AFTER a busy two weeks down in Parliament in September, it was back up to York for conference recess for many more visits, engaging events and meeting residents across the constituency.

I was privileged to be invited to Bishopthorpe Palace by the Archbishop of York to talk about local issues, his upcoming projects and his support for the York Hungry Minds appeal. On the same day, I attended the BBC York Make A Difference awards, which was an event celebrating all those who make a positive difference in their community.

Recess is a great time to meet with local charities, so I have met with York Inspirational Kids, York’s Citizens Advice Bureau, and The Island. Meeting with such inspirational groups is one of the best parts of this job, so if you would like me to visit, do invite me to come along.

During UK Savings week, I spoke on a panel convened by Yorkshire Building Society on supporting young people in building financial resilience. This area is incredibly important to me given my background in tackling fraud and working at the Bank of England.

I went on BBC Politics North with Tim Iredale and covered topics from solar panels to Labour in government so far, it's always great to be quizzed by Tim!

I officially opened Naburn Primary School’s new library, and it was lovely to visit, it has a wonderful village school ethos and is an asset to the community.

I have also met with businesses who employ people across the city, such as the Designer Outlet, and heard about their future plans, and Web Adventure, which is a firm family favourite.

I went to the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool and spoke on panels about fraud and protecting consumers, a round table on child poverty which was hosted by the University of York and many more. It was also a chance to meet with national charities and organisations to talk about the work they do in York Outer such as Movember and Guide Dogs.

There were exciting policy announcements at conference such as housing reform to provide homes for all veterans in need, victims of domestic abuse and young care leavers and new foundation apprenticeships which will support young people and businesses.

In York, we have had some fantastic sporting success from the back-to-back winners, the Valkyries, and I send my congratulations to them for making York proud and securing a historic win!

As the Chair of the APPG on Food Security, I was proud to attend an event with Fix Our Food at the Mansion House which focused on how we can make the food system work better for us in Yorkshire. It was great to hear from our Mayor for York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith about his support for this project and from Councillor Bob Webb about what City of York Council is already doing in providing free school meals.

In last month’s column I touched on the First Bus 11–16-year-old bus pass. I am pleased to have secured a new alternative and a family with two children could save nearly £100 this school year. I hope that this win is just the start of many “wins” for the residents of York Outer.

Last month, I also mentioned my cat Pomelo who had been unwell. Sadly, we lost him over this period, but I am so grateful to the Minster Vets who tried absolutely everything to save him. Pets bring so much joy to families, and if any readers have ideas on what government can do to support pet ownership, please get in touch.

I hosted another Chat With Charters at the Askham Bryan Tesco where I enjoyed hearing residents' thoughts on Labour’s time in government so far and meeting many people who I had met while on the campaign trial. I hosted another sit-down advice surgery, this time in Strensall Village Hall, with issues raised about funded hours for nursery places. I am already working on this issue with other MPs who, like me, are navigating the process. We want to make the process more transparent and easier for parents.

On Monday October 7, I joined colleagues from across the House in remembering the horrific attacks carried out on innocent men, women, children and babies in Israel. A year on, we must stand with our communities and strive for a more peaceful world.

As I prepare to go back down to Parliament, I look forward to continuing to represent York Outer and being part of a government that will deliver for the country.

I know that residents are keen to hear my views on the Private Members Bill that is coming up on Assisted Dying. I will set out my views soon, as I understand that this is a topic that people have deeply held and considered views on.

As always, I am committed to being an active and accessible MP. If constituents have an issue that my office can help with, do email me on Luke.charters.mp@parliament.uk and they will do their best to help. If you would like a slot at my advice surgery you can email in, and my team will find a slot for you at a location most suited for you.