Over the weekend and on Armistice Day, communities right across our area gathered at war memorials to remember.

Every one of those services, from the biggest parades to the smallest village gatherings, is made possible by our Royal British Legion branches and the volunteers who stand alongside them. They sell poppies in the cold, organise wreaths and make sure no name is forgotten. They do it year after year, and they do it brilliantly.

It got me thinking about how much of what makes this area special is done not by the state, but by people who decide something needs doing and simply get on with it.

In recent weeks alone I have met a remarkable range of them. In Haslemere, CYC:D are exploring bringing the old HSBC building back to life as a home for wellness and fitness, while the Haslemere Youth Hub continues to provide an outstanding service for young people.

At Pierrepont Farm, the Surrey Hills Society is supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing through practical, hands-on farm work. The Optimise Foundation is helping more girls and women take up sport, and stay in it.

And in Farnham, residents of the Chantrys have been working hard to improve their neighbourhood. I was delighted to help them secure new fencing for the children’s play area.

I could go on. Farnham Beekeepers are quietly on the front line against the Asian hornet. The Rural Life Living Museum in Tilford has just opened a new learning space for the thousands of schoolchildren who visit each year.

Farnham Assist, the Lions and Farnham Runners turn out at every show and fête. There are the Deadwater Valley Trust and the Whitehill & Bordon Community Trust, and in Liphook the volunteers behind the football club and the veterans who launched this year’s Poppy Appeal.

Alongside them stand our family businesses: the pubs, salons, shops and rural enterprises that invest in our high streets, hire local people and keep money circulating in the local economy. They are as much a part of the fabric of our community as any charity.

There is a lesson in all of this. Too often the instinct in Westminster is that every problem needs a complex, state-built system to solve it. Sometimes it does. But so much of what works best in this country is community-led: local people who know their area, understand its needs and can act faster and more personally than any government programme ever could.

What they need from government is not to be replaced, but to be backed. That means fewer barriers, less red tape, and a tax system that does not penalise the family businesses that create local jobs.

That, to me, is what this country should be about, and it is something our communities do exceptionally well. I am always pleased to help and proud to champion them. If you are part of a group, initiative or local business making a difference, I would love to hear from you.