Youth Leadership scheme set path to TV role

Peter Cardwell, who recently moved to Channel 5, was guest speaker at a meeting of Carrickfergus Rotary Club.

He described how as a teenager in 2001 his success in the Rotary Youth Leadership competition provided the opportunity for him to travel to Strasbourg and participate in Euroschola, the European Youth Parliament, and how this experience built his confidence and re-enforced his journalistic ambitions.

It was on this trip, a Carrickfergus Rotarian first met Peter and subsequently followed his journalistic career. More recently, Peter described how he applied for and was successful in gaining a place on a Rotary Group Study Exchange programme which allows young professionals to sample work experience in a foreign country.

In Peter’s case, it was New Zealand South Island where he had the opportunity to sample newspaper, radio and TV journalism.

While he was there he filmed two pieces for UTV News highlighting the part played by construction industry tradesmen and professionals from Northern Ireland in rebuilding Christchurch following the earthquake.

On behalf of club members, Carrickfergus Rotarian Colin McCarthy thanked Peter and congratulated him on his engaging presentation and on his personal achievements in his own profession.