Emily becomes youngest church music gold award winner in the region

A WOODROFFE School pupil has become the youngest holder of the Royal School of Church Music Gold Award in the South West.

Emily Aves, a Year 11 student at the Lyme Regis comprehensive, passed the demanding exam in Salisbury last week.

It involved singing 10 prepared items, sight-reading, music theory, writing programme notes, devising a church service - including writing prayers - and knowledge of church music history, as well as liturgy and the church year.

Few achieve the grade – just 20 in the whole country in the last six months - and Emily is currently the only under-18 holder of the Gold Award in the South West, the other two being adults.

Nick Brown, flute teacher and director of music at Colyton Church, said: “We hope to present the award at the church service on Sunday November 28.”