CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM EDWARD TIMPSON MP

This time last year, when I was first elected—suffice to say—I wasn't expecting the difficult and often torrid year that we've all just had.

It's been really tough on a lot of my constituents: whether that's financially, physically, or emotionally. 

So at what is quite a surreal Christmas this year, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for what you've done to help minimise the need for restrictions in our area, helping bring the virus under control to save lives and protect the NHS. 

It's also meant that I found myself campaigning on things I never imagined I'd ever have to campaign on: whether it's trying to get garden centres, zoos, and beauty salons reopened; trying to save the Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre; supporting the wedding industry to get back up on its feet; or lobbying on behalf of dairy farmers in Cheshire who have struggled through much of this period.

It's also given me a chance to try and push forward my election pledges on broadband, on improving transport connectivity—and it's great to see my bid for the Beeston Castle & Tarporley Station going through to the next round—as well as that broader agricultural support as we exit the EU. 

So although it's been a tough year, there've still been things that I've been able to do on your behalf, to really make a difference to you and your family. 

And you can read more about my work in Parliament as your local MP on edwardtimpson.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Although Christmas and new year won't be the same this year, we still have to remember hands-face-space, and keeping social contact to a minimum, because the ultimate Christmas present awaits us in 2021.

We're leading the world in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

And as we reach sufficient numbers of the vulnerable and the elderly having had the vaccination, we can start to roll back those restrictions, and see the normal life that we crave so much start to re-emerge. 

So I do wish you and your family a peaceful and safe Christmas. Look after each other. 

I'm looking forward to next year, getting out into Eddisbury, seeing more of you, and more of the recovery that we all want to play a part in making happen.

And finally, I want to thank you again for everything you've done in this very, very tough year—one that we will never forget, and one, I hope, that will make us stronger.