That's the saying I live my life by, because taking action is the only way to change things in this world, and bugger me this world needs some change.

That saying has led me to a lot of places. I joined the party, started delivering leaflets, knocked on doors, stood for council and stood for parliament because I needed to act.

The Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council has retained the prestigious Investors in People (IiP) Gold accreditation for the eleventh year running, demonstrating their continued commitment to high performance through good people management.

Investors in People lead the drive for better leadership and better workplaces. They assess thousands of organisations every three years to lead, support and manage people well, for sustainable results. This achievement is not just about being a great place to work, but it shows that the Council's staff have the strong focus and determination to continue to deliver the high-quality, value for money services that its residents deserve.

Is a full programme of training, events, networking and parties not enough for you? At spring conference this year we have a huge package of policy motions, which all members have the chance to debate, amend and vote on. Here's a quick run-down for you! And if you haven't yet, book your place right here:

When a person puts their empty plastic bottle in a recycling bin, they understandably assume it gets recycled.

When I was the Cabinet member for the environment on Rochdale council, and when we sent our paper and cardboard to be recycled, we knew it had new lives as cardboard inserts to kitchen roll.

The tiniest of silver linings in that of the Tory majority and the near enough certainty that this Parliament will sit for at least the next four years, is that we now have time to be strategic. We have time to plan.

The fact that our leadership race will not take place until the summer also allows us time to pause, reflect, and consider what we need going forward.

When my dad died, my mum was left with three boys under the age of ten. At age four, I remember her going to pick up her widow's pension every other week. It was a lifeline for her and for us. It helped her adjust, and to take good care of my brothers and I.

For any family, losing a parent can be devastating not just emotionally, but financially too. My family weren't particularly poor, but I still don't know what we'd have done without that support.

South Woodham Ferrers plants over 1,000 trees in a single day

On Sunday 2 February, a hundred people got digging for climate victory in a mass tree planting at Creekview Road, South Woodham Ferrers.
Local families and residents joined staff from the Lib Dem led Chelmsford City Council to plant over a thousand trees on a plot of land in the area's well-loved Compass Gardens park.

Native species, including holly, oak and alder, were used to create the new woodland, which is approximately 700 metres square.

Lib Dem Councillor Rose Moore, Deputy Cabinet Member for Recycling and Ecology, joined the tree-planting effort. She said, "Putting the 'wood' back into South Woodham Ferrers is a big step towards a greener Chelmsford. With the help of local residents, we have planted far more trees here than our regular staff would ever be able to do in a single day.

Earlier this year, I came out as pansexual, becoming the first openly pan MP. This February is of particular significance for me. It is the first LGBT History Month I have openly celebrated as part of the community.

I did not come out to be heralded as a trailblazer. But upon coming out, I realised that my public visibility meant a lot to a lot of people. Many people in the LGBT+ community, especially those who fall under the 'B', 'T' or '+', don't feel visible to or accepted by the rest of society. These identities are often treated with suspicion or cynicism because people simply don't know what they are.

Chelmsford now has a plan of action to address the climate and ecological emergency that it declared last summer. This was adopted at the City Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 28 January.

In July 2019, the Liberal Democrats led Chelmsford City Council pledged to reduce its own carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030 and to lead in encouraging others to do the same. Over the past six months, Councillors and officers have been conducting research, investigating and reviewing the organisation's existing processes, equipment and premises to determine where improvements could be made.

Week in, week out, either at my constituency surgery or in my inbox or just through conversations with friends and acquaintances, I hear yet another tragic story of a child or young person struggling with their mental health, having to battle to get any sort of help.

Inadequate funding under the Conservatives has left Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) close to breaking point