Thornbury Rotary Club - Leadership Opportunities


Through our Premium Partner links with the Rotary Club, Thornbury we are pleased to promote the following opportunities to all our students. If you are interested in any of the following please can you contact the school for further information:

·        The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA). Thornbury Rotary is able to sponsor up to two student places on this 5 day residential course that is held, annually in July, at a specialist leadership training facility in the Forest of Dean. RYLA offers young people a special opportunity to take part in a course aimed at developing qualities of leadership, team working, initiative and problem solving. Interviews for the 2016 course will take place early next year and entrants will be sought, as in previous years, from both the Castle and Marlwood Schools. There can be no doubt that attendees benefit substantially from the experience. While Castle School students were successful in being awarded places in 2013 and 2014 you should be aware that the only entries received in 2015 were from students who reside in the local area but who are not educated at either the Castle or Marlwood Schools. It is an opportunity not to be missed.

·        Young Musician Competitions. The Rotary Club of Thornbury has involvement in two local competitions. Firstly the Southern Cotswolds competition which invites  competitors who are able to perform at grade 6 level. The catchment area is geographically bounded by Thornbury in the south and Cheltenham in the north. Entrants for the 2016 competition are currently being sought and contact has been made with Alice Holmes of the Castle School who was playing the piano at the Premium Partners gathering. Secondly the Avon Young Musician Award held later in the year. This competition, which is geographically centred around Bristol, invites entrants from  Schools in greater Bristol and northern Somerset that have achieved grade 7 or 8. It welcomes both instrumental and vocal competitors.

·        Young Chef Competition. While the Rotary Young Chef competition not only requires the contestant to demonstrate strong knowledge of culinary skills and hygiene it also places demands on the contestants organisational and presentational ability. The local competition gathers contenders from schools in the north Bristol local area. The 2015 competition was held in November and I am pleased to report that the local winner, and sole entrant from the Thornbury area, was Keeva Holder from Marlwood School.

·        Young Photographer Competition. It is pleasing to report that this competition, which is currently being held, has attracted interest from both the Castle and Marlwood Schools. Submissions are to be received by 12th December with judging taking place by 31st December. The competition encourages competitors to experiment with both traditional and digital forms of photography in order to express their individual ideas and interpretation of the given subject. Significant cash prizes are awarded to successful entrants. Students from the Castle School performed well in the 2014 competition.

Successful contenders in each of the three competitions can progress via one or two further stages to the relevant Rotary national competition. Success at each level is viewed as a significant and one which provides evidence of positive and tangible achievement in competitive circumstances.