November served as a period of Remembrance, when we paused to honour the many men and women and the sacrifices they made.

This year, I had privilege of attending the annual service of Remembrance at the Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe. Afterwards, I had the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of Plymouth’s Members of Parliament at the civilian memorial on Lockyer Street, paying tribute to the men and women who lost their lives whilst living in Plymouth during the Second World War.

With the many Remembrance events that took place across South West Devon this month, I want to acknowledge the many churches, volunteers and organisers who make them possible.

It was also a privilege to invite Natalie Harrison, Dr John Mahony and Emily Handley, Treasurer of the Ivybridge branch of the Royal British Legion, to lay wreaths on my behalf at services in Plympton, Plymstock, and Ivybridge respectively.

As we paused to remember all those who served and those who continue to serve, we must continue to honour their courage, their dedication, and the freedoms they won for future generations.

After over two and a half years of hard campaigning, it was a real privilege to officially open the new Post Office on The Broadway in Plymstock earlier this month.

This new branch is already becoming a vital part of our community, especially ahead of Lloyds Bank closing its Plymstock branch. Remember that alongside your usual postal services, you can access cash, pay in money and use many of your regular banking services too.

Another huge thank you to the brilliant staff and a special thank you to Steven, our new postmaster, for all his hard work in getting the shop up and running. I’m so excited to see this new Post Office thriving and serving the heart of our Plymstock community.

As part of my work on the Transport Committee, I recently met with the Rail Minister to discuss wider rail connectivity, and I raised the possibility of a new station in Plympton as part of the ‘Plymouth Metro’ concept.

I want everyone to know that I’m fully supportive of these plans. From knocking on doors and speaking with residents, it’s clear how much benefit this could bring to our community. It has the potential to improve connectivity, provide more sustainable travel options and will give a much needed boost to our local businesses.

But I want to hear your views. What do you think about Plympton getting its station back? Do email me at rebecca.smith.mp@parliament.uk and let me know.

of Helsing’s first UK Resilience Factory right here in Plymouth this month, a development that will bring cutting-edge maritime technology and high-skilled jobs to our region.

This new facility will manufacture AI-enabled SG-1 Fathom gliders, helping to strengthen the UK’s and allied navies’ ability to protect our seas, undersea infrastructure, and critical supply routes. It’s a major step forward for innovation, skills development, and sovereign defence capability right here in South West Devon.

Plymouth has a proud maritime heritage, and this investment demonstrates real confidence in our people, talent, and local supply chains. It’s fantastic to see our communities playing such an important role in driving economic growth alongside national security, and I am excited to see the opportunities this will create for our region.

Absolutely fantastic to pop into Sam’s Place Plymouth Shop on Plymstock Broadway this month, a wonderful local charity shop run by the Samaritans and their amazing volunteers.

After suffering a devastating flood just ten weeks ago, it’s brilliant to see the shop back on its feet!

A huge thank you to Norman, Louise and the whole team for the warm welcome and for all you do to support people across Plymouth who need someone to listen.

Please do pop in to donate, or pick up a bargain. I even found some Christmas goodies for my office and some presents for my family. Every purchase helps keep this vital service running.

As a reminder, if you ever need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans for free on 116 123 – they’re there 24/7 to listen.

This month I also joined the meeting with Martin King, managing director of FirstPort, alongside fellow Conservative MPs, to discuss ongoing concerns from residents in my constituency about property management services.

While FirstPort has committed to improvements, including new board-level appointments, better communication systems, and compulsory staff training, many constituents are still experiencing delays and issues. MPs across the country are hearing the same complaints: residents are paying increasing service charges for a service that is often worse than what councils should be providing. I raised these concerns directly and made it clear that residents deserve reliable, responsive service.

I am arranging a private meeting with FirstPort to review specific cases affecting my constituents, ensuring their voices are heard and acted upon. Please be assured that I remain committed to holding service providers to account and will continue pushing for improvements.

As always, if you’re a constituent of mine and would like to get in touch with me about this, please do email me at: rebecca.smith.mp@parliament.uk.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Role 1 Medical & Rescue CIC and meeting some of the dedicated team who provide vital emergency medical services across Plymouth and beyond.

Role 1 specialise in industrial emergency response, paramedic cover, and ambulance support, stepping in to provide care in challenging environments. After a very difficult year, the team have shown remarkable resilience and have recently secured a new partnership with Babcock International Group.

It was brilliant to hear their story, see their vehicles, and speak with the staff who are so passionate about helping others. A huge thank you to Marc, Andy, Peter, Josh and Ellie for welcoming me and for everything you continue to do for our community.