Powys mayor wants to encourage junior councillors after 'humbling' award presentation to two extraordinary under 18 year-olds

Kathryn Pope and Erin Lois Coyle received the awards just before Christmas after showing great resilience, bravery and community spirit while overcoming huge personal health issues.

Kathryn, 10, battled a rare form of cancer to become a TV star raising awareness of childhood cancer

Kathryn was taken to Hereford Hospital in January 2024, when she was only eight years old, and she and her mum and dad Jayne Lyons and Ed Pope did not come home for six months.

Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer, Burkitt’s Lymphoma - one of only about three cases in Wales each – and she was transferred to Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff and immediately started her treatment, which consisted of a very intense of chemotherapy, regular lumbar punctures etc. 

After returning home in June 2024 Kathryn has continued her recovery, has become an ambassador for LATCH, the Welsh Children’s Charity which helped her and her family and  has appeared on television raising awareness about childhood cancers.

Erin volunteers at Park Run and has just completed cancer treatment after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. She continued attending parkrun events when she could while undergoing her treatment in Manchester.

Now she has started a ‘return to running’ six week plan, has inspired her mum and dad to get more active and she volunteers with numerous other local groups.

Builth Wells Mayor Councillor Mark Hammond told the town council at a recent meeting that he found the presentations humbling and eye-opening.

He said he spoke to the headteacher at Builth Wells Primary School when he presented Kathryn with her award and he said he would like junior representation at council meetings to see how it works.

Councillor Hammond said it would give youngsters a voice as they are not being heard at the moment and some attention needs to be given to issues they deal with and councils need to work on that.

“They learn about government at school and how it works and we would have to tailor their attendance at our meetings but they would represent the voice of the youth,” said Councillor Hammond.

“Remember these are young people who went through Covid and it has affected them and there could be community projects that they could be involved in and there could be some leadership potential somewhere along the line.”

He said they would also include older children at Ysgol Calon Cymru.

Councillor Lauren Pugh said: “I think it’s good, as someone who has grown up here. It will be good to listen to them. They are the future generation and working out what would make them stay in our community would be good. So many go to Hereford College now and leave the area and then they don’t come back and we are becoming an older population. It would be good to know what is drawing them elsewhere.”

Councillor Gwyn Davies said before Covid the council did talk about setting up a junior council and doing projects with the schools but it never happened.

New member Councillor Reverend Janet Day said: “People want to feel valued and part of the town and this would be a way of doing it, giving the youngsters a chance to do something which hitherto they have not had a chance to do.”

Members agreed that Councillor Hammond should continue investigating the issue and report back to the council at the next meeting.