Richard Foord MP

A picture of three men standing in front of a sign for Pecorama and a building with the PECO logo on it. In the middle of the three is Richard Foord. All three are looking toward the camera. The picture has been taken outside on a sunny day.

I was impressed to visit Pecorama at Beer, yesterday. Ben and Michael showed me around the Peco factory floor, where tens of local people are engaged in the meticulous business of creating the world's replica model railways.

🎯 Are you aged 10–24? We need your feedback! - Ottery St. Mary Town Council Ottery St Mary Town Council wants to hear what you think about our local facilities — parks, hangouts, sports areas, and more. What’s working? What’s

How can Ottery St Mary spaces and facilities be as good as they can be for young people? The Town Council wants to know. The results will help make Ottery fit for the future: www.otterystmary-tc.gov.uk/%f0%9f%8e%af...

Brexit has been a resounding disaster. Starmer must find the courage to change course | Ed Davey Poll after poll shows most voters think leaving the EU has been a failure. Closer ties with Europe would bring huge rewards, says Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey

Closer ties with Europe would revive our economy, boost our NHS and farming, and restore faith in politics. Starmer must seize this chance to show the public there’s a better way forward than the nasty, nonsensical “solutions” of Nigel Farage.

The Guardian opinion headline reads: “Brexit has been a resounding disaster. Starmer must find the courage to change course” by Ed Davey.

Brexit isn’t working, and the British people know it. They're fed up with the damage caused by the deal forced on us by Conservative party.

Keir Starmer must show some courage and set Britain on a clear path to a new customs union with the EU by 2030.

A selfie taken by Richard Foord with three people wearing aprons branded with Pippins Community Centre

This morning I nipped in to chat to volunteers, support workers and beneficiaries of the Axminster Hub. Pippins is one of a few places in the local area where the drug and alcohol recovery project operates. Reverend Kay and the team offer confidentiality - and an unbeatable lunch.

East Devon MP calls for hospital to become health centre In a letter to Steve Moore, Mr Foord highlighted the potential for investment in local health services, given the "rapidly expanding older…

I have now written to the Chief Executive of NHS Devon as the decision rests with him on which building or area in the county, to put forward to ministers.
I will keep you posted. 2/2 www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/2536428...

East Devon MP calls for hospital to become health centre In a letter to Steve Moore, Mr Foord highlighted the potential for investment in local health services, given the "rapidly expanding older…

I have asked the Health Secretary three times about allocating one of the five community hospitals in Honiton & Sidmouth (Axminster, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton or Sidmouth) to become a Neighbourhood Health Hub. 1/2 www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/2536428...

The middle to lower reaches of the Otter are rated 'poor' by the Environment Agency, placing it into the worst 20 per cent of rivers in the country for water quality. 2/2

A photo of Richard Foord standing on a riverbank looking out onto the river to the left of him. He is standing with his hands on his hips, and the river itself is surrounded by grasses and trees. The water has a mirror sheen to it

A photo of Richard Foord crouching on a riverbank looking toward the camera, with the river to the right of him. The river is brown in colour and is surrounded by grasses and trees

Let's #ReviveTheRiverOtter
These are my favourite and least favourite parts of the River Otter. What's yours?
Around 70 per cent of the phosphates (poisons) in the river are due to inadequately treated sewage from outdated local sewage infrastructure. 1/2

Graphic with an orange background and green bands going from right to left. On the top-left is a circular image of Richard Foord stood in front of a post office and smiling. On the top-right is text reading “Richard Foord MP Demanding better for Honiton & Sidmouth”. Below the text is an outline of Devon filled with the Devon flag, and a Liberal Democrat logo. Underneath these are two images of Richard with other people. On the left of the graphic is a translucent box underneath and five chevrons acting as bullet points. Each point reads: - Held village hall meetings with residents of Broadhembury, Northleigh, Upottery, and Chardstock - Wrote in the Herald about the brilliant work of memory cafés in Sidmouth and Honiton - Took a pothole "deep-dive" at Upottery to see the damage that poor maintenance can result in - Met with UK-China Transparency to discuss how UK research & higher education engages with China - Visited the Blackdown Support Group at Dunkeswell, as they received the King's Award for Volunteer Service

This week I have:

A photo of Richard Foord on a motorbike in the livery of the Devon Freewheelers blood bikes

Thank you Steve, Mike and organisers for inviting me to open the Summer Show at Whitford this afternoon.

A selfie taken by Richard Foord on the left with a man in a fire brigade polo shirt. They are standing in a showground in front of a fire engine with its doors open

Darren and others from the Colyton station were doing some great public engagement. I remain convinced that these are the people who we should have as co-responders at incidents that require an ambulance.

A selfie taken by Richard Foord on the left, with two men behind him either side of a black and white banner reading “Axe Estuary Ringing Group”. They are in a show ground

Following the success of BBC Countryfile filming at Seaton Wetlands, Ian and Dan are out recruiting volunteers to join the Axe Estuary Ringing Group, to help monitor bird species.

Richard Foord (right) standing at a stall in a showground with a woman to his left. Richard is holding a book with the title “Recipes with love”, and the woman is holding a package wrapped in brown paper

The chosen charity for this year's Whitford Summer Show is Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support. Kate is offering a summer reading "lucky dip book". Buy a book knowing only the genre; unwrap it to reveal your summer holiday read.

Engage the Nation Do you capture rainwater? We'd love to know more! Contribute to a more sustainable future by sharing your thoughts.

Our Rainwater are conducting a survey to understand how people across the UK are capturing rainwater - or why they’re not. This is about flooding, drought, sewer spills - and empowering communities to take practical action.

You can read more and take part at: ourrainwater.com/engage-the-n...

A photo of Richard Foord sat among a group of people with a stage curtain behind him. Richard can be seen between two people whose backs are facing the camera

It's summer tour season, and I've met with villagers in Broadhembury, Northleigh, Upottery, and Chardstock. We have discussed sewage, broadband, and dentistry. Retired health professionals have talked about the knock-on effect losing community hospital beds has on rural health and care services.

DIY dentistry and dental deserts drive urgent plea With patients pulling their own teeth and A&E overwhelmed, South West MPs demand more dental school places to fix the region’s growing oral health emergency

I signed @ianroome.bsky.social’s letter, after talking to locals here who have reminded me that getting registered as an NHS dental patient in Devon seems impossible. www.devonlive.com/news/devon-n... 2/2

DIY dentistry and dental deserts drive urgent plea With patients pulling their own teeth and A&E overwhelmed, South West MPs demand more dental school places to fix the region’s growing oral health emergency

Residents from Cullompton to Uplyme to Sidmouth have written to me about the near non-existence of NHS dentistry here in Devon. www.devonlive.com/news/devon-n... 1/2

COLUMN: Social care kicked into the brambles Social care reforms have been kicked into the brambles

The Government has punted the social care issue off into the brambles. Those living with dementia, their carers and their loved ones deserve better. www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/2534864...

A photo of a group of people sat around tables in a large white tend. Around the tent is union flag bunting, and there are some lights strung at the far end. Richard Foord is standing at the far end with members of a jazz band where he is speaking into a microphone.

A photo of Richard Foord standing speaking to members of a jazz band on a stage in a large tent. The tent is white and there is union flag bunting on the back wall and lights strung from the ceiling. The jazz band has five members, four of whom are sitting on chairs, and the fifth is standing to the left of the other players. All are wearing white shirts, with three players wearing red waistcoats. There are also various instruments including guitars, a trumpet, a clarinet, and a tenor saxophone visible

Last Thursday, we were treated to music from the City Steam Jazz Band at the Honiton and Sid Valley Memory Café Summer Party. My sincere thanks to the organisers – and to the volunteers, whose care and support we were taking time out to celebrate.

Graphic with an orange background and green bands going from right to left. On the top-left is a circular image of Richard Foord crouched by a river. On the top-right is text reading “Richard Foord MP Demanding better for Honiton & Sidmouth”. Below the text is an outline of Devon filled with the Devon flag, and a Liberal Democrat logo. Underneath these are two images of Richard with other people. On the left of the graphic is a translucent box underneath and five chevrons acting as bullet points. Each point reads: - Launched the #ReviveTheRiverOtter campaign with the Otter Valley Association - Met with volunteers at Cancer Research UK in Honiton - Celebrated 165 years of railway stations in Honiton and Axminster - Repeated my call in the Commons for “deeds not words” on plastic pollution - Called on the UK Government to take action to protect civilians in Gaza

Here's some of what I've been up to this week:

The fourth page of signatories to the letter

The fifth page of signatories to the letter

Text of a letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary which reads: We write to you in advance of the UN Conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on the 28th-29th July in New York, to put on record our support for UK recognition of a Palestinian state. We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality. Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step. British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate. This is a cross-party letter to show the support across the House for recognition of a Palestinian state. A two-state solution has been the cross-party consensus for decades. On the 13th October 2014 the House overwhelmingly moved the following motion: 'That this House believes that the Government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel.' That is still the position of the undersigned and we urge you to officially recognise the state of Palestine at the Conference next week.

The first page of signatories to the letter

The second page of signatories to the letter

The second page of signatories to the letter

I am also one of 221 MPs acting on a cross-party basis to call on the Government to follow the lead shown by the vast majority of other states and officially recognise the state of Palestine.

The Foreign Affairs Committee has today published our report on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

We are calling on the Government to act more boldly and bravely to deliver a two-state solution. publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...

Two East Devon railway stations celebrate 165th anniversary Honiton and Axminster stations celebrated their 165th anniversary on Saturday, July 19.

2025 marks 200 years of the railway. What fun it was to join the celebrations last Saturday for the 165th anniversary of Axminster and Honiton stations. Next, we need a passing loop on the line for more reliable and frequent services. www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/2533635...

The first page of a letter to the Minister for Future of Roads regarding waits for driving tests. The letter starts: “Dear Lilian, We are writing on behalf of constituents nationally who continue to struggle to access driving tests locally and also to access tests without the expenses of a middleman, with charges in the region of £300 being common. We agree with you that: "No one should have to wait 6 months when they're ready to pass, travel to the other side of the country to take a driving test or be ripped off by unscrupulous websites just because they can't afford to wait." In previous responses, you have referred to the Government’s 7 point plan to fix the driving test booking system. We are writing to seek an update on these 7 points.” Below are the 7 action points on the plan

The second page of the letter which has the final point of the plan and ends “We understand that the 7 point plan targeted the provision of 1.95 million car driving tests between April 2024 and March 2025 and a reduction in the waiting time to 7 weeks by December 2025 with both of these targets have been confirmed in the DVSA business plan. We would welcome an update of delivery against these targets and an explanation of the accountability of DVSA senior management in the event that the targets are not met. Yours sincerely Olly Glover MP for Didcot and Wantage

First full page of co-signatories to the letter

The second full page of co-signatories to the letter

Some learner-drivers in East Devon have been told that their nearest available driving test is in Cardiff. This ridiculous situation cannot continue, and I have joined with @libdems.org.uk colleagues in calling for the DVSA's driving test programme to be put through a tough examination.

We helped secure policy wins including

✅ Investment to support UK offshore wind manufacturing
✅ Plans to strengthen job quality requirements for renewable developers
✅ A funding boost for the Clean Industry Bonus (here's APPG supporter @richardfoordld.bsky.social calling for this back in January👇)

An image of a sad child wearing a red jacket with a quote from Ed Davey that reads: “It is simply inhumane that the entire population of Gaza is at risk of starvation as a direct result of Israel’s aid blockade. The time for words is over - now we must act. That should include the UK Government conducting a fresh set of aid airdrops over Gaza. Ed Davey

The time for words is over - now we must act.

That should include the UK Government conducting a fresh set of aid airdrops over Gaza.

NB. The TopofthePoops untreated sewage information in the article does not include sewage from various tributaries that flow into the Otter.

MP joins campaign urging end to sewage pollution in River Otter Sidmouth MP Richard Foord has joined forces with a local activist group as part of a new campaign to end pollution in the River Otter.

South West Water's disappointing response to #ReviveTheRiverOtter - the campaign I'm working on with Otter River Catchment Action.

I will be going out next week to take photos of the Otter. I look forward to seeing your photos - please tag me, ORCA, and SWW

www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/2533544...