I met with members of the African Institute for Social Development during World AIDS Awareness week and discussed the results of the Health 4 U research project. The project is developing new ways of promoting health among African communities in Nottingham and are in the process of developing a text messaging service that will provide advice and information on a range of important health issues include HIV testing.

Millions of people in the UK are trapped in low paid, insecure jobs.  There are more than 1.4 million zero-hours contracts in use, offering no steady work.  Others, such as agency and casual workers, lose out on important rights and benefits.

I recently visited the Royal Mail delivery office on Lower Parliament Street to see how the team are doing in the run up to the busy Christmas period. 

My Christmas Card Competition winner Jasmin Whitehouse has had her design displayed at Nottingham Railway Station by East Midlands Trains.  It will also be displayed at 19 different stations throughout the country over Christmas on their e-poster boards. I'm pleased that East Midlands Trains will also be using the design for their own Christmas Cards this year.

The winner of my annual Christmas Card Competition 2014 is Jasmin Whitehouse, aged 9, from Fernwood Junior School in Wollaton. Her design was chosen from 1,049 entries from 18 schools in Nottingham South. Jasmin's design for the card was fabulous, and really reflected the theme for the year, which was commemorative events. I am proud that Jasmin's design was the overall winner this year, and I look forward to welcoming her and her family to Parliament in the new year.

An exhibition of all the winners will be displayed in the Nottingham Central Library from 16th December to 31st December.

Click on the link below to read the Nottingham Post story on Jasmin's winning card:

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Youngster-creates-winning-Christmas-card-design/story-25701749-detail/story.html

I would like to say a big thank you to East Midlands Trains for sponsoring my Christmas Card Competition this year and also to Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Theatre Royal, Nottingham Panthers, Nottingham Forest FC and the Nottingham Contemporary for their help with prizes for the winner, 3 runners up, special merit and all the best in school winners. 

Finally, a big thank you to the fantastic judges who helped to decide the winning designs – Neil Micklethwaite, Commercial Director of East Midlands Trains, Mike Sassi, Editor of the Nottingham Post and Amanda Spruyt from the Nottingham Contemporary and to all the schools, teachers and children who took the time to take part in this record breaking year of entries. 

The Government has left the NHS in crisis.

As a local MP, I spend a great deal of time meeting Nottingham residents and listening to their hopes and concerns.

The NHS is one of our greatest achievements and one of our most precious organisations. But it’s under threat from a Tory-led government which puts privatisation before patient care.  

My question about concealing his plan to raise VAT rise seemed to get the Prime Minister a bit hot & bothered

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29915762

Nottingham South MP, Lilian Greenwood is supporting a Bill being presented in Parliament to raise the value and restore the ambition of the National Minimum Wage.

Today, Parliament made history by voting to recognise the state of Palestine.