Delighted students from the Orpheus Centre in Godstone had the opportunity to quiz their local parliamentary candidates this week when four of the candidates stopped by on Wednesday morning for a question and answer session.  Labour candidate, Matt Rodda, Conservative candidate Sam Gyimah, Lib Dem candidate, David Lee and the Independent candidate, Sandy Pratt each introduced themselves and explained what sort of policies they stood for to the group of young adults who are all disabled performing arts students.  The students were then able to ask the candidates questions about issues relating to their own special needs such as transport for the disabled amd funding for specialist healthcare, as well as more general questions on subjects such as education.

The Orpheus Centre has 19 residential students, all aged between 19 and 25 who will be voting in next week's General Election.  Work Experience Co-ordinator at the Orpheus Centre, Patti Thomas-Verweij who organised the visit by the candidates, said afterwards:  "Last year I took a bus-load of students down to vote at the local election but only two of them voted.  The others said that they didn't really understand what the different parties stood for.  This time around I thought it might help the students to decide who to vote for if they had the opportunity to meet the various candidates and ask them questions.

"I think today's event went very well, better than I expected.  The students were really pleased to have the chance to speak to the politicians."

The politicians also felt they had benefitted from the event which gave them the chance to learn more about the challenges faced by disabled people every day and the areas of particular concern for disabled residents of East Surrey.

To find out more about the Orpheus Centre go to www.orpheus.org.uk