Matthew Trafford

The best thing about studying Politics at Edge Hill University was gaining insight into how politics really works, doing work experience in Parliament and making friends for life. I was lucky to meet so many interesting people.

The thing that was most memorable for me, was the support of my tutor. I was a local councillor in South Ribble while I did my studies, and I needed help to juggle both roles. My tutor was incredibly supportive and encouraging.

My Politics degree really challenged a lot of my thinking and helped me understand politics more widely. Although I was already a member of a political party, the degree gave me a wider knowledge about all political parties and all aspects of politics. It really widened my political horizon. Moreover, I met many people from the world a politics, which helped me later in my work life.

My initial interest in Politics was sparked by the Hillsborough disaster. My father was one of the survivors. Seeing the impact politicians like Andy Burnham had in offering support to victims’ families and to survivors made me understand how politics can change people’s lives.

I continue to be motivated by that spark in my current work. By helping an MP with her work, I can ensure that people who have been written off or from a disadvantaged background get the support they need and the best opportunities.

As a Communication Officer my role is to help my MP get her message out to the communities in her constituency. I communicate about her work to the people who live in that constituency, and I liaise with the press. I write speeches and I take part in important conversations about how to address certain issues from a communication angle. I help the team understand that whatever everyone is doing needs to be done from the perspective of what the constituents care about.

My advice to someone interested in studying Politics at Edge Hill is become a student, complete the degree, but also get involved in community work or local campaigning, to understand how organisations work at a grassroots level. This will be invaluable to employers.