The charity vInspired, which encourages young people aged 14-25 to volunteer in their communities, asked for her help in getting the message out that reading can lead to success in life.

Now an online video has been produced by Bolton Teamv leader volunteer Razaz Salih to support the literacy campaign, featuring an interview with Yasmin Qureshi in which she describes her own childhood reading experiences. Revealing that her favourite book is Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy she said that her love of reading led to getting involved in politics as a teenager.

Adding her support to the literacy campaign, Yasmin Qureshi said:

“I think we all have a responsibility to encourage kids to read, whether its parents, schools or the community in general, and telling stories is a great way to do it. My message would be that reading is enjoyable, it can open your eyes to so many new things in life and it can make you a better person.”

Razaz Salih said:

“Research has shown that one in three children don’t own a book and that a quarter of them don’t think reading is important. They don’t see that there is any link between reading and success. We want to inspire children to enjoy reading.”

To watch the video go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR3QPjMr5d0

To find out more about vinspired and teamv go to http://vinspired.com/teamv

The Association of Colleges’ ‘No Free Lunch?’ campaign highlights the fact that 16-18 year olds from a disadvantaged background who study at a Further Education or Sixth Form College do not receive free meals at lunchtime whereas their counterparts in school sixth forms do. New institutions such as Academies, Free Schools and University Technical Colleges will also be funded to provide free meals.

As a result, approximately 1,300 students at Bolton College and 1,272 students at Bolton Sixth Form College are missing out on free meals every year. Over 100,000 students at colleges across the UK are in the same position.

Now Yasmin Qureshi is planning to meet students in Bolton to hear their concerns before raising the issue in Parliament.

She said:

“It is not fair that you can’t get free schools meals if you study at a college from the age of 16 to 18, but can if you study at a school sixth form. Eligibility for free meals should be based on need, not on where you choose to study.

“I’m supporting the ‘No Free Lunch?’ campaign and I’ll be pressing Ministers to look again at how it can be funded by the Department for Education.”

An online petition has been launched and can be signed at:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31069

I look forward to working with members of the Labour Group in campaigning against the Coalition Government and fighting the cuts which are causing such damage to our town.

Speaking after the GMB union’s lobby of Parliament yesterday, Yasmin said:

“The Government needs to look again at its plans to close 36 Remploy factories. They say disabled workers should be in mainstream employment but with 2.65 million people unemployed in the UK, the jobs just aren’t there for them. Over 85% of disabled people made redundant by Remploy in 2008 are still unemployed today. Closing the factories is condemning them to a lifetime on benefits. I’m continuing my campaign to save jobs at the Bolton site.”

Commenting on a report in the Sunday Express that Iain Duncan Smith had launched an attack on Remploy workers for ‘not doing any work’ and ‘making cups of coffee’, Yasmin Qureshi said:

“It is disgraceful for the Secretary of State to make these remarks. He should be helping to support disabled workers, not sneering at them. He should apologise for his comments.”

Last year the TUC nationally produced a report on climate change and the need for government investment to safeguard the environment and help to create jobs. The TUC has helped to launch the Climate Jobs Campaign to help promote this.

A Climate Change Campaign Caravan is touring the country & is supported by North West TUC and various other bodies including a number of individual unions and environmental groups. It will be in Bolton on 21st May.

Yasmin said:

“I’m really pleased to support the Climate Jobs Campaign. It’s an innovative approach to tackling the twin environmental and economic global crises we face.

“I’m delighted that the Climate Jobs Campaign Caravan will be visiting Bolton on 21st May to spread the message that we need action on jobs and climate change together.”

For more information visit: http://www.climate-change-jobs.org/sites/default/files/1MillionClimateJobs_2010.PDF

Dropping in to meet staff at the Deane Road Club, Yasmin said:

“I’m always delighted to support the town’s Labour Clubs. It’s nice to see Derby Ward Club doing well even in difficult times.”

The Club has regular entertainment and is available for hire for functions. Please contact 01204 531114 for more information.

Bolton-based Paws for Kids helps women, children and their pets flee abusive relationships by offering a safe haven for animals while families are rehomed. It is common that in families affected by domestic violence, pets are also threatened, harmed or killed by a violent man to maintain power and control over his partner or children.

Women’s refuges rarely have the facilities to take pets so many families in abusive situations are concerned what may happen to their animals if they leave home to go into one. Many stay in an abusive situation as they do not want to leave their beloved pets behind.

Paws for Kids offers a vital service as it provides temporary care for pets until families are settled in a safe place and able to take them back. The service also works with families to help reduce the long-term effects for their children.

Robbie Marsland, UK Director of IFAW, said: “IFAW is pleased to be able to provide Paws for Kids with a £10,500 grant to support and increase its outstanding services supporting vulnerable families and their pets in the North West. IFAW strives to improve the welfare of countless animals around the world and is delighted to once again be able to support this excellent organisation which offers much-needed services here in the UK.”

Yasmin Qureshi said: “I was delighted to visit Paws for Kids recently to find out more about the excellent work they are doing. I’m really pleased that IFAW are supporting the pet fostering scheme.”

Since its establishment in 1997, Paws for Kids has built up a dedicated group of around 50 animal foster carers who have helped hundreds of families and their pets find a brighter future. However, as more people hear about Paws for Kids, demand for its services continues to grow.

Paws for Kids Project Manager, Carole Marsden, said: “We are very grateful to IFAW for this grant. It will help us to continue to provide support to families experiencing domestic abuse and their beloved pets. There is a huge demand for our services and we are keen to help as many as we can. We are always seeking new volunteers to look after pets and offer them a safe and loving temporary home until they can be reunited with their owners so please do get in touch if you are able to help.”

Animal fostering placements last on average around three months but individual cases can vary. While most pets needing care are dogs, cats and rabbits, suitable placements also need to be found for more unusual pets, including chinchillas, lizards and snakes.

Paws for Kids is keen to recruit animal foster carers in the following areas: Bolton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. To find out more about Paws for Kids and how to help visit www.pawsforkids.org.uk

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don’t die of mystery ailments, or in tragic “accidents”. They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn’t that important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day commemorates those workers.

Worker’s Memorial Day is held on 28 April every year, all over the world workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day.

The Government believes that health and safety is a burden on business. They are by trying to slash the laws that protect workers, cut enforcement and inspection and make it harder to win compensation for injuries.

It’s important to send a message to the Government that health and safety at work is not a luxury, it is a necessity, and can be the difference between life and death.

Remploy’s electronics factory in Manchester Road employs 42 people but the Government announced last month that subsidies were to be ended for 36 of the organisation’s 54 UK sites including Bolton.

Now a rescue package is being put together to keep the factory open and Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi is leading a delegation to meet the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, who has responsibility for Remploy in London on Wednesday.

Joining Yasmin for the meeting will be Malcolm Hinchliffe from Fibrevision Ltd, and Fay Selvan from Big Life Group, who are working together on a business plan for the Bolton factory.

Yasmin Qureshi, said:

“We fought for a long time to keep Bolton’s Remploy factory open and it was a bitter blow when the Government announced it was to join the first wave of closures.

“Now there’s a chance to save jobs but more time is needed to put together a workable proposal. We’ll be asking the Minister to hang fire on the closure to give us that extra time.”

“I’m hoping that she will be supportive and see that we are trying everything possible to give the workers at Remploy a chance to carry on in their jobs.”

Organised by Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and supported by my fellow Bolton MP Julie Hilling, the event highlighted how involvement with local charities and community organisations can pay dividends for business and the wider community.

Donating to charities and community organisations can have benefits for all concerned and more and more of our voluntary groups are in need of support. Existing businesses who have invested time and donations in this way have reported that it can make their organisation run more as a team.