Writing Competition Winners

Earlier this year we ran a writing workshop for adopted young people and following on from this a competition seeking entries on the theme “This is Me”. We were really impressed and moved by the quality of the writing we received and we will be sharing these works in 2020 since they deserve a wider audience. The entries were judged by our in-house team and by Miles Chambers, a former Bristol poet laureate.

The seven winners of the competition are:

— Tia Bonomini-Newson

— Nikkita

— S.O.

— Unicorn123

— Ella

— Sky Woodruff

— Esther Woodruff

Miles said of their writing:

“Thank you for these renditions. I am completely bowled away at the high standard of writing and self-awareness and the level at which these young people are in touch with their feelings, I’m further amazed at their specific approach in expressing these attributes in their own very personal, poetic styles. Their articulation and emotional intelligence and honesty seem beyond their years. Thank you.”

Bristol’s first Poet Laureate and International Performance Poet, Miles Chambers has supported young people in writing, including by working with Ablaze, a project which tackles inequality of opportunity for young people in schools and Hope Virtual School for young people in care. He has run a series of workshops with children and young people in schools and has inspired many young people to write.

Miles says:

“It is my pleasure to be involved in this, to be able to encourage young lives to articulate and express their emotions and experiences. I understand how important this is in developing confidence and social development. Writing can be a cathartic, transformational experience.”