March 2026

Monthly Resident Update

Hi Reader,

News from Vikki Slade MP – March 2026

This monthly newsletter keeps you up to date with what I’ve been doing for Mid Dorset and North Poole over the last month or so.

March has flown by and with it some thankfully warmer weather. This month I have launched a petition to save Upton Heath - you can sign it here. I have also continued to fight for the families and pupils of Multi Academy Trusts within the constituency and I spent a 10 hour shift with some brilliant paramedics on the front line alongside much more.

If you’d like to get involved by attending an event, signing a petition or joining me on the campaign trail, you’ll find links throughout this newsletter. And if you simply prefer to stay informed, that’s absolutely fine too.

I hope you enjoy the read, and feel free to share it with a friend or neighbour!

Please don’t reply directly to this newsletter – contact vikki.slade.mp@parliament.uk

Why not follow me on my socials

​Facebook | Instagram | BlueSky​

In this edition:

• Launched a petition to SAVE UPTON HEATH​
• Celebrated the Lytchett & Upton Heritage Trail
• Worked a 10 hour shift with Paramedics on the front line
• Met with the Schools Minister to discuss Multi Academy Trusts
• Hosted Round Tables to discuss: the Child Maintenance System and Dementia Care across the Wessex regions
• Challenged the PM on delays to the Assisted Dying Bill

Save Upton Heath

At the very end of March it was announced that part of Upton Heath has been put up for sale by its private owner. It is currently due to go for auction on April 29th.

The site sits across 110 acres of heathland with historical planning permission for mineral extraction. Over the last couple of weeks I have been working closely with Dorset Wildlife Trust and both local councils to see what we can do to protect this special local asset for nature and for the community.

I have launched a Parliamentary Petition which you can sign here and this will be presented to Parliament after the Easter recess. In addition, Dorset Wildlife Trust have organised a fundraiser - click here to read more and donate.

Alongside both councils and Dorset Wildlife Trust we have several routes to consider for both funding and mechanisms to protect this precious area of heathland. I would be grateful for any direct support you can offer in signing the petition, donation and also in sharing the campaign far and wide. I have a Prime Ministers Question on Wednesday 15^th April and, unless anything changes in the meantime, I am expecting to use this opportunity to seek support for this campaign.

Lytchett & Upton Town Council Heritage Trail

It was a pleasure to join Councillor Ray Griffin, Mayor of Lytchett & Upton, to open their Heritage Trail at South Dorset Caravan Park.

Did you know that during the Second World War, South Lytchett Camping & Caravan Park was the American base for 1,000 G.I's preparing for D-Day? Following the conclusion of the Second World War the site then became a sprint course for motor racing and hosted show jumping events before it became the much loved tourist destination run by Dave, Jo and family that it is today.

This site is one of many around the parish that tells the fascinating history of Upton and Lytchett Minster. To find out more and see how to take part: Heritage Trail - Lytchett, Minster & Upton Town Council​

Front-line Shift with Paramedics

It was a privilege to be invited by South Western Ambulance to join a full ten-hour shift with Joe and Ange.

Starting at their new hub in Ferndown depot we attended call-outs across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. I was struck by the professionalism and compassion of my crew and how relentless the work was throughout the shift. It was enlightening to see how their systems linked with patient databases giving them access to medical notes and personal information that helped inform the treatment provided. It was also interesting to see how the two acute hospitals dealt with patient handovers and to understand more about how calls are prioritised live as we drove from one call to another.

I was also lucky enough to see first-hand how the ambulance service connects with the Critical Care Team, Mental Health Services and Adult Social Care giving me a much greater understanding of both the complimentary work that takes place across these sectors but also the challenges and barriers that they face.

Our frontline teams truly are incredible people doing incredible work. I also want to thank the patients and family members who allowed me to observe some really traumatic situations and also extend my thanks to all of the staff I met on this incredible day.

Meeting with Schools Minister

In March I met with Georgia Gould MP, Minister for School Standards, to highlight my ongoing concerns relating to the Initio Learning Trust. I also flagged my ongoing concerns about the governance and financial accountability of Multi Academy Trusts in general (MATs). The meeting was also attended by officials from the Department of Education who explained their role in working with the MAT and how they are investigating the concerns raised by me, and by local families.

During the meeting, Minister Gould explained that the Department was already reviewing these concerns but noted that they did not appear to be unlawful under current Academies legislation. I have since written again to the Minister to provide additional details and I have also asked the Trust to pause their planned changes, but they have refused to do so. I have also asked for assurances about their internal spending and their plans to acquire more schools but they have, so far, declined to answer my concerns.

Since the meeting, I continue to hear from constituents and I have encouraged them to follow the formal complaints procedure. I have also made a number of recommendations to the Trust and to the schools concerned about ways to operate in a more efficient way that might mitigate the need for staffing cuts. I will continue to press the Department for Education for an investigation into the Trust and to try to change the law giving more control to parents and communities against these huge organisations.

Round Tables:

Child Maintenance Service

Back in February I spoke in Parliament about the failures of the child maintenance system and the affect this is having on constituents and their children. I was overwhelmed with the response on social media - so many people contacted me to let me know that they had been victims too.

If you have not yet seen my contribution you can do so on one of my social media channels:

​Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | YouTube​

As a result I held a local round table to discuss the issues faced and what we can collectively do to enact change. The ensuing conversation was both passionate and positive and I am thrilled to say that a plan is underway to develop this into a larger campaign - watch this space!

Wessex Dementia Care

It was a pleasure to organise and host a cross party round table in Parliament to discuss improvements needed for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care including stronger workforce training, clearer post-diagnostic care pathways, better safeguarding and DBS standards, and greater support for carers.

We know that Dementia affects thousands of families across Dorset and the wider South West, yet our region has the lowest diagnosis rates in the country. This is particularly concerning as Dorset has one of the oldest populations in the UK.

As well as MPs we were joined by experts from key organisations including the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, portfolio holders at councils within the Wessex footprint, and a representative from the Dorset Integrated Care Board.

Discussions focused on the South West’s persistently low Dementia diagnosis rates. While the national target is 66.7%, the region currently has the lowest diagnosis rate in England. Dorset’s Integrated Care Board has a diagnosis rate of just 58.3%. Participants also highlighted gaps in post-diagnostic support for patients and families, workforce shortages including a lack of specialist roles such as Admiral Nurses, and the need for clearer national standards for Dementia care.

Challenged the PM on delays to the Assisted Dying Bill

It has been confirmed that no extra time will be provided in the House of Lords to allow the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to complete its course. I believe that if the will of the democratically elected House of Commons is blocked, it will be a travesty for democracy. More importantly it will be a tragedy for all those who are relying on the legislation and have waited so long. I asked the Prime Minister to act now to prevent the dismissal of the views of 76% of the public and secure a real legacy of social policy in this Parliament.

You can see my speech here: I urged the Prime Minister to protect the Assisted Dying Bill​

Out & About in MDNP

Spending time with residents and local organisations is always one of the best parts of this role. Recent highlights include:

Resident Surgeries - I held resident surgeries in Canford Heath and Wimborne to speak to and help residents with a range of issues including current challenges facing the local Hong Kong community with the British Nationals (Overseas) Visa scheme.

Initio Meetings - Ahead of my meeting with the Schools Minister I met with both Heads of QE & Corfe Hills as well as the Executives of the Trust to share the concerns of local families at the current staff restructuring taking place and financial concerns.

Wimborne Town FC - It was a privilege to attend a match between Wimborne Town and Tiverton Town back in mid-March and which, whilst ending in a 0-0 draw at Full Time, was still an action packed game. Wimborne did us proud!

Round-up of some of my other activities