THE Whitsun parliamentary recess has given me a chance to catch up on local visits and constituency casework. Recent highlights were the presentation of a Quality Council Award to the town council in busy Durrington, a fascinating visit to Collingbourne Ducis school where I joined pupils in a solar system Discovery Dome (if we had technology like that while I was at Grove County Junior School I might not be so terrible at physics) and several visits to Ludgershall to attend an academies conference at Wellington Academy (of which I am a proud governor) and review the future development of the Castledown Business Park.

* I have also been trying to get fit for summer and recently joined John Glen MP at Salisbury Guildhall to “spin” to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes research. Then, inspired by Wiltshire Council’s Women of Wiltshire (WOW) Fit Initiative and the exhortations of our own female Olympian, Shelly Rudman, I ran the Race for Life in London to raise money for Cancer Research.

I entered with a team of other female MPs and we were all gently glowing at the end of the race – and all equally unwilling to be photographed with the unfeasibly tiny and healthy Paula Radcliffe.

* I also spent a fascinating morning inspecting the low flow conditions of rivers in the constituency and discussing abstraction and water conservation with Action River Kennet and WWF. I will be sitting on the Energy Bill Committee when Parliament returns next week and will be working to see how water conservation can be added to the proposed “Green Deal” under discussion.

* Finally, I have opened a dedicated office in Devizes and if you would like to attend one of my regular private advice surgeries, or if I can help you with anything else, then please telephone my team there on 01380 7293580. You can also email me at claire.perry.mp@parliament.uk or write to me c/o the House of Commons.