Hemel's Sammy Barry heard in the House of Lords

Youth Support Worker and Lib Dem activist Sammy Barry found a way to make waves in Parliament when a conversation with a visiting event-speaker led to a mention in the House of Lords and a call from the BBC...

Sammy organised a local event in Highfield, where Lib Dem Baroness Joan Walmsley came to lead a discussion on Health and Social Care in the UK.

"Afterwards I was walking back to my car with her and she mentioned that in the morning she was going to ask a question in debate about what's being done about the amount of girls self-harming. I commented and gave the example that in Hemel many school counsellors have been made redundant and some schools have no counselling service."

Sammy's concern was raised by the Baroness the following morning, as recorded in Hansard for 16th November 2017: "I visited an area yesterday where I was told that all the School Counsellors have had to be sacked because the schools cannot afford to pay them."

The BBC correspondent asked Baroness Walmsley about the issue and she referred them directly to Sammy for a comment, so within 24hrs Sammy went on the record in Parliament's Hansard and the BBC News website; Hemel Hempstead leading the debate and the news agenda!