Wootton Bassett Arts Festival’s autumn section, with classes in classical guitar, speech and drama, attracted well over 200 competitors. Festival chairman John Davies thanked everyone who contributed to its success.

An appreciative audience at the Festival Highlights Concert welcomed mayor Linda Frost and her consort; town crier Owen Collier and festival president Sheila Harrod and her husband.

Guitar competitors were represented by Matthew Stephenson, Lucy Stephenson and Samuel James. The concert also featured highlights from the summer music festival, by solo vocalist Calista Howells, pianist Olivia Clarke, duettists Sarah Ryan and Beth Graham, Ailsa Burois and Lorraine Williams, and Cantanti Choral – the President’s Cup winners, directed by Lisa Williams.

Major awards in the two day event, at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, went to: Jacquie De Creed Memorial Trophy for Speech & Drama (poem), Julian Shirnia; The Doreen Room Memorial Rose Bowl for Senior Acting, Olivia Anniss; the Patricia Read Memorial Trophy for Junior Acting, Louise Oakshott & Ellie Potter; the Andrew McDowell Cup , Elliot Shirnia; Chairman’s Trophy for Excellence and the XPress Train Trophy for public speaking, Noorisha Moledina; Diamond award for Verse Speaking, solo acting & reading, Olivia Anniss; Mayor’s Shield, Alice Hall; Bible Society trophy for Bible reading, Margaret Williams; Patricia Read Trophy for poem, and the XPress Train Trophy Siddarth Venkatanaraynan; Dreambase Studios Cup for highest mark in solo guitar, Ella Brown.

Festival first place awards were: Classical guitar solos: Grades 1 & 2 Joe Cretney; Grades 3 & 4, Eve Timbrell; Grades 5 & 6. Simon Crew; Grades 7 & 8, Ella Brown. Secondary age Cup, Anant Mane; Period Solo trophies: Joseph Giles, Peter Dymond, Harry Williamson, Molly Avery (2 plaques), Simon Crew, Eleanor Blake, Alex Hiliker, Oliver Pennington (cup and plaque), Ella Brown. Duet trophies: Oliver Pennington & Ella Walsh; Ellen Foster and Simon Crew; Peter Dymond and Luke Field; Eleanor Blake and Natasha Ion. Recital cup (16 & under), Harry Williamson; secondary school age, Corinium Players; mixed ages, Senior Corinium Players.

Speech and drama: Poem classes, Siddarth Venkatanaraynan who won the 6 & 7 yrs class, gained highest mark in ages 6-9 yrs. Other poem awards: 8 & 9 yrs, Jorge Barros; 10 & 11 yrs: Henry Hellens; 11 & 12 yrs: Julian Shirnia. Choral Speaking, 11 & under, The Minety Monsters; solo acting 9 yrs & under, Anika Nidhiry; 10 & 11 yrs, Toby Melvin; 12 & 13 yrs, Alice Hall, 14,15, & 16 yrs: Olivia Anniss;17 & over, Ellen Devine; Solo Shakespeare 14-16 yrs, Katie Alice Powell; 17 & over, Margaret Williams; Duologue acting, 9 yrs & under, Louisa Oakshott and Ellie (most outstanding junior performance). Duologue acting: 11 and under, Hamish Brook and Luke Wiles; 13 & under, Freya Bark and Georgia Langley; 16 & under, Alice Hall and Olivia Anniss; Open, Becky Owen and Laura McGhee. Group Acting, 14 yrs & under, Calne Youth Theatre Group Two; 18 & under, Calne Youth theatre Group One; Devised Group Drama, 16 & under, The Slight Problem (RWB Academy); Prepared Prose reading, 8 & under, Rohan Iype; 11 & under. Amelia Sparrowhawk; 14 & under, Olivia Anniss; 16 & under, Elliot Shirnia; 17 & over, Open, Margaret Williams. Bible Reading: 11 & under Liberty Shirnia; 15 & Under, Florence Shirnia; Open, Margaret Williams, (highest mark in Bible reading classes). TV News reading: 11 & under, Louis Rawlinson; 14 & under, Louise Burois; Memorised Prose: 9-11 yrs, Liberty Shirnia; 12-15, Julian Shirnia; Open (16 & over) Elliot Shirnia; Dickens Prose: 14 & over, Margaret Williams; Solo mime (9-11), Liberty Shirnia; 12-14yrs: Freddie Robb. Duo mime, 9-11ys, Mackenzie Noble and Lewis Templeman, 15 & under, Jack Bather & Freddie Robb;. Solo Public Speaking, 11 & under, Liberty Shirnia; 15 & under, Noorisha Moledina; 16 & over, Open, Colin Putman.