Young writers receive prizes

THE WINNERS of this year’s Shetland young writer competition have been revealed.

Almost 250 entries were received for the Shetland Library contest.

The winners are: Bella Jamieson (7-9 winner), Sonny Isbister (7-9 dialect winner), Mason Welsh (10-12 winner), Ena Priest (10-12 dialect winner), Emma Deyell (13-18 winner) and Barbara Walterson (13-18 dialect winner).

The £50 prize money for each of the winners was provided by the Shetland branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and local dialect group Shetland ForWirds, with presentations taking place in schools at the end of term last week.

The theme this year was ‘The Cave’, and due to lockdown the competition format was changed with pupils, parents and teachers asked to submit entries by email rather than by post.

The competition was judged by judges Mary Blance, Jim Mainland and James Sinclair.

Young people’s services librarian Morag Nicolson, who organised the competition, said: “It’s been another brilliant year for Young Writer, despite having to do things a little differently. There was some excellent writing in English and a very high standard of writing in Shetland dialect.

“The judges and myself would like to thank all the young writers, as well as parents and teachers for pulling together to make it happen. It’s good to see that literacy and Shetland dialect are flourishing.”

The winning entries can be read on the Shetland Library website as well as in next month’s New Shetlander literary magazine.