Catherine Fookes’ column for South Wales Argus

This week, I had the privilege of meeting Monmouthshire women at both ends of the age spectrum about women’s health.

From younger women facing difficulties accessing reproductive healthcare to older women whose health concerns are often overlooked, it is clear more needs to be done.

The most alarming statistic is the 52-week waiting list for gynaecological appointments, which is unacceptable. I am committed to pushing for change ¬ and so I will be writing to the health minister and the health board to ask for improvements.

My inbox is also full of urgent cries for help from people experiencing domestic abuse which is nothing short of a national epidemic.

At Labour conference, I met with SafeLives who shared data with me showing that 14,000 adults in Monmouthshire have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16. That is 14,000 too many.

I’m proud that the UK Labour Government has made tackling domestic violence against women and girls and supporting victim-survivors a priority.

I am especially pleased that, starting in 2025, the government will introduce a national rollout of free, independent legal advice for every adult rape victim in England and Wales—an essential step toward securing justice for victim-survivors.

Fookes with a keen environmentalist (Image: Catherine Fookes)

In addition to tackling inequality, a thriving local economy is one of my key priorities for Monmouthshire.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic local businesses. The Crown in Pantygelli and the Dell Vineyard in Raglan are just two shining examples of independent businesses contributing to our local economy.

However, challenges remain, and the closure of Barton Alleyway in Monmouth is one of them. This closure is having a significant impact on local businesses along Church Street.

Together with Cllr Jackie Atkin, I spoke with Barry Island Cottage Company about the need to act with the utmost speed to get the alleyway open as soon as possible.

It's important that we do everything we can to support our local businesses, and I’m fully committed to finding a positive way forward.

I also met with the President of the Monmouth Chamber of Commerce to discuss broader economic issues, including the exciting news of a new banking hub opening in the town.

The health of our high streets is vital, and as part of Labour’s vision for a stronger local economy, I had the honour of speaking at the Labour Business Small Business Forum event.

There, I advocated for fairer taxes for smaller businesses and listened to a wide range of businesses talk about what is needed to reinvigorate our high streets.

I'm delighted the Welsh Government has allocated more than one million pounds to Monmouthshire County Council via the Transformation Towns funding to rejuvenate our high streets, and I’m pleased to report that shop vacancies in Monmouth have dropped by nearly 50% in the last two years.

The environment is another one of my top priorities.

Our rivers and natural surroundings are integral to the beauty, health and economy in Monmouthshire.

So, I was proud to speak at the Save the Usk meeting hosted by local river campaigner Angela Jones.

Together, we spoke about the importance of protecting the River Usk, and I learned that an incredible 80 citizen scientists have been trained to monitor river quality locally.

It’s vital we work together to restore and protect the rivers, and I will continue to push for this in both Parliament and Monmouthshire.

Community efforts to improve our environment are truly inspiring.

I recently joined the Keep Chepstow Tidy group and Cllr Paul Griffiths for the monthly litter pick in Bulwark, where we collected ten bags of waste and recycling.

I also attended the Wales in Bloom awards, celebrating gold awards for Abergavenny and Usk, as well as the efforts of Friends of Bailey Park, Mencap Chepstow, and Our Lady & St Michael’s RC Primary School.

These community-led initiatives play a key role in creating a greener Monmouthshire, and I will continue to support them.

Whether it’s fighting for equality, supporting local businesses, or protecting our environment, my priorities as Monmouthshire’s MP are clear: I am committed to ensuring that everyone in our community can thrive. I will continue to listen to your concerns and work tirelessly to make Monmouthshire a fairer, stronger, and greener place to live.

If you need help, please do not hesitate to get in touch with my office at catherine.fookes.mp@parliament.uk.