Youth Speaks 2023
Whether reading is a waste of time, whether beauty is a
blessing or a curse, the effects of screen technologies, female
participation in sport and whether children do enough sport at
all, are topics chosen by primary schools pupils taking part in
the Truro heat of this year’s Rotary Youth Speaks competition.
The annual Juniors Youth Speaks competition, organised and
promoted by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, is
open to pupils aged between 7 and 10. Teams of three,
including a Chairman, a main Speaker and a person giving the
Vote of Thanks, present arguments on a topic of their choice
before a panel of adjudicators.
This is the 30th year the Rotary Club of Truro Boscawen has
organised a junior Youth Speaks competition and chairman of
the adjudicators David Hughes was pleased to see so many
young people taking part in this year’s event. “For the last two
years - during the pandemic - the Club has had to hold a virtual
Youth Speaks competition. It is marvellous that we are able to
meet once again properly for Youth Speaks”.
After listening to all five presentations, adjudicators David
Hughes, Lorraine Hobden and Ruth Ward awarded first place to
the team from Truro School Prep.
Runners up were the team from Perran-Ar-Worthal Primary
School.
Certificates were presented to all participants by the Club
President Frank Perry.
Adjudicator Ruth Ward said “I am always amazed by the
confidence of these young people and the interesting topics
they choose for their talks. The standard is very high and there
are many outstanding individuals taking part, so it has been a
privilege to see these talented youngsters in action”.
Her colleague Lorraine Hobden added : “It was a very
interesting and close contest yet again. The children do a
brilliant job!”
Five primary schools from the Truro area took part in this year’s
competition held at Devoran Primary School:
● Devoran School: “Mind,body and soul - the effects of
screen-time technologies” Chairperson: Leo Hatcher-Miller,
Speaker: Emily Bosanko, Vote of Thanks: Elsie Sheppard
● Kea School: “Do children spend enough time doing sport?”.
Chairperson: Taylor Hicks; Speaker: Beth Samuels and Vote
of Thanks: Beatrice Meakin.
● Perran-ar-worthal School: “Female participation in sport” .
Chairperson: Anna Matthews, Speaker: Daisy Davies and
Vote of Thanks: Florence Dodge.
● Truro High Prep School: “Is beauty a blessing or a curse?”
Chairperson: Heidi Todd, Speaker:Holly Gould and Vote of
Thanks: Ava Attlee.
● Truro School Prep: “Is reading a waste of time?” .
Chairperson: Gideon Gamble, Speaker: George Roberts and
Vote of Thanks: Winnie Walker.
Truro School Prep and Perran-ar-worthal School will now go
forward to the Area Junior Competition at Penwith College on
Tuesday, 21st February where they will compete against teams
from 16 other Rotary Clubs, from Newquay, Perranzabuloe and
St Agnes in the east to Helston, Penzance, St Ives and the Isles
of Scilly in the west.
The winner and runner up from this Area round will then
compete in the Junior District 1175 Final of Youth Speaks 2023
at Bodmin Community College on March 11th. Rotary District
1175 includes Rotary Clubs throughout Devon & Cornwall.
UPDATE 21st February:
At the next round - the Area 5 (West Cornwall) Junior Competition -
on 21st February at Penwith College in Penzance, Truro School Prep
and Perran-ar-Worthal CP School came up against four other schools:
St Meriodoc C of E School, Mawnan Smith C of E Primary School,
Penponds School and Flushing C of E School. The judges decided that
Mawnan Smith School and Perran-ar-Worthal were the schools that
should go through to the District Final in Bodmin on 11th March.
UPDATE 11th March:
The District Final of Youth Speaks 2023 was held at Bodmin College
on 11th March. Eight teams took part from across Devon & Cornwall
including the two teams that went through from the Area 5 (West
Cornwall) Round: Perran-ar-Worthal CP School and Mawnan Smith
Cof E School. Neither team was placed by the judges but the
standard of speaking was very high. Alphington School in Exeter won
the Final, with Tavistock School and Sir Robert Geffery’s School,
Landrake, placed second and third respectively.
'What We Do' Main Pages:
Truro Golf Club, Friday 13 May. Click on pictures and then scroll through. Event report below the pictures.
moreTwo or three (or more!) volunteers are needed to represent the Club during the last part of each session and to present the souvenir medallions sponsored by the Club. No more than an hour is asked. Please use the sign up sheet attached
moreWe visited Truro School Prep. and Richard Lander to conclude a memorable Young Writer competition.
moreWe will be at Sainsbury's, this month from 16th to 19th, with our newly acquired Barrel Organ. Monies raised will go to St. Petroc's.
moreOur plans to send a generator
moreThe results have been announced to schools.
moreBoscawen supported the City Council by sponsoring junior football coaching across the city, providing Rotary-branded drinking bottles. David R. and David P. lead, and here we see Bernard, David C. David P, Ed, Brian and PB at the training sessions.
moreMike Grundy takes over from Ian Bell as Boscawen President for the coming year. Mike Barber becomes Senior Vice President.
moreUpdate April 2022
moreBrian, David P and PB had some interesting moments on the 6.5 miles that completed our summer challenge.
moreHustyns Resort, Hotel and Spa, is set in a remote St. Breock Downs location. And is the only possible safe parking place for miles around. 4 members walk the 6.1 miles to it from Little Petherick.
moreAn online zoom quiz battle between two friendly local clubs - and overseen by a quizmaster in South Africa.
moreWe celebrated the Saints Way Challenge and its fundraising aim with a short and easy walk at Fowey.
moreThe District Competition
moreFor the second year, we will roll out the "barrel organ", play seasonal tunes, and hope to collect money from shoppers in aid of St. Petroc's.
morePresentations to pupils of Devoran School and Richard Lander School are shown here. There will be further presentations after Easter.
moreThis year, under lockdown constraints and with Julian's expert management we have run an online Youth Speaks competition. The only Club in the District to achieve this.
moreDuring Lockdown we have been prevented from holding our usual fundraising events. However we know that local charities need support at these times more than ever.
moreThis Challenge is open to all Cornish Rotary Clubs and their friends. We are walking the Cornish coastal footpath all through August to raise funds for Cornwall Mind and for Clubs' chosen charities.
moreThis is the biggest week yet. We have 18 Related Pages of walks and pics by Boscawen, by Cornwall Mind and by other Rotary Clubs throughout the county. MESSAGE TO ALL: A FINAL PUSH THIS WEEK TO COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS. SEE THE MAP.
moreMany Clubs throughout the County have joined the Challenge, and we are now within 36 miles of walking every bit of the Cornish Coastal Footpath. See the Map for the remaining 7 stretches to be walked.
moreOur Challenge is completed! (Just one short section in the east remains). When our Senior Vice President voiced scepticism that we could do it he was by no means the only one. Perhaps we should all have a piece of that hat!
more16 other Rotary Clubs in the county, Cornwall Mind, and all their friends have joined Truro Boscawen in COMPLETING THE COASTAL FOOTPATH CHALLENGE
moreWe recorded the miles we walked/biked each week and have shown them as virtual walks. So far, we have walked from John O'Groats to Lands End, and from Lands End to London. We are also raising charity funds at the same time.
moreTriumph for local school! The West Cornwall round of the National Rotary Youth Speaks Competition is won by a Boscawen sponsored Team.
moreWe recently entertained our friends from St Petroc's at the club and heard from them about the encouraging reduction in homelessness in the county over the last 3 years.
moreEvery year just after Christmas we go for a bracing walk with friends, children, grandchildren, dogs, whatever..This time we started at Mylor, went round via the Pandora Inn and back all via creekside paths and woodland.
moreSt Petroc's CEO Steve Ellis will update us on the work of the charity which the club has supported for many years in cash or kind.
moreLinks to the year's events
moreLinks to the year's events
moreLinks to the year's events
moreLinks to the main events of the year
moreLinks to the year's main fundraising events
moreA record of the year's fundraising activities
moreA brief record of the year's activities
moreLinks to the year's events
moreOur Community and Vocational Services Committee supports local charities with members' time as well as funds; and also promotes activities with schools and young people (see separate page)
moreA committee of the Club which specialises in international links and support
more