On Friday 14 May, Papworth Trust welcomed Ipswich MP Tom Hunt to their Foundation Street centre for a tour of the site and Q&A with customers on the Trust’s Opportunities Without Limits day service.
The visit was set up following a letter from Sammy, an Opportunities Without Limits customer, who also gifted Mr Hunt a copy of the Papworth Trust ‘Lockdown Journal’, a compilation of art, poetry and photos to document the experiences of customers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Upon his arrival, Mr Hunt was greeted by staff and given a tour of the centre, before heading up to one of the classrooms for a Q&A session with customers, who asked insightful questions on the plans for Covid recovery in Ipswich and meetings with the Prime Minister, as well as what his favourite food is.
Mr Hunt then met Sammy and thanked her for her handwritten letter and his copy of the Lockdown Journal.
Following his visit to the Papworth Trust centre on Foundation Street, Mr Hunt said: "What a wonderful place the Papworth Trust centre on Foundation Street is. Sammy, one of the customers, sent me a handwritten letter about the Lockdown Journal publication they've all worked on detailing their experiences throughout the pandemic. "When the centre wasn't able to operate normally, the staff put in a huge amount of work making sure they could run sessions virtually. Papworth Trust and its staff have been a lifeline of support to some of the most vulnerable within the town and I couldn't speak more highly of what they do!”
On his copy of the Lockdown Journal, Mr Hunt said: “Due to the hard work and dedication of staff and volunteers, for many customers the last year will be a time they look back on with some fond memories. What was a very challenging situation for the Trust was confronted and something brilliant came out of it. They have my full support going forward and I'm going to be in touch with them this week to discuss what more we can do to work together.”
If you would like to purchase a copy of the Papworth Trust’s Lockdown Journal, contact
Katharine.Stuart@papworthtrust.org.uk.
