Ian Sollom MP Newsletter - 14 October 2025

Welcome to the latest of my newsletters, updating you on my work in Westminster and across St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire.

Parliament returns from recess this week, and I've been making the most of the opportunity away from Westminster to spend more time across our area, meeting with local organisations, visiting schools and businesses, and learning about the issues that matter to people in St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire. From our emergency services and healthcare to cutting-edge climate research at the British Antarctic Survey, here's an update on my recent activity – along with news of an upcoming community meeting and a job opportunity in my constituency team.

Petition: Save Our Precious Palliative Care Beds at Arthur Rank Hospice

It came as a shock and a concern in late September that Arthur Rank Hospice, our excellent local palliative care provider, would be facing a funding cut of over £800,000 which will force the closure of nine of its 23 beds. Across Cambridgeshire and the East of England, there are thousands of people who have been supported through the most difficult time of their and their loved ones’ lives by Arthur Rank. I have heard from many residents over the past few weeks, and visited the hospice myself after news of the funding cuts broke.

Alongside my fellow Liberal Democrat Cambridgeshire MPs, I have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging him to restore the funding deficit to ensure that all 23 beds at Arthur Rank stay open; provide long-term and sustainable funding through the ICB for the hospice’s specialist care services; and urgently roll out the move from hospital to community care with hospices and GPs at its heart.

We launched a petition which received an incredible 10,000 signatures in the first 24 hours. You can sign and share the petition here.

I also visited the hospice myself to meet those providing care, and to understand just how much the service has meant to them. It is clear that Arthur Rank has made a profound impact on so many people’s lives, and they must be supported to continue this vital service. Our hospices must be properly supported to provide the care people need to die with dignity.

If you would like to help the hospice further, you can find details about how to donate to them here.

Save the Date: Crime and Community Safety in Histon, Impington and Orchard Park  

If you’re a resident of Histon, Impington or Orchard Park and have concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour in the area, then please join me, local police officers and councillors to talk about these concerns in an informal setting. I regularly meet with the police, and we are keen to give residents the opportunity to talk to us in person, as well as receive information on how to report crime – something that is key in helping the police to tackle it in our community.

The meeting will be held on Saturday the 18th of October between 10am and 12pm in Histon Baptist Church. There is no need to RSVP, just drop in anytime.

A Day with East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST)

Early one morning recently, I joined the East of England Ambulance Service Team at St Neots Ambulance Station for a shift with a crew attending emergency callouts across Cambridgeshire.

During the shift, we responded to a call requiring transport to Addenbrooke's Hospital. When we arrived, there was a queue of ambulances outside the emergency department, with some crews having already waited over two hours to hand over their patients. Our patient's serious condition meant they were prioritised for admission, but it highlighted how those with anything less than severely urgent need can face significant delays. We also attended to an elderly woman who, following a thorough assessment by the crew, could be safely monitored at home rather than taken to hospital – the kind of expert clinical judgment that helps reduce pressure on our A&Es.

What impressed me most was the compassion and dedication shown by the paramedics throughout. The CQC has previously rated EEAST as 'good' for caring, recognising that staff treat patients with compassion and kindness – something I witnessed firsthand. However, EEAST recently came bottom of a new national league table for ambulance trusts, which will undoubtedly be tough for staff morale. It's crucial to recognise that ambulance performance depends heavily on the wider health system: timely access to mental health services and GPs, and critically, hospitals being able to admit patients quickly, so ambulances aren't stuck in queues outside emergency departments.

I came away with enormous respect for the professionalism of our ambulance crews, who deserve a system that supports them to do their jobs effectively.

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), Cambridge City Airport

Continuing on the theme of emergency services, I then met with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) at Cambridge City Airport, who provide life-saving care across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

I was fascinated to learn more about their approach to emergency care. Rather than simply being about rapid transport from difficult-to-access locations, their work focuses on bringing highly specialist critical care directly to the scene of an incident, stabilising patients with advanced medical interventions before they reach hospital. This "bring the hospital to the patient" model can make the crucial difference in the most serious emergencies.

What particularly impressed me was the charity's commitment to research and innovation. EAAA has recently launched a groundbreaking UK-first study called BRAIN-FIRST, using a handheld blood test at the scene to detect brain bleeding in patients with suspected head injuries. This could help crews determine within minutes whether a patient needs to go to the nearest hospital or straight to Addenbrooke's as the regional neuro-specialist centre – a decision that could save precious time and ultimately save lives.

The charity is planning to relocate from Cambridge City Airport to a new, more accessible base in Fulbourn by 2027, and I am happy to support them in this move. As a charity receiving no regular government funding, EAAA relies entirely on public donations, and the operational costs are significant. They do brilliant, life-saving work – if you can, please do support them through a donation or by playing their weekly lottery. 

Centrado Trading, Fenstanton

Centrado Trading is a family-run supplier of picture framing materials who moved into their purpose-built Fenstanton HQ in 2023. Receiving a £4 million loan from Lloyds Bank's Clean Growth Financing Initiative, they have been able to massively boost their capacity and grow operations while also improving their energy use and efficiency.

I visited the team to speak to them about this investment in sustainability, as well as the impressive growth of their business. The new 100,000 square foot facility has allowed the business to increase its capacity five-fold, consolidating what were previously four separate rented facilities across Cambridgeshire into one modern headquarters. The building includes motion-sensor LED lighting and smart air conditioning systems to optimise energy use, along with electric vehicle charging points for staff – a great example of how local businesses are investing in more sustainable facilities.

Like many SMEs, Centrado faces challenges in the current business environment, but it’s clear that local family businesses like this are vital to our economy, creating jobs and investing in our community.

Ernulf Academy Regular Visit

I continue to hold regular meetings with both Longsands and Ernulf Academies in St Neots, as well as with the CEO of Astrea Academy Trust. This week, I visited Ernulf to speak to Principal Thomas Fisher about the school's continued progress. I was pleased to hear about the improved GCSE results over the summer, with 63% of students achieving a grade 4 or above (up from 53% in 2024), and those achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths rising from 28% to 38% – a significant improvement that reflects the hard work of both staff and students.

Earlier this year, Ernulf achieved its first ever 'Good' Ofsted rating across all areas, a significant milestone for the school. We discussed the ongoing work to build on this, both for students and with respect to parent communication and engagement. We also talked about the upcoming SEND reforms and the pressing need for investment in the school estate and buildings.

The quality of education that our local children receive remains a top priority for me, so please do contact me directly if you have issues you would like to raise. My constituency team remain in regular contact with SEND and welfare contacts at both schools to raise individual matters when needed.

British Antarctic Survey - Royal Society Pairing Scheme Return Visit

Back in March, I was delighted to participate in the Royal Society's 'Pairing Scheme', where scientists from across the country are paired with local MPs and spend a week shadowing our work, and that of civil servants, to improve communication and collaboration between researchers and policy makers.

I was paired with Dr Joanne Johnson, a geologist and Antarctic scientist based at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge, and this week, Joanne hosted me for my return visit to BAS. I toured their world-leading research facilities and learned about the vital climate change research being conducted there – research that has profound implications for all of us.

I was fascinated by the use of aerial geophysics and the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology to probe beneath the ice and map the underlying bedrock - crucial for understanding how ice flows and where glaciers might stabilize or accelerate. The geology work – examining how ice sheets retreat – was particularly striking. BAS is a key partner in the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a major UK-US research programme studying one of Antarctica's most unstable glaciers. I also saw sea- and lake-bed cores and learned how scientists analyse diatoms – microscopic organisms with silicon-based shells – preserved in sediment to understand both historical and present-day environmental changes.

The discussion about Thwaites Glacier really brought the urgency of this research home. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) alone could contribute around 3.3 metres of sea level rise if it collapses – a scenario that would have devastating consequences for low-lying areas like the Fens. This isn't abstract science; it's about the future habitability of our region and coastal communities worldwide.

What struck me most was how having different scientific disciplines - glaciology, geology, oceanography, atmospheric science – co-located in one organisation enables truly collaborative work on such complex challenges. I also spoke with the Director of Operations about the fascinating logistical challenges of Antarctic research, where teams must always be ready to adapt to extreme and unpredictable conditions.

The work being done at BAS is world-leading and essential for understanding and responding to the climate emergency we face.

Join my team – Caseworker based in St Neots office

I am currently looking to hire a Caseworker in my constituency office to support me in dealing with the large number of enquiries that I receive from constituents. This includes assisting with complex personal issues raised by members of the public, attending surgeries and other follow-up meetings, and helping to assign and organise all incoming emails and letters on our casework management software

You can find the full job description here, and please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about the role.

Surgeries and Further Information

Each week I have been holding both in-person and online surgeries to speak directly to constituents about their issues. If you feel you have a problem I could help with, or you have a campaign matter you would like to discuss with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ian.sollom.mp@parliament.uk to request a surgery appointment.

I will continue to keep you updated about my work to represent the constituents of St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, volunteer or get involved with our campaigns.

 If you are writing as a constituent, I will need to verify that you reside in the St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency to reply and deal with your case. Therefore, please ensure that you have included your full name and home address in your email.

I receive a significant volume of campaign and casework emails each day. Therefore, I ask for your patience as my team respond to new emails. Please know your messages are being received and we are working as fast as we can to respond to every inquiry.