Highland teens’ speechmaking skills wow judges at Inverness Culloden Rotary Club
Talented youngsters wowed judges with their skilled wordplay during a memorial speechmaking contest in Inverness.
The Inverness Culloden Rotary Club holds an annual speechmaking competition in memory of late member Roger Hoskins, whose ever-ready wit and skills as a wordsmith made him a popular member from 2002 until 2015 - even serving as president in 2008/9.
To honour his memory the speechmaking contest sees children from local schools deliver five-minute talks, with the winners then being awarded for their efforts.
This year the contestants were Ropa Nyadete (Nairn Academy), Daniel Cowan (Inverness Royal Academy), Daniel Garrod (Culloden Academy), Tanya MacKay Petrie (Inverness High School) and Lucy Turner (Charleston Academy), and they were asked to deliver speeches on the theme of "Can we still reverse climate change?"
And after an “excellent” round of speeches which “gave the judges a difficult task in deciding who should be the winner”, Danial Cowan of Inverness Royal Academy was named the victor.
He was presented with his trophy by club vice president Ronnie Baird, and was given his certificate by club member Alastair McKenzie. He also received the school certificate from club member Flora MacLeod.
“All the speakers were excellent and gave the judges a difficult task in deciding who should be the winner,” said Inverness Culloden Rotary Club “In the end it was decided that Daniel Cowan of Inverness Royal Academy should be the winner.”
He continued: “The competition is in memory of Roger Hoskins who was a Rotarian at Inverness Culloden Rotary Club from 2002 until 2015, serving as President during 2008/9.
“His ever ready wit was well renowned and his unending willingness to help and support others was celebrated by all who knew him.
“Roger was a wordsmith and loved to pontificate on all sorts of topics and expound on whatever took his fancy. His delivery on such matters was always genuine, and often heartfelt, and when he spoke people listened. He died of cancer in December 2015 after an illness bravely borne and never complained of, and is sadly missed by all who knew him.
“Following his demise, the Rotary Club, in collaboration with Roger's family, devised an award for speechmaking.”
