Last
Monday, Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock,
welcomed students from the Alternative Education Programme in Basildon to
Parliament for a tour and catch up.
The
Programme takes places five days a week at Southern Hay Youth Hub and gives
students in year 11 who have struggled to engage well in formal schooling the
opportunity to learn valuable skills for later life.
Mr
Metcalfe has been a big supporter of the programme and having been hosted at
the Youth Hub on a number of occasions was keen to reciprocate the invite in
the Houses Parliament.
The
students were treated to a tour of the House of Commons and House of Lords
before meeting with the local MP in the grand setting of Westminster Hall.
He later
commented: “Having been to the Youth Hub, I was extremely keen to get the young
people to Parliament. It is a very enriching place and I am glad that
they got to get a feel of that and an insight into the way Parliament works.”
“It was
also great to catch up with some familiar faces and find out what they have
been up to since we last met. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all
those who work so hard on bringing the program to life and I look forward to
seeing more of their students here in Westminster in the future. In the
meantime, I will continue to support them in whatever way I can.”
