Skip to content

We use necessary cookies that allow our site to work. We also set optional cookies that help us improve our website.

For more information about the types of cookies we use, and to manage your preferences, visit our Cookies policy here.

Cookie settings

Tell Your Six Towns Stories

CWCFB.jpg

Introducing our new creative writing competition

National Literacy Trust and Stoke Reads are delighted to launch an exciting creative writing competition based on the theme of journeys as part of the Connecting Stories project. We are inviting children aged 7-11 from Stoke-on-Trent to create a piece of writing based on the theme 'Six Towns Stories' in celebration of National Storytelling Week.

We'd like you to tell us about a journey you or someone you know has been on in the city. This could be real or imagined.

Stoke-on-Trent is the only city in the UK that is polycentric, which means it has more than one centre. This makes it a unique place to journey in, to, and through.

Competition brief

You can choose any format you like – a story, a poem, news article, comic or diary entry. You can include some illustrations, too.

Everyone who enters the competition will receive a certificate and will have a chance to get their work published in an anthology and displayed in a local exhibition. There will also be book prizes for the winning entries.

Winning entries will be chosen based on originality, imagination, relation to the theme and overall enjoyment.

How to enter?

Details on how to enter are provided in the 'Six Towns Stories Competition Brief'. Print or edit the 'Entry Form' to tell your story! Make sure a parent or guardian has given their consent.

Stuck for inspiration? Check out the 'Creative Writing Handbook' developed by Kreative Foundations and the Co-op Academy.

The competition opens on 30 January 2023 and entries must be submitted by 6 March 2023.

Six Towns Stories Competition Brief Six Towns Stories Entry Form Creative Writing Handbook

Competition rules

  • The competition is open to young people aged 7-11, but entries from all primary school pupils will be considered for the exhibition.
  • The closing date for submission is Monday 6 March 2023. Winners will be announced on Friday 7 April 2023.
  • Use the blank space in this booklet or up to two sides of A4 paper to complete your piece of writing.
  • Entries can be handwritten or typed.
  • The piece of creative writing must be an original piece of work and be wholly written by the entrant. It must reflect the theme of the competition as stated in the competition challenge. The writing must be single-authored.
  • Entries must not contain obscene, defamatory, offensive or otherwise unsuitable material. The organisers reserve the right to disqualify such entries.
  • A team of community partners and Stoke Reads / National Literacy Trust staff will shortlist entries. Winners will be chosen by our panel of experts.
  • On submission, parents/guardians will be asked to grant permission to enter. They will be asked for consent to publish the entrant’s writing online or in print form, or display physical entries in public spaces.

Teachers submitting on behalf of their pupils must obtain permission from parents/ guardians prior to submission. As a teacher, by entering your pupils’ work into this competition you are confirming that written parental consent has been sought and confirmed in advance of the submission. National Literacy Trust will not be held liable in the instance that consent has not been sought.

Terms and conditions

These terms and conditions apply to the ‘Six Towns Stories’ creative writing competition. The promoters are the National Literacy Trust only.

To be eligible to enter this competition, children must be aged 7-11 years and living within a Stoke-on-Trent post code or attending a Stoke-on-Trent school.

The closing date for entries is: Monday 6 March 2023.

Eligible entries will be scrutinised by a judging panel from the National Literacy Trust and the Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent.

Notification to the winning school, organisation or entrant will be made by Friday 7 April 2023.

The winning entries will be published in an anthology and will be featured in a public display at Middleport Matters and/or Tunstall Library.

General terms and conditions

  1. The Stoke Reads ‘Six Towns Stories’ creative writing competition is open to children aged 7-11 years living anywhere in Stoke-on-Trent.
  2. It is free of charge to enter.
  3. Entries must be submitted by sending a copy of the work or a picture to Lois Bateman, Stoke Reads, Port Vale Football Club, Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1AW or by emailing stoke@literacytrust.org.uk.
  4. No responsibility is accepted for entries lost, damaged or delayed as a result of any network, computer hardware or software failure of any kind, nor for any postal damage or losses. Proof of entry will not be accepted as proof of receipt.
  5. There will not be a notification of receipt for entries.
  6. Prizes offered are non-transferable and non-exchangeable. However, in the event of unforeseen circumstances the promoter reserves the right to offer alternative prizes of equal value.
  7. The winner will be notified using the contact details supplied for entry, and asked to acknowledge the notification.
  8. If we do not receive confirmation of acceptance within two weeks of notification the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected.
  9. By accepting a prize, the parent/guardian’s winner will consent to their success being publicly announced by the National Literacy Trust in newsletters, and in any other media (including social media and press). You will never be approached directly by a journalist.
  10. By taking part in this promotion, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by these terms and conditions.
  11. Contact details provided for entering the prize draw will be managed according to our privacy policy.
  12. The National Literacy Trust may in their absolute discretion modify, amend, cancel or suspend these terms and conditions at any time if they deem necessary or if circumstances arise beyond their control.
  13. The National Literacy Trust reserves the right in their absolute discretion to disqualify from this competition any entrant who they believe has not complied with these terms and conditions or acted in good faith.
  14. The promoters’ decisions are final in all matters relating to this promotion and no correspondence will be entered into.
  15. These terms and conditions shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Back to top