Clan launches The BookBench Trail creative writing competition
In celebration of The BookBench Trail, Clan Cancer Support has launched a creative writing competition to inspire children and adults to open up and share their stories.
The competition is organised in partnership with The Press and Journal with the winning entries printed in the paper later this year.
There are four age categories with the competition open to entries from writers aged 6 and under, 7 – 10 years old, 11- 17 years old and adults aged 18 and older.
Submissions from those aged 17 and under must not exceed a wordcount of 500 while adult writers may submit an entry with a maximum wordcount of 1,500.
Organisers request all submissions must draw inspiration from one of three themes; bringing The BookBench Trail mascot Alby to life in an adventure, celebrating a location from The BookBench Trail or exploring the concept of opening up and sharing a story about your innermost feelings and experiences.
Teresa Bremner, commercial manager at Clan Cancer Support, said: “Our beautiful BookBenches are becoming part of the furniture in our local communities and now they’re fully illustrated by our amazing artists, we’re looking for stories to celebrate our summer art trail.
“We chose the BookBench sculpture because of our own listening support service which encourages people to open up and our creative writing competition is the perfect way for people to consider putting their own thoughts and experiences down on paper.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s factual or fiction, all we ask is that it’s your own written work and that it touches on one of the themes we’ve outlined. We can’t wait to read the entries and unveil the winners at our Farewell Weekend in September.”
The BookBench Trail Creative Writing Competition is now open with all entries due to be submitted electronically to Clan by 5pm on Friday, August 15.
Submissions will then be judged by judges from Clan Cancer Support, Albyn School and The Press and Journal.
Winners for each age category will be honoured at The BookBench Trail’s Farewell Weekend event which takes place from September 20-21 at Aberdeen Music Hall.
The BookBench Trail, sponsored by Bilfinger and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, is delivered by Clan Cancer Support which provides practical and emotional support to anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
In partnership with Wild in Art the trail aims to raise awareness of the leading north-east cancer charity which runs five support centres and additional outreach programmes across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Orkney and Shetland, and generate vital funding for its services.
For more information on how to submit an entry, please visit: www.clancancersupport.org/the-book-bench-trail/creative-writing-competition
