Forty miles an hour winds and driving rain blew our delegates to Lancaster for the summer Young England and Wales Programme. While the unseasonal weather persisted outside, the group got down to three days of thoughtful papers, discussion, group work and illuminating speakers – all in an atmosphere of friendly, mutual support. On the final evening, Emily Ure (right) from the FSCS was named England and Wales Young Thinker of the Year 2017 (a joint award with the winner of the spring programme) for her "powerful, persuasive, wide-ranging paper on the decriminalisation of personal drug use...a fluent argument matched by the eloquence of the writing". Click here for more information.

Booking is open now for the Young Ireland Programme 2017 and the Autumn 2017 Young Scotland Programme. Held in Scotland every year, this joint international gathering is always lively and inspiring. Click here to go to the Young Ireland page for more information – and here for Young Scotland details. Alternatively, click here for the Winter Young Scotland Programme, held in November every year.