My name is Lydia Bulmer and I am 24 years old. I have just graduated from the University of Wales Aberystwyth in International Politics and Third World Politics.
I have been involved with campaigning from a very young age. I remember at the age of four I ran with my father in the Sports Aid race. At nine years old I organised a bring and buy sale for Blue Peter. Then again at ten I organised a fundraising event for Brock Hospital for Animals, whereby I made a horse costume out of a second hand curtain. My friends dressed up as a horse with a rider and we marched up and down our local shopping centre collecting money and giving out fliers. It was also at this age I grew a passion for the environment and used to spend time collecting tin cans and recycling them.
At twelve I moved to France and my passion for the environment continued. Not being fluent yet in the French language I was not deterred from organising a sponsored walk for the WWF. This however being a flop I became a disenchanted teenager!
Returning to the UK at 18, I did not get involved in campaigning until I was 19 when I volunteered in my local Oxfam shop. This led to me wanting to do more, so I became involved in the Fairtrade initiative. With the outbreak of yet another drought in Africa I decided I had to do something so I collected money for and against having my hair shaved. This raised nearly £1000 for the appeal. I got myself elected to go to the Oxfam annual Assembly and decided I wanted to follow a career in this area.
Starting University just after September 11th 2001 and the outbreak of the Afghanistan war, Ii was appalled and decided to set up a student anti war group. This led to the reformation of the Aberystwyth Peace group and to the setting up of the Wales Coalition against the War, which I then became secretary. I helped out in the organisation of three consecutive peace festivals.
I attended the 2003 G8 Summit in Evian with Oxfam as a volunteer; helping them do their media work and running campaign stalls as well as attending the mass march to drop the debt.
More recently I have been working for Dialogue Direct and fundraising for some fabulous charities and NPO's.
My views have changed somewhat over the years, but one thing remains the same I want to make the world a better place. I want a world that is not riddled with corruption and inequality. I would like a world where everyone is equal no matter what their race, their colour, their disability (we all have abilities and disabilities, some are just more obvious than others) or their gender for we are all equals. I would like a world free of war whereby we have achieved positive peace.
But hey this is not about me it is about you....