Budding young politicians from Ceredigion have been “inspired’ after a trip to Westminster to meet with MP Ben Lake.

Aeron Dafydd, a Ysgol Bro Teifi pupil who represents Ceredigion in the UK Youth Parliament and Rosa Waby, a pupil at Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig and Chair of Ceredigion Youth Council travelled to London to meet with Mr Lake on 10 September.

The visit included a tour around Westminster from Ben Lake, a question and answer session, meeting staff and other MPs, and an opportunity to sit in the viewing gallery and listen to debates that were happening in the chamber.

Aeron Dafydd, Ceredigion’s UK MYP said: “Visiting Westminster was an inspiring and eye-opening experience.

“Seeing the Members of Parliament in action and witnessing a live debate gave me a deeper understanding of the political process.

“It has strengthened my passion for making a meaningful impact in public life."

Rosa Waby, Ceredigion Youth Council Chair said: “This experience has given us a valuable insight into the inner workings of UK Parliament, as well as space to discuss the important concerns of young people.

“Opportunities like this enable us to further strengthen the relationship between our local Youth Council and the UK Government, allowing us to empower young people’s voices.”

Gwion Bowen, Ceredigion’s Senior Children and Young People’s Participation Officer added: “We are extremely grateful to Ben Lake and his office for allowing us such a great opportunity once again this year.

“We enjoyed travelling to London and spent the afternoon with Ben, exploring ‘behind the scenes’ of the Westminster Parliamentary estate, and learning more about the role of MPs and their work.

“The young people were inspired by the opportunity and we thoroughly enjoyed the experienced.”

Mr Lake said: "It was a real pleasure to welcome Aeron and Rosa to Westminster.

“It was encouraging to see young people engaging with politics because ultimately, they are the future of our democracy, and their enthusiasm is vital for shaping a better society.

“I hope the visit was both informative and enjoyable for them, offering a deeper understanding of how our political system works.”