Rutherford's Youth Speaks

Pictured above; the 2025 winning Chesterton Community College team with President Steve Austin

Rutherford held its annual Sixth Form Debating Competion Youth Speaks on 27 November 2025. Again held in the excellent Fitzpatrick Hall at Queens' College.  Teams from the Perse, The Oakes (Netherhall) and Kings Ely were back, so were a team from the 2024 winners The Leys, hoping for a repeat win. The dark horses, new entrants from last year, were Chesterton Community College but sadly, Impington Village College withdrew at the last minute leaving only five contesting teams.

Rutherford Rotarian Gordon Hannah in the Chair kept order, clearly summarising the format for the evening whilst providing guidance to the teams of the debating rules, and managing the proceedings perfectly.

Chesterton’s topic – Much Ado About Nothing: It is our responsibility to hold artists of the past accountable. Truly an ‘off-piste’ choice given the more conventional topics of Kings Ely – This house believes that non-violent mass protests are ultimately futile, of the Perse – Should Governments be allowed to monitor citizens’ private communications for security purposes, and similar ones from the Leys and Oakes relating to the rights of and more highly valuing  immigrants.

All five teams constructed their arguments methodically and presented them with conviction, but none raised their overall performance to the level of Chesterton. It was dramatic, purposefully presented and with humour. They relaxed the audience and had them convinced by their arguments – whether Caravaggio (renowned 17th century artist) was a murderer and should (or shouldn’t) be held to account, and whether William Shakespeare was a thief of other writers works and should (or shouldn’t) be identified and made accountable

This year we managed to secure a new Lead Judge for the debates – Professor Christopher Bickerton, an Official Fellow of Queens’ College who teaches Politics and European Studies at the University. The other judges included our generous event sponsor, Rebecca Cole, Director of Coles Accounting Cambridge and Rutherford Rotarian, Steve Gardner. We were delighted that a new second sponsor came in this year, Spectacular the opticians.

It’s a great honour to witness young sixth formers confidently presenting carefully constructed and strong arguments in a debate. For me this emphasises how important it is for Rotary to give students the opportunity to become confident public speakers

Martin Tyson
Chairman Vocational Service Committee