Shortlist of candidates to be Member of Youth Parliament

Current MYP Louis Tweedale and Deputy MYP Anita Okunde

The New Year has got off to a great start for six of the borough’s young people as they are announced as finalists in the battle to be the next Member of Youth Parliament for the Rochdale Borough.

Candidates were shortlisted and 14 applicants were invited to attend an interview evening, facilitated by the youth service, where they faced a set of challenges. They were then whittled down to the final six following a vote from young people attending.

The six candidates to be the next Member of Youth Parliament for Rochdale borough are:

• Anita Okunde, aged 14, from Kingsway Park High School. Anita is the current Deputy Member of Youth Parliament for the borough
• Kate Cook, 16, former pupil of Wardle Academy and now attends Rochdale Sixth Form College
• Current Member of Youth Parliament, Louis Tweedale, 16, former pupil of Hollingworth Academy and now attends Rochdale Sixth Form College, also has his hat in the ring for another term
• Nikola Warchon, aged 13, student at Holy Family School
• Sam Catlow-Ramirez, aged 16, former pupil of Hollingworth Academy and now student at Rochdale Sixth Form College
• Sidra Hussain, aged 14, pupil at Hollingworth Academy.

Councillor Kieran Heakin, Rochdale Borough Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I always find these youth parliament elections really interesting, to see the passion and enthusiasm from our young people on topics that matter to them is really powerful. I’m looking forward to seeing their manifestos and seeing them campaign for votes across schools.”

The candidates will now start their election campaign, speaking to young people across the borough on their manifesto points. Ballot papers will be arriving in schools and pupils across the borough will vote on their next Member of Youth Parliament.