This can be quite a daunting experience, because speaking to a marauding bunch of over-excited youngsters is a real challenge. These guys don't want to hear me sing, thank God. They don't want to listen
to a long boring lecture about how wonderful I am. And they certainly don't want to be talked down to as if they're juvenile halfwits. So, every year my speech begins by thanking them for their efforts,but it always ends with this message to them: "I couldn't give a toss whether you have a degree or not, what religion you believe in, or who your parents are. In this organisation, if you work hard and play by the rules there is always a future here for you.''