Congratulations to Wells Cathedral School Year 10 pupil, Wilamena Dyer (pictured above with Jayne Obradovic, Head of Percussion at Wells), who is one of two regional winners in the South and West of England regions in this year’s BBC Young Reporter Competition for her report on How music helps cope with Tourette’s Syndrome.
Wilamena’s inspiring three-minute film focuses on how playing a musical instrument can lessen or even prevent Tourette’s tics. As part of the film, she interviewed her cello teacher, Penny Driver at Wells, as well as several other musicians with Tourette’s syndrome who have had the same experience. The film aims to show that Tourette’s syndrome is much more complex than the media portrays.
More than 2,500 young people aged 11-18 submitted original and interesting story ideas to the competition, which is in its third year. It gives young people the chance to make their own story with BBC programme teams, producers and reporters.
With three categories to choose from – Me and My World, Coronavirus Stories and Uplifting Stories – young people from across the UK shared the issues and untold stories relevant to them and their lives.
Following a tough round of shortlisting and judging, 30 winners from across the UK were chosen to produce their reports with the help of some of the BBC’s programme-makers and producers.
Judges included editors from across the BBC, as well as presenters and reporters, including Huw Edwards, Laura Kuenssberg, and Nikki Fox from BBC News, Radio 1’s Greg James and Katie Thistleton, The One Show’s Alex Jones, BBC Newsbeat’s Roisin Hastie and Ben Mundy, Newsround’s Ricky Boleto and BBC Three reporter Ellie Flynn.
Wilamena’s report was shortlisted from over 1,000 entries across the South and West, with entries from Gloucestershire to the Isles of Scilly to Brighton to Reading.
On Monday evening, BBC’s The One Show announced the winners and Wilamena’s film will be shown on BBC Spotlight at 6.30pm this evening. She will also be interviewed on BBC Radio Cornwall on Wednesday morning.
Tune in to BBC Spotlight this evening to watch Wilamena’s inspiring film, or click here: How music helps cope with Tourette’s Syndrome