Literary awards for Warrington writers

TWO writers from Warrington were among the winners at this year’s Cheshire Prize for Literature
The award-winning author and illustrator team responsible for bringing the treasured characters Biff, Chip and Kipper to life announced the winners at the University of Chester’s Riverside Campus..
Rod Hunt and Alex Brychta were the special guests and gave the audience of children, parents and entrants to the competition an insight into how to create their much-loved and world-famous stories.
Rod and Alex are the team behind The Oxford Reading Tree series, which is arguably the most widely used reading scheme in the world and which celebrated its 30th birthday last year.
It is enjoyed by children in 85 per cent of UK schools, and in more than130 countries worldwide.
This year’s competition was for children’s literature, with approximately 140 entries covering a wide range of themes received from the length and breadth of the country, as well as internationally.
The first prize of £2,000 was presented to Laura Bridge for her story, The Crate. Laura, who lives in Bath city centre, but is originally from Knutsford, said: “As a primary school teacher I was excited to hear how Rod and Alex create their stories. I was overwhelmed to win and it was such an honour to have an extract of my story read out by Rod!”
Eric Twist, from Great Sankey,, who wrote The Exploding Artichoke and Elizabeth Iddon, also from Great Sankey, , who wrote The Fall of the Sycamore were both highly commended and received £250 each.
Sharon Forsdyke, a University of Chester graduate, for her story Saved by the Elephant and Elizabeth Harris, for her story The Spy Left Out in the Cold, both from Chester, were Commended and received £125 each.
As well as cash prizes, the winning entries and a selection of other submissions will be included in an anthology produced by the University of Chester Press next spring.
Picture: Left to right: Sue Rowe and Ann Williams (judges); High Sheriff of Cheshire Sarah Callander–Beckett; Eric Twist; Elizabeth Harris; Laura Bridge; Alex Brychta MBE; Sharon Forsdyke; Rod Hunt MBE and Si Poole.