It was wonderful to be invited to attend the Hyndburn Business Awards last month which recognised hundreds of businesses and individuals from our local community. Accrington Town Hall was full of smiles and celebrations throughout the evening and one of the highlights was seeing the Hyndburn Hub win the Pride of Hyndburn Award.

The Hyndburn Hub was established in response to the pandemic and is an umbrella organisation for over 50 community groups and voluntary organisations. Run by volunteers and officers the hub has helped thousands of people with everything from food parcels to mental health support or befriending services. This award symbolises the ongoing hard work of so many people, it was an honour to see that recognised during the event. I would like to offer my personal thanks to all who have been, and continue to be, involved in the hub. The Hyndburn Hub is something we should all be very proud of; it shows the true strength of our community.

It has also been great to see people enjoying our outdoor spaces and parks over recent weeks, helped by the warm weather we have had. Last week was ‘Love Parks’ week which encourages people to visit local green spaces, whilst protecting and respecting them. We are incredibly lucky that our borough has so many fantastic places to enjoy with many green flag awarded parks and boasting the two largest local nature reserves in Lancashire!

As we continue to enjoy the summer months we also need to stay cautious and keep protecting each other. I am pleased to see the rate of Covid-19 infection is decreasing locally and we need to keep going. Guidance is still in place to keep our community safe. One way to help prevent further spread is to choose to meet outdoors instead of inside, subject to the weather. This summer if you are socialising with friends or family consider meeting in a local park or green space for a walk or picnic – we have lots to choose from!