Jon visited Samworth Enterprise Academy on Friday 26 April 2013 to teach literacy to seven year old pupils as part of the ‘Every Child Can' campaign launched by Teach First.

Founded in 2002, Teach First is a charity that works towards breaking the link between parental income and educational disadvantage. The charity trains people with leadership potential to become teachers, working in schools in deprived communities across the UK.

Their latest campaign, ‘Every Child Can', saw over 60 leading public figures teach their own class in a Teach First supported school. The campaign ran from 22 April to 26 April.

Speaking before the class, Jon said: “I wanted to get involved in the ‘Every Child Campaign' because, unfortunately, we still live in a society where those from deprived backgrounds often leave school with fewer opportunities available to them. Teach First aims to tackle this, so I really wanted to see how I could help the ‘Every Child Can' campaign. It's not right that some children, simply because of their socio-economic background, face more challenges than others, and we need to do what we can to level the playing field.”

According to a report published by the Department of Education in January this year, just over a third of pupils who receive free school meals will achieve five or more A* - C grades in their GCSEs. This same report reveals that the attainment levels of those not on free school meals is much higher, with 63% of these wealthier students achieving the same grades.

Jon Ashworth took part in the Vaisakhi celebrations on Sunday 21 April by serving food in a Gurdwara kitchen.

Vaisakhi is the most important festival in the Sikh calendar, commemorating the inception of the Khalsa movement – a code of conduct that guides Sikhs in their religious beliefs and lifestyle choices. The festival also reinforces the principles of ‘Seva', or ‘selfless service', and people often use Vaisakhi as an opportunity to engage in this.

This year, as part of his Seva, Jon Ashworth served food in a Gurdwara kitchen. Gurdwaras offer free food to people, and their kitchens are open to all regardless of background.

Jon said: “The kitchens run by Gurdwaras really are fantastic, and I'm looking forward to having an active role in them. I was also at the Vaisakhi Food Drive last weekend, and the generosity of the Sikh community is highly commendable.”

On Saturday 13 April, the day of Vaisakhi itself, the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara on East Park Road held a Food Drive, which collected roughly 10 tonnes of food in just one day.

On Friday 19 April March Jon Ashworth MP visited the Compassion Centre ran by The Open Hands Trust.

In addition to providing food parcels to people in desperate need in emergency situations, Open Hands offers other assistance to the local community from its Compassion Centre. The Open Hands Trust was established in 2006 by Trinity Life Church.

Jon Ashworth stated: “The Government has made a series of drastic cuts to our social security system and as a result more families and individuals will need help to eat and clothe themselves; basic needs that people should not have to rely on voluntary organisations for.”

“But it is important that Trinity Life Church and other religious organisations do provide this much needed support and I am pleased to support Open Hands. I am working with the City Council to access more storage space for Open Hands as demand for its services is already increasing and will continue to do so.”

From its Compassion Centre on Highfield Street Open Hands offers clothes, furniture, household items, school items and baby equipment to those who visit the Centre with a letter of referral. It also runs a free cafe, providing toast and tea to those who visit the Centre and a hot meal on Tuesday evenings.

Jon Ashworth visited the Vaisakhi Food Drive at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara on Saturday 13 April. The food drive is yet another initiative to assist people affected by the welfare cuts in Leicester.

Jon Ashworth, who will be making a donation to the food drive, said: “The government has made a series of drastic cuts to our welfare system, and the reality is that families throughout Leicester will now be living on the breadline. It's absolutely appalling that in this day and age there is even a need for food banks, but the sad fact is that more and more of these initiatives are being established.”

Gurdwaras traditionally offer free food on a daily basis from their own kitchens. Their kitchens are open to all, irrespective of background, and have always been a key part of the Sikh philosophies of service and charity.

Jon commented further: “In these difficult economic times, the contribution of the Sikh community plays such an important role. Gurdwaras across Leicester feed so many people, and the Sikh community is taking this further initiative to run a Vaisakhi food drive alongside their open kitchens. It's dreadful that communities are having to run food drives, but I'm pleased to support this Vaisakhi initiative.”

On Friday 12 April, Jon Ashworth attended an open evening at Evening Muslim Centre's new Madressa building next door to Masjid Umar Mosque.

The mosque, on Evington Drive, was first built in 2000 and has approximately 700 worshippers. The new building attached to the Mosque will be used as a teaching centre where students will have their daily Qur'anic lessons and study Islam.

Prior to the visit Jon commented: “Masjid Umar clearly attracts a high number of worshippers, so it is good that they are able to accommodate their users now. This mosque is such an important landmark for many of my constituents so I'm pleased to have been invited to this open evening and view their new building and their educational facilities.”

The evening commenced with an early evening prayer, otherwise known as Maghrib Salaah, and thereafter an official welcome and introduction to the new building. Following a recitation from Qur'an and brief presentation on the role of Masjid & Madressa there was a tour of the new building.

On Friday 12 April, Jon Ashworth introduced the Fashion & Textiles Charity Trust to Shama Women's Centre to promote the work that the charity does.

The Fashion & Textiles Children's Trust offers financial assistance to children whose parents work in the fashion and textiles industries and are suffering financial hardship. Parents can work in either the retail or manufacturing side of these industries, and as long as a need for support can be demonstrated, children up to the age of 18 can receive the grants direct.

Cash grants from the London-based charity start from £150.00. The grants are used for a range of support services, from providing simple items like bedding and clothing to providing access to therapy and home adaptations.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Jon said: “I've already introduced the Fashion & Textiles Children's Trust to various local agencies in Leicester, but this visit will build upon that and establish how we can all work together.”

“Families across the country are being hit massively by the numerous government cuts to welfare and benefits. Given the large scale of this government's austerity measures, we need to do everything we can to help those in hardship. We may not be able to provide full relief, but we have to do what we can to prevent more families from being pushed into poverty.”

Jon Ashworth MP met with asylum seekers and volunteers at the City of Sanctuary weekly Drop In.

The Thursday Drop In service at the St Martin's Centre provides asylum seekers with the chance to meet local people and other asylum seekers. In addition to a free lunch, there are various activities available such as craftwork, games, and the use of computers and sewing machines. Alternatively, some people come along to just talk to friends and have a cup of tea.

Before the visit, Jon said: “Asylum seekers face a lot of trauma and hardship. They flee their homes, often in fear of their lives, and many of them are separated from their families. City of Sanctuary does a lot of good work in helping asylum seekers and providing the humanitarian assistance they need. I'm looking forward to visiting their drop-in centre.”

Leicester City of Sanctuary is a voluntary organisation and is run entirely by volunteers on donations and small grants. In addition to the drop in the charity provides the following services:

Jon Ashworth visited the Sure Start centre on Barnard Close on Thursday 11 April to meet with parents and young children at the Highfields-based centre.

The visit came just after the government's cuts to Statutory Maternity Pay. From 6 April 2013 Statutory Maternity Pay has been restricted to a 1 per cent annual increase, instead of being uprated by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This will result in a real-terms cut, meaning that by 2015 new mothers will receive £180 less in their maternity pay.

Speaking before the event, Jon said: “As of Saturday 6 April, new mums will have to pay a heavy price for the government's cuts to maternity pay. The Chancellor's own figures show that working mums on maternity leave will lose up to £180. At a time when family finances have been hit like never before, this government has chosen to hit families and new mums yet again.”

The real terms cut in Statutory Maternity Pay is part of a series of cuts being faced by new mothers. Other cuts include those to child benefit, the scrapping of the £190 Health in Pregnancy Grant and the £250 Child Trust Fund, and reduced access to the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Jon commented: “All these cuts come at a time when the government is giving roughly 13,000 millionaires an average tax cut of over £100,000 per year. David Cameron promised to lead the most family-friendly government ever, but it seems that families are being worst hit by his policies.”

“Many of the women affected by these cuts will use Sure Start centres. These centres provide excellent, much-needed help to families in their communities."