Mount Carmel welcomed Sami Smithson from Hyndburn Council's Neighbourhood Board and Murray Dawson from Amazing Accrington, who came to speak to a focus group of Year 10 form captains and school council members. 

Hyndburn has recently received £20 million in Levelling Up funding, and Sami is responsible for heading up the board who will decide how that money is spent across the borough. 

As part of the process, they wanted to receive some feedback from groups of key stakeholders, including young people. The Year 10 pupils were asked about what they think is missing from the borough, what activities they travel outside Hyndburn for, and what they would like to see the money used for. They had some good ideas and were commended for their maturity and forward-thinking suggestions. 

Sami and Murray also spoke to the Head Boy and Head Girl, and asked them if they could facilitate a meeting between all the Head Boys and Girls of the Hyndburn schools, in order to hear proposals from the board and give a youth voice to the process throughout.