Through the press and in Parliament, I have put pressure on the Government to provide more support to schools in their battle against Covid. I highlighted the unacceptably slow roll out of vaccines for teenagers and urged the Government to provide air purifiers in classrooms. The Government must set out a clear plan. You can read my comments in the full Mirror article here. I also spoke specifically on air purifiers and the Government's failed promises on this in the Guardian and have recently tabled Written Parliamentary Questions on this topic.

7. Challenging the Education Secretary to ensure clean air in all classrooms

Last week in Parliament, I challenged the Secretary of State for Education, following the announcement that only 8,000 air purifiers would be provided for over 300,000 classrooms. It has been widely known since the outset of the pandemic, that air purifiers are one of the most effective and cheapest way of reducing Covid transmission in in our schools. This is why the US and Germany implemented air purifiers many months ago. I specifically asked the Secretary of State if he will publish the data from classroom CO2 monitors that show only 8,000 need them. I also asked why the Department is recommending Dyson air purifiers when there are cheaper alternatives available.

Covid Information

8. Latest Covid Numbers

In the week of 31 December to 6 January, there were 2759 cases of coronavirus in Richmond upon Thames. The incidence rate in Richmond is 1392/100,000, compared to a London-wide incidence of 1575/100,000 and England-wide rate of 1708/100,000. These figures show a fall in case numbers in our borough and across London but a rise across England as a whole compared with two weeks earlier. Data source: www.datarich.info/covid-19/

9. Covid testing available to all

To book your free rapid lateral flow COVID-19 test or find your nearest take-home testing kits collection point, visit: maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/ These tests are for people NOT experiencing symptoms. If you have any of the main Covid-19 symptoms you should arrange a PCR test here.

10. Walk-in and pop-up vaccination clinics

The nearest walk-in clinics for vaccinations are:

- Teddington Health and Social Care Centre from 10 to 14 January 2022.

- Harlequins Rugby Ground from 10 to 16 January

- Boots, Kew Retail Park

- Whitton Community Centre from 10 to 12 January Details of which vaccines are being offered and eligibility criteria are available at swlondonccg.nhs.uk/covid/where-can-you-get-vaccinated/vaccination-walk-in-clinics/ More stories Teddington MP Munira Wilson vows to keep seeing residents in person despite safety fears following murder of Sir David Amess

Teddington Community café returns providing tea, cake and friendship to our town

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