Last night in the Guildhall in the City of Lichfield (Friday 3rd March), the Erasmus Darwin Academy (Burntwood), Friary School (Lichfield), John Taylor High School (Barton under Needwood), and King Edward VI School (Lichfield) all competed for cups in the Michael Fabricant and Arthur Price of England Schools Speaking Competition.

All four teams of 3 opposed the Motion: ‘That this House believes that those taken to hospital by ambulance due to drunkenness shall be required to pay ambulance costs incurred’. Michael Fabricant says “Some of the teams argued that the NHS should be free as a matter of principle while other teams argued the impracticality and cost of collecting any ambulance fees and in determining whether drunkenness might also be regarded as a form of disease.”

The Friary School Team of James Wilson, Jack Askew, and Pamela Nyambayo won the best overall school team award. The school will have an engraved cup for a year and each team member has a smaller engraved cup to keep.

Nathan de Giorgi of John Taylor High School won the best overall speaker award and receives an engraved cup. All the silver cups are donated by Simon Price of Arthur Price of England.

“The standard of speaking was particularly high this year” says Michael Fabricant. “And although it did not require a flip of the coin, one of the awards was particularly close.

“The Speaking Competition is run on Parliamentary lines and I am very grateful to Lichfield City Council who do a huge amount of the back scenes work and provide the necessary pomp and circumstance. I’m also grateful to the Rotary Club of Lichfield St Chad who provide the time-keeper and one of the judges. But most of all, I really appreciate the hard work done by the students who take part in the competition and the family, friends, and teachers who support them in the audience, wave their Order Papers, and cheer as loudly as MPs at Prime Minister’s Question Time. Though I didn’t catch any jeering.” adds Michael.

Photos show all the teams and the audience waving their Order Papers and cheering and the winners (top row l to r: Jack Askew, James Wilson, Michael Fabricant, Simon Price, Pamela Nyambayo, and Nathan de Giorgi – bottom row l to r the judges: Robert Yardley (Sheriff of Lichfield), David Ratcliffe (President of the Rotary Club St Chad), and Cllr Mrs Sheelagh James (Mayor of Lichfield). All photos are courtesy of Robert Yardley Photography.