But Sir Bill is not the only Fylde resident recognised, with awards also being given to Dr. Simon Jonathon Grant, David Short and Russell Walters who receive MBEs and a BEM respectively for their tireless efforts to promote diversity and attain the very highest levels of success within their respective fields of social care, the chemical industry and defence manufacturing.
As we start the year many things are new or refreshed but, in other cases, previous problems persist, and I continue to fight for Fylde in tackling them. I have been overwhelmed by the level of interest in my Parliamentary petition on the Morgan & Morecambe windfarm proposals. I held an initial high street signing session during which even my own optimistic expectations for interest were exceeded, resulting in me having to hurriedly source more sheets for people to sign.
On Friday I will be holding the first of several sessions in communities across Fylde and I hope that you are able to add your name as we push to have our voices heard and, in the longer term, ensure that this becomes a permanent part of the process, even for so called ‘NSIPs’ (Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects). I will be presenting the petition to Parliament once these community signing events have finished, please keep an eye on my website and Facebook pages for updates as to the time, dates and locations of your local drop in signing session.
I am never one to miss an opportunity to champion Fylde’s fantastic hospitality & tourism industry and I was delighted to see how busy our pubs, restaurants and cafes were over the festive period. They really are the lifeblood of our local economy and community, without which our town centres simply would not be the same. January is always an incredibly tough time of year for the industry as the peak of Christmas demand falls away and it is vital that we get out there and continue to visit our old favourites or try out a new venue during this time of year.