20 May 2026
The winners of VoiceBox 2026, a national joke telling competition for primary school children, was announced at Parliament Buildings, Stormont in Northern Ireland.
Children and young people from across Northern Ireland brought laughter to the heart of Stormont as they gathered to compete in the grand final of the RCSLT NI Voice Box 2026 competition.
Hosted by May McFetridge, the final took place in the Senate Chamber on 19 May and brought together 18 finalists from schools across Northern Ireland to perform their jokes in front of a distinguished panel of judges, including Chief AHP Officer Michelle Tennyson and Northern Ireland Children’s Commissioner Chris Quinn.
Congratulations go to overall winner, Wojtek, as well as primary winner, Ethan, and post primary winner, Ella.
The overall winner received £500 worth of books for their school, with the post-primary and primary winners receiving £250 worth of books for their school. All finalists also received a goodie bag, with the overall winner receiving a £100 gift card and the primary and post-primary winners receiving a £50 gift card.
The competition, which attracted entries from every county across Northern Ireland, celebrates the power of communication, confidence and creativity through comedy. From clever puns to laugh-out-loud one-liners, the Voice Box final delivered an unforgettable afternoon that showcased the humour, talent and confidence of a diverse group of children and young people from every corner of Northern Ireland. The event also highlighted the many different ways people communicate, including through communication devices and sign language, reinforcing the message that every child and young person has a voice and deserves to be heard.
Held at Parliament Buildings, the event aimed to highlight the importance of speech and language therapy to political representatives and policy-makers, with strong support shown by those who attended on the day.
Voice Box 2026 celebrated not only the creativity and imagination of the finalists, but also the vital role speech and language therapy plays in helping children and young people communicate with confidence and reach their full potential.
