June 29, 2009
MP INVITES LOCAL HEROES TO LONDON
TWO local heroes were invited to receptions in London last week by their MP John Healey.
Barry Wragg, 76, of Thrybergh was welcomed to Downing Street by Prime Minister Gordon Brown for a reception in honour of veterans and serving Armed Forces personnel.
Mr Wragg, who attended with his wife Cynthia, said: “It was brilliant, I can’t thank John enough for letting me go. Gordon Brown made a lovely speech, everybody said how good it was. We really enjoyed it. We couldn’t have been treated any better.”
He is the president of the Rotherham, Rawmarsh and Parkgate branch of the Royal British Legion and has been in the Territorial Army, Royal Corps of Signals and the Yorkshire Volunteers Association, for which he was presented with a Lord Lieutenant’s certificate for long service and good conduct.
It was part of celebrations in the run up to the country’s first Armed Forces Day on Saturday (June 27), a new national day the government has introduced to pay tribute to all who have served with the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF and to the thousands of families who support our Forces.
Mr Healey also nominated 69-year-old Trudi Watson, of Rawmarsh, to attend a ‘heroes’ tea party in the House of Commons. The event was organised by the Experience Corps, a scheme started by the government aimed at encouraging older people to volunteer.
Mrs Watson has raised over £250,000 for the Weston Park Cancer Hospital, Sheffield. She started fundraising when her husband was ill with cancer and when he died eight years ago she fulfilled his last wish by setting up a shop in Rawmarsh.
She said: “I was surprised and very grateful to be nominated. It was a really nice day.”
Mr Healey said: “I was really pleased to be able to bring Barry and Trudi to London in recognition of their commitment and hard work for the community. Everyone in Rotherham can be proud of them both.”