THE Rotary Club of Farnham and the Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside ran the ever popular annual local heats of the Youth Speaks competition at the University for the Creative Arts last week.

The well-established Rotary competition provides opportunities for young people between 11 and 17 to experience speaking on a public platform as a member of a team and to formulate ideas on topical subjects, to learn and practise high standards of expression, presentation and appearance - all within the discipline of presenting in a limited time.

The competition is open to all schools in the area and on the evenings of November 23 and 24, a total of 12 schools took part in the event held in the Elaine Thomas Library of the University for the Creative Arts – four at the intermediate level and eight at the senior level.

All presentations were of a very high standard, which meant the judges, Ann Newson, Jonathan Jones and Annie Pritchard, had a real challenge in making their selections.

At the intermediate level All Hallows, for the second year running, won with their team of Tom Sowden, Anthony Bedale and Hannah Williams, who will go on to the district event.

At the senior level Farnborough Hill won with their team of Roisin Royle, Catriona Flesher and Imogen Usherwood - following in the footsteps of one of the school’s previous teams that went all the way to win the national title in 2012.

Topics presented included ‘whether you think you can or can’t, you are probably right’, ‘genetic modification’, ‘don’t jump the gun’ and ‘there is nothing social about social media’. The winning teams will go on to compete in the district event in February.

No-one was in any doubt of the value of the competition, which at the same time gives great pleasure to all involved.

George Alford, president of the Rotary Club of Farnham, said: “I learnt more being here than I would have at home listening to the radio, watching TV or searching the internet.

“The Rotary Clubs of Farnham and Weyside are delighted by both the quantity and quality of entries, which were truly outstanding, and where better to hold it than in the inspiring and welcoming environment of the University for the Creative Arts.”