Both adjudicators are Adjudicator Members of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

ANNA FARMER LLAM, Cert. TESOL, FESB

Anna Farmer has been involved in Festival work all her life, as a competitor, a parent, a teacher, an organiser (Speech & Drama Section Secretary with Godalming Festival for over 12 years) and an adjudicator at venues as varied as Hong Kong and Ireland as well as many areas of the UK. She has been teaching Drama and Communication skills at every level since 1968. She appreciates the need today to be able to vocally express oneself in all walks of life and is aware that Festival involvement is a great stepping stone to all who participate for whatever path they may take in the future.

She has been an examiner for the English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. since 1990 working abroad as well as in the U.K. and has a special interest in developing oral communication in young people. She is also an examiner for the Speech & Drama Section of Trinity Guildhall, London; again travelling abroad on their behalf as well as examining across the country.

She has until recently been a Governor of her local primary school and in this role has been very involved with general Literacy and the encouragement of all pupils to orally express their views with confidence as well as developing a love of the spoken word at a young age.

Her philosophy is to encourage full participation by festival competitors not only to experience the two-way relationship between performer and audience, but also for the deeper understanding of their own expanding abilities. Anna believes these skills will be tremendously valuable as children mature into adulthood.

She is delighted to have the opportunity to adjudicate at the Buckingham Festival. She trusts that all involved in the festival will have a happy and productive experience.

SYLVIA M LORDEN ARAD, AISTD, MIDTA, FBTDA, PGCA

Sylvia Lorden lives and works in Rugby where she teaches children, students and adults. She trained in Dance, but became very interested in Speech and Drama through the encouragement gained at her place of education, Rugby High School.

In later years she produced pantomimes, musicals and plays in her local theatre as well as taking leading roles herself. She has appeared in two films and in television shows. Sylvia loves all forms of art and tries to encourage this wherever she can.

She is the only Adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals adjudicating both Dance and Speech and Drama.