THE Parliamentary recess is a great opportunity to spend time out and about in Dudley, meeting local groups and taking up local issues Over the last few days I've pulled together a series of meetings to bring extra money into the area.

Two meetings stand out in particular.

I hosted a meeting for the great people at Priory Boxing Club who are raising funds to build a new gym.

We're hoping to apply for lottery funding and money from a new community assets budget to help fund the work.

The club's been running for 33 years now and has 50 fighters on its books. There's a waiting list of another hundred youngsters, but the club just hasn't got room.

Paul Gough and his colleagues at the club do great work keeping kids off the streets and out of trouble. Being involved in the club teaches them discipline and gets them fit.

They've turned out England champions, School Boy champions and golden gloves champions, as well as having some very serious contenders for the 2012 Olympics.

So I'm hoping we can get the council, the community and everyone else behind the club in its quest for funds.

But if there's any wealthy boxing fans out there who want to help bring the next generation of champions through, give us a shout!

Then last night I brought people from the council, the community on the Wrens Nest, local schools and Barnardo's together to try to save the family project on the estate.

I was contacted by a number of constituents who were very concerned that the Barnardo's Project could face the axe next month because of council cutbacks.

One mum told me how the project had changed her life after the tragic death of her husband.

After hearing her story I went straight to Barnardo's office in Halesowen to find out more.

The Wrens Nest is one of the most deprived areas in the borough and faces the greatest challenges in terms of poverty, unemployment, skills and ill-health.

The project has been working in the area for nine years, helping thousands of families during that period, with childcare, parenting courses and support, working with schools to help children having difficulties at school, working with children with disabilities, and running a range of play schemes, trips and healthy eating initiatives.

It helps parents with training and employment advice, provides volunteers with training and mentoring, undertakes valuable child protection work, deals with drug and alcohol problems and works with the police.

They established and ran an extremely successful after-school and holiday club at Priory school, offering both affordable and safe care for young children and helping many parents to get back either into education or work.

Last night I chaired a meeting with the parents, Barnardo's, local head teachers and the director of children's service, John Freeman.

I'm really hoping we can come up with the money to save the project and we should hear more in the next few weeks.

Losing this scheme would be a disaster and I'm going to do all I can to make sure that doesn't happen.