Kieran Mulvaney is just 17 but in November he will be taking part in a debate in the House of Commons.

The Hardenhuish School sixth former, who has just been chosen to receive a civic award, was elected to represent North Wiltshire in the UK Youth Parliament and is also sitting on the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth for the second year.

Kieran, of Newbury Drive, Chippenham, said: “I think it’s important for young people to get involved. We decide on a top five topics and these will get debated in the Commons, so on November 14 I will be sitting on the green benches. I’m really looking forward to it.”

It is not the first time he has been to the Houses of Parliament, having been given an award from the British Youth Council there in January.

And on Civic Sunday last week he picked up a civic award from Chippenham Town Council after being nominated by the public.

Kieran, who wants to join the RAF and may later like to work for the Ministry of Defence, volunteers with the Air Cadets and at a care home in Chippenham, where he helps an RAF veteran.

He is also helping to run a campaign called Let’s think about it, which aims to stamp out the stigma he says is attached to mental health issues.

Mayor John Scragg, who presented his award at the Neeld Hall, said: “The council likes to encourage all people, but particularly young people, to participate in civic life.

“Kieran is very keen on issues like mental health, and has also campaigned for a zebra crossing to be put in Hardenhuish Lane outside his school, where a few years ago someone was killed.

“He won the Youth Voice Award in December 2013, which requires a lot of background work, everything a politician and councillor should do. He is excellent and certainly well set up to do something like that.”