Michelle Scrogham

It is a real honour to follow the moving speech of the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). It is a privilege to speak in the debate marking the 110th anniversary of the battle of the Somme. As is the case for many hon. Members in the Chamber, the impacts of the first world war are still felt in my constituency generations later. It is with a sense of sorrow and pride that we see family members’ names on those war memorials. We promise to remember them and their sacrifice and never to allow such a tragedy to happen again. The scale of the lives lost at the Somme is larger than most of us can comprehend. We commend the strength and bravery of those who sacrificed their futures to protect our country and honour them by marking the anniversary of this battle. For my constituency, this anniversary has a special significance, because the town of Ulverston is twinned with Albert, a town at the heart of the Somme in France. The relationship between the two towns stretches back decades and has been built on friendship, exchange and a shared commitment to remembering those affected by the war. Every year, people from Ulverston travel to Albert, and residents of Albert often visit Ulverston, not simply to commemorate but to strengthen the ties between our two communities. What began with remembrance has grown into genuine friendship. One of the most remarkable links between our towns was the discovery of the Ulverston trench near Albert. During research into the battlefields, an historical trench map was found showing a trench bearing the name of Ulverston. A memorial now stands there, serving as a lasting reminder of the connection between our community and the Somme. I am immensely proud that that site, once associated with conflict, has become somewhere people can come together in remembrance. More than a century on, British, German and French people come together as friends, determined to ensure that the sacrifices of the past are not forgotten. The twinning of Ulverston and Albert shows how remembrance can bring people together and how communities can build lasting bonds, even from the darkest chapters of our shared history. I will take the opportunity to commend our brave service personnel currently deployed around the world. We are grateful for the service and sacrifice that they and their families make on behalf of this country. The Government recognise that our duty to those who serve does not end when they leave the armed forces. That is why we are working to strengthen support for our veterans through better access to housing, healthcare, employment and welfare services. I particularly welcome the roll-out of the Valour programme in Cumbria, which will help create a more joined-up and accessible network of support for veterans and their families. My fellow Cumbrian Labour MPs and I have been campaigning for stronger, locally delivered veterans’ services, so it is encouraging to see the commitment backed with investment and action. Programmes such as Valour recognise that many veterans face challenges long after their service has ended and that support should be easy to access. As we remember those who served at the Somme and in conflicts throughout our history, it is right that we also reaffirm our commitment to the men and women who serve today and to the veterans who continue to make such a valuable contribution to communities across our country. I want to commend my former school, Ulverston Victoria high school, which has done incredible work over the years not only by commemorating the war through remembrance services, but by bringing together the lives of all those we lost in Ulverston—all those young boys and men who went to war—and looking at their backgrounds, their histories and where they worked before they joined the Army. Just for one moment, over the couple of weeks before Remembrance Day, it brings the lives of those young men back together in a way that the students at the school can understand. I pass on my thanks to the school for all the work it does on that.