Over the last few days, my local campaign team (bolstered by over 40 family and friends!) have delivered an 8-page ‘Vote for Change’ leaflet to all of Bracknell constituency’s 43000 homes. It has been a fantastic effort by all concerned, for which I am very grateful. Each constituent now has the opportunity to read about who I am, what I believe in and what my Conservative candidacy would mean for them. There will be additional leaflets delivered during the General Election Campaign itself, which will further outline my political beliefs and priorities. Be assured, I am working hard to secure as many votes as I can, from every part of the Bracknell constituency.

On Wednesday evening this week all of the Bracknell Constituency Parliamentary Candidates for the up-coming General Election were invited to attend a hustings at Easthampstead Park Community School in Bracknell. In front of a good audience, each candidate got to make his ‘pitch’. The speeches were followed by a ‘Q&A’ session which covered many topics, from university funding to local healthcare services. All in all, it was a fantastic evening. Much credit should go to Andrew Best, a sixth former at the school, who arranged the hustings. I gather that there will be further opportunities during the election campaign for the Bracknell electorate to hear from the candidates. As far as I am concerned, the more opportunities the better.

Today, the Bracknell constituency witnessed its first political hustings of the 2010 General Election. The mental health charity Rethink invited the Parliamentary candidates to Coopers Hill this lunchtime to take questions from local people. The future provision of local mental health services was obviously of great interest to those who had arranged the meeting, however, other important issues, such as the importance of honour and probity in politics, featured prominently. It was a good opportunity for all candidates present to explain their respective party’s positions on a number of key issues. I, for one, will take any opportunity in the forthcoming campaign to engage ‘face-to-face’ with the electorate of Bracknell constituency.

Today, I had the opportunity to visit Broadmoor High-Security Hospital in Crowthorne (aerial photograph above). As part of a Conservative Party delegation that was led by Shadow Secretary for Justice, Dominic Grieve MP, I was able to get a very good insight into the valuable work undertaken by the hospital. Unfortunately, the national perception of the psychiatric establishment is far from the reality. People are sent to Broadmoor to receive healthcare not punishment. Often a patient has already served a sentence in a ‘normal’ prison and then has been passed on to Broadmoor for treatment. Hopefully in the future, the hospital’s good work in the treatment of mentally-unwell individuals who have committed horrific crimes will become more appreciated.

This evening, I had the pleasure of meeting a group of sixth formers at Wellington College in Crowthorne. I’d been invited by their Head of Politics to discuss my selection as the Conservative Party candidate for Bracknell and my views on a variety of current political issues. From House of Lords reform and multiculturalism through to the NHS and Europe, the students displayed an impressive breadth of concerns. Meeting younger people and listening to their opinions is always a worthwhile experience for any politician. In return for making my short speech and taking questions from the students, I was kindly entertained at the neaby Chillies Indian restaurant. I can strongly recommend it!