Delivered by Speakers Trust and funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation, Win Let from Thomas Tallis School scooped top prize in the Greenwich Regional Final of Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge!, held at Thomas Tallis School on Thursday 23rd March 2017.

Win impressed the judges with her winning speech “For a flower to bloom” fighting off stiff competition from 17 other young speakers from schools in the Greenwich area. About the experience she said, “This experience was imperfectly perfect. It has made me feel nervous, happy and really excited.”

After just one day of public speaking and effective communication training, 525 year 10 students aged 14-15, from 11 schools in Greenwich took part in the “Speak Out” competition. Win won a £100 Gift Certificate for coming first and a chance to go through to the Grand Final of the “Speak Out” Challenge! due to take place on Monday 3rd July 2017 at the Cambridge Theatre.

Clive Effort, MP for Eltham presented the awards and said, "It shows the excellence in our schools. Achieving extra ordinary things. Hope it’s an experience they can take into the future.”

The judging panel at the event included Florence Kroll (Director of Children’s Services, Greenwich); Matt Herrington (Borough Commander, Greenwich Fire Service); Caroline Mason (Chief Executive, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation); Melanie Pressley (Inspector, Greenwich MET Police); Naomi Young (Careers Adviser, Prospects Services); Amanda Birrell (Trained Volunteer for Childline); Denise Larnder (Former partner Ernst & Young, Audit Committee for both Greenwich University & Museums) and Kyle Louro (JPSOC Runner Up, Greenwich 2015-16).

Second place went to Temitope Idowu, 14 from Eltham Hill School with her speech “I determine my worth and beauty” and third place went to Aine Atherton, 14 from the St Ursula’s Convent School with her speech titled "Honk of a horn."

Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! is the biggest public speaking event of its kind in the world. Now in its eleventh year, over 18,000 year 10 students are expected to compete for nearly £6,000 worth of prizes in this year’s Grand Final.

Submitted by Becky Griffiths