THE momentum is building for tomorrow’s public debate on the EU referendum.

Starting at 6.30pm at Alton Assembly Rooms, the debate will give folk an opportunity to quiz well-informed campaigners on the benefits of either remaining or leaving the European Union, prior to Thursday’s referendum.

Sponsored by the Alton Herald and Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the debate will be chaired by Reverend Andrew Micklefield, vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection.

A family man with two children, Rev Micklefield came to Alton in May 2014 from the Parish of the Itchen Valley, a single parish comprising four villages and four churches. On his return to Alton, where he served time as a curate, he also has responsibility for four churches – St Lawrence and All Saints in Alton, St Peter’s Beech, and the Church of the Holy Rood at Holybourne.

Rev Micklefield studied originally at King Alfred’s College in Winchester and spent 10 years teaching in primary schools in Aldershot and Farnborough after which he worked as a youth and children’s work trainer for the United Reformed Church.

Following his call to the ministry, Rev Micklefield went on to study theology at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, serving his four-year curacy in Alton before going off to run a church, or four, of his own.

He has welcomed the opportunity to chair Monday’s debate which will take a Question Time-style format featuring a panel of two ‘Remain’ and two ‘Leave’ representatives who will begin by giving a three-minute explanation of their particular stand. The meeting will then be opened up for questions from the floor.

The panelists are East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds and Mike Biden (European Movement in Hampshire) for the Remain team and Ian Brown (chairman of the South East region of Business for Britain) and Peter Baillie (UKIP) for the Leave camp.

Questions are already coming in and can still be submitted beforehand via e-mail at [email protected] or on the night. If your question is chosen, you will be given a chance to read it out at the debate.