Young Stirling joker secures ticket to Holyrood after quip earns spot in final

Daily Record

15-05-2025

His top gag earned him a spot in the national competition where a pupil from each of the 32 council areas will compete for the crown.
A Stirling primary school pupil has turned a good gag into a golden ticket for Holyrood after being named a finalist in a national joke-telling competition.
Ru McCallum, a Primary One pupil at Allan's Primary School, has been crowned the winner of Stirling's regional heat in the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' (RCSLT) VoiceBox competition – a national joke-telling contest celebrating the power of communication.
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With a joke that had judges in stitches, Ru now heads to the Grand Final at the Scottish Parliament on June 5, where 32 of Scotland's funniest primary school pupils – one from each local authority – will compete for the title of VoiceBox Champion 2025.
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Ru's joke which earned a place in the final, was: 'Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling very well!'
The event will be hosted by Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, with Zara Janjua, BBC journalist and stand-up comedian, taking the mic as compère.
Now in its second year, VoiceBox launched on Blue Monday – the so-called 'saddest day of the year' – with a very different energy, thanks to last year's winners from Cockenzie Primary in East Lothian.
Since then, schools across Scotland have been submitting their funniest entries in a joyful celebration of confidence, creativity and communication.
Ru has already secured £100 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school, and is also now in the running for the top prizes: £500 of books for the winning school; £200 of books for second and third place; plus, a £100 toy gift card for the top three finalists.
Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said the competition is about more than making people laugh, explaining: 'We're incredibly proud of all the regional winners who've earned a place in the national final.
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'VoiceBox is about much more than making people laugh.
'It's about highlighting the vital role that communication plays in every part of a child's life.
'Speech, language and communication, skills are the foundation for learning, social connection, mental wellbeing and future employment.
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'Yet too many children still struggle without the support they need, often going unnoticed.
'Competitions like VoiceBox show just how powerful a child's voice can be when given a platform and why it's so important that we continue to invest in speech and language therapy to support children's communication. '
'These children aren't just telling jokes.
'They're showing us how the ability to communicate can positively impact confidence, creativity and connection.'