The Jack Petchey Foundation has granted £1.6m to public speaking charity the Speakers Trust, to enable it to run the world’s largest public speaking event for young people for a further three years.

The three-year grant will allow Speakers Trust to continue to run Jack Petchey’s ‘Speak Out’ Challenge! which trains teenagers from every secondary school in London and Essex to speak in public. Around 65,000 young people have already been through the programme and the Speakers Trust intends to more than double that number by extending the programme for a further three years.

The Foundation, set up by businessman Jack Petchey CBE who runs Petchey Holdings plc and Petchey Leisure, encourages young people to realise their potential and contribute to society.  The Challenge!, delivered by Speaker’s Trust, is the biggest annual programme that it funds.

At the end of their training, participants in Jack Petchey’s ‘Speak Out’ Challenge! take part in a school speaking completion with regional heats and a gala grand final.

Jeremy Sweetland, chief executive of the Speakers Trust, said: “In an increasingly challenging jobs economy communication skills are vital and this training will help equip these young people for when they need to present themselves and also help them make their opinions understood or counted.”

Trudy Kilcullen, chief operating officer at the Jack Petchey Foundation, said: “Our mission is to help young people achieve their potential and make a contribution to society. It is essential that they have the confidence to express themselves if they are going to be able to achieve goals and influence others.  

“Speakers Trust has created a programme that enables them to overcome their fears, learn the techniques and get their message across. We have been impressed with the delivery and the results of this project and that is why we are happy to be working with Speakers Trust as we continue meeting our mutual goals together.”