Phoenix High's Rahima Re-elected H&F's Member of Youth Parliament

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While Burlington Danes' Darnell is elected deputy member

Two students from Shepherd's Bush have been elected to represent Hammersmith & Fulham in the UK Youth Parliament at a ceremony last week.

Rahima Begum, 17, of Phoenix High School in White City was announced H&F’s member of youth parliament on Wednesday evening for the second year running after securing 1,673 votes.

Rahima said she was delighted to be re-elected and wants to encourage more people to get involved in youth parliament.

She said: " We’re more diverse than Parliament itself. There are so many people from different areas with different ideas and political views.

" You adapt to that environment. You feel like it’s yours and accept there’s more than what you thought you had. You get so many opportunities."

Darnell Christie, 16, of Burlington Danes Academy in White City came second with 1,398 votes, taking the post of deputy member of youth parliament for the borough.

The announcement by the borough’s mayor, Cllr Mercy Umeh, in Hammersmith Town Hall was the result of weeks of campaigning by young candidates. Elections were held at schools, youth clubs at other venues across the borough over the last fortnight.

Cllr Sue Macmillan, H&F Cabinet Member for Children and Education, gave a speech congratulating all who took part. She said: “The passion and determination showed by all the young people was inspiring and is something I think we can all learn from.

“These young people really care about local and national issues and I look forward to working with Rahima, Darnell and the rest of the borough’s youth council.”

All six candidates in H&F were aged between 13 and 17 and all received a minimum of 150 votes.

They were Sèbastien Allen, Adam Carew, Yosef Mechti and Salsabeel Montague.

Before the results were announced, a video was shown of all the candidates' manifestos and they took part in a Q&A session in front of the audience of young people, parents, teachers, councillors and representatives of UK Youth Parliament.

 

March 30, 2015