RWB Rotary Clubs Youth Challenge 2024

The 8th Royal Wootton Bassett Rotary Clubs Youth Challenge was held on Saturday the 2th of March 2024. 

The event hosted and funded by the town’s two Rotary clubs was held at a new venue, 'The Church of God' at The Piggery, Flaxlands, RWB.

Eight teams of young people aged 11-14 yrs from local Youth Organisations, competed for the Challenge Shield and prize money to support their organisations. The teams were: 18th Swindon Scouts (Old Town), RWB Football, Lyneham Air Scouts, RWB School of Dance (2 teams), Lyneham Air Cadets, Purton Young Farmers and The Church of God Youth Club.

The order of the day comprised our usual morning session of shorter challenges, then lunch break followed by a longer afternoon challenge with the teams competing concurrently against each other.

This year’s morning challenges were Paper Planes, Charades, Geography Quiz, Steady Hand and Ping Pong. The challenges were chosen to exercise a variety of skills including planning ability, communication, general knowledge, the ability to problem solve and to put teamwork into practice.

At lunchtime the scores were fairly close with three teams in contention for first prize and a place still possible by most teams.

For the afternoon, teams were challenged with constructing a small buggy from a kit provided and to propel it using wind generated from a cardboard sheet also provided. The kit included common items such as paper, cardboard, rubber bands, ties, etc and importantly plastic tops for the wheels. The criteria for winning was to propel the buggy over a 6m distance in the shortest time using  generated wind as the propulsion force. Three measured individual time trials were done for each buggy from which an average time was calculated. The three fastest buggies then competed once directly against each other to determine the overall buggy winning order.

As usual, the challenge proved very popular with a variety of different team designs emerging. 

All those in attendance witnessed a great sense of competition throughout the day. RWB School of Dance team 1 emerged as overall winners achieving 1st place and £300 prize money. RWB Football won 2nd place with a prize of £200.  The 18th Swindon Scouts took the third prize of £100. The prizes and the winners shield were presented by Vice President Linda Locke of RWB & District Rotary Club.

All remaining teams were awarded participation prizes of £50 towards their organisations funds. 

The two Rotary Clubs, RWB & District and RWB Town would like to thank all the teams that participated for their enthusiasm and great sportsmanship throughout the day. We also acknowledge their Youth Leaders who voluntarily support these groups to enable them to participate in such events.