Really brilliant to join the Repair Cafe at Christ Church Halls in Wanstead on 11th July where I could put my sewing skills to good use and meet constituents committed to repairing and reusing in our community.

Hostile state actors like the IRGC have done serious harm to the UK, with more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots in our communities in just one year.

It is an honour to be reappointed Minister for Veterans and People by our new Prime Minister, and to form part of Wes Streeting’s new team as Defence Secretary. I will continue to give my all in service to those who sacrifice in our defence – servicepeople, families, and veterans.

Fantastic to be at the Leytonstone Ex-Servicemen's Club on Sunday for the unveiling of a brand new mural celebrating 150 years of the Pearly Kings and Queens tradition!

I recently visited the food bank at Woodford Baptist Church, in partnerships with the Redbridge Food bank, the Trussell Trust and Citizens Advice Bureau. A huge thank you to all the volunteers who make this possible, your compassion and dedication are inspiring.

A pleasure to join the second ever Redbridge Pride event at Redbridge Town Hall last weekend – lots of great activities and community organisations from right across the Borough taking part!

This decision from the National Screening Committee is disappointing. The current system puts too much burden on each man to know his risk and proactively ask for a test. This decision particularly lets down men from groups who have at least double the risk from this disease, including Black men and those with a family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer.

Very happy to have joined local Labour councillors at the Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School summer fete last month to meet staff, parents and pupils in Wanstead.

From visiting Dawlish Primary School to opening one of the first VALOUR-recognised centres in Aylesford, June was an incredibly busy month. Here is a roundup of some of what I got up to, first as a backbench MP and then as the new Minister for Veterans and People

We’re lucky to have so many fantastic local businesses in Leyton and Wanstead - be sure to pay them a visit this summer.

Yesterday I visited Noor Ul Islam Mosque alongside the police, following Tuesday's deeply distressing incident outside the mosque. I want to thank the police for their swift response, and pay tribute to the members of the public who stepped in at the time.

Last month, I was pleased to host a roundtable with the local branch of Maximus, bringing together government, educators and employers to tackle youth unemployment. Last month, I was pleased to host a roundtable with the local branch of Maximus, bringing together government, educators and employers to tackle youth unemployment.

My first Defence Questions was a special moment for me, as the first RAF veteran in decades to speak from the Despatch Box for a Labour government. It was also good to be able to reflect back as the Minister on what we achieved with Redbridge and Waltham Forest councils in changing their policies to treat military compensation fairly in local benefit claims.

Lovely to visit Wanstead Community Riding Stables, who provide not only access to nature for the whole of East London but apprenticeships for our community and work experience for our local schools.

Following a deeply distressing incident outside Noor Ul Islam Mosque last night, I have been in close contact with the police.A suspect has been apprehended and there is no further threat currently perceived to our community.Whilst I welcome the swift police action, I want to acknowledge the fear and upset this will have caused within our community.

In June I joined neighbouring MPs for a meeting with Thames Water to raise our concerns directly with senior management. We discussed sewage outfalls into the River Roding, E. coli levels, the 31% rise in customer bills, and what meaningful accountability needs to look like. Thames Water committed to a number of follow-up actions including providing MPs with local breakdowns of investment and performance data, and responding directly on constituency-specific issues.

It’s always a pleasure to return to St Margaret with St Columba Church in Leytonstone, where I joined the team helping out at their weekly foodbank - a vital service for local families, run by dedicated volunteers week in, week out.

Huge congratulations to Steve Hayden, our Aldersbrook milkman, on being awarded the Freedom of the City of London, the first milkman to receive this honour since it began in 1237!

I had a fantastic time at the Langthorne Park Festival – such an amazing annual event, with so many wonderful community organisations and local businesses (and delicious jerk chicken)! Good to speak to residents and help with casework alongside Cllr Aisha Abubakar. A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise, especially Rev Polly Kersys-Hull, Jane Brueseke, Caz Crowe, Luisa, Kehinde and Helen Crockford – and to all the volunteers who made it happen.