Ipswich’s Tom Hunt has been nominated for a prestigious “MP of the Year” award just eight months after he arrived in the House of Commons after the 2019 General Election.

Mr Hunt has been nominated by constituents for the Patchwork Foundation’s MP of the Year Awards 2020 for his work supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

He has spoken before, including in his maiden speech, about his own struggles with dyslexia and dyspraxia at school and how he is committed to ensuring that children with SEND receive the support they need to achieve their full potential.

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Mr Hunt has been vocal on the Education Committee about raising the need for support with children SEND, particularly in light of the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on children with SEND.

He has also recently been made an Associate Governor of the Sir Bobby Robson School in Ipswich which is due to open in September and provide places for children with complex educational needs and disabilities.

Following his nomination, Mr Hunt said: “It comes as a surprise to be nominated for the MP of the Year Awards. I wasn’t aware of the awards scheme before I was nominated but I welcome it as an opportunity to keep raising the profile of issues affecting children with SEND.

“I struggled with dyslexia and dyspraxia myself at school and I know how crucial it is that others going through the same thing have their voices heard and get the support they need to flourish.

“This has been even more important during the Covid-19 pandemic which has had a disproportionate impact on many of the most vulnerable children, and I’ve been doing everything I can on the Education Committee, the APPG Dyspraxia and by working with local special schools to ensure their needs are represented.

“It is an honour to have been nominated for this award. But actually delivering more support for children with SEND will remain the only metric of success for me.”

The MP of the Year Awards is run by the Patchwork Foundation and gives individuals, and those from grassroots community organisations, the opportunity to commend MPs for the hard work they do throughout the year, particularly in relation to their work with minority communities.

The Awards are divided into two categories – the People’s Choice Award voted on by the public (voting shall open later this month) and the Judge’s Award, where each nomination is blind judged by an independent panel.

Members of the public can vote in the People’s Choice Award and voting closes at Midnight on August 30.