Looking back on a whirlwind of a first year

THE last year has been a whirlwind for me, leaving behind my career as a barrister of 18 years, to become your MP.

- Tony Vaughan

There have been ups and downs for me and for our community, but I have never lost sight of the awesome privilege and honour that being the MP for Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh, is and always will be.

Looking back on the last year, I am incredibly proud of the way that our community came together to save Folkestone Sports Centre. My sons learnt how to swim there; it was an honour to repay the debt and fight for the centre's future with brilliant campaigners, which I was delighted to see ended up with the excellent Sports Trust taking on the centre's future. I believe that we can also achieve a positive outcome for Grace Hill Library.

What both of these campaigns illustrate is that there is unity in the word community. We must never forget that unity is strength.