29th August - Second Jack Abbott Summer School Comes to a Close

My 2026 Summer School came to a close a week ago and I wanted to share some thoughts and say a number of thank yous.

My first steps into politics came 15 years ago when I joined Gavin Shuker's Summer School, and it is an enormous privilege to be able to use my position to 'pass it on' and do the same for young people in Ipswich and Suffolk.

A fortnight-long programme like this simply couldn't happen without incredibly generous support, so I'm deeply grateful to Kevin Craig/PLMR, GMB and the Suffolk Co-operative Party for their funding, Greater Anglia for getting us to Westminster and back, and Oliver Drury/East of England Co-op for keeping us fed!

Thank you to all the wonderful, brilliant people who took the time to share their experiences, provide unique insights and pass on advice: Sophie Nazemi, Caitlin Prowle, Alex Hackett, Rebecca Sharples, Oliver Rouane-Williams, Paul Geater, Jon Wright, Petra Underwood, Peter Roberts, Caitlin Whittaker, Jade Pallister, Richie Ross, Lee Walker, Katy Robinson, Jason Alexander, Bryony Rudkin and Mark Murphy.

To all the organisations who lent us their spaces - University of Suffolk, PLMR, Birketts, BBC Radio Suffolk, Brighten The Corners, Suffolk New College and Ipswich Regent Theatre - thank you for providing such amazing environments for us to work in.

My exceptional team work exceptionally hard all year round, but it takes an enormous effort in planning and delivering such a packed two-week agenda, alongside hosting a number of community meetings and keeping our ever-busy office running as normal. So a particular thank you to Niamh, Oscar, Polly, Francesca, Saskia, David, Erin and Poppy.

Some thoughts and takeaways. It takes some bravery to apply for something like this. You don't know what to expect when you sign up for two weeks of your summer and you are meeting totally new people who are all at different stages in their life.

Yet, I saw people throwing themselves into everything, overcoming nerves to 'have a go', and soaking up every conversation and every experience. You couldn't ask for any more.

What struck me too was their values and their decency. They were determined to make a positive impact on their community campaigns, and thought deeply about what sort of legacy they could leave. They also looked after each other, and I could see real bonds and genuine friendships developing.

At the end of the fortnight, each member of the Summer School gave a presentation on their campaigns and delivered a one-minute speech. It was a moment where you could see how some people have blossomed and grown in just two weeks. For me personally, I felt such energy, pride and inspiration.

So, my final thank yous go to Anna, Caiomhe, Charlotte, Daniel, Ella, Ellie, Erin, Galina, Hux, Jacob, Jessica, Joe, Kathryn, Matilda, Nick, Oliver, James and Ted for being such a special group of people, my 2026 Summer School.