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Leaders in Catholic Education meet MPs at the Palace of Westminster

February 11, 2026

L-R: Diocesan Schools Commissioners Peter Sweeney, Westminster; Peter Knight, Cardiff Menevia; Steve Bell, Birmingham; Helen Brown, Plymouth and Julie Oldroyd

A Parliamentary Reception to celebrate Catholic Education in England and Wales took place in the Palace of Westminster on 10 February. The Catholic Education Service, Diocesan Schools Commissioners and Trust CEOs were represented at the event, which was also attended by Bishop Marcus Stock, the Catholic Bishop of Leeds.

Arundel & Brighton diocesan Director of Education, Julie Oldroyd, who took part in the event, reported afterwards that: "there was the opportunity to meet and talk with MPs from our respective dioceses and we were joined by the Secretary of State, The Right Hon Bridget Phillipson, who was present for Bishop Marcus Stock’s address in which he affirmed the role of the 2,100 Catholic schools educating over 850,000 pupils."

During the event, Julie was pleased to meet with with local MPs Zoe Franklin, MP for Guildford; Peter Lamb, Crawley; Ben Spencer, Runneymede and Weybridge, and Joss Edwards, Parliamentary Assistant to Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

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