Local MP hosts special supermarket surgery

Posted on 10th Nov 2009 by Lynne Featherstone

To make it easier for local residents to meet their MP and discuss local problems, Lynne Featherstone on Friday held a special advice surgery at Budgens supermarket in Crouch End.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP set up shop by the fruit and veg section in the Broadway supermarket, to enable residents to raise local concerns, such as recycling problems and parking issues, before cracking on with their weekly shopping.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s been great to catch up with so many residents and help them with some of their issues.

“Often, people have things on their mind that I could help with, but they either don’t know that they can turn to me, or don’t find time in their busy lives to do it – so that’s why it’s good to go out to a busy place like Budgens and be on hand if needed.

“I’m of course, also, still running my weekly advice surgeries at one of the local libraries, and anyone who wants to see me can call my office for an appointment”.

Supermarket sweep…..

Posted on 7th Nov 2009 by Lynne Featherstone

It was a good experiment – holding an advice surgery in Budgens in Crouch End – to see if putting myself where people are enabled those who normally might not get round to making an actual appointment to see me as their MP – bring their worries to my attention.

First thanks to Budgens – who placed me in the vegetable and fruit department (warm thank goodness – unlike the cold cabinets) Lynne Featherstone's advice surgery in Budgens, Crouch End – right by the entrance so highly visible. Excellent position. We had chosen Budgens because Andrew Thornton and the staff are so involved in the community that we thought they might agree – which they did. We chose Crouch End so that the vast majority of shoppers would be local. There was one woman who came to chat who I couldn’t help because she lived in Islington – so referred her to her own MP. We want to do this in other areas too – but it gets trickier the nearer to the constituency boundary you go – as inevitably a higher and higher proportion of people will not be from the constituency.

Anyway – in the two hours about 13 or 14 people came to sit and bring one thing or another to my attention. It was interesting to see how people made that decision to voice something that had been on their mind. Mostly – they came in, noticed the table, fact sheets on recycling and how to burglar-proof your house, walked on to do their shopping but came back when they remembered something they had always meant to raise with me.

Most of the issues, as expected, were not as heavy duty as those that are brought each week to my advice surgery where it is by appointment, as lengthy as is needed generally (although 15 minutes is the allotted time) and are generally about the most serious of cases – along with lobbying and local more general issues.

For a couple of people who came to talk – we agreed to make a surgery appointment where we could have proper and more private time – so that will happen. But for the rest – it was a good place to hear peoples’ concerns on a variety of issues which I will take forward as normal casework.

And it was also jolly nice just to say hello to people who seemed very pleased to see me sitting there – in the middle of the store – accessible.

Supermarket Surgery today!

Posted on 6th Nov 2009 by Lynne Featherstone

OK – today I am experimenting with taking my surgery out into where the people are. So between 2 and 4pm I will be in Budgens in Crouch End holding an advice surgery. It’s not a gimmick – just before the naysayers say nay – it’s really because I am convinced that there are lots of people who would like to bring a problem or issue to my attention – but who would never think of actually coming to one of my normal weekly advice surgeries which are held in rooms in either Hornsey or Wood Green Library.

So – thanks to Budgens for letting me try my advice surgery there. Budgens are always at the head of the field in terms of being part of their local community – so were the natural first stop for my request to do this.

I don’t know what the reaction will be – whether people will feel encouraged (hopefully) or inhibited (because it is public). We shall see.