Our Youth Speaks competition was held on Tuesday, 18 November, at the Beehive Centre in Grays. We had three entries: St Clere’s, Mossbourne Port Side Academy, and the Air Cadets from 106 Squadron.
Unfortunately, on the night, St Clere’s were unable to attend. However, this did not detract from what was still a fantastic evening, with three interesting and thought-provoking topics being discussed: citizens’ arrest, animal abuse, and parades.
Mossbourne Port Side Academy triumphed on the night, winning both the Intermediate and Senior categories. I would like to congratulate all of the young people who took part. They were a real credit to themselves, their schools and organisations, and their families.
There was also some particularly good news for Mossbourne. As there were no other entries from our District, they were also declared the District winners, giving them a fantastic double success.
I would like to thank all the members of our Rotary Club who helped on the night. Without their support and hard work, the event simply could not have taken place.
Finally, a special thank you to my daughter, Emelia Jones, who acted as compère for the evening and helped to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Her contribution was greatly appreciated.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable and successful evening, and it was wonderful to see so many young people demonstrating their confidence, communication skills and ability to discuss important issues.