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Tessa attended a special reception in Parliament to help launch the event and met up with star apprentice Emma Rogers, pupil of Weston College from Nyland, near Cheddar. After successfully opening her own beauty salon at the end of last year in Wedmore, Emma has now added the Apprentice of the Year Award to her many other achievements. Emma by her own admission talks about how she has overcome struggles with dyslexia and a poor start at school to get where she is today.

Tessa said “I was thrilled to come and officially open Emma’s business in November and it has been even more exciting to see how much more Emma has achieved since then – she is beyond inspirational and is a shining example to other young people.”

Tessa Munt

21^st May 2013 

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For more information:

About Beauty By Emma’s Salon: http://beautybyemmawedmore.blogspot.co.uk/

On Adult Learners Week: www.alw.org.uk/

Through thousands of events and awards ceremonies, Adult Learners’ Week:

• recognises the achievements of outstanding individuals and innovative learning projects;
• encourages participation in different kinds of learning, whether it is to improve prospects in a current role, start a new career, improve physical and mental health, learn skills to support family and community, improve essential skills for personal development and to deal with the demands of everyday life, or learn just for fun;
• offers organisations the chance to showcase the learning opportunities that they provide; and
• shapes the debate about adult learning.

Adult Learners’ Week 2013 will be held from 18 – 24 May 2013

Tessa will be working with the environmental think tank to highlight the benefits of community energy projects in Somerset and discuss further project opportunities after the initial success of the Wedmore Community Power Co-operative.

As part of project, Tessa and Green Alliance will be holding a workshop with community green groups, local businesses, environmental charities and others to discuss the benefits and hurdles to community power and how they could be removed by Government so that schemes are easier to launch.

At the launch yesterday, Tessa said “I would love to see each of our parishes self sufficient and green in their energy usage.  Appropriate, community led projects can not only tackle the climate change and resource depletion challenge but save our communities thousands in energy bills.”

Tessa Munt

21^st May 2013

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For more information:

Green Alliance Leadership Programme: www.green-alliance.org.uk/grea1.aspx?id=4613

Wedmore Community Power Co-Operative: www.wedmorecpc.co.uk/

Phase One of the Red Brick Building project has successfully been completed thanks to investment from hundreds of individual shareholders and friends in the local Glastonbury and Street area. The result is a stunning development of over 13,000 square feet of office space, studios used for craft working, teaching and the community radio station amongst other things.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the project’s request for feasibility funding for Phase Two where there are plans to develop a further 17,000 square feet of derelict factory where apprenticeship opportunities will be given to local young people wanting to embark on a career in the building and construction industries – in effect the building becomes a training project. In combination with Bridgwater College the innovative plan is that trainees will not only be part of the construction team but also the purchasing department, accounts, budgetary control, administration and management.

Tessa said: “This is a brilliant and original project to bring something to our local young people and our area, I’d really like to see more initiatives like this and I am doing everything I can to help get phase 2 off the ground. The Minister agreed that this project was fantastic too which we are all really pleased about.”

Tessa Munt

21st May 2013

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For more information: www.redbrickbuilding.org.uk

An important part of Tessa’s day at Strode was giving a talk to ‘Aspire’ students. The Aspire Programme has been developed by Strode College to encourage and equip their most able and talented A Level students. This helps them with applications to the best universities as a first step in pursuing lives and careers that are challenging, rewarding and have a positive social and economic impact. One of Strode’s aims is to raise ambition and motivation by exposing the students to positive, inspirational role models – such as Tessa. Students had the opportunity to hear about Tessa’s experiences, the different jobs she had done and her route to becoming our MP. Tessa said “I am hugely impressed with this group of young people and I commend the college on its Aspire Programme. I hope I was able to give them an insight into my experiences and good advice from what I have learned along the way – they are brilliant young people and I said to them they must go for it!”

Tessa also helped another group of students on their Level 3 Public Services Course. In an exciting practical exercise, she played the role of a VIP on a walk about of the college followed by a presentation in the theatre where it was the job of the students to protect her by providing professional security in all situations. The students had to respond to a number of challenging situations, for example, when Tessa twice diverted from the planned route to speak to people she knew and on a couple of occasions and when the course tutors had planned unexpected interventions from ‘members of the public’.

Finally Tessa presented certificates to candidates on the apprenticeship scheme run by Waitrose to help in their recruitment of top quality staff to the new Wells store.

Tessa said; “I had a brilliant day at Strode and a huge amount of fun. It really is an inspirational learning centre which I’m proud to have in my patch and I commend all the staff and students there.”

Tessa Munt

13^th May 2013

Tessa spoke about the importance of pushing traineeships and apprenticeships and the need to start thinking outside the box for young people. One of the most interesting ideas she put forward was making use of local Council brown field land for building projects specifically to train young people ‘on the job’ in the construction industry. Tessa said “I’ve seen firsthand the potential of going down a route like this from the Red Brick Building project in Glastonbury where are looking at giving lots of local young people the opportunity to be on an exciting building project where they can learn so much. There is every reason for us to be looking at doing the same thing in other places.”

Along with a lively audience present, Tessa was joined on the panel by Baroness Stedman Scott (Chief Executive, Tomorrow’s People); Gordon Marsden (MP and Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Regional Growth); Kay Carberry (Assistant General Secretary Trade Unions Congress) and Graham Hoyle OBE (Chief Executive, Association of Employment and Learning Providers). The session was chaired by Jonathan Portes (Director, National Institute of Economic and Social Research).

Talking more generally about the event afterwards Tessa said “I felt this was an essential session I absolutely had to be at because doing everything we can to assist young people getting into jobs and training is absolutely key at the moment. I will be feeding the outcomes of today to the Business Secretary Vince Cable and taking them back to Lib Dem Party to be fed into the development process for our 2015 Election Manifesto.”

 Tessa Munt

14^th May 2013

Tessa joined hundreds of people enjoying the summer sunshine in the annual celebrations arranged again by the Wells Lions club. Alongside the traditional Maypole dancing were vintage cars, stalls, games, music and of course drums!

Tessa said; “This is always a wonderful annual event in the Wells Calendar. We have fantastic weather, and it’s been great fun meeting all sorts of people and visiting dozens of stalls and activities.”

Tessa Munt

7^th May 2013

The ‘being there’ project is a virtual tour of Glastonbury where you can zoom into various shops, hotels and cafes, allowing people to look around the venue and find out information. 

Tessa said; “This is an exciting project, unique in Somerset and once completed will be a huge asset for the town. I congratulate the Chamber of Commerce for making it happen.”

Tessa Munt

7^th May 2013

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Virtual Tour Site: http://www.glastonburystour.com/glastonburystourcom/highst/

Jeremy Hunt MP visited the planned site for a much-wanted new ‘Health Campus’ in Shepton Mallet, meeting some key members of the ‘Friends of Shepton Hospital’ campaign, which challenged last year’s suggested closure of some of Shepton Hospital’s beds.

Tessa said: “I’m so glad that Jeremy visited Shepton Mallet to learn about our campaign to retain our excellent Community Hospital, which provides such an invaluable local service.  I’m delighted he took the chance to hear about our GPs’ plans for future health care in the town and hope we can rely on his support.”

“I look forward to continuing to campaign, both locally and in Parliament, to save our Hospital beds and for the planned ‘Health Campus’ in Shepton Mallet.”
Tessa Munt

30^th April 2013

Visitors to The George Inn with an electric vehicle can now recharge for free while staying overnight at the Grade II listed building or top-up while enjoying a meal in their locally-sourced restaurant.

Gordon Stevens from The George Inn, said: ‘We are very pleased to be supporting electric car drivers by installing Zero Carbon World’s Charging Stations. It is a great feeling to know that we are now a part of a national network of locations offering reliable charging to drivers.’

‘We are looking forward to welcoming our first electric car and its driver.’

Tessa said “I was so excited to launch this – the Wedmore Green Group and The George Inn have been working really hard to get the charging point here. What’s brilliant is that there is no charge for this service and while you are waiting you can be sampling the delights of the wonderful pub and I really hope this will encourage more people into the village.’’

Tessa is with Cara Nadan (ZCW), Sharon Fay (FJ Chalke), Jono Taylor (WGG), and Indie Heaslip (The George Inn)

‘There are no restrictions to use ZeroNet, our National Electric Car charging network’ said Cara Nadan of Zero Carbon World. ‘You don’t have to be a member, subscribe, pay in advance or use a smart card to access electricity. Wherever EV drivers are, they can recharge while eating, sleeping, working or simply relaxing. We are extremely proud to be creating the UK’s only Open Charging Station Network.’

Tessa Munt

29^th April 2013

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Notes:

For more information on Zero Carbon World please visit:

www.zerocarbonworld.org

Zero Carbon World donates Charging Stations to the hotel and leisure industry to support the development of a national charging infrastructure and to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. Wedmore Green Group and The George Inn paid for the kit installation but for anyone charging their car there is no charge!

The Charging Station donation to The George Inn comprises two simple, robust and reliable Charging Stations – one 13A and one 32A. Zero Carbon World is donating Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations to businesses around the UK. The George joined ‘ZeroNet’ – the only unrestricted National Electric Car charging network in the country.

For more information on The George Inn please visit:

www.thegeorgewedmore.co.uk

For more information on Wedmore Green Group please visit:

www.wedmoregreengroup.co.uk