The Cheshire Local Nature Partnership has launched the first Wilder Cheshire Awards 2026, celebrating the people, projects and organisations helping nature recover across Cheshire and Warrington. 👉 Enter or nominate today: www.wildercheshireawards.co.uk

Andy Burnham has been our Prime Minister for less than a month and has already introduced new cost of living measures to help ease the burden on many of us. Whilst there is still plenty more to be done, I welcome these first few steps and truly feel as though he is restoring hope in our communities.

Good luck to everyone receiving their A-Level results today! If today doesn’t quite go how you expected it to, UCAS’ support teams are ready to help you. You can reach out to them via phone or online at www.ucas.com/applying/aft...

My statement on the closure of The Chimney House Hotel in Sandbach. The link to the Migration Observatory: migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

New government rules mean councils are incentivised to ensure long-term maintenance on our roads.  I also welcomed the launch of the national Road Safety Strategy. There is more to be done, so I questioned the Transport Minster about plans to further improve road safety and conditions.

  I met with Georgia Gould, one of our Education Ministers, about SEND, and particularly Education Other than At School.Thank you to Cheshire East Parent Carer Forum for the local information which I used.ETOAS can have a potentially life-changing impact for a child and their family when done well.

I am delighted to reveal the very first 3 shortlisted businesses for the August Small Business of the Month Award! Vote for your favourite business via the link below:  us18.list-manage.com/survey?u=931...

Alsager Community Support offers help with a wide range of issues; including tackling loneliness and financial hardship.. I want to say a big thank you to all the hardworking staff and volunteers who are making such a huge difference locally. www.alsagercommunitysupport.org.uk

Here is a snapshot of some the work I have been doing in July to represent resident’s interests and champion our local area. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to meet with me and share their views.

I welcomed such a fantastic group of young people for our Summer School this year. Giving young people the opportunity to see how a workplace operates and learn about different career paths within politics and public service is incredibly important. I hope they all had a wonderful time!

From April 2027, pubs, clubs and smaller live music venues will benefit from a 20% cut in business rates. This will save the typical pub around £1,100. We have previously reduced business rates for hospitality micro-businesses. I am pleased to see these further steps which I have lobbied for.

I hosted the @PregnantThenScrewed State of the Nation 2026 report launch, where stakeholders discussed the findings. This report will play a significant role in the government’s review of parental leave and ensuring that the policies are workable for the lived experiences many parents face.

I met with Animal Free Research UK about whether UK law does ensure the use of approved non-animal testing methods whenever they are available alongside concerns about animal welfare during transport and importation, and whether enough checks are carried out on our international supply chains.

It was a pleasure to be invited to a special Jubilee Mass at St Mary’s Catholic Chapel in Congleton to celebrate their 200-year anniversary. Events like these really remind you of how important community is and serves as a reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a historically rich area. ⛪️📚

I am really pleased to see the Government announced a consultation on Firework legislation. I know this is a topic that many residents feel strongly about. Please do complete the consultation via the link below: www.gov.uk/government/c... It will close on the 7th October.

I called on the Minister for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs to encourage the Environment Agency to rapidly assess whether the flies in West Heath have been caused by the nearby recycling plant, or potentially local standing water. I am also personally in contact with them.

From January, the bus fare cap will be reduced to £2 for local journeys. I know that people in our community rely on bus travel for so many different reasons from a daily commute to spending time with family and friends. Every pound saved can make a real difference.

I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hospices and End-of-Life Care with Stephen Kinnock to hear more about the forthcoming Modern Service Framework for End-of-Life Care. I welcome the move from fragmented services to a more integrated system focused on patient-first care.

My statement on Jodrell Bank.

I have been raising the lack of consultation in our area with Peak Cluster since the beginning of the year. I have also raised it with Ed Miliband, then Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. I took it up with the CEO of Peak Cluster personally when I met with him last month.

This Government is temporarily reducing VAT on children's meals and tickets, making it easier to enjoy time together. Businesses are reducing the cost of children’s meals or offering discounted tickets for families. Children aged 5 to 15 also travel for free on local bus services for all of August.

I enjoyed seeing all the stalls and seeing the fabulous acts hosted by Congleton Pride this year. I want to say a big thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors that put in so much time and effort into making events like this special. Happy Pride! 🌈

Since being elected, I've championed local independent businesses. I'm launching a Small Business of the Month Award and would love your nominations. Tell me which local business deserves recognition and why: us18.list-manage.com/survey?u=931....

I’m delighted that Sandbach Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve received Green Flag Awards, with Congleton Park also earning a Green Heritage Award. These honours reflect the quality of our green spaces. Thank you to everyone who past put so much time into our area to make it so special. 🌿🌸

As a member of the LRRG, I attended the launch of The Future of the Rural Economy. The report highlights the untapped potential of rural communities and sets out key recommendations to help address the challenges they face and support future growth. Read more on www.labourruralresearchgroup.com

Parliament is now off for the summer. I will be holding a summer school (please apply via email), engaging with residents, catching up with my team, spending time with my children! I’ll share updates on my work during the Parliamentary session. Please contact me at sarah.russell.mp@parliament.uk.

I feel really hopeful. When I went to Andy Burnham’s recent policy speech in Manchester, I liked what I heard. Number 10 North will be good for our area. I’m pleased that he’s been talking since about sorting out adult social care. I support his message of cross party working, and with business.

I am hiring a part-time constituency research officer for a fixed-term contract until the 31st March 2027 with a salary of 28.5k FTE. The closing date for applications is the 28 July 2026, with interviews commencing on the 5th and 6th August 2026. www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=99772

I am hiring a caseworker for a fixed-term contract until the 31st March 2027. Full time and part-time availability are considered with a salary of 27k to 30k FTE based on experience. The closing date for applications is the 28 July 2026. www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=99770

Earlier this week, the RHS Northwest In Bloom judges visited Congleton to assess us for the upcoming awards. Thank you to all the hardworking volunteers who make our town such a beautiful place to live. I wish everyone involved the best of luck for the results in October! 🌿🏆