Ross children who are wild about writing urged to enter conservation charity competition with Animal Survival theme
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ASPIRING young Ross-shire writers with a passion for wildlife are being urged to put pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard – and take part in a conservation charity's competition.
Every year, upland wildlife conservation charity Hen Harrier Action runs a creative writing competition for children aged 6-16.
This year’s competition, launched on Skydancer Day by renowned children’s author, vet, and wildlife enthusiast Gill Lewis, is on the theme of Animal Survival.
And with the closing date for entries drawing near – midnight on July 10 - the charity is calling for aspiring young writers to submit their stories, poems, letters, articles or prose.
Gill said: “Words have the power to change hearts and minds; they inform, engage, enrage, and empower people. Young voices calling for change need to be heard. The future ecologists, town planners, politicians, and scientists must have the natural world at the core of all their decision-making”.
There are prizes for category winners in each of the three age group categories – Young (6-8 years), Junior (9-12 years), and Senior (13-16 years) – including RSPB Puffin binoculars and £50 book tokens.
And Gill Lewis has generously agreed to undertake an online author visit to the overall winner’s school to talk about creative writing.
RSPB Youth Council member and Hen Harrier Action trustee Indy Kiemel Greene urges young people to get involved in the competition: “I’ve been interested in wildlife conservation from a very young age, and it has grown into a passion that brings me great joy. The precarious state of nature now means that it is more important than ever for young people to become actively involved.”
Indy recently co-hosted Hen Harrier Action’s Skydancer Day broadcast on YouTube with TV wildlife presenter Megan McCubbin. The pair chatted with Gill as she launched this year’s Young Wild Writer Competition, and heard last year’s winner, Emily Hunt, read her winning entry live in the broadcast.
“Hearing Emily’s wonderful piece on Jackdaws was very inspirational,” he added. "Expressing your hopes and concerns for our wildlife through the outlet of creative writing is a fantastic way to get involved.”
You can find the full entry details at https://www.henharrierday.uk/get-involved/young-wild-writers/
What is Hen Harrier Action?
Hen Harrier Action is a registered charity run by a small group of volunteers, whose aim is to help protect the birds and other animals of the uplands, in particular the Hen Harrier and other raptors, by raising public awareness of wildlife crime and other issues relating to unsustainable land management in the UK uplands.
Gill Lewis is a renowned children’s author, vet, wildlife enthusiast and tree house dweller, fascinated with animals for as long as she can remember. She studied as a vet, travelled widely for her work, and started writing books for children and younger readers. Her latest book, Moon Flight, was chosen as Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month earlier this year.
