On a visit to Burwell Village College this week, local MP, Lucy Frazer met with pupils who had very recently visited her at the Houses of Parliament.
The children gave a talk about their experience and what they learned from it. In particular they reflected on their reaction to the 'New Dawn' art installation, a contemporary sculpture by Mary Branson commemorating the long campaign that led to some women gaining the vote in 1918, and all women in 1928. It was first unveiled on 7 June 2016, the 150th anniversary of the first mass petition submitted to Parliament calling or women's suffrage (the right to vote). It measures over six metres high, the massive scale, intended to reflect the size of the campaign, and the unique hand-blown glass scrolls that make up its dawning sun reflect the many individuals who were involved in the movement and the special contribution they made to modern democracy. The contemporary light sculpture had clearly made quite an impression on the students.
Lucy then spent time answering their many questions about life as an MP and what drove her to become an MP. The most unusual question, Lucy remarked, was "Which animal is most important in a democracy?"
She continued, “It was a real pleasure to hear the children’s account of their visit to Westminster last month. I could see what an impact the visit had had and how they had been inspired. I was overwhelmed by the number of questions they had for me, all of which were well thought out and reflected their curiosity and interest in politics and what being an MP really involves.