THE first ever Youth Leadership Programme at Malvern College culminated in a Speech Extravaganza evening held at the mythically named Gryphon Room. Under the watchful eye of Headmaster Mr Antony Clarke, parents and special guest Mr Phillip Serrell(of BBC’s Bargain Hunt, Flog It); sixteen students from all over the world successfully delivered their final speeches to complete the course, which had run over several weeks/since the beginning of the year.

The entire evening was organised by the students. Three skilfully and professionally acted as “Toastmaster” for each segment of speeches, while others acted as timekeepers in true Toastmasters tradition! The students gave speeches on a subjects as varied as the delights” of living in an extended family of twenty relatives; the notorious worst-ever Nobel Prize; discovering the joy of “coasteering”; and the story behind the painting “The Raft of The Medusa”.

The project was a joint venture between Malvern College (Dr Martin Harris) and Malvern Speakers. It was led by Steve Birch who was supported by eight fellow Toastmasters (all from Malvern Speakers). The students' homelands ranged from Nepal to the USA. The effectiveness of the programme was underlined by the fact that for most of the students English was their second or even third language.

COLIN JACKSON