The Cranmer Awards are coming to Yorkshire, for the first time in the history of this prestigious competition.
The Yorkshire Heat of the Cranmer Awards, an annual competition for children between 11-18 years old, will take place at St Margaret's Church, Ilkley, on Saturday, October 14.
The Cranmer Awards is a national competition run by the Prayer Book Society to introduce young people to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, described as the 'bedrock of the Anglican Church'.
The awards celebrate and acknowledge outstanding accomplishments in public speaking and provide a platform for young people to showcase their talents, foster confidence, and develop communication skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Named after the great English Reformer Thomas Cranmer, the awards encourage young people to develop their public speaking skills by reading a passage of their choice from The Book of Common Prayer.
It is an opportunity for young people to explore the beauty and power of Cranmer’s language.
Judges Fr Alexander Crawford, St Margaret's Ilkley; Fr Liam Beadle, St Chad's Bradford; and Nigel Pearson, Prayer Book Society, will be looking for excellent communication skills and the ability to engage and inspire the audience.
Fr Alex, Vicar of St Margaret’s said “We’re really pleased to be able to bring the Cranmer Awards to Yorkshire.
“The beauty of the traditional language of worship has been deeply loved by countless worshippers over the centuries in this country, and we're glad to play our part in helping to inspire the next generation.”
Winners of the regional heat will go forward to compete in the national Finals on Saturday, February 24, 2023 at Hampton Court Palace.
Candidates can enter as individuals or be entered by their school or church.
If you are interested in taking part in the Yorkshire Heat of the Cranmer Awards, please contact Catherine Cheater at catherinecheater@gmail.com for an entry form and more details.
The deadline for entries is Saturday, September 30.
You can follow Yorkshire Cranmer Awards on Facebook by clicking here.