Recess is a good opportunity to spend even more time promoting the Monmouth constituency.

After all our constituency, quite rightly, has many highlights that we can all promote to the rest of the UK.

Given just how badly the hospitality sector has been hit by the pandemic, I decided that my first two visits would be to a popular restaurant and vineyard to promote the sites.

The first was to the immensely popular White Castle Vineyard, which recently clinched the accolade of being the first Welsh vineyard to secure ‘gold’ in the Decanter World Wide Awards with its vintage 2018 Pinot Noir.

I congratulated Robb and Nicola Merchant on the fantastic news that they saw off stiff competition to secure their accolade. The vineyard is a top-quality Monmouthshire vineyard and its recent success demonstrates that our constituency produces the finest wines and makes us a top destination for quality produce.

Later, I visited Simon Key, the owner of the superb Nags Head, in Usk.

We both spoke at great length of the huge difficulties businesses endured during the height of the pandemic, as well as agreed that the discrepancies in the financial support from the Welsh Government was unacceptable. We both said it would have been far less confusing for businesses and residents if there had been a unified approach across the UK in managing the pandemic.

The Nags Head is famed for its warm friendliness and first-class local produce.

Businesses—including in the hospitality sector—need our support like never before to bounce back post-pandemic, so I urge you to do your bit.

Charities also play a vital role within the constituency, and that is why to mark the British Heart Foundation’s 60th anniversary I visited its store in Abergavenny.

I enjoyed meeting the staff and hearing of the important work that they carry out. We really are indebted to the terrific work that the charity has carried out for six decades.

The charity is a beacon of hope and its role cannot be understated.

The Monmouth constituency clearly has so much to offer so I encourage you all to come and have an unforgettable experience.