For over 25 years the Warwick Rotary Club has been staging the early rounds of this very popular public speaking competition for local schools.   The winners of both the intermediate and the senior competitions have gone on to compete at area, then District, and ultimately the national finals against schoolchildren from all around the country.

A very high standard has always been maintained and it has been very interesting over the years to see and hear people on television and radio discussion panels, and even from Westminster, who we first saw in the Youth Speaks programme, and we have always been proud to have witnessed their introduction to speaking before an audience and the way in which they have progressed.   In recent years winners from this area have included pupils from Aylesford, Kingsley, Kings High, Myton, Princethorpe and Warwick schools and it has always been a pleasure to witness such excellent presentations from students who have been superbly coached by their teachers.

It is therefore with deep regret we announce that for the first time there will be no competition this year.

Pressure on schools and their teaching staff has been such that the very low number of entries has made it impractical to go ahead with the programme.   It is very much hoped that it will be possible to run the event once again next year and full particulars will be published nearer the time.

We would like to apologise to all those who had anticipated the event as much as the organisers.