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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 2h

To mark Hospice Care Week, I visited one of Sue Ryder’s Stroud shops to meet the dedicated volunteers and staff. This year’s theme, “Hospice care is more than you think,” celebrates the expert care and vital support hospices provide, and the essential role they play in our communities.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 1d

I have committed to keeping our NHS publicly owned and publicly funded.

Private finance is not welcome in our NHS, and must be ruled out at the Autumn Budget this November. @weownit.org.uk

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 2d

Really loved (perhaps a bit too much) visiting the Stinchcombe Playground and Community Space, a brilliant example of community spirit! In just 3 months, they raised £32,035 from 159 donors. Huge congrats to John Pinch, Tracey Legg, Neil Forsyth, Will Heming, Steve Lane and everyone involved!

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 4d

Great to see the new Night Angels space in Stroud and hear about their brilliant local work. In just a few years, Chrissie and the team have grown rapidly, providing safe spaces and trusted support to help keep vulnerable people in our community safe.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 5d

Spent time at Hammonds Farm, who run a social prescribing programme with farm visits. Great to see how community farming and social prescribers support local people by connecting them with nature while providing fresh, locally grown produce.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 6d

Everyone I represent in Stroud, and our smaller towns and villages, will be holding the victims, their loved ones, and the entire Jewish community in our hearts at this painful time.

We stand together, resolute against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 6d

I am deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester this morning. The assault on the wholly innocent congregation there is all the more appalling because it happened on Yom Kippur. 1/2🧵

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 7d

🌍 Big climate wins announced at conference yesterday:

✅ Full ban on fracking
✅ Expansion of Solar panels for schools & hospitals
✅ Clean energy jobs plan – doubling jobs to 860k by 2030

Tackling the climate crisis isn’t optional – it’s essential for our economy, our food security, and our future.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 9d

Reading is vital for our children's development. I've campaigned with groups like Read for Good to make it accessible for every child. I'm delighted that the Chancellor's announcement means every primary school can now give children the chance to build a love of reading.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 13d

Had a brilliant visit to Stroud Bricklaying Academy (SBA) at SGS College – an inspiring programme offering hands-on Level 1 and Level 2 courses.

With our governments target of building 1.5m new homes, we’ll need the skills of SBA’s talented graduates more than ever!

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Reposted by Simon Opher

Dale Vince @dalevince.com · 18d

Football on Prescription is here. If you’ve not heard of it - it’s basically football as medicine, prescribed by your local GP, well if you live in Stroud - but coming to other parts of the country soon..:)

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 15d

🧵 3/3
I condemn it wholeheartedly, and I condemn those who are stoking the hatred. They are exploiting the political bankruptcy of the last 15 years of politics.

We need to deliver on our promises, give people hope and rebuild our communities.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 15d

🧵 2/3
In other words, hundreds of thousands of key workers and their families. Blameless people who have built lives for themselves in this country and who contribute significantly to our economy, society, culture and communities.

People are despairing in the face of this rubbish.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 15d

🧵 1/3

When I heard Reform's plans to retroactively rescind indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK I thought about this poem.

ILR is the legal status that gives many immigrants (who don’t yet have citizenship), the right to permanently live, study and work in the UK.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 16d

Wishing everyone who celebrates, wherever they may be, a blessed Rosh Hashanah.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 18d

Supporting Parents for Future calling on the government to Stop Rosebank.

If this government is serious about tackling climate change, there is no place for new oil and gas projects like Rosebank.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 19d

Following a meeting in Parliament, I coordinated an open letter urging action on chronic kidney disease (CKD). We call for GP support to spot and manage CKD early. With treatment set to reach 2–5% of government spend, urgent NHS and government programmes are needed. kidneycareuk.org/about-us/pol...

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Reposted by Simon Opher

Politics.co.uk @politics.co.uk · 19d

“Reform UK have spotted what you could call a ‘gap in the market’, and it's not a good one”, writes Labour MP Dr @simonforstroud.bsky.social

🗣️ Reform UK’s vaccine crankery is a dangerous threat to our national security
www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

Reform UK’s vaccine crankery is a dangerous threat to our national security

Vaccinations were first trialled in 1796 by Edward Jenner, a rural country doctor in Berkeley, in my constituency. He published the results of his work in 1798. Since their introduction, it is estimat...

www.politics.co.uk

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 20d

As a medic and MP, I wanted to bear witness to the suffering in the West Bank. But Israel denied us entry.

Read my full piece for The New Statesman below.

Israel must let us help Palestine

As a medic and MP, I wanted to bear witness to the suffering in the West Bank. But Israel denied us entry

www.newstatesman.com

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 21d

A further statement on my denial of entry into Israel.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 21d

🧵 3/3... in Jerusalem in addition to Palestinian human rights organisations.

It is very regrettable that Israeli authorities prevented them from seeing first-hand the challenges facing medical facilities in the region and hearing the British government’s assessment of the situation on the ground.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 21d

🧵 2/3... humanitarian work of a range of organisations including Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) in the occupied West Bank. Dr Simon Opher and Dr Peter Prinsley, both respected medical professionals, were travelling as part of the delegation which was also due to meet British diplomats...

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 21d

Two British MPs, members of a Parliamentary delegation to the occupied West Bank, have been denied entry into Israel.

The purpose of this visit, organised by the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), was to enable Members of Parliament to witness the vital medical and
🧵 1/3

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 22d

Speaking with FGR manager Robbie Savage about Football on Prescription.

Tune into The One Show tonight from 7pm on BBC1 to hear more about what we've up to.

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Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 26d

The Assisted Dying Bill started its journey through the House of Lords today. This is an opportunity for further scrutiny – making the bill even more robust.

With Lord Bethell, I've written in the BMJ about the challenges that the Lords must address head-on – a process we began in the Commons.

The Lords can make the assisted dying bill more workable

Peers must listen to frontline healthcare professionals to ensure provisions of the bill reduce unnecessary friction and overmedicalisation while retaining valued safeguards, write Simon Opher and…

www.bmj.com

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