If there were ever any suggestion that the Conservative Party was taking victory for granted it would surely have been dispelled on Monday when 15 senior MPs and shadow ministers descended on the Eltham constituency to knock on doors and deliver leaflets!

I have always said this will be a tough contest against a man who has been in Parliament for as long as New Labour has been in government.   That is why I have worked tirelessly ever since I was selected by a public vote nearly four years ago.

I am grateful to Francis Maude and Andrew Mitchell, both Shadow Cabinet Ministers with heavy workloads, for sparing the time to visit residents in Eltham and Blackheath respectively.  I am also grateful to the three shadow Home Office ministers who visited Eltham and Kidbrooke, the shadow energy minister who chatted to local residents explaining why something needs to be done urgently to stop the lights going out across Britain thanks to the dithering of the current government.  I was delighted to have a shadow education minister meet residents to discuss their children's hopes for the future, and to have a shadow minister for international trade and development, a shadow foreign affairs minister (who had to dash off to meet a minister from Egypt!), and the Shadow Minister for London who met local shop keepers as well as residents.

And what did all this achieve?  Firstly, that even this close to the general election the Conservative shadow ministerial team is in listening mode.  They understand people are angry with the current government for the betrayal of their aspirations and that it will take faith to trust any politician again.  Secondly, that for all the talk of a glossy campaign and pumping money into the marginal seats nothing can replace talking face to face with the people who decide which party runs the country from May onwards.  And finally, that nobody is too grand to deliver a leaflet to an Eltham resident, not me and certainly not a member of the Shadow Cabinet!

I had the pleasure of returning to Blackheath Halls today for a meeting to discuss funding, and the huge amount of work done in partnership with the local community.  I originally visited in the Summer when I attended the Community Opera, a great occasion that brought together children from a number of local schools on stage with professional and amateur opera performers.  Today I popped in to hear the final rehearsals for a performance of The Turn of the Seasons, performed by children from local schools.  Their singing - and behaviour - was fantastic!

Although the Halls receives some funding from both Greenwich and Lewisham Councils, most of their income is from concerts and hire fees and the generosity of supporters.  This is a fantastic facility in the heart of the local community.  If you've yet to visit, do so soon!