For the last two years I’ve welcomed a group of wonderful and inspirational people into parliament. They’re not the kind of people who normally make it to the Commons and I love being part of changing that.

The Association of Colleges run an award for people who have succeeded in life against the odds thanks to further education. I had to return to secondary school at the age of 25 to start all over again so I am desperately keen to celebrate other people’s journey’s to success, however unconventional it may be.
The atmosphere in the room was just amazing. I welcomed people there by saying that being in these fancy rooms in parliament are amazing but sometimes intimidating, but they have as much right as any other person to be here and nothing should ever stop them from feeling comfortable.

I met two award winners from Brighton and Hove which was amazing! Congratulations to Jack and Cheryl from City College, it was so lovely to meet you both and hear your stories.
And then I rounded up a group of winners and led them out of the reception and snuck them onto the floor of House of Commons chamber as business was finished for the day. It was a lovely moment as none had been before. One youngster was so over-the-moon that he begged for a photo. He said his friends and family wouldn’t believe him without a photo as being there was so amazing. Sadly it would have been breaking the rules to allow this inspirational young man to have a photo there…and you all know how I hate breaking the rules…I’ll leave you to guess wether he left happy or not!

Thanks to everyone who came to parliament, I hope each and every one of you will carry on inspiring people like me. Yours, Peter