Writing competition is launched

[John Dean]

Are you a budding writer with an interest in the coast and the natural or historic environment? Or do you work with young people or adults who are interested in writing?

If so, this may interest. A new competition aims to encourage people from Northumberland and beyond to reflect on and write about the Northumberland Coast.

The competition is open to three age categories: 7-11 years, 12-16 years and adults. Entries could be short stories, poems or verse.

The winning entries will be published on the Northumberland Coast AONB website and used in other displays and presentations as part of our diamond celebrations.

Three renowned authors and poets have been lined up to judge the competition: Dan Smith is an award-winning, Newcastle-based author of adventure stories for younger readers, and thrillers for adults; Dr Tony Williams is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Northumbria University, who writes poetry and prose fiction, and Richie McCaffery is an award-winning poet, with a PhD in Scottish Literature from Glasgow University. He is originally from Warkworth.

The Partnership have been awarded a grant of nearly £900 from The Pen and Palette Club to help stage further events. The Finale will be in the autumn, with a concert featuring song, music and drama celebrating the cultural heritage of the Northumberland Coast. There will also be an award ceremony.

Catherine Gray, Funding and Communications Officer for the AONB Partnership, said: “As part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, we wanted to give people a chance to share their energy and enthusiasm for the area. What better way than to let imaginations run wild with a written word competition?”

The deadline for entries is August 31, 2018. You can find out more at www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org/written-word-competition/