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BBC-GNE-Awards

The BBC-GNE Public Speaking & Writing Awards
 

 

In 1988, to mark the William and Mary Tercentenary, a public speaking competition for schools was initiated by the GNE. The underlying idea was to establish a special annual project to encourage young people in Dutch secondary schools to improve their skills in communication in the English language. Originally, it was only meant to be part of the tercentenary activities, but such was its success, it was adopted as an annual project. In 1995, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the GNE was reason enough for the society to organize a young writers competition, set up in close cooperation with the British Council. The two competitions continued to grow in popularity and professionalism, thanks to the efforts of many GNE members and several generous sponsors. The well-known pharmaceutical company Glaxo, later Glaxo Welcome, was the main sponsor for 15 years. Then the BBC took over as main sponsor and the two competitions were run in parallel as one annual event: the BBC Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards. Its aim is extremely well suited to the BBC`s sense of corporate social responsibility and commitment, especially in the context of the younger generation and education. Besides enjoying the sponsorship of the BBC, `the Awards` is also supported by several other organizations and individuals. They all underline the importance of this initiative by the GNE to organize competitions for young people striving for excellence in the English language, both in the spoken and written form. In our internationally orientated world, experience gained at the Awards is a most valuable asset in the education and career of every participant, even if he or she doesn`t won a top prize. Thanks to the support of many parties, the Awards has now become a prestigious national event in the Netherlands - something the GNE can be very proud of! The Awards website has been redesigned and contains everything you may need to know about the 2011 programme.
Please click this link:  BBC AWARDS


Organising committee, from left to right: Hans Kräwinkel (chair); Jac van den Ende; Ingrid de Beer.

BBC-GNE Awards: Results of the National Final

15 students competed on Saturday 9th April 2011 in the national final of the BBC-GNE Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards in Amsterdam. In the presence of HE Paul Arkwright, the British Ambassador, the best public speaker and writer were selected from the finalists.

 

Big winner of the Public Speaking Awards was Florentyna van Zanten of the Christelijk Lyceum Zeist. Her speech was about the dangers of the Internet. Riem Alkaissy of the Rijnlands Lyceum Oegstgeest was runner-up with her speech about the shortage of fossil fuels. The audience award was won by Imke Ditters from Metameer in Stevensbeek. Paul Arkwright summed up the winning speech: "We liked the pace, the articulation and the strong opening."

 

Geiske van Logtestijn of the Sint-Oelbertgymnasium in Oosterhout came first in the Young Writers Award and also won the audience award. Runner-up was Anastasia de Vries of the Pius X College in Almelo. The Ambassador commented on Geiske`s essay: "It had complexity, it was multi-layered, with some light touches and was extremely well structured. This was an extremely good piece."

 

The winner and runner-up of the Public Speaking Awards travel to London in May to represent the Netherlands in the English-Speaking Union`s International Public Speaking Competition. The top two writers will have the opportunity to follow a one-week writing course at one of the Arvon Foundation centres in the UK.

 

The BBC-GNE Awards is once again pleased that photographer Willem Jan Ritman was able to capture the mood and excitement at the 2011 National Final.
Pictures click on Awards 2011
 

 
events

During the GNE lecture season, events are regularly held and talks are given about once a month and unless otherwise stated, these are delivered in English. The visiting speakers are all experts in their chosen fields and their lectures are both informative and entertaining. They may feature different aspects of British life, arts and culture, places and people. Occasionally we are also treated to a traveller`s tale. Wherever possible, lectures are illustrated.
An overview of this year`s programme is given below. For more details on our events and talks please click events & talks. For the full programme with dates, venues and entry fees per branch, please click branches.

 
Lance Goffort-Hall:

Lance is Landscape Manager at Boughton House. His background is in landscape construction and Arboriculture. He was trained at Merrist Wood (Guildford) and is a registered project manager. His work experience has covered 25years in the UK, Bermuda, Jersey and New Zealand working predominantly in large parks and historic gardens. He manages a multiple range of large scale works at Boughton along with the day to day running of the teams. He has now set up a subsidiary company of Boughton Estates called ‘Contour’ to carry out external landscape and waterscapes contracts within the UK and Europe.

Boughton AwakensMore information...
 
Christine Robinson:

With a degree in History, Christine took on the role of Housekeeper for the visitor route at Chatsworth in 1981. Chatsworth has grown to become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Her own role within the enterprise has developed to that of Head Housekeeper and Head of Visitor Welcome, so that she now has the pleasure of ensuring a warm welcome for all the many visitors, and making sure that the House is fit for them to see. She is also leader of the team preparing special Christmas displays for visitors in the months of November and December.

Christmas at ChatsworthMore information...
The Gardens at ChatsworthMore information...
 
Unity Harvey :

Unity Harvey obtained her Certificate in Education in 1960 and a Diploma in Education in 1982. She married in 1964 and raised a family. During her career, she taught in mainstream schools and hospital settings as well as working with motor-impaired children. In 1994, she became a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
Since the year 2000, when she retired from teaching, she has had a regular voluntary job as guide at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) London Wetland Centre.
 

Walking in the London Wetland CentreMore information...
 
Prof.W.R.F.Cunningham:

Professor of Economics at the Maastricht School of Management. Director of Studies, Stanford Hall  Management Centre, Loughborough England. Senior Lecturer, UK Civil Service College. Various posts in Public Sector in UK and Zambia. Visiting professor in Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, China, and Peru, Adviser/Consultant to World Bank, E.U. and UNDP.

Going DutchMore information...
 
Michael Burgess:

After university Michael lived for a year in Rotterdam and worked with the Missions to Seafarers. His first parish was a mining town near Newcastle - then he moved down to parishes in Cornwall, and then into Wales to serve as subwarden at St Deiniol`s Library, Hawarden - a library founded by Gladstone in the Victorian period which trained ordinands and welcomed guests from all over the world. In 1991 he returned to parish life. He is the Rector of Oughtrington and Warburton. He also has been involved in clergy courses and for the last 8 years served as chaplain to the diocesan Mothers` Union.

Faith, Fun and FellowshipMore information...
The Seven Deadly SinsMore information...
 
Redmond O`Hanlon:

Dr. Redmond O`Hanlon (Dorset, 1947) is een Brits schrijver. Redmond O`Hanlon genoot zijn universitaire opleiding in Oxford. Redmond O`Hanlon werd lid van de Society for the Bibliography of Natural History in 1982, lid van de Royal Geographical Society in 1984 en lid van de Royal Society of Literature in 1993.
Gedurende vijftien jaar was Redmond O`Hanlon redacteur van The Times Literary Supplement op het gebied van natuurlijke historie. In 2009 voer Redmond O`Hanlon mee op het schip dat de historische reis van Charles Darwin met de Beagle herdacht door deze te herhalen.

Een middag met Redmond O`HanlonMore information...
 
Peter Gillman:

Born in Cape Town and learned Afrikaans at school as his second language. He spent his working life running libraries and information centres in industry. For five years he lectured on the Masters course in library management and information retrieval at University College London. In 1999 he began working for the National Trust at Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent, as a room steward and leading guided tours. For five years he has been a member of the Trust’s Speakers Panel, giving around 50 talks a year on behalf of the Trust.

Below StairsMore information...
KNOLE and the SACKVILLES More information...
 
Prof. Maggie Humm:

Maggie Humm is a Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of East London. Her books include Border Traffic, The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, Modern Feminisms, Feminism and Film, Modernist Women and Visual Cultures: Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell. She was an editor of the Routledge Encyclopaedia of Women and has been a Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Professor at many universities including Massachusetts, San Diego State, Stanford, Rutgers, Queen`s Belfast, and Karachi. Her most recent book is ‘The Edinburgh Companion to Virginia Woolf and the Arts’.
 

Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell and Domestic PhotographyMore information...
Virginia Woolf and AestheticsMore information...