This year’s round of party conferences took place entirely online due to COVID-19.

Although the delegates dialled in remotely and I missed the usual hustle and bustle of the venues, there was still a full roster of fringe meetings taking place, as well as the main speeches.

I spoke in a total of seven events and round tables at the beginning of the week on a variety of topics connected with financial services and my ministerial brief.

An obvious highlight for me was the speech by my boss, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak. He reflected on the unprecedented raft of interventions we have made to support jobs and livelihoods through the pandemic.

As well as thanking the millions of people who worked tirelessly through the spring to stay loyal to their staff, to make their businesses COVID secure and to keep going, he was very clear that the emergency help that has been proffered to date is just the start of a programme of measures to keep the economy resilient in the face of this extraordinary challenge.

It was heartening to hear him speak of our continuing commitment to not only support the worst hit sectors but to invest in the economy in the long term - developing skills, enabling people to seize opportunities and helping businesses reach their full potential.

Also this week, I followed up on a recent conversation with local farmers, meeting Lord Gardiner for a discussion of the future policy on tackling the threat of Bovine TB.

On Friday, I am back in Salisbury and looking forward to some in person engagements – visiting Manor Fields School, attending the Cathedral Council and catching up with Alabare and Salisbury Reds.

In recent months, I have enjoyed walking much of the constituency but, this weekend, I am taking on a new challenge – walking from Salisbury Cathedral to Winchester Cathedral via the Clarendon Way.

Of course, the superiority of Salisbury is not in doubt, but I hope the weather stays fine enough to enjoy the journey on the famous route, from the south of Salisbury and on into the Test Valley countryside!