IT was a pleasure to join Christian Aid supporters at Middle Woodford Village Hall for a Climate Breakfast and a chance to reflect upon the challenges facing the global environment and their impact on the world’s poorest people.

Christian Aid has a loyal and committed network of activists in this area and I always enjoy meeting with them to discuss their campaigns.

Saturday was no exception and I think there was a broad consensus about what needs to be done and a recognition that the UK must continue to take a lead in many areas.

Later I was pleased to be able to join Liz Sirman and volunteers of Salisbury’s Child Contact Centre in celebrating the organisation’s fifth birthday.

They do a tremendous job, making it possible for children of troubled relationships to maintain a relationship with absent parents in a safe, neutral environment.

On Tuesday, I was pleased to be able to reference Liz and the team when I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on family relationships and children’s wellbeing.

It cannot be right that by the end of their childhood, young people are far more likely to have a smartphone than a resident father.

Families are complex and, of course, it can be necessary and for the best for some parents to live apart but study after study has shown that children who have the opportunity to know both their parents have better mental health, self-esteem and educational outcomes.

Thank goodness there are committed local people who are willing to undertake the often emotionally draining task of brokering and facilitating those relationships.

I am starting this morning at South Wilts and Bishop Wordsworth’s always impressive citizenship conference.

I look forward to enjoying the passionate and considered arguments of the participants for as long as possible before I have to race back to Westminster.

I will be back on Friday for a full day of constituency engagements rounded off with Salisbury Carnival, where I will be joining the parents of Exeter House School in rattling collection buckets.

If you see us, please say hello and spare some loose change for hugely worthwhile enrichments at the school.

On Sunday, I will be excusing myself from family time to take part in a Question Time-style panel event organised by local schoolchildren.

They deserve credit for their proactive approach and I am sure they will give us a lively and interesting debate.

It was great news to see this week that Salisbury has been nominated by Lonely Planet as one of the top global cities to visit.

I think that, in tackling our city’s shortcomings, we should never forget to also recognise its many wonderful qualities. It is a privilege to live in a place that is so beloved around the world.