As my coffee mornings around the constituency have been so popular with you all, I decided to expand them – and recently undertook a large tour of our local villages to speak to you all, in your area, about the issues which matter to you.

So, over a cup of tea (or an ice-cold glass of water in this case, because it was very hot!), my team and I spent time hearing from you about the issues affecting rural areas.

Throughout the tour, I met over 1000 of you in village halls, rural schools, and small businesses.

Beyond potholes and the state of the roads, the one thing which struck me across all the events I held was the level of pride people had in their area.

I was so impressed by the schools I visited and thought all the students did themselves proud.

I was inspired, too, by the incredible small businesses we have in and around the constituency:, like Perrys of Eccleshall, Triform Packaging, and The Acorn, to name a few!

The feedback across the villages was so varied too.

I was unsurprised to hear residents raise the issues that so often blight rural areas, like bus connections, speeding, and terrible potholes.

But these events also gave us a great opportunity to hear national issues concerning people, like how we can get to grips with absent landlords who are letting their properties fall into disrepair (something I'm working on with a couple of brilliant rural community groups for rural pubs) and what the government needs to do on energy costs, student loans, and defence.

Representing the wider constituency

In my constituency, as well as the towns of Stafford and Eccleshall, I represent 50 villages, all with their own unique issues, ideas, and points of view.

I think it's so important that I reach out to all of them, to make sure my local and parliamentary work reflects the views of everyone I represent.

For me, this tour gave me the chance to build new connections, beyond the many hardworking Parish Councillors I already work with.

So many people during the week told me they'd had very little contact with an MP before.

I want to do things differently, bringing communities together so that I can work with them to create change.

What you told me on the rural tour

In almost all the villages, residents raised concerns about speeding traffic and road safety, particularly around school routes and narrow village roads.

This is something I'm following up on with Staffordshire County Council and local police.

In Church Eaton, almost all residents highlighted the infamous High Street sinkhole!

I have already raised this in Parliament and with Staffordshire County Council.

Flooding remains a worry for people in Cotes Heath and Standon (among other villages), with residents sharing their stories of past flooding and concerns about drainage and preparedness for the future.

This continues to be a priority I'm pushing on both with the relevant authorities and developers.

Access to NHS services close to home came up again and again, from hospital waiting times to the availability of local GP appointments.

I am currently working to open two Neighbourhood Health Hubs in the constituency to bring the care you deserve and want closer to you – including one in Gnosall.

In Maer and the area around Eccleshall, residents told me about the challenges of getting around without a car, including limited bus routes and connections to Stafford.

Reliable transport for rural communities is something I'll continue to raise with local bus companies and Staffordshire County Council.

Concerns about bus service no.64 were raised during my rural tour and I'm really pleased to hear that, after campaigning together, we've been informed that the service will continue to operate between Market Drayton and Hanley.

And from Sept 1st, there will be an updated timetable which constituents tell me is an improvement on the current running times.

Why these events matter to me

While some people on the tour were really candid that they only turned up to see if I was a real person (in many of the villages I was the first MP to ever visit!), I was also overwhelmed by the support and kindness from everyone I met.

This is something that is so important in a time of social media driven division in our society.

I'm not saying there were no complaints, nor that everything is perfect, but I believe a conversation with someone face to face - even when you don't agree - is the best way to bring people together.

In many cases, this was the first time some people had met their neighbours!

So, what's next?

The conversations gave me a clear, first-hand picture of what rural residents need, and I'll be following up on the ideas, complaints, and concerns raised with me.

If you're a constituent with anything to raise, my inbox is open!

If you've got an opportunity or issue you'd like to discuss, or something to add about one of the issues mentioned above, just drop an email to [email protected] and I'll be happy to help.

And for those who didn't get to join us, – don't worry - ! I'll be back!