Five budding young authors from Selwood Academy received their Rotary Club Young Writers awards on Wednesday 18th April from Chris Page, chairman of the Rotary Club of Frome at Hunting Raven Books in Cheap Street, to mark the club’s annual Young Writers’ competition.
Not all the winners were able to attend the first date for the presentation, which was in March, due to the snowfall.
This year’s theme was ‘A Different Perspective’ and Frome Writers Collective provided a panel of local writers as judges. Chairman of judges, Gill Harry, commented “From dogs to ants, peas to abandoned toys, the ‘different perspectives’ adopted by the entrants were varied and imaginative. It was a great pleasure to judge the competition – though it wasn’t an easy task because the stories were just so good! They were a delight to read. Very well done to everyone who entered.”
Out of 60 entries in two age categories, winner of the junior age group was Amelia Preston-Jackson whose story ‘Spike the Pug finds fame’ managed to be funny, topical and include local colour. The judges said, “The writer was consistent in staying within Spike’s viewpoint and successfully pictured the close relationship between Spike and owner Jake.” Grace Maddrell’s story ‘Grace and other characters’ took first prize in the intermediate (11-13 years) age group. The judges felt her story “really stood out. It was so imaginative and we loved that there was a message in the story too. There was a great use of repetition which meant the story flowed beautifully…it showed real understanding and compassion.”
Other category winners were Ivan Yeo, Sophia Regan and Albie Cann in the juniors and Miriam Biggs, Daniel Sprung and Cusi Wilce in the intermediate class.
Some of the winners had received their award in March, braving the inclement weather and Chris Page said, “We are delighted to celebrate once more the creative talents of some of our young people. Our thanks go again to Hunting Raven for hosting the presentations. We are also grateful to Chicken House Publishers for sponsoring the splendid winners’ trophies and to Hunting Raven Books and Winstones, and to Frome Writers Collective for sponsoring the prizes of book tokens along with the Rotary Club of Frome.”
