What an honour it was to lay a wreath at the war memorial in Bury to remember those who gave their lives in service to our country, honour those who returned carrying its burdens and thank the men and women currently serving at home and abroad. Their courage and dedication will never be forgotten.

Our military personnel deserve respect and dignity. Over 5,000 military homes across the East of England, such as those at RAF Honington, are now being upgraded as part of the Government’s new £9bn Defence Housing Strategy, the biggest renewal of Armed Forces housing in over 50 years. It is a renewal that was long overdue.

Archaeological evidence tells us that farmers have been farming in Suffolk since the neolithic period. While that’s a bit before my time, it underlines just how important agriculture is and always has been to our region.

I recently met with local farmers and representatives from the National Farmers Union for a valuable discussion of the issues facing the sector, from rural exception sites and international trading relations to climate challenges and mental health support for farmers. I was also interested to hear alternative proposals to the Inheritance Tax on farms.

One of the aspects I most enjoy about being the MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket is visiting local schools. Last month it was Stanton Primary School where I met the brilliant school council and was taken on a tour. The children who sit on the school council were full of ideas, confidence and kindness. They even introduced me to Samson, the school’s therapy dog who I must admit I was rather smitten by.

At a visit to the West Suffolk Hospital and the adjacent site of the new hospital, I was delighted to hear from the chief executive, Ewen Cameron, that plans for the new hospital are moving ahead at pace and he’s expecting the first spades in the ground by 2028. There are only a very small number of construction firms in the country able to build a new hospital from scratch and the bidding and planning processes are lengthy, but judging by the timetable shared with me those complex challenges are being met and overcome. I will of course keep my eye on progress.

This month marked a proud moment for our region as Greater Anglia became the latest network to be returned to public ownership. We are fortunate to have the most reliable operator in the country, with a performance satisfaction score of 97%, according to the Office of Rail and Road. I am also pleased to report that the transition from a private company to a publicly owned operator has been smooth, with no disruption to services.

In time, Greater Anglia will become part of Great British Railways. By bringing all current rail franchises into public ownership, the government estimates the taxpayer will be saved an estimated £150 million a year in operator fees.