A CREATIVE group of students won £1,000 for their chosen charity after giving a compelling speech about children with additional needs.

Ramsey Academy in Halstead hosted a First Give competition, where five groups competed to win a top prize of £1,000, and two runner-up prizes of £250. First Give is a group encouraging children to help in the community.

On Wednesday a group of four won the top prize for PARC, the children’s charity based in Great Notley.

Becky Woods and Jessica Thomas, 12, and Ashton Sinclair, 11, spoke of how children with special needs should be given equal opportunities.

After winning, the group said: “We are so happy, we never imagined we would win after seeing all the groups. We have loved every day and we have been practicing for about two weeks.”

Each group had five minutes to put forward an argument as to why their charity should receive the money.

The runners up were Salvation Army, with a presentation by Thomas Brackley and Owen Schofield, and Rainbow Trust, with a presentation by Cobi Berkane, Thomas Leader, Callum Hall and Kieran Freeman. Helen Price, project organiser, said all the groups did a fantastic job. She said: “They have all been amazing, they had a workshop challenge and they have improved so much since then.

“There has been a huge amount of effort with the groups visiting their charities and showing empathy for others.”

The other two charities were Presidents Sporting Club, with a presentation by Lyncoln Street, Leo Westfall, Sean Felstead and Daniel Webb, and Action on Smoking and Health, with a speech by Ella Masterson, Ben Salmon, Erin Nocton, Bradley Knights, Joshua Ingleby and Amy Moreby.

The speeches were judged by the Gazette’s Katherine Palmer, headteacher Rob James, Mrs Williams, deputy subject leader in English and Mr Pittuck, art and design technician.