Civic Cups Presentation at Monkseaton High School

Whitley Bay Rotary Civic Cups at Monkseaton High School

For the past seventy-eight years, the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay has been recognising the outstanding achievements of some of North Tyneside's young people with the awarding of a Civic Cup to each individual.

Unfortunately, this year with the Covid 19 restrictions we were unable to have a more formal presentation at one of our monthly meetings, so a number of Rotarians visited Monkseaton High School with President Liz, who presented the Cups, Certificates of Achievement and a cheque for £75.00 for each student.

Madeline (Maddie) Mason and Ella Bage, the two winners had the opportunity to discuss their achievements with President Liz and we have attached their statements (which they would have read at our Rotary Club presentation dinner), which all things considered, make for an amazing read.
President Liz spoke at length to the two students praising them for their activities in our community, saying:
‘I think they are to be highly commended for all their energy and enthusiasm and are a beacon for all young people to follow.’

ELLA BAGE

Good evening everyone! I am totally overwhelmed I have been nominated, and very grateful to be here tonight and have this experience!
I’d like to start with a big thank you to everyone who has supported me through my journey, and I hope to go far in the future and do everyone proud. I am hoping to inspire many other young people, to just take that jump or step and to be strong, everyone does say it and you have all probably heard it all before but there is light at the end of the tunnel for us all.

As you know I am a student at Monkseaton High School and have been for the whole three years, as I have grown amazingly as an individual. I have always been excited to start my GCSEs due to my passion for health and social care, for my GCSE I chose health and social care, history, hospitality and catering and ASDAN cope also known as applied learning. I have enjoyed being able to focus on the subjects I enjoy and have most interest in. I chose hospitality and catering for my love of cooking in and outside of school, and for how amazing it is that your diet can positively improve your mental health and wellbeing.
In addition, I choose health and social care, as I have a big ambition and love for studying how barriers in life or daily life, can affect us with our PIES our physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, I have also had my heart set on being a social worker or working in social work department since a very young age - about 8. I am grateful for what Monkseaton High have offered me, however I would like to start my next chapter at Newcastle College to take the step myself and go straight in to my career of being a social worker and get stuck in!

Now I’d like to tell you a little bit the parts of my life not everyone sees, my struggles and barriers. I live with my mam and I have a pet dog. On a daily basis I am faced with strong anxiety and depression, my mam has bad addiction and bad mental health issues also. I have dealt with a lot of childhood trauma and abuse. I am a young carer currently and have been since the age of 6. And I’d like to say being a young carer becomes part of your daily life and all tasks you do. Unfortunately, being a young carer also restricts you from doing a lot of activities and daily life of being a kid. You put all your dreams, wishes and ambitions to a side, to take on a big role of helping another get through life. I have been a young carer to two of my family members, one being my nana who sadly lost her battle when I was 9 and to my most incredible mam. I haven’t had the most ‘normal’ or ‘carefree’ childhood, but it’s what has formed me as a person, I wouldn’t be here without my struggles. Caring for my mam and nana means that I have to give up all my own time and I don’t have time to myself and don’t go out socialising with my friends as much as I wish I could. I am very selfless and I would do absolutely anything for my mam currently and if my nana was still with me I’d still be living with her still and caring for her and I wouldn’t change it for the world. From the age 6 I would keep control of my nana’s medication and I would tell her what time she needs to take what medication and how much etc. And with my mam I supported her with emotional support more than physical, as being an addict is having a mental illness which will stay with you for the rest of your life unfortunately, and something you will have to live with on a daily basis.
Now on a positive note, some of the activities I do outside of school, I used to take part in a netball club, I go a boxing club Marden ABC. I also go to THE BASE Barnardo’s every Wednesday straight after school, I also go to the base on a Friday after school to be a peer mentor and experienced young person to help out with the younger groups and show them how things can and do get better. I really enjoy doing this as some of the older girls in my group when I started really helped and supported me showing me there was hope as they were living proof of it. In addition, with my passion for baking, I have an Instagram page as I want to start myself my own little business doing
confections, cakes, cupcakes, treats…

To contribute to the community, I am hoping to be able to go on many placements of visits, to schools, nurseries, day-carers etc on my child development course I will be starting in September. I would already say I contribute to the community as I help out at THE BASE Barnardo’s a lot and have for a few years now. I will always volunteer to help those in need. I have also planned to volunteer in the summer holidays for Acorns on their activity days and group sessions. Acorns is a confidential support service for children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse. Furthermore,
in the future to the wider world, I hope to be working in a social work environment and contribute daily to support and help others who need support and help in anyway.

Again, thank you all for having me here today and thank you for listening.

MADELINE MASON

Good Evening everyone! I’d like to first start off by saying thank you for this opportunity, I feel honoured to be here tonight with such inspiring people. I’d also like to thank the teachers at Monkseaton High School who nominated me for this award, and who have helped me through the tough times, and have shaped me to be the person I am today.
As you are aware, my name is Maddie and I’m 15 years old. In school, I study Spanish, history, creative imedia and business studies, alongside the core subjects. After year 11, I am planning on staying on at Monkseaton High School to study my A levels in business, chemistry, biology and psychology, to then hopefully go on to university to do a science or business degree.
Outside school, I play for a local netball team, I attend dance classes, and I take part in Army Cadets. With the Army Cadets, I have achieved my Bronze DofE award, and I am currently working towards my silver. Cadets has been such a great experience for me. I joined in 2019 and it has helped me find skills and qualities that I didn’t know I had. I’ve met so many new people and I have travelled to new places. Cadets has also improved my self-confidence and my social skills, as I now have the courage to be able to stand up and teach the younger cadets in lessons, and tell them about the trips I have been on with them. Cadets has allowed me to escape from reality and the personal battles I have been faced with over recent years, which has helped me a lot, just as well as the ongoing support I have received from the staff at Monkseaton High School.
Most days I battle with my mind to overcome my anxiety and depressive thoughts, which I can’t lie, is quite exhausting. I sometimes find it hard to balance studying with normal life. It became evidently trickier during the pandemic as I no longer had that escape of cadets, netball and dance. However, with the school, they have helped me through this tough time as they’ve referred me to a councillor which has helped a lot.
As part of being in cadets, I enjoy the work we do which supports the local community. For example, we sell poppies, partake in charity work and do volunteering as part of Duke of Edinburgh. I plan to stay in cadets for the next few years, but I will continue to help my local community outside of it. Also, next year I would like to get more involved within school, and in order to do this I plan on enrolling on the student council to help plan things like litter picking around the area, as it is becoming a greater issue.

If you would like to know more about our Rotary Club please do not hesitate to contact us through or website or telephone – 07419 736989.

Richard Hart
C/o 45, Saltwick Gardens, West Park, W/Bay NE25 9GJ
Tel; 0191-2523941
Mob; 07947696467

Group Picture.
Standing L-R: President Liz Hayes, Rotarians Ian & Yvonne Bedwell, Students Maddie Mason and Ella Bage, Rotarian John Clarkson, Head Teacher Joanne Suddes