Students impress at Mock Trials

Volunteers contribute so much to life on the Isle of Wight - and the annual Mock Trial competition held at the Courthouse in Newport is a brilliant example of this. Retired and serving professionals - judges, barristers, magistrates - give up their weekend time to host a competition which every Island secondary school takes part in. And this year, for the first time, I was proud to support the winning team!

The competition, now in its 11th year, sees all Isle of Wight schools preparing for many weeks for their roles as barristers, ushers, clerks and witnesses to compete against each other for the coveted High Sheriff trophy. The event enables young people to experience exactly how the legal process operates and gives them the opportunity to enhance their public speaking skills, self confidence and team work.

Every school and college team works so hard, writing their speeches, researching and practising their lines. The Mock Trial competition is an exciting day for the students, to see them up their game in a professional environment. Congratulations to our team and all the other schools, and huge thanks to the legal professionals for giving up their time and sharing their expertise.