More than 20 young people from Tavistock were in London on Friday to meet local MP Geoffrey Cox.

The group, from Princetown Youth Club, paid a visit to Parliament as part of ‘Who makes the decisions?’- a Westden Communities in Action project designed to promote interest in, and understanding of, democracy and Government. By engaging them in role playing exercises and interactive workshops, and by giving young people the opportunity to meet politicians and key decision makers from all levels of government and the public services, the Devon charity Westden hopes to combat political apathy and to inspire and empower the teenagers.

Mr Cox arranged a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament for the group, all of whom were aged between 11 and 16, and then spent an hour answering their questions.

Geoffrey Cox said:

“I was delighted to meet the group. The Westden’s Project has an incredibly important role to play in showing these young people how decisions made here in Westminster directly affect their lives. It is a very worthwhile scheme and I am extremely pleased to be able to meet some of those involved today.”

This was the fourth group of children to travel to Westminster at Mr Cox’s invitation in recent weeks. Classes from St Giles on the Heath, Exbourne and Highampton Primary Schools have also visited the capital in the last month in order to meet their MP.

11 July 2006