The Kent Big Writing Challenge
6th April 2022
6th April 2022
Children across Kent are being invited to take part in The Kent Big Writing Challenge, with a prize-giving ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral in August.
The theme of the challenge, which is being organised and promoted by Kent County Council’s Reconnect programme in conjunction with the KM Charity Team, is “local heroes”.
The Kent Big Writing Challenge is open to children and young people who live or go to school in Kent. There are three different age categories: key stage 1 (years one and two primary), key stage 2 (years three-six, primary) and key stages 3 and 4 (years seven to 11, secondary).
Entries can be a story, a poem, a play, an essay or even a sound recording, but every entry must be limited to 500 words. The closing date for entries is 31st May 2022. Award-winning children’s author Nick Butterworth, the man behind the Percy the Park Keeper books among others, will be attending the awards event when all winners will receive a framed certificate and a commemorative book.
The overall champions will receive a specially designed glass trophy and Kent County Council will be funding a trip for the classes of the three overall winners.
Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Shellina Prendergast, said: “I hope as many Kent children as possible take up this challenge and enter the competition. It is aimed at encouraging a positive relationship with literacy and is the chance to demonstrate children’s creativity. I am really looking forward to seeing the results of their imaginative ideas. I hope this will become an annual creative writing competition for children and young people.”
Mike Ward, from the KM Charity Team, said: “The KM Charity Team is so excited to be involved in Kent’s Big Writing Challenge and we hope that this is the first of many. Literacy is at the heart of the programmes delivered by the KM Charity with Buster’s Book Club and Buster’s VIP programmes. Giving children the knowledge and the motivation to be the best they can be is at the core of everything we do and if our involvement gives one child a love of literacy then it has been a huge success.”
For further information and for details of how to enter.
The Pantiles is a Georgian colonnade in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. Formerly known as The Walks and the (Royal) Parade, it leads from the well that gave the town its name. The area was created following the discovery of a chalybeate spring in the early 17th century and is now a popular tourist attraction.
Featuring in several ghost stories, Kentish folklore and continuing to be a great “local hero” for all manner of artists, The Pantiles is an inspiring source for any short tale! Why not bring your children along to The Pantiles this half term to gain some inspiration for the Kent Big Writing Challenge?