The LitFest has always been about encouraging reading and writing for everyone in Marlborough and beyond, whether or not they are regular festival goers. All local primary schools were invited to enter our annual competition in 2021 – this year’s was ‘Create a Mini-Book’. Pupils were shown how to create a mini-book using just one A3 piece of paper and invited to fill the book entirely with their own content.
We had nearly 600 entries from local primary schools, from Reception to Year 6 and a diverse range of entries, including diaries, Haiku poems, books about Covid, sport, comic books, amazing stories, wildlife and saving the planet. Some were hilarious, some beautifully illustrated, and some touching.
The schools that entered included: Great Bedwyn, St Francis Pewsey, Easton Royal, Burbage, Ogbourne St George, Shalbourne, Marlborough St Mary’s and Woodborough School.
The judges had a difficult job but eventually six lucky children were picked as winners. Each child won a £25 book token to spend in the White Horse Bookshop, kindly donated by local Marlborough opticians, Haine and Smith. The winners were: Rosie Naughton (Year 6) from Great Bedwyn School; Harry Wakeham (Year 3), from Marlborough St Mary’s School; Emmy Green (Year 1), Ogbourne School; Mimi Bevan (Year 5), Ogbourne School; Sam Heal (Year 4), Great Bedwyn School; Isla Matthewson (Year 2), Burbage School.
Children’s author, Emma Carroll, presented some of the competition winners at the Town Hall in Marlborough, during LitFest. Left to right: Mimi Bevan, Harry Wakeham, Emma Carroll, Sam Heal, Isla Matthewson
(Photo credit: Ben Phillips Photography)