Having been involved with the issue of mine clearance for over a decade since visiting the Libyan desert, Matthew took part in a Parliamentary event to highlight the problem their ordnance creates. To promote the International Day of Mine Awareness, the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow MP gave permission for a consortium of mine-action groups to demonstrate humanitarian mine clearance techniques to MPs, Peers and parliamentary staff on Speaker’s Green. This event was organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Explosive Weapons of Conflict including Landmines, of which Matthew is an officer. Matthew attended the demonstration of mine-clearance and counter improvised explosive device (IED) techniques and was able to see the latest technology in clearing explosive weapons,including an innovative mine-hunting drone. There were a number of mine-action groups at the event, including The HALO Trust which is one of the biggest and most respected mine-action charities in the world, who demonstrated how land-mines are cleared. Drone-ops Ltd were also represented at the event. They are a small UK company who have developed the first ever mine-hunting drone. Matthew was fortunate enough to be able to watch a demonstration of the device flying. Other organisations that took part included Blaythorne and Optima Group - two UK companies involved in counter IED work - who exhibited some of the techniques in combating these weapons, and some of the protective gear designed and made in the UK. Matthew said: “With hundreds of people every year still being killed and injured by explosive weapons, thousands displaced or kept in poverty by these weapons, the issues surrounding their use and control is as politically relevant as they have ever been.” Photo: Matthew testing protective clothing and inspecting one of the techniques used in combatting IEDs