Over the past weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting some fantastic local people doing incredible work - from our farmers to community volunteers to board game developers!

I began in Undy, visiting a family-run farm and learning more about the challenges and pressures facing local farmers. Visits like these always bring home to me how hard farmers work – it's relentless - whether it’s supermarket price pressures, volatile markets, unpredictable weather, drought-like conditions, not to mention the sometimes unforeseen impacts of government policy.

I toured the farm, learned all about the fantastic beef & lamb they produce and istened to concerns about how the UK & Welsh Governments can better support farmers. We spoke about issues like Inheritance Tax and future sustainability, as well as how farming impacts every single department of Government. I’ll be raising these points directly with the Treasury and Defra in Parliament.

I’ll continue doing everything I can to ensure Monmouthshire farmers’ voices are heard loud and clear.

I then visited Rogiet Community Hub, where every Wednesday local residents come together for tea, coffee, and bacon baps to die for in the village hall. If you haven’t been, you are missing out! I’ve visited many times now, and there’s always such a strong sense of community. It was lovely to sit down, chat, and hear what matters most to people locally.

I was also lucky to see the site of their brand-new hub - Rogiet Community Junction - an exciting space thanks to funding from both the Lottery and Welsh Government, which will soon host a café and shop five days a week. I can’t wait to return when it officially opens!

Another fantastic initiative I visited was the Llanelly Community Hub at Llanelly Hill Village Hall. I joined residents for coffee and cake and heard about the brilliant work being done with the help of a Lottery Grant - including more community activities throughout the year and, most recently, a hog roast and a scarecrow trail.

It’s community initiatives like these that make Monmouthshire such a special place to live.

And finally, a quick shout-out to some brilliant local residents who visited my office this week to showcase their new game: ‘Where’s What’. Not only is it great fun (my team and I really enjoyed playing it!), but they’re also giving back by donating a free copy to every primary school in Wales - that’s over 1,200 schools! Incredible work.