Charlie Winstanley is in his second year at Sheffield University, studying History. A longstanding supporter of the Academy of Ideas & Pfizer Debating Matters Competition, Charlie has followed the competition since 2007 when, although his team were knocked out of the Regional Finals, he travelled to London alone to attend the National Final. Never one to miss out on a decent debate, he has tail-ended the competition ever since - volunteering at the office and to help out at regional finals (where he always manages to get a word in edgeways). A self-proclaimed fighter for human emancipation, Charlie sees Debating Matters as playing an important role in pushing forward radical discourse on the leading issues of the day.