Lucy Madden is an MA English Literature student at the University of Durham where she is currently studying feminist poetics in Irish poetry. She began debating at school when she participated in the Debating Matters competition 2006-7 where her team won the national finals. Since then, Lucy has maintained strong links with competition, mentoring students and judging and chairing debates in local and regional rounds in the North East. With a keen interest in current affairs, Lucy has also edited online student magazine The Bubble, also writing articles on a range of subjects such as the Equality Act 2010, anti-social behaviour and foreign policy.

Lucy is currently working with The Great Debate on our Schools Programme and will be a judge at the Newcastle University Year of Sustainability school debate event in November 2011.