Bexwyke Lecture 2024

On Thursday 21 March 2024, Junior School pupils in years 4 to 6 hosted pupils from our partnership schools for our annual Bexwyke Lecture. Saeed Atcha, MBE DL was our guest speaker, focusing on how young people can be changemakers. He was accompanied by Melanie Bryan, OBE DL, who inspired the audience with information about the Honours System, including the fact that the youngest recipient is only nine!

Saeed is a seasoned leader in the charitable sector and a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and social mobility. As the founder and CEO of Youth Leads UK, Saeed has been at the forefront of driving change for young people across Greater Manchester, providing more than 25,000 young people with opportunities to engage in volunteering, skills development and social action opportunities. With a career underpinned by personal experience of overcoming adversity, Saeed has dedicated over a decade to public service, influencing policy, and  championing the potential of young generations. Recognised by Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE for services to young people, Saeed continues to contribute to the betterment of society through various leadership roles. Saeed holds the distinction of being the youngest person ever appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

A Junior School pupil from Manchester High School for Girls won the poster competition, and was delighted that her success was announced during the morning lecture.

Pupils then had the opportunity to participate in various workshops during the afternoon, including sessions titled as follows: "Being a Changemaker Starts at Home!"; "Science and Magic"; "Drama as a Tool for Action"; "People Who Empower Us"; "Random Acts of Kindness"; "Song for Change"; and "We Are the Voice of the Future!"

Saeed spoke about the importance of the event: "Every child and young person can be a leader and make a difference in society - through volunteering, campaigning, fundraising and even helping our neighbours. I enjoyed meeting pupils and sharing my journey as part of the Bexwyke Lecture and I left inspired in the knowledge that those young people care about their communities and want to make a difference."

Thank you to everyone who visited the school for this event and to Saeed for a very inspiring talk!