Prestigious public speaking contest for schools comes to Bristol North West

17th March 2024

I was delighted to open the South West Regional Final of The English-Speaking Union's (ESU’s) Public Speaking Competition at Bristol Free School.

ESU’s Public Speaking Competition is the largest public speaking competition for schools in England and Wales, and I’m thrilled a school in Bristol North West was selected to host the Regional Final thanks to my Speak like you own the room campaign.

Bristol Free School entered two teams into the competition for the first time this year after learning about it from my campaign. It was the first school that I visited when the campaign launched in October 2023, where I delivered my public speaking masterclass to about 25 students, including the competition hopefuls.

Whilst the team from Bristol Free School was beaten in the Regional Final by Torquay Girls' Grammar School, as newcomers to the competition, they should be proud of reaching this stage of the competition.

My main goal for the campaign has always been to help break down the barriers to career opportunities for children who attend a local state school, just like I did, so I'm delighted to see the Bristol Free School students do so well.