Hearing What Matters to Young People at the Hungerford Youth Forum

One of the most rewarding parts of being an MP is hearing directly from young people about the issues affecting their lives. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Hungerford Youth Forum, alongside Jerry Keates, the Mayor of Hungerford.

The young group members we met had come prepared with a range of important questions covering important topics that are having a real impact on young people today. These included anxiety and mental health, bullying, and the challenges some face with transport to and from school in this rural area of the constituency. It was encouraging to see the confidence with which forum members shared their experiences and spoke about the changes they would like to see.

What impressed me most was the enthusiasm and honesty of the young people in the room. Their willingness to ask challenging questions and contribute to the discussion demonstrated a genuine desire to make a positive difference in their communities.

It was an opportunity not only to listen to their concerns but also to explain how local government works, the role of elected representatives, and how decisions are made on issues that affect residents.

I would like to thank everyone at the Hungerford Youth Forum for the warm welcome and for organising such a worthwhile session. Creating opportunities for young people to be heard is incredibly important, and forums like this play a vital role in building confidence, encouraging civic engagement and ensuring that young people's perspectives are part of the conversation.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the group and look forward to hearing more from them in the future. Their passion, insight and commitment to their community give me great confidence for the future.