SINCE last week I have been busy in Wyre Forest. My first engagement was to give the prizes to schoolchildren at World Mental Health Day, for which they had designed T-shirts.

As I have said before, to meet children at this terrible time in the world is a delight. Children always draw happy faces which mirror their own.

There followed a visit to Mirage Nightclub to present the prize for the best look-a-like.

I was amazed to meet three Sean Connerys, Peggy looking even better than she does on EastEnders, and popstars going back to Tom Jones from my own era.

The next day was taken up with a tour of Brintons and of the exciting Kidderminster town centre development.

The shortcomings of this development are the lack of facilities for young people, and it is very hard to know how at this stage to improve this.

It is a problem throughout the constituency which is constantly brought to my notice.

There followed a visit to the successful GP ward at Kidderminster Hospital, which is so popular with staff and patients, and then an informative meeting with officers at the National Probation Service head office.

It was valuable to learn that a West Mercia strategic health authority would be of great value to the probation service and make their work much easier than the proposed authority that will involve Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and the City of Coventry. Next I had a superb business lunch at Brockencote Hall with the Chamber of Commerce, followed by a quick dash to my surgery for constituents.

Last Saturday I watched Kidderminster Harriers in their tough battle for a draw with Cheltenham and was very pleased to open their new first aid room.

I was very impressed with the skills on the field and shared with the chairman the agony of being unable to convert a good attacking performance into an actual win.

In the evening I joined Stourport Cruiser Club for their annual dinner dance and then on Sunday was deeply moved by the memorial concert for the late Dilys Lane, in Kidderminster Town Hall.

The quality of all the performances and the enormous range of talent was the best possible tribute to this inspirational music teacher.

Finally, before my return to London I had a tour of Sutton Park First School following their recent very good Ofsted inspection and a visit to Citibase in Bridge House, Bewdley, to inspect their own flood defences.

Now I am back in London, planning for the first meeting of the Health Select Committee.

Contact details: for surgery appointments telephone 01562 753333. For correspondence: The House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.