As this year marks the centenary of the start of the First World War, the Remembrance services this week took on an added poignancy.

I attended Sunday services at St Katharine’s in Holt and St Michael and All Angels in Melksham.

Following the service in Holt, I learnt more about those from the village who fell during the wars at a fascinating exhibition by the children of Holt Primary School. I also commemorated Armistice Day on Tuesday at a special service in Westminster Abbey.

The poppies at the Tower of London are a powerful reminder of the huge number of people who gave their lives so that we could live safe and free.

I recently went to see the display of 888,246 ceramic flowers – one for each British military fatality during the First World War – and couldn’t help but be struck by the enormity of the sacrifices made.

Members of St Andrew’s Church in Chippenham met me last month to discuss Christian Aid’s Climate Justice campaign, which they are supporting, and last week I took their message directly to the Secretary of State for International Development in the House of Commons.

I pointed out that climate change disproportionately affects the poorest people in the world and urged her to do what she can to help forge an international agreement that will tackle this threat.

Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey has already helped build an historic EU-wide commitment to cut greenhouse gasses by at least 40 per cent by 2030, putting us in a strong position to negotiate an ambitious global agreement at the UN conference in Paris next year.

I also took up with the Minister for Disabled People the unacceptable delays faced by those applying for Personal Independence Payments, and urged him not to transfer people onto them from Disability Living Allowance until they can be sure of a timely decision about their entitlement.

Outside the chamber, I met representatives of Atos, the company which conducts assessments for Personal Independence Payments here, to press them directly to speed up the process substantially and support local people in the often difficult journeys to their assessments.

My next constituency surgery will be at my office in Avonbridge House, Chippenham on Saturday, November 22, from 11am-12.30pm.