Helen Grant - Maidstone & The Weald Memberships and Affiliations

Honorary Vice-President of the Maidstone MENCAP Trust

Patron of the Maidstone Rivers Users Association

Honorary member of the Institution of Royal Engineers

Patron of Tomorrow's People, Maidstone Region
The overarching mission of national charity Tomorrow's People is to break the cycle of unemployment and dependency by helping the most disadvantaged to get, and keep, a job. Nationally Tomorrow's People has assisted over 400,000 long-term unemployed people since 1984. Helen's role as Patron is to help promote and develop the charity in a multitude of ways locally, regionally and nationally. Helen commented 'The work of Tomorrow's People is not just about jobs, it is about self esteem, self confidence and unlocking some of the pathways to achieving the elusive goal of social mobility, something that is close to my own heart and my political platform'.

President of the Board of Trustees for Maidstone Museums' Foundation
Helen Grant's role as President of the Board of Trustees for Maidstone Museums' Foundation includes acting as an advocate to support and promote the work of three museums including; Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, The Carriage Museum in Mill Street and the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regimental Museum.



Helen Grant - Other Political Memberships

Member of the Commons Justice Select Committee.
The Committee scrutinises the policy, administration, and spending of the Ministry of Justice. In addition, it examines the work of the Attorney General, the Solicitor General, the Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Prosecution Service and reviews draft Sentencing Guidelines issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.

Member of the Parliamentary Support team for the Home office
Working on a range of issues relevant to that department, supporting the Home Secretary Theresa May, who is also the Minister for Women and Equalities

Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Armed Forces, Army Division.
The APPG's role is to promote the interests of our forces in Parliament and to keep Parliament informed about developments in the Army, Navy and Airforce. With Maidstone being home to 36 Engineer Regiment this role will keep Helen abreast of the challenges and issues facing our soldiers as well as allowing her to be an informed voice for 36 Engineers in Westminster.

Member of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme (AFPS).
The AFPS inducts selected MPs and other politicians into the Armed Services through an extensive training and familiarisation programme. The strength of the AFPS is that it allows MPs to hear the views of servicemen and women directly and candidly, rather than through the MOD. The scheme includes visits to service personnel and facilities both in the UK and in operational theatres around the world, including Afghanistan.

Member of the Conservative Party Family Law Reform Commission
Activity: Undertaking a full review of family law including, but not limited to, areas such as divorce, cohabitation and parental / extended family rights

Member of Conservative Party Social Justice Policy Group (Family Division)
Activity: Providing professional knowledge, opinion and experience at meetings, researching and preparing reports and papers. Helen was one of the authors of the Social Justice Policy Group Report 'State of the Nation - Fractured Families' published in December 2006 (http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/BB_family_breakdown.pdf) and the follow-up solutions report 'Breakthrough Britain' published in July 2007 (http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/family%20breakdown.pdf).

Maidstone & The Weald Conservative Association

The Society for Conservative Lawyers


Non-political memberships

The Law Society

Resolution

Chagos Islanders
Helen is a supporter of the Chagos islanders, a group of people forcibly removed from their homeland islands in the Indian Ocean to make way for the lease of an American Military Base on Diego Garcia in the 60's by the Wilson government. It is an ongoing outrage but hope remains that one day these people may be allowed to return to their islands to make a life of their own.


Helen on Twitter