The award-winning GAP (Gaining a Place) Project in Beaumont Leys is run by the East Midlands Housing Association. It provides young parents with decent accommodation while they get back on their feet. That might mean help to learn how to properly manage the family budget, or support to get the skills and training young parents need to get off benefits and into work. The ultimate goal is to help families find a home of their own, and provide the stability that is so important for children as they grow up.

The GAP project is the only one of it’s kind in Leicester that helps young dads alongside young mums. One of the fathers I spoke to told me he is completing an NVQ Level 3 in Painting and Decorating. He said that when he came to the project he was really quiet and introverted but now he feels far more confident and eventually wants to set up his own business.

The GAP Project does vital work supporting young people to become better parents and role models for their children. It also saves taxpayers money in the long run, by helping families find work. It’s a really special project that gets my full support, and I wish all the staff and parents involved every success for the future.

I’m sure most of us associate Walker’s Crisps with Leicester legend, Gary Lineker but last week I met with the people who do the real work to bring these products to our supermarket and corner shop shelves.

I toured the Walkers factory in Beaumont Leys, which has a long history in Leicester and is now owned by PepsiCo. This is an impressive, high tech operation, which processes around 800 tonnes of potatoes a day, making it the biggest crisp factory in the world. It has six large production lines, each turning out up to three tonnes of crisps an hour.

I met with the company’s Production Manager to discuss the issues that face Walkers in the coming years and to encourage them to employ and support local people. I also welcomed the progress Walkers has made in reducing the fat and salt content of their crisps, because whilst we’re a nation of snack lovers, obesity is a major problem that we all need to do more to address in future.

I will continue to do all I can to work with local employers and to support local jobs.

The Shama Women’s Centre in Highfields is a brilliant organisation that provides services and support to women throughout Leicester.

By offering training opportunities, such as NVQ and ESOL courses, and a range of other services like supporting new mums to breast feed, Shama helps women, particularly from disadvantaged communities, to improve their lives, develop their skills and integrate with the wider community.

I was at the Shama Centre on Friday, talking to the women who use the services, and the staff who provide them. I was particularly impressed by the warm and welcoming in-house crèche, which has been crucial to the Centre’s success.

I am extremely proud, and honoured, to be the patron of the Shama Centre and I look forward to celebrating their 25^th birthday in February next year.

I recently met a group of youth and community development students from De Montfort University, who came to visit the Houses of Parliament as part of their studies in social policy and politics. We had a lively discussion about the future of youth services, and how students and young people can get involved in the democratic process and make sure their voices are heard.

It is really important people know this is their parliament. I want to encourage as many people as possible to visit me in Westminster. So whether you’re part of a group, like the DMU students, or an individual constituent, please contact my office and I will be happy to organise a tour for you.