Once again, Barry joined with the congregation at All Saints Church, Queensbury to read the lesson. As the picture shows it was a dynamic affair with the children putting on a display of fashion made entirely out of garbage.

On 27^th April 2012 Barry took Dr. Mark Chambers, a leading environmental scientist working on bovine TB, into the sixth form at Copland to present a discussion about the interface between Science and Policy making. They asked the class to choose one student to act as the government minister who had to take the decision about whether to cull badgers in an attempt to reduce TB in cattle – a disease which costs £100million each year. There was a great discussion and some really trenchant questions asked by the students.

Barry and Mark also visited a Year 10 class making a presentation on renewable and non-renewable energy before asking questions of the panel which included Barry Gardiner MP, and Mr. Kevin Alderton, a science teacher at the school.

On 26^th March 2012 Barry took part in a question and answer session at a Fabian/Amnesty International conference on "Climate Justice: Meeting the Fairness Test".

The conference addressed environmental changes and their impact on society. As part of the conference, much research was presented showing who would be most vulnerable to the effects of environmental change and how best to ensure fairness when bringing in policies to encourage such change. Various differing arguments were put forward as to how best to raise awareness of these effects and to ensure discussion on the subject.

For more information on Amnesty International please click here or for more information on the Fabian Society please click here. 

On 11^th April 2012 Barry spoke in a debate hosted by The Earth Debates at the Natural History Museum and chaired by BBC Environmental Correspondent, Richard Black.

The debate focused on the issue of managing the supply of food for an ever increasing global population and was part of a series of debates addressing the key issues of encouraging environmental awareness, food management and the green economy, in preparation of the Rio + 20 Earth Summit.

To view the full debate please click here.

For more information about The Earth Debates please click here.

For more information about the Rio +20 Earth Summit please click here.

Last March, Barry paid a visit to Claremont High School, where he met with Year 9 students and enjoyed a lively discussion about politics and tackling racism. On March 19th, the Year 9 students returned the favour as they visited Barry for a tour of the Parliamentary estate. The students had the unique opportunity to see Westminster Hall at its most splendid as Parliament prepared for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee speech.

14 March 2012 - Barry has presented a motion to Parliament to condemn anti-Semitic demonstrations in Latvia, and calling on the Latvian Government to oppose these deeply offensive events. So far 20 other Members of Parliament have signed Barry's motion.

Known as "March 16 demonstrations", the marches were first staged by a far right organisation Club 415 and attract considerable support from far right groups. Barry pledged to raise the matter in Parliament after he was contacted by a Lativian constitutent whose family had been victims of the Holocaust.

The full text of the motion, which has been supported by Members of Parliament from across the political divide, can be read here.