Parliamentary Action Day 2025: Campaign Champions lead the charge for Global Education

On Tuesday 10 June 2025, Campaign Champions from across the UK came together in Westminster to take part in Send My Friend to School’s Parliamentary Action Day 2025. This inspiring day of action placed youth voices front and centre in the call for the UK Government to protect education in the upcoming cuts to the aid budget.

Campaign Champions assemble with Send My Friend Banners in Westminster

The Campaign Champions focused their advocacy on three core themes: the negative impact of UK aid cuts on global education; the importance of investing in education through funds such as Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education; and a spotlight on girls’ education and ensuring inclusive access for all.

Eight schools from across the UK attended: Blue Coat School, Coventry; Commonweal School, Swindon; Folkestone Girls’ School, Folkestone; Manor CofE Academy, York; Merstham Park, Surrey; St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, Birmingham; Upton-by-Chester High School, Chester; and Whitburn CofE Academy, Sunderland.

The Campaign Champions began the day with a guided tour of Parliament, hosted by MP Bambos Charalambous, who played a key role in welcoming and supporting the group. The tour gave the Campaign Champions a powerful insight into how democracy works and how their voices can influence national decisions.

In the meeting with Baroness Chapman, the Campaign Champions raised their concerns about the devastating impact cuts to the UK aid budget will have on access to education around the world. On a subsequent Bond civil society call, Baroness Chapman praised the young people as “really well informed and making the case brilliantly.”

Campaign Champions meeting with the Minister for Development, Baroness Chapman

In a moving moment of international solidarity, four Campaign Champions, accompanied by the Campaign Officer and Philip from Oxfam Uganda, represented Young Ambassadors, Queen and Santos, from Uganda, who were unable to attend due to visa rejections.

They delivered a letter which laid out a strong, evidence-based case for why the UK must urgently reprioritise education in its aid spending. Written by the Campaign Champions, it highlighted concern for the 251 million children that are currently out of school and the 2.2 million more that are at risk of being out of school due to the aid cuts.

The letter urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to protect education funding within the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget and called on the UK to uphold its legacy as a global education leader by investing in funds like Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education — and to ensure that marginalised children, especially girls and those in conflict zones, are not left behind. Just as the young people were on their way to Downing Street we heard that the data had been updated and that the statistic of 251 million children out of school is in fact 272 million, highlighting just how significant the message the young people were carrying to the door of No.10 is.

Campaign Champions, Campaign Officer Shuhra Koofi and Philip Talemwa from Oxfam Uganda handing in the letter at No.10 Downing Street

With over 20 MPs attending the dynamic drop-in session in the afternoon, the room was abuzz with conversation, questions and plans for action.

The Campaign Champions presented the MPs with their Send My Friend to School campaign materials, showcasing how they’ve been championing global education in their local areas. They shared personal reflections and got to the heart of the matter by asking the MPs key questions.

Campaign Champions discussing the campaigning they have been doing in their school with Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central

Campaign Champions reflected on the impact of the day, saying,

“The Parliamentary action day was really useful and had a significant impact on my belief of equity for all. By taking part in the parliamentary action day, I was able to clearly share my views of what a global education means to individuals, communities and the global realm.”
Saachi and Matthias, Blue Coat School

“Our trip for parliamentary action day went smoothly and was a great experience. It helped us improve our public speaking and we felt the MPs listened to us. As a result of Laurence Turner MP, coming to our school, we met him again in London and he told us what actions he had taken to support global education. Its wonderful as a young teenager to feel like you are being listened to, especially by people in parliament.”
Cali and Elora, St. Thomas Aquinas School

See the question that Laurence Turner MP submitted on behalf of Cali and Elora here.

Parliamentary Action Day 2025 was a powerful demonstration of how youth voices are driving forward the movement for education for all. With just five years left to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4, their message to the government was clear:

“Let’s invest in education for economic growth, for a more peaceful world, and to give every child a strong foundation”
Campaign Champions, 2025