Chair of the Caerphilly Youth Forum presents Council Leader with Coronavirus time capsule

The Leader of Council, Cllr. Philippa Marsden was presented with a Coronavirus time capsule by Lottie Davies the Chair of the Caerphilly Youth Forum.

Back in March 2020, the Youth Forum quickly transitioned to online meetings as the Country entered lockdown restrictions. Like many services it was the first time they operated in a virtual world to host meetings.

Technology allowed the Youth Forum to stay connected and they embraced the new meeting space by attending regular ‘Social Zoom Night’ as well as balancing important meetings with the First Minister for Wales, Mark Drakeford and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland, where they represented young people across Wales to share their views.

Having played such a vital role during the Pandemic the Youth Forum Members felt it was important to document how young people were living through the pandemic in 2020. The Youth Forum asked young people across the borough to send in photos, artwork, drawings, poems, small items etc. that captured how life had changed. The response was overwhelming and all the items were put in a time capsule.

Lottie Davies, a pupil of Islwyn High and Chair of the Youth Forum said, “I think making a Covid-19 time capsule will allow us to look back on the tough time we have all been through and a reminder of our resilience as a community”

Cllr. Philippa Marsden, Leader of Council said, The Youth Forum are young innovators, they were set up in a virtual forum almost immediately and were looking at new ways of communicating and ensuring the voices of young people were represented at the highest level, I am incredibly proud of their achievements.”

She continued, “The time capsule is a fantastic idea and it is my pleasure to place it in the wall of Penallta House Chamber as a reminder of how young people demonstrated such strength of character and determination to overcome the many difficulties the Pandemic brought.”