Glenrothes pupil’s joke wins him a place in Westminster final

A Fife schoolboy reached the final of a children’s comedy competition in Westminster.

Evan Peter Anderson, 12, was among just 25 youngsters from around the UK to make it to the last stage of the Voice Box comedy awards. Thousands of children took part in the joke-telling competition.

Evan, of Glenwood High School, Glenrothes, performed his joke in front of an audience including politicians at the event in Speaker’s House.

His gag was: “What did the koala say in court? ‘What do you mean I can’t be a bear? I have all the koalifications’.

Evan said: “I’ve been really excited, but also nervous. I couldn’t wait to tell my joke to everyone.”

Voice Box is an annual competition organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, with the National Association of Head Teachers and the Communication Trust. It aims to remind people there are children in every classroom who need support to help them speak and understand what is being said.

Evan’s local MP Peter Grant said: “I’m delighted to support a pupil from Glenwood High School at Voice Box.

“The event has demonstrated how communication skills help children to have the best start in life. Public speaking is a part of my daily life and as such, I fully appreciate the work teachers and speech and language therapists do to help children to communicate as well as possible.”

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow said: “I’m delighted this wonderful event is taking place in Speaker’s House for the fourth year. Voice Box is such a fun competition and I applaud the RCSLT and its partners for running it.”