Young writers celebrated at special ceremony

10/02/2012

Island based crime author and former detective, Bob Bridgestock, his co-author wife Carol, who chairs Wight Fair Writers Circle and Maggie Jones the Deputy Chair, have presented delighted pupils from St Catherine’s with certificates and prizes for short stories they had written for an Island based writing competition.

Twice a year the Wight Fair Writers’ Circle organises a short story writing competition which is open to everyone on the Island.  The theme was ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly’.  The young people from St Catherine’s, who all have speech, language and communication needs, were given some lesson time to create their own ideas and without help wrote their own stories. ‘The young people were very keen to write their Christmas stories; some kept writing and writing and had to be stopped otherwise we would have missed the deadline!’, said Mrs Whatley, their English teacher.

The young people were unable to attend the Wight Fair Writers’ Circle prize giving presentation at Newport Minster in December, so, were celebrated at a special assembly to mark their great achievements.  The prize winners were:  Tali for ‘Christmas Crisis’, Jack for ‘Christmas Turns Evil’, Dylan for ‘What Happened to Christmas’ and Mariah for ‘Stuck at St Catherine’s’.  The young people read their stories to the audience - another great achievement.

Carol said, ‘Writing a story is hard enough, receiving an award is exceptional -  especially when you think we had over 100 entries in the Under 18’s category, but then to read it out to an audience... I take my hat off to them. I hope we can inspire them to enter our ‘Crime & Intrigue’ short story competition which will be launched on 7th March.  As well as inspiring adults and children alike to read and write, each competition also raises money for local charities and the Christmas short story competition 2012 will be raising money for St Catherine’s and the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.’ So please spread the word!