HEALTH and wellbeing is the biggest issue facing young people, a poll among Ceredigion youngsters has found.

Across the county, 2,160 young people aged between 11 and 18 - equal to 37 per cent of the cohort - voted in this year’s Make Your Mark ballot.

The figures made Ceredigion the only Welsh Authority to feature in the top 20 UK areas for percentage turnout.

The youngsters took part in the Make Your Mark ballot in February this year to “have a say on the biggest issues facing young people.”

The annual ballot, which has been running for more than a decade, focuses on matters such as health and education.

Health and Wellbeing was the most voted topic by Ceredigion’s young people with 483 votes, closely followed by Jobs, Money, Homes and Opportunities with 451 votes.

Environment received 405 votes, and Education and Learning gathered 371 votes.

Other matters also voted on were Poverty, Covid-19 Recovery and Our Rights & Democracy.

Ceredigion Youth Council’s annual event, which will be held again later this year, will focus on a number of these important topics, whereby young people will raise questions with a panel of guest speakers.

Gwion Bowen, Children and Young People’s Participation Officer, Ceredigion Youth Service said: “It’s vitally important that young people are given a platform to raise their voice, particularly on issues which affect them.

“The Make Your Mark Campaign is a valuable opportunity for young people aged between 11 and 18 across Ceredigion to influence the topics discussed as part of the UK Youth Parliament programme, and we’re pleased that so many young people participated this year.

“We’d like to thank our team of youth workers, secondary schools and further education colleges across the county for supporting us to host the ballot again this year.”