Thursday 13 March 2014

Welcoming Harriet Barrett to Westminster and Number 10 Downing Street


Last week Harriet Barrett, from Ponteland High School, was invited down to London to celebrate International Women’s day on Thursday 6th March.


Harriet was awarded the opportunity, having undergone an intense selection process at school. I know she had a great time on her first trip to London. Indeed the first door she knocked on was Number 10 Downing Street! We decided to do a traditional handshake outside, as you can see.
We asked her what she thought: Harriet said: ‘The tour of number 10 was rather surreal, an incredible way to start my first visit to London.’

Harriett was joined by young women from Sixth forms across the country, as the purpose of the visit was to ‘inspire change’ and try and encourage more young women to engage with politics. Harriet shadowed me and the rest of the team around the House of Commons and in our small office, and saw firsthand the work we do.
The visit culminated in the Speakers Apartments where Jon Bercow, the House of Commons Speaker, and Maria Miller, the Secretary of State and Minister for Women and Equalities met and chatted to all the visiting students.