Not least St George's Day!
Firstly, I want to wish everyone a very happy Easter for Sunday just gone. Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar, it's a time for coming together, celebrating new life, sacrifice and the resurrection - as well as a bit of a celebration of chocolate eggs. As a Christian myself, I spend Easter with my family, our tradition is hot cross buns and eggs and having more family round for lamb. Best wishes to all.
Secondly, it's St George's Day on Wednesday 23rd, a celebration of England's patron saint, who is also the patron saint of soldiers, farmers, scouts, the country of Georgia and Catalonia. He was a roman soldier, born in Turkey in the 280s AD and was said to have freed a village - in modern day Libya - being attacked by a dragon, upon which they converted to Christianity. His story was popularised in the 12th Century and became a message of courage, faith and protection of the innocent. Whether you're putting flags up, enjoying the weather or something else - Happy St George's Day!
I also want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Burnley Football Club on a truly outstanding season. Securing promotion back to the Premier League is a tremendous achievement—made even sweeter by a victory over promotion rivals Sheffield United. From Scott to Alan, and every single person involved across the club, you’ve done an exceptional job guiding us back to the top flight at the first attempt. You’ve made the town proud.
This season has been nothing short of remarkable: conceding just 15 goals in 44 games, going 31 matches unbeaten, and securing 29 clean sheets thanks to the brilliance of our outstanding keeper and defence, Trafford, Esteve and Egan-Riley. These stats speak volumes about the quality, resilience, and spirit of the squad. Everyone at the club should take immense pride in what you’ve accomplished. I hope you’ve thoroughly enjoyed the well-earned celebrations—especially those who made it all the way to the Royal Dyche! Now, it’s onwards and upwards. I’m excited to see the incredible work that Scott, Alan, and the entire team behind the scenes will continue to do to get us Premier League-ready.
Up the Clarets!
Finally, and much less importantly, I'm turning 30 on Tuesday and as Burnley & Padiham's youngest ever MP, I've been reflecting. The last 30 years have brought so much change and required so much change of us all in almost every part of our lives. Change can be scary, it can be contentious, it isn't always good, but it is unstoppable. I've always thought it the job of our political leaders to lead that change, take people there, into a version of the future we can live well in. I think whomever was our MP would try to do that, so we as towns can take advantage of that change and aren't victims of it, as we have been in the past. I've said this before, but it's very much the honour of my life to be your Member of Parliament. I know I won't always be popular, but I genuinely believe most people go into politics for the right reasons, for our people, our place and our country, to do better, for the future. So, long as that preamble is, I suppose what I'm saying to you is I'm so supremely honoured to be your MP, especially at age I am. I can't promise you'll always agree with me, or even like me - indeed, I assure you I am far from perfect - but I can promise you that as these 4 or 5 years progress, whatever happens, I'm doing my best for you, for our town, for the future.
Thank you for reading - and best wishes everyone.
Oliver
P.s - As ever, if you want to get in touch, my office number is 01282 216398, my email is oliver.ryan.mp@parliament.uk, my office is at 5 Grimshaw Street in Burnley, and I have walk in hours 10am to 2pm Monday to Thursday.