IT has been a few weeks since Parliament rose for the summer recess, and we head back to Westminster next week.

Representing my constituents is a year-round commitment so, apart from a two-week break, I have been working over the summer.

Therefore, like all working parents, I have spent the last few weeks juggling emails, papers and meetings and coping with the daily cries of “I’m bored” from the family.

One tactic is to take the children with me to appropriate events. This can backfire such as when the smallest one sat with arms folded and a terrible scowl all through an important speech and then hissed loudly to me “do you know you are very boring?”

A threat to remove all Match Attax cards has helped to improve his listening skills considerably.

Last week, No. 2 daughter donned her Marigolds and came to a big clean-up at the Barge Inn in Honey Street (in the middle of crop circle country) with me, Aggie from TV’s How Clean is your House? and a team of dedicated volunteers.

The local community has bought the pub with support from the Big Lottery and will run it with a professional manager and a voluntary team.

Under the last Government, we lost three pubs a week and it is essential we try new approaches to keep these vital institutions going. So I have invited Nick Hurd, the Minister for Civil Society to come and see the pub in action and, perhaps, to try a pint of the excellent Croppie ale.

Last Saturday, No. 1 daughter came with me to the launch party for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a new charity which featured in the Salisbury Journal last week.

It was started by Nichola Scott, wife of Corporal Lee “Scotty” Scott of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment who was killed in Afghanistan last year after she saw the impact of their father’s tragic death on her own children and is fundraising to provide treats, birthday presents and holidays for the children of the fallen.

Nicky’s courage and dedication left me speechless and I was so happy the sun shone on Saturday and hundreds turned out to support the charity.

Our Government is very committed to improving support for Army families - we will provide education scholarships for the children of fallen soldiers for example - and I have written to Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for Defence, to tell him about the charity. I shall wear my Scotty’s wristband with pride when I sit on the green benches once again next week.