As part of UK Parliament week, North Swindon Justin Tomlinson MP hosted local Brownies from Highworth & Greenmeadow in his community office on the Orbital, to talk about his role as MP and how Parliament works.
The Brownies passed one of five parliamentary bills for UK Parliament Week as Justin spent the week visiting schools and local groups to try and engage youngsters with democracy and Parliament.
Chris Humphries, Journalist at the Swindon Advertiser, wrote the following article to summarise the week:
Young people from across Swindon got a taste of life as an MP last week.
On Thursday, Justin Tomlinson visited Haydonleigh Primary School before welcoming Brownies from Greenmeadow and Highworth to his North Swindon office. On Friday he hosted a special assembly at Swindon Academy’s primary school.
The events were part of Parliament Week, an initiative aimed at boosting engagement and understanding across the country.
During the visits, the youngsters were invited to take on the role of MPs and Peers. They were guided through the process of getting their own law - introducing more school sport - through Parliament.
The Bill began with the MPs, was sent to the Lords, then came back to the MPs again. Each time it was amended slightly in an effort to reach a compromise both houses were happy with.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “It’s one of my favourite parts of the role, introducing young children to what an MP does. It’s always great to see how much enthusiasm they have. It’s important for the future of democracy that young people understand how Parliament works and how an MP is there to represent people of all ages.”
Phil Jacobs, Headteacher at Swindon Academy, said: “Understanding how democracy works is an important life skill,” he said. “Today has been a showcase for that. Children from our community can achieve anything and go anywhere.”
Stephanie Gould, one of the leaders at 3rd Greenmeadow Brownies, said of her girls’ Parliament Week experience: “The themes of this event tie in with the values Girl Guiding wants to deliver to its members. Experiences like this help to empower these girls.”
