It was announced in The Times this month that Harry Alexander Dickens of Begelly was called to the Bar at the Michaelmas Call at Gray’s Inn on Thursday, November 25.

Harry is a former pupil at Stepaside Community Primary School and Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland.

The Bar is a competitive field - the latest BSB figures available for 2019/20 show that only 1,004 Barristers were called that year.

Yet there is nothing singular about someone qualifying as a Barrister until one realizes that Harry was a sole carer for his physically disabled mother throughout his secondary school years.

Fulfilling their potential has always been hard for young carers who have to fit unpaid care work, housework etc into their school day, homework.

With physically disabled parents, young carers often face difficulty accessing extra-curricular and leisure activities which could help alleviate the devastating emotional burden, the fatigue and stress these children deal with every day.

Few gain the exam grades they are eminently capable of doing, were they not so burdened. Studies show attainment is generally nine grades lower even by GCSE. This directly impacts on their choices for A levels, Higher Education and careers.

For years so many have been invisible, struggling beneath the radar.

There are estimated to be more than 750,000 unpaid young carers in the UK and more Welsh carers are needed in all legal careers.

As Harry says - if he can do it, there are plenty of others who can too!

He is actively involved with the Lord Edmund Davies Legal Education Trust which exists to help Welsh students with no legal connections consider a career in any branch of the Law.