Andrew Mitchell MP was invited to the city by Prospective Conservative MP Steve Brine who specifically wanted the Shadow Cabinet member to meet representatives from the charity.
His visit coincided with the annual trip to the UK of Om Prakash Sharma, who is the charity’s Programme Director in India.
Wells for India, which is based at The Winchester Centre in St George’s Street works with local partners on water related projects in Rajasthan, north west India. Their mission is to provide year round access to clean water for drinking, cooking, washing, care of animals, crops and basic sanitation.
Mr Mitchell and Steve Brine met with Om Prakash Sharma and Jos Garbett, the Operations Manager for the charity at the Bishop on the Bridge in central Winchester. He was shown a short presentation about their work in Rajasthan and answered questions about the approach any future Conservative Government would take in International Development policy.
Jos Garbett said; "Andrew Mitchell seemed genuinely interested to hear how we're using low-cost, sustainable technologies to provide safe, clean water for some of the poorest people in the world. This was a great opportunity to meet the Shadow Secretary of State, and we're grateful to Steve Brine for arranging it."
Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine added; “Wells for India is a successful and effective charity. It’s very much a Winchester organisation and we’re really proud of it so I was determined to bring the Shadow Secretary of State here to meet them. I know we have many problems at home but millions of people live every day without the basics and access to clean water is right at the top of that list. International Development will be central to the way a David Cameron administration approaches foreign policy, I hope Andrew learnt a lot from the Wells for India team and will take that knowledge into Government if we are elected next year.”
Wells for India : www.wellsforindia.org
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The Conservatives recently released a Green Paper entitled 'One World Conservatism' which outlines our approach to International Development. You can download the document in full here.
Pictured; Om Prakash Sharma, Andrew Mitchell MP and Steve Brine aside the River Itchen outside the Bishop on the Bridge