Three students from King William’s College proudly represented the Isle of Man at the national final of the prestigious Cranmer Awards, held in the historic surroundings of Hampton Court Palace.

The 2026 final took place in the magnificent Chapel Royal, where students Zoe Vogel, Sean Cannan and Charles Kerruish delivered impressive performances in their respective age groups.

The trio had previously secured their places in the final after qualifying in last year’s Isle of Man heat, one of 14 regional rounds held across the country.

Organised by The Prayer Book Society, the competition challenges participants to memorise and recite passages from the Book of Common Prayer.

Contestants are judged not only on their ability to recall the text but also on their clarity, expression and overall delivery.

Supported by family members, teachers and diocesan representatives who travelled to London for the event, the Manx students received high praise for their performances.

Charles Kerruish was named runner-up in the Junior category, while Zoe Vogel achieved outstanding success by winning the Senior section of the national competition.

Following the event, the students expressed their gratitude to mentors at the College who helped prepare them for the challenge. They thanked speech and drama teacher Kristene Wilson, Governor Elaine Higgins and Father Michael Brydon for their guidance and encouragement.

Principal Damian Henderson praised the students’ achievements, noting that the College was proud to see them represent the island on the national stage.

‘Having sponsored the “Nurturing our Arts, Culture, and Heritage” category at the last Media Isle of Man Awards for Excellence, we were thrilled to send three students to represent the Island at these prestigious awards and delighted to see them do so well, as have many previous entrants from College.’

Steve Daykin, head of arts faculty, said the success reflected the dedication shown by the pupils in preparing for the event.