(Reposted from Tim Loughton MP)
Not to be outdone by the late Captain Sir Tom Moore Shoreham’s own dance legend Dinkie Flowers has been raising money over the last few months for NHS Charities Together right up to her 100th birthday on Friday May 7th Dinkie has been doing 45 minutes of Keep Fit for 3 days a week and a 20 minute walk for 3 days each week and has so far raised almost £2000. She has also decided to do 100 kicks on her 100th Birthday on 7th May, to honour Capt. Tom Moore’s 101st Birthday.
There are details of her incredible feat on my Facebook page and you can donate at JustGiving.com/fundraising/Lesley-tomlinson2 . It would be great to get Dinkie as many birthday cards as possible from local people for her fantastic achievement and to make this a very special and memorable day for this amazing lady. Apparently, Maxi’s Post Office at 8 Shoreham High Street is also receiving cards to pass on to Dinkie.
I think my meeting with the Nationwide last week about their decision to close the last local branch at Lancing was what you might diplomatically call a ‘full and frank exchange of views.’ In truth it was the shoddiest meeting I think I have ever had with a bank or building society in 24 years as an MP. I have posted an account on my Facebook page where a lot of constituents have weighed in with comments reinforcing the impression that they really do not care and their commitments to keep branches open are not worth the paper they are written on. I will be taking up the issue in Parliament after the House returns next week and I think trade descriptions might want to scrutinize their marketing material rather more closely.
As from May 4th if you are having a wedding the names of mothers of the happy couple will be able to be recorded on marriage records for the first time since 1837 in England at least. I am delighted to report that the bizarre anachronism whereby only fathers are officially party to marriage records has at last been consigned to history by the latest part of my Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc.) private member’s Act to come into force. All we need now is to unlock the restrictions on attending weddings so that more than 30 well-wishers can celebrate.