Myself

I once got really close to being able to do a triathlon. When it came to event day, gale force winds and exams (mere days later) put me off the idea. Ever since, I have been trying to live down the shame brought upon me, partially externally supplied but majority internal. Now I get to do something a little less hard in the name of charity - so please give generously. 

In the spirit of mental fortitude for the test to come, I did dry January. This was so I could cut down on the 'social' smoking that I find myself so inexorably drawn to, and give my respiratory system a fighting chance. To top if off, I only told people that I was making this gallant sacrifice in the region of forty times. That was the hardest part. 

That is how hard I've worked already. If you don't fork over at least something then how can you live with yourself?

It is my good fortune to work in the legal profession in the public sector. They have made inroads in making their recruits more reflective of the society which we serve. This is a tendency that feels as though it is on an upward trend broadly across both industries, but there is more to be done. Charities such as Young Citizens engage minds early on in school, and expose them to civic life in the interests of promoting awareness of how the state and judiciary operate. 

Access to role models that can serve as a tangible window to careers, previously thought of as distant and unattainable, can provide society with the lawyers and civil servants of the future - from backgrounds that are as yet underrepresented. 

The Charity

Young Citizens helps young people to become active, engaged and motivated citizens by improving their understanding of the law, their rights and responsibilities and by helping them to engage in democratic society through social action. Each year Young Citizens work supports 350,000 children and young people. Since 1989, Young Citizens has helped generations of young people to become engaged and active citizens. Young Citizens work ranges from immersive learning projects where young people learn about the legal justice system to empowering children to take action on social issues they care about most. They empower teachers and volunteering professionals with specialist training and resources to work with young people. They also campaign to persuade those in power of the importance of high quality citizenship education for every young person, whoever they are.