This week, Dr Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who died during the Holocaust.

Friday January 27th will mark the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history – and in the weeks running up to the day, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, giving MPs the chance to honour those who were persecuted and killed during their Holocaust and encouraging constituents to actively speak out against prejudice and bigotry today.

 In signing the Book of Commitment Dr Lee paid tribute to the extraordinary men and women who having survived the Holocaust, work to educate young people about what they endured, through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach programme.

In the weeks around Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year, people will also be encouraged to take a stand against racism and prejudice today – and to speak out against hatred wherever they encounter it.

Last year, Dr Lee joined a visit to Auschwitz in Poland with students from The Brakenhale School in Bracknell and Wellington College in Crowthorne. The trip was part of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz (LFA) project. Having students visit and understand the horrors that took place during World War II, will encourage work is done to ensure that future generations will never again allow racism or discrimination to go unchallenged.

Dr Lee commented: “Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and is an important opportunity to both remember the victims of genocide. I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to commit to ‘speaking up and speaking out’ against prejudice today.”

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “We are proud that Dr Lee is supporting Holocaust Memorial Day this year. It is vitally important that we both remember and learn from the appalling events of the Holocaust – as well as ensuring that we continue to challenge all forms of bigotry.”

Dr Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell, was pleased to join the Prime Minister at the Waitrose Distribution HQ in Bracknell on Thursday 5^th of January to recognise the outstanding involvement of the company in good causes, both locally and nationally. The Prime Minister presented managing director Mark Price with a Big Society Award for the supermarket chain’s Community Matters Scheme, which has now donated £10m to charity.

Waitrose donate £1000 every month to three chosen charities. Customers are invited to apply for their Charity of Choice to be selected to receive funds raised in store. Shoppers are offered a token every time they shop in the store. These tokens can be then inserted in one of three boxes – one for each organisation. At the end of the month the tokens for each organisation are counted, and the beneficiaries receive a corresponding proportion of the funds.

Mr Cameron called the Community Matters scheme “entrepreneurial” and “exciting” and said: “I think it is a really great advert for what a great business can do to support local charities and local people. It sums up what the Big Society is all about. It gives me huge pleasure to give Waitrose this award.”

Dr Lee commented: “It is a very long time since a Prime Minister of this country visited the Bracknell constituency (outside of the obvious regular visits to the RMA at Sandhurst). Indeed, I have found no one who can recall such a visit. I was honoured to join the PM at such an important occasion. I would like to congratulate Waitrose for being such a successful and responsible business. The “Community Matters Scheme” offers a great opportunity to help raise people’s awareness and personally contribute to some chosen charities. I am pleased that Waitrose are doing such a great job in making our society better off by helping people to engage in community activities that will benefit our society and economy as a whole country.”

Dr. Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell, announces that the Government will do everything necessary to restore order to Britain’s streets and to make them safe for law abiding citizens.

Police officers have shown incredible bravery confronting the gangs. Dr Phillip Lee urges to place more police on the streets and ensure more robust police action. Leave within the Metropolitan Police has been cancelled and the Met have indicated that many more police will be on the streets of London in the coming hours than previously. Already several hundred people have been arrested and the Government is making sure that court procedures and processes are speeded up.

Dr Phillip Lee commented:

“Those who are responsible for this wrongdoing and criminality should be clear; they will feel the full force of the law. If they are old enough to commit these crimes, they are old enough to face the punishment. I am glad that Parliament will be recalled for a day on Thursday and I will be returning to Parliament myself. The Prime Minister will make a statement and a debate will be held so that the House can come together in condemnation of these crimes and stand together in determination to rebuild these communities.”

“I am sure that the people of Bracknell share my disgust of these appalling events. The roots of this behaviour go back many many years. The failures of our education system, the dependency by our welfare state, the breakdown of our families and spiritual life and the tendency over the years for politicians to provide excuses of poor behaviour. The solutions to these obvious problems will not be easy. However, I intend to play my part in bringing about a safer and more responsible society in Britain.”

Dr Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell, has welcomed the Community Savings and Loans (CSL) plans from Berkshire Credit Union to raise attainment for Bracknell communities and to bring about sustained improvements through offering savings and affordable loans.  The social benefit of Community Savings and Loans to the people of Bracknell is irrefutable.

The Berkshire Credit Union has grown rapidly over the past year and has increased to nearly 900 members with savings of over £400,000.  Savings are re-invested in local community projects.  CSL loan book has grown from £107,000 to £235,000 at July 2011 a growth of 119%.  The impact of this lending is highly significant as the union pays a dividend to lenders – in effect a profit share.  This compares favourably with mainstream institutions, since there are no “hidden criteria” or other “conditions” to restrict the customer group.  The aim is to create a climate that empowers local people and communities in building a big society that will take power away from politicians and give it to people.

Bracknell has greatly benefited from CSL projects.  The Berkshire Credit Union delivered presentations and activities to the District Council and a range of community groups including mobile home users at Warfield Park and offered a range of services to Bracknell Forest Housing Ltd.  They have also undertaken negotiations with the local volunteer centre and Citizens Advice Bureau to seek an operating base in the town for September.

Dr Lee commented: “I am pleased that CSL is doing such a great job in making our society better off by helping people to engage in entrepreneurial activities that will benefit our communities and economies as a whole country.”

Dr Lee had the pleasure of attending the relaunch of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Boxing in Westminster this week. He was very pleased to do so because he firmly believes that the sport brings massive benefits to young people, especially those from tougher backgrounds. He had been asked to take the role of Vice Chairman by Charlotte Leslie, MP for Bristol North West, the new Chair of the APPG.

Dr Lee said: “The launch was a fantastic event. Not only did it showcase the talents of boxers of the past, such as Barry McGuigan (pictured above), it also featured the young boxers hoping to be part of Britain’s Olympic boxing team for 2012. Furthermore, a number of the boxers talked passionately about the social benefits of boxing and how the sport had ‘saved’ them from taking the wrong paths in life. All round, the event was an outstanding advert for the sport of boxing.”

He went on to say, “Boxing is a tough sport that teaches the importance and value of self-discipline and hardwork. In an increasingly challenging world for our young people, any sport that provides them with the opportunity to enhance their personal fitness, improve their self-esteem and increase their self-confidence must warrant strong support.”

Dr Lee is now looking forward to contacting and visiting the amateur boxing clubs on his patch in Bracknell and Pinewood Starr in Wokingham Without.