Keighley MP Ann Cryer plans to take her Saturday morning surgery to more local communities.

She will also hold her first 'meet the MP' coffee morning so villagers can chat with her informally over a cuppa.

Braithwaite, East Morton, Steeton and Oxenhope are being added to a programme that already includes Lawk-holme and Silsden.

Mrs Cryer introduced community surgeries soon after her election to add to the traditional monthly town centre sessions. She has an 'open door' policy so she can listen to problems or complaints, even if it is not strictly about government business. Constituents can talk in private on a first-come-first-served basis rather than having to make an appointment.

Mrs Cryer says: "I speak to whoever walks through the door. I'm often amazed by what people bring.

"Sometimes I'm their last hope, but we always try to help, and we can be successful. Sometimes just listening is enough.

"I often have a queue of 20 people at Keighley town hall and have to be fairly strict about how long each person has."

Mrs Cryer is sending letters to all Oxenhope residents inviting them to her first-ever 'tea meeting' this winter.

The informal get-together will allow visitors to chat with her in a less formal way.

Mrs Cryer is copying the idea from a veteran constituency MP who addressed new colleagues like her soon after the General Election.

Lesley Wright, development worker at the Whinfield Centre in Braithwaite, says the interest shown by Mrs Cryer is wonderful for the estate.

Surgeries: Keighley Town Hall, tomorrow, January 31, February 28, March 28, April 18, 10-11am; Whinfield Centre, January 17, 10-11am, Sangat Centre, 12.30-2pm; East Morton First School, March 14, 10-11am; Eastwood First School, April 4, 10-11am; Steeton Methodist Chapel, May 2, 10-11am.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.