My Voice Competition

Overview

This schools competition is open to all young people living in Cheltenham who are aged 4 - 18.  It has been organised as part of celebrating diversity for Black History Month 2023 by Cheltenham Alliance for Race Equity and we want to hear and share a diverse range of young people's voices.

The My Voice challenge:  Tell us what it's like to live in Cheltenham.  You can write or record a monologue (a speech by one person) of up to 400 words or make a picture.  

Up to 10 monologues and 10 pictures will be chosen to be read out or shown on a screen at the VOICEBOX at Cheltenham Literature Festival in October 2023.  Young people and their families will be invited to attend.  The chosen entries will also be published in a booklet and there will be a trophy and multi-store voucher for £15 for each entrant whose work is chosen.  Schools which submit an entry which is chosen will be presented with a certificate from the Mayor of Cheltenham.  

At the bottom of this page there is an example of a monologue from a secondary school student.

To submit entries from your school, you can:

• Use the online entry form below to upload them (please note this option requires one entry form to be completed per student);
• Email them to info@raceequitycheltenham.com along with the downloadable Word entry form at the bottom of this page (this entry form can be used for multiple entries);
• Deliver them, with a copy of the downloadable Word entry form at the bottom of this page to:  Participation and Engagement; Cheltenham Borough Council; Municipal Offices; Promenade; Cheltenham; GL50 9SA

The entry form asks you to provide contact details and confirmation of consent from a parent or carer.  

The competition has been organised by Cheltenham Alliance for Race Equity with Cheltenham Borough Council, Cheltenham Festivals, the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Lives of Colour. 

For details of how your information will be used please see Cheltenham Borough Council's privacy policy

Terms and Conditions apply which be can be found at the bottom of this page.

The closing date is Friday 30th June 2023.

Why your views matter

We want to hear a diverse range of young people's voices and experiences of living and growing up here in Cheltenham.

What happens next

Thank you for entering the My Voice competition!  The panel will make the selections in early July and the results will be shared with schools by 19th July.