With nearly 50 entries for this year’s primary schools competition, the Marlborough LitFest had a tough time picking winners. Children had to create a ‘Top Trumps’ card of a Greek god or goddess and represent them with a drawing and 200 words describing the greatest strength of their chosen god.
The six winners have each won a £25 book voucher to be spent at The White Horse Bookshop, courtesy of competition sponsor, Haine & Smith. The winners are Kacie (Year 5), Gilbert (Year 4), Stan (Year 3) and Fiona (Year 2) from Woodborough Primary School and Ben and Jessica (both Year 5) from Preshute Primary School.
Janet Hartwell of the Haine & Smith Charitable Trust said, “A huge well done to the members of the committee who ensured that the Marlborough LitFest schools and outreach events went ahead, albeit in a slightly different fashion this year owing to Covid-19 restrictions. We all need boosts such as this at these difficult times, and it’s wonderful to see the amazing creativity of the children who entered the competition. The Haine & Smith Partners are delighted to sponsor the prizes for the worthy winners.”
Laura Briscall of the Marlborough LitFest, said, “We were delighted with the effort put in by the school children this year, especially during such a difficult school year and we’d like to thank all the teachers for their support.”
This year’s Marlborough LitFest consisted of a heavily reduced programme, due to Covid-19 restrictions, but the festival focused on outreach activity for the local community, including its first Love Books competition in association with English Literature at Bath Spa University.
A total of nearly 600 local primary school children took part in a series of free online author talks in September and October, as part of the annual LitFest schools outreach programme, connecting children with children’s authors in an online format. Children’s authors Ross Montgomery, Maz Evans and Gareth P Jones provided livestream talks to 12 local primary schools, which would usually have taken place in Marlborough Town Hall during the festival weekend.
The Marlborough LitFest will return in 2021 from 30 September – 3 October. For more information visit the website here
