I am so pleased to see the retail and hospitality sector coming back to life following the re-opening of some of our high street shops, cafes, restaurants, beauty salons and leisure facilities in Dunmow last month.

With restrictions easing it is important residents continue to take up the regular Covid-19 tests available.

Essex County Council are now offering Covid-19 tests for collection in libraries across Essex, including Dunmow library.

This is a great initiative and ensures residents have another convenient option for regular testing. All the information can be found on their website.

Essex County Council and our local councillors have been working hard to support residents with initiatives like these which coincide with the unprecedented Government support for those who have been impacted by the pandemic.

Across the constituency this has included £50 million in Business Support Grants, over 3,600 benefitting from Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, over 5,000 residents supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and over £3 million in the Local Restrictions Support grant amongst a number of other allocations of funding.

Four organisations in our constituency have also been allocated a grant recently from the Culture Recovery fund including independent cinemas, arts centres and heritage sites.

I will continue to ensure they get the financial backing they need to thrive as the economy re-opens.

As our vaccination programme continues at pace and I have been in regular correspondence with healthcare leaders so I am updated on the progress and can share their feedback and experiences with ministerial colleagues.

I am so grateful to everyone across the constituency involved in the efforts to get us all vaccinated.

The continued praise they are receiving from local residents, the Health Minister and our regional NHS leaders is a testament to their hard work.

This week I will be sending out my monthly e-newsletter. If you would like to sign up please visit my website at www.kemibadenoch.org.uk