Rorie Mackay, a Primary Three pupil at Stromess Primary School, has been crowned the winner of Orkney Island’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.

Rorie’s joke which earned a place in the final, was:

“Knock knock! Who’s there? Nunya. Nunya who? Nunya business!”

The Grand Final takes place at the Scottish Parliament on June 5th, where 32 of Scotland’s funniest primary school pupils – one from each local authority – will compete for the title of VoiceBox Champion 2025.

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.

Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said:

“We’re incredibly proud of all the regional winners who’ve earned a place in the national final. 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. 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.”

Rorie has already secured £100 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school, and is 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

Lizzi Jones, Head of Sales and Marketing for HarperCollins Scotland, added:

“Supporting VoiceBox allows us to champion children’s literacy and communication, all through the simple joy of telling a joke. We can’t wait to hear all the jokes at Holyrood.”