I was recently fortunate enough to spend an evening with the men and women of the Barnsley branch of the York and Lancaster Regimental Association.

The branch is made up of ex-service people and their families, and is drawn from a broad range of armed forces backgrounds, not just the Yorkshire Regiment. This mix of personalities and pasts combine to create a hugely welcoming and enjoyable community club. One where, despite the usual mickey-taking about me being an ex-para, I had a great time.

This past week I have been out and about across my Barnsley Central constituency. Parliament is in recess for the conference season and so it’s a good chance to be talking to people about the issues that matter to them.

The people of Barnsley made their voices heard last week. 68% of those who voted said that they wanted the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

Last weekend’s win at Wembley was momentous – both for Barnsley FC and our town. This was reflected in the amazing turnout on Monday evening when so many local people turned out for the victory parade.

It’s reassuring to know that, should you need urgent medical care, then you can turn up at the hospital A&E department and – even if you have to wait a while – you’ll get seen and treated.

I have written before about anti-social behaviour in our town centre and it’s something I’m again increasingly concerned about.

Let’s be clear: the intimidating behaviour we have seen recently are seeing is totally unacceptable.

The actions of this small minority are affecting everyone. Whilst many shoppers just choose to go and shop somewhere else, local business owners and workers don’t have that choice.

It’s that time of year again when I swap my suit for a running kit, and stop pacing the corridors of Westminster to go pound the streets of London.

Running the London Marathon for Cancer Research UK is an annual event for me – as is the creeping realisation that I haven’t done enough training, the dread of those painful 26.2 miles and then the euphoria when I finally stagger across the finish line.

Like so many other Barnsley FC supporters, I made my way down to Wembley on Sunday to support the Reds and see their fantastic cup win.

The team – from the owner, chairman, chief executive, manager and players through to the backroom staff – deserve our praise and thanks. They did our town proud in a 3-2 triumph against Oxford United.

Last week the Chancellor, George Osborne, unveiled his eighth budget. It was a chance to show that, after nearly six hard years, his plan had worked. That all the cuts, the belt tightening, had been worth it.

Two weeks ago I asked local people: if you could change just one thing to tackle child poverty locally what would it be? With more than one in five children in my Barnsley Central constituency living in poverty, it is a question that needs answering.