For immediate release

Rutherglen Constituency MSP, Clare Haughey, is encouraging young people to showcase their sense of humour by participating in a national primary school joke competition.

VoiceBox is a Scotland-wide joke-telling competition for primary school pupils, organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). The competition aims to highlight the importance of communication, while bringing fun and creativity to classrooms across the country.

Schools are invited to nominate pupils with the funniest jokes, giving them the chance to be selected as one of 32 local authority finalists who will be invited to the National Final at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 5th June.

Commenting, Clare Haughey said:

“This competition is a fantastic opportunity to combine laughter with learning. It’s not only about sharing jokes but also about raising awareness of the importance of communication skills in children’s development.

“I would encourage schools across Rutherglen and Cambuslang to get involved, and showcase the creativity and humour of their pupils.

With so much talent in our schools, I’m confident we can compete with the best young joke-tellers across Scotland.”

The RCSLT – the professional body for speech and language therapists – hopes that competition will bring confidence and joy to young participants.

Head of RCSLT Scotland, Glenn Carter, said:

“The VoiceBox competition is a fun way to remind everyone that communication is a vital skill for every child.

“In every classroom, there are children who need additional support with speaking and understanding. With the right help, including from speech and language therapists, these children can achieve significant improvements in their learning, interaction skills, and overall wellbeing.

“Communication is fundamental to how we connect with others, understand the world, and express ourselves. Every child has a right to be heard and supported in developing these skills.”

Each finalist will receive £100 worth of HarperCollins books, while the pupils with the top three jokes will win a toy gift card worth up to £100 and up to £500 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school.  For more information about the competition, visit: https://www.rcslt.org/scotland/voicebox/