Passion and pocket money have launched a former Greenhead College student into the political melée ahead of this year’s general election.
After finishing his A Levels Sam Bright went on to set up a website, Backbench, in 2012 to air the political views of young people aged 15 to 25 - and has attracted serious interest from Parliament heavyweights.
Over 100 writers have contributed, including former Foreign Secretary David Blunkett, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Angela Eagle, leader of the Green Party Natalie Bennett and Dewsbury MP Simon Reevell. There are also regular contributions from editors of Oxford student magazines.
Now Sam, 20, hopes to raise £8,000 in crowdfunding investment towards setting up a Backbench magazine, which would be published four or five times a year.
Until now, he has funded the website at www.bbench.co.uk from his own pocket money and savings. However, he will be appealing for financial support on the Crowdfunder UK website between January 16 and February 27.
Sam only decided to study politics after visiting an A level open evening at Greenhead when he was looking for a subject to fit in with history, which he now studies at York University.
But the enthusiasm of his teachers was infectious and Sam got bitten by the political bug. His own articles have been featured in New Statesman, the Daily Mail and an article against the abolition of AS levels was Pick of the Week in the Independent’s i newspaper.
He said: “Since my A levels, my passion for politics has been unrelenting and setting up the website has occupied every single spare moment since then.
“This is a grass roots political movement, he fact that this young grass roots political movement has sprung up -and in the North -is really refreshing. It gives young people aged 15 to 25 the chance to air their views.
“If your writing is good enough, we will air your views and the website is gaining status, but there is only so much I can do with my pocket money!
“In the short term, I will be running the website and magazine - if we can get the funding - but it is my dream to do it as a full-time job. It is such an exciting time politically.
“My passion for politics would never have grown without studying the subject at A-level in a creative environment - an opportunity that Greenhead provided. This is one of the primary reasons why I am so keen for more young people to learn and write about current affairs.”
More information can be found on Twitter @backbench_UK.
