Claire Coutinho News Update – July 2025
As some of you may know, I have spent the last few months on maternity leave after the birth of my son, Rafael. Watching him grow has been a very special time for me and my family (and what a phenomenal process of human biology!). While he brings me so much joy each and every day, I am also eager to get back to being out in the constituency, meeting residents and listening to your concerns. I will be steadily returning over the next few months, and I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible. However after seeing a photo of one of my predecessors, Sir Geoffrey Howe, riding a donkey at the Oxted Derby, I think I will stick to watching from the sideline this year…
My first visit back was to Tatsfield to knock on doors, speak to local residents about their concerns and pick up any casework. I know Surrey County Councillor Becky Rush has been pressing the Council to prioritise road repairs in the local area, so residents were looking forward to seeing improvements. There is still work to do to improve transport links and phone signal, and I look forward to working with Becky in the coming months to address these issues.
I was then treated to a performance by Katie Cox’s ballet troupe. Eight wonderfully talented teenagers from Caterham, Warlingham and the surrounding areas have qualified for the World Cup Finals this summer. Eight wonderfully talented teenagers from Caterham, Warlingham and the surrounding areas have qualified for the England Team in the ballet group category, with Zoë also qualifying for the solo ballet category.
We discussed their future aspirations, and it was lovely to hear that many of the older girls have already received offers from some of the country’s top dance colleges and universities. Their ambition to win was contagious, but as is often the case with elite sport, attendance at the World Cup Finals is self-funded. The group has already raised £6,000 through cake sales, tutoring younger dancers and the generosity of donations, but they still have a way to go to reach their funding goal. You can find a link to donate on my website.
As a member of my charity, The Friendship Project, catching up with the unstoppable team at The Glebe has been high on my list since starting to return from maternity leave. From creating and maintaining the community garden to organising village events, they are community heroes – and we are very lucky to have them. Earlier this year my Friendship Project donated £2,500 to support the Glebe’s project to update the local children’s playground. It was great to see the project begin to take shape. The trustees were also keen to incorporate ‘Happy to Chat’ benches into the design and place more throughout the village, so the next time you visit Woldingham, make sure to keep an eye out for them.
As always, if there is ever anything I can do to help, or if you would like me to visit a local project or business you are involved with, please do get in touch on claire.coutinho.mp@parliament.uk.