Dear Boscastle,
We’re kicking it off this time with a small homage to our younger constituents. I was delighted to visit St Minver School, where students treated me to some exceptionally thoughtful and challenging questions, a timely reminder that young people are certainly not to be underestimated! In the same vein, I was thrilled to welcome Egloskerry School and Altarnun Primary School to Parliament. As always, I had to disappoint students by confirming that I am sadly not related to Harry Maguire.
Turning to my slightly older younger constituents, I really enjoyed speaking to the Year 13 and 13 Politics group at Callywith College ahead of their networking lunch on 2 April. Students were engaged, inquisitive, and full of intelligent questions.
Stepping away from educational settings, I recently visited Bude Youth Club alongside Councillors Faye Emery and Nicky Chopak. Youth services like this play a vital role in supporting young people locally, and it was great to see the work being done first‑hand. Following my campaign this summer with Councillor Damon Dennis to stop Launceston Minor Injuries from closing I was very pleased to hear the minor injuries unit is now open seven days a week! A huge thank you to the hardworking staff and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust who made this happen.
I also had the pleasure of visiting Windmill Court Care Home to celebrate a resident’s 101st birthday, always a reminder of the importance of ensuring older residents are valued, supported, and heard just as much as the young. Similar, I was also honoured to attend a Veterans Breakfast at the Borough Arms, alongside Cllr Chris Batters. Hearing directly from veterans across North Cornwall about the challenges they face after leaving the forces was incredibly valuable. I have committed to raising their concerns in Parliament, including backing stronger protections for veterans in upcoming legislation.
Recently I visited the helipad at Treliske Hospital to look at how safety and patient transfer arrangements can be improved for the Cornwall Air Ambulance. This lifesaving service is vital for communities across our Duchy, and it’s essential that patients can be transferred quickly and safely once they land. I was pleased to be joined by my fellow Cornish MP for Truro and Falmouth, Jayne Kirkham, demonstrating once again the importance of working across party lines on issues that affect all of Cornwall. I will be writing to Cornwall Council to push for urgent improvements to the helipad road crossing, including traffic light measures, to ensure patient safety is prioritised while longer‑term upgrades progress.
On another healthcare front, I was very pleased to hear the Launceston minor injuries unit is now open seven days a week! A huge thank you to the hardworking staff and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust who made this happen.
Over the Easter period, I’ve been delighted to attend St Wenn Easter Community Lunch, Wadebridge Town Hall Big Breakfast in support of Cancer Research, with Cllr Rosie Moore and Blisland Village Fayre, alongside Cllr Chris Batters.
And thank you to everyone who joined my latest “Brew with Ben” at St Eval Community Centre. These events are a fantastic opportunity to raise local issues, share concerns directly, and allow my team and me to take on casework where we can. Please keep an eye on my social media for details of the next Brew with Ben.
When it comes to representing Cornwall in the media, I recently took part in a BBC panel at the Eden Project, where I spoke about the importance of a bespoke devolution deal for Cornwall, one that respects our unique identity and makes clear that Cornwall should not be merged with Devon simply to achieve greater powers. I will continue to press the Government for a fair deal for our Duchy!
In Parliament, I led a Westminster Hall debate on Government support for domestic abuse survivors, highlighting the vital work carried out by women’s centres, including the fantastic centre we have in Bodmin. I am continuing to press for a meeting with the Legal Aid Minister to address the barriers survivors face when trying to access justice.
And how could I leave out everyone’s favourite subject – sewage! I urgently met with Water Minister Emma Hardy MP to urgently raise Cornwall’s sewage crisis and the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades by South West Water, alongside reform of the Environment Agency. I also met with Museums Minister Baroness Twycross to make the case for stronger support for local museums, including Bodmin Keep, the Charles Causley Trust and Discovering42. I remain determined to see Bodmin Keep reopen its doors to visitors.
With the improving weather, thoughts naturally turn to holidays and I’m pleased to see new
Newquay–Gatwick flights launching this summer following my meeting with easyJet. I hope this will develop into a year‑round service in the future.
That’s all for now. As ever, if you have any issues you would like to raise with me or my team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Until next time, take care and a belated happy Easter.
Ben Maguire MP
ben.maguire.mp@parliament.uk
