High standards at youth show
THREE hundred people attended a fantastic spectacle of singing, dancing and live music at the Witchford Youth Team s 10th annual talent show. The event, at Witchford Village Hall, was a celebration of National Youth Work Week and World Aids Day and group
THREE hundred people attended a fantastic spectacle of singing, dancing and live music at the Witchford Youth Team's 10th annual talent show.
The event, at Witchford Village Hall, was a celebration of National Youth Work Week and World Aids Day and groups from Witchford, Mepal, Witcham, Wentworth, Sutton, Coveney, Youth Clubs and Traveller Youth Group took part.
Locality Youth Service Manager Mick Oliver said: "All round it was an exceptional night, the standard of the performers was very high, as always, but this year the organising crew did an exceptional job to make sure that everything ran smoothly and we had the best show we've ever had."
Participants had to perform their own version of acts carried out by previously successful entrants in fitting with this year's theme, 'songs from previous winners.'
A judging panel consisting of local councillors and youth workers picked winners from the 70 participants in six different categories including: Best Singer, Best Dance Act, Best Band, Best Junior Act, Best Entertainer and there was also a special Judges' Commendation Award to Daniella Ficarra, Amber Manchett and Isodora Lines of Sutton Junior Girls who performed a song and dance act to the Gloria Gaynor classic, I Will Survive.
Mr Oliver said: "The judges were so impressed with the girls' performance they had to invent a new award. It was their first time in the talent show and they were outstanding, so the judges just felt they had to show them how much they appreciated their efforts."
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Elsewhere Alex Lee from Witchford Youth Club repeated his brother's success from 1998 by winning the Best Singer award for his rendition of the song made famous by Boyzone, No Matter What, whilst Boyz Club wowed the judges with a dance performance to Queen's We Will Rock You that won them the Best Entertainer award.
Other winners were: Best Dance - Sutton Senior Girls, Best Band - Enemy of a friend, Best Junior Act - Sutton Junior Girls.
During the evening one of the judges, Mike Davey, area director for Fenland and East Cambridgeshire Office of Children and Young People's Services, presented 58 awards to young people for, 'outstanding service to local communities', including Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Millennium Volunteers 200 Hours Awards, and Cambridgeshire County Council Youth Work Awards.
A raffle raised £117 which was donated to the Witchford Multi-functional Youth Facilities Group.
Mr Oliver said: "I started this talent show as a university project back in 1997 and I had no idea that it would become so successful. We've had more than 2000 acts since the event started and many people have gone on to study various forms of performing arts at colleges and universities.
"We've had excellent support from the Parish Council, the Witchford Millennium Volunteers, Witchford Village College, the Ely Lions and various local businesses and it's really helped to bring the community together.
