I’m thrilled to be organising a UK & Ireland-wide writing competition to celebrate twenty-five years of Link Age Southwark. This lovely London charity ‘builds friendships between older people and volunteers in order to end feelings of loneliness and isolation in the local community’.
The competition launched this month and is open to UK and Ireland residents, both adults and children. Entries may take the form of either a short story or poem, based on the theme of friendship and/or generations.
Prizes:
18+ Category:
- 1st – £200
- 2nd – £150
- 3rd – £100
Children’s Categories:
- 1st, 2nd & 3rd – Book vouchers
Winning entries will be published on the blog. Copyright will remain with the writer.
Winners will also be invited to the charity’s birthday party and AGM in Dulwich Village, London, in October if they wish, where prizes will be presented. Attendance is not essential and prizes will of course be sent by post to those unable to come. The Charity cannot cover transport or accommodation costs.
Criteria:
The theme is friendship and/or generations
Short stories can be between 250-1000 words in length
Poems can be up to 40 lines
The competition is open to UK and Ireland residents only
The adults category is for aged 18+ and the entry fee is £5 per entry. You may make multiple entries but each requires a payment
The children’s category is for aged 11-17 and is free to enter. Children’s entries will be divided into 11-14 and 15-17 age groups.
Entries must be the writer’s own unique work and unpublished
Meet the judges:
Our prestigious panel of judges includes authors, poets, publishers and book reviewers who can’t wait to read your work. Read all about them here.
How to enter:
Entry to the 18+ category will cost £5. Children’s entries are free.
To enter, please email your submissions to competition@linkagesouthwark.org as a .doc or .docx file. Please include your name and age group in the subject heading, whether your entry is a short story or poem and proof of payment if entering the Adults Category by including the receipt number in the body of your email.
Adults Category Only: Please submit your £5 entry fee here before emailing.
Save the document as the title of the short story or poem. No personal details are to be included in the document
The deadline for entries is 11.59PM on 31 August 2018.
Winners will be notified by 1st October 2018.
Becky Danks 