Reaching out in the North West

Baroness Hayman met students at Manchester Creative and Media Academy (MC&MA), including five of the Academy’s students whose film was runner up in this year’s Lights, Camera, Parliament film competition.

Representatives of up to 40 organisations joined Baroness Hayman at the Wai Yin Chinese Women’s Society at an event organised by Voluntary Sector North West and Parliament to explore how these organisations can get involved in House of Lords work.

Later Baroness Hayman also met Manchester’s business community at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to discuss business engagement with the House of Lords, where recent debates developed proposals for supporting economic growth in the UK and whose influential Economic Affairs Committee checks and challenges government economic policies.

Speaking before the visite, Baroness Hayman said, “I am delighted to come to the north west – a part of the country with which I have strong personal connections – and to have the opportunity to speak to students at MC&MA, because I am particularly keen that Parliament should engage pro-actively with young people, who will be our next generation of voters.  In fact, I run an outreach programme from my own office, called Peers in Schools, and this academic year alone Members of the House of Lords have visited twenty or so schools and colleges in the north-west to tell them about the work we do. I am looking forward to meeting representatives of the vibrant voluntary and business communities here too, because it’s really important that people from all sectors hear about the work the House of Lords does on behalf of us all, and have the opportunity to be involved – that’s why I have come here today.”

Further information

Baroness Hayman is the first elected Lord Speaker. Her role involves overseeing business in the House of Lords Chamber and acting as an ambassador for the House of Lords.

• Lord Speaker
• Lords Select Committees: Economics Affairs Committee 

‘Lights, Camera, Parliament’ is a national film competition run by Parliament which asked 11-16 year olds in schools and youth groups across the UK: 'If you could make one law, what would it be?'. MC&MA’s entry proposed a law to enable schools to prosecute bullies.

• Watch MC&MA’s entry: ‘Who has the power? Schools have the right to prosecute bullies’ [external website]

The Manchester Creative and Media Academies (MC&MA) opened in September 2009 and links to one of six key industry growth areas in Manchester – creative media and digital technologies. Academies are designed to raise expectations and standards of achievement, and to facilitate the progression and employability of young people. See its website for more information.

• Manchester Creative and Media Academies [external website]

Wai Yin Chinese Women’s Society supports people to access support, guidance, training and employment. While its services are targeted at the Chinese community, it welcomes people from all communities. See its website for more information.

• Wai Yin Chinese Women’s Society [external website]

Voluntary Sector North West is the regional voluntary sector network for the North West.  This event is part of VSNW’s Improving Representation project, which aims to strengthen the influence of the sector in regional and national decision-making. See its website for more information.

• Voluntary Sector North West [external website]

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is the largest Chamber of Commerce in the UK with over 5000 members. See its website for more information.

• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce [external website]