WISBECH Rotary Club was given a thought-provoking talk this week by Wisbech Grammar School headmaster Mr Nicholas Hammond.

Mr Hammond, himself a former Rotary Exchange Student, gave an insight into the hopes and aspirations of young students and the pressures they find themselves under as they either continue their education or find employment in the modern world.

Mr Hammond, who was appointed headmaster in 2007, expressed the opinion that many young people today may be over-influenced by high earning sports personalities and leaders of industry, not to mention the lure of television fame.

He explained how education has changed and improved over the years, and expressed that contrary to media reports, standards today were as high as they had ever been and were still improving. The Grammar School, founded in 1379, has recently posted the best A-level results in its history.

Mr Hammond also thanked Wisbech Rotary Club for the opportunities in local, regional and national events that they had given to students from locals schools, for example through their Young Chef, Young Designer and Young Musician schemes.

At the end of the evening, cheques of �1000 each were presented by Club President Jon Martin to Mary Dunn of Anglia Air Ambulance and Mr and Mrs Chew for ‘Hopes for Homes for Children’.