Amazing news that 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next #GeneralElection!

www.gov.uk/government/n...

But, already loads of vile comments piling in (see screenshots) — *this* is what adults in our society think about young people’s capacities & competence — makes me furious! 🤬

🎓 🎓 AND IT'S DONE! 🥳 🥳

7.5 years.
58 draft Word & PowerPoint files.
577 pieces of literature.

My #PhD is finished, submitted* & destined for my examiners.

All 319 pages & 111,712 words of it.

Time to lay down in a dark room... with wine… before the Viva prep begins! (Tips and advice welcome!)

America is doomed - they’ve elected a childish criminal who despises women, minorities and the most vulnerable.

And his VP is even worse this time around.

Watch the men, white and the wealthy benefit under his administration.

Missed #TheTraitors tonight… but for good reason.

We saw #Titanique, and it was BLOODY GLORIOUS.

The whole cast were amazing.

Laugh Out Loud hilarious and camp as anything 🌈

Go see! london.titaniquemusical.com

(Filmed with permission!)

Back after 3 weeks exploring the brilliantly vibrant Latin American cities of #Santiago 🇨🇱, #Mendoza & #BuenosAires 🇦🇷

Too many highlights for 1 post — not least the excellent steak, wine(!) & weather — so here’s a photo from a hike through a volcanic canyon in the Andes Mountains: just spectacular 😍

#PalladiumPanto: always hilarious, spectacular and full of festive fun… and always with a plot that’s impossible to follow 🤣

🎄🎁🎭

Managed to squeeze in a short festive trip to #Frankfurt, for our annual #ChristmasMarkets trip.

Festive indeed it was 🎄 despite the rain and flight cancellation chaos on the way home!

Now onwards to my last working week of 2024…!! 🙏

Absolute joy to spend a few days in #Brussels with a truly brilliant bunch of like-minded folks — other Advisory Board members & project consultants — to progress work on the ‘Climbing the Ladder of #YouthEngagement’ project 💙

Project details: climbingtheladder-project.eu

#YouthParticipation

Joined the ‘Christmas Tree Ceremony’ 🎄 tonight at the European Parliament at the invitation of the Lower Austrian Office — very festive!

The ways young people are engaged in the work of the #EuropeanCoR, through formal commissions, specific research pieces & partnerships with other groups like local youth councils & European Youth Forum👇

Another interesting visit to a #European institution — today, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) which represents and promotes the interests of local and regional authorities in European decision-making.

What’s particularly striking in this session is the sheer lack of diversity 🤯 — particularly people of colour.

Not a single person in this room is not White 😳

Currently listening to a panel debate — panel are 100% older white men.

*This* underlines the imperative of inclusive representation.

First time visiting the #EuropeanParliament & sitting in on a session of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) — super interesting to experience firsthand some of the mechanics and processes of the European political & parliamentary machine.

Saw the new #DevilWearsPrada musical. Sadly, not good.

Book was unimaginative & several plot points changed.

Set & music were lacklustre; titular song & act 1 finale were poor.

Staging & choreo were bland - inc some *key* moments.

Way off the mark IMHO. Really wanted to love it, but just didn’t.

#Edinburgh in wintertime is always so gorgeous 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Good to be joining this session tonight at Doughty St Chambers about #ChildRights and #ChildPoverty - key point being underlined: child poverty is a children’s rights violation.

OKAY Co-op — now we’re talking 😍

Cracked open this excellent bottle of #CabSav tonight (left)🍷

Bought it in 2019 from a gorgeous independent wine seller-come-wine bar while in #SoCal visiting family, and which had the most gorgeous view (right) 😍

#HappyPlace #Wine #California

Some interesting findings in this new DCMS pilot 'Youth Survey' on young people's #participation in 'after school activities' - including #youthsocialaction (in screenshot).

Full report, published on 7/Nov/24: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/672b4b...