Tag: Scottish Book Trust

Ignite Fellowship seeks to elevate writing careers

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced that applications are open for its Ignite Fellowship.

Now in its fourth year, the Ignite Fellowship recognises the achievements of professional writers and will offer tailored, practical and financial support to help writers find time and space to fire up their careers.

There are three awards available and Scottish Book Trust is working in partnership with the Gaelic Books Council, who will fund one of these specifically for a writer working in Gaelic. Applications from writers working in Scots are also strongly encouraged.

Last year’s fellows included: poet and performer Courtney Stoddart; artist and filmmaker Raman Mundair; and Gaelic poet and translator Niall O’Gallagher.

During her Ignite Fellowship, Courtney Stoddart has worked on her first poetry pamphlet featuring themes of race, identity and the ramifications of colonialism and imperialism.

She is being mentored by writer Rommi Smith. Raman Mundair has used her time during the Fellowship to bring her work into focus with her mentor. Niall O’Gallagher worked on his forthcoming fourth book, a verse-novella called Litreachan Plàighe (Plague Letters), told through a series of letters between characters who find themselves separated from one another.

The Ignite Fellowship provides a flexible programme to suit the individual needs of the selected awardees. Fellows will receive a £2000 bursary and tailored creative support to suit their individual projects. The fellowship will run for one year, from January 2022 to January 2023.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The Ignite Fellowship now moves into its fourth year and looks to elevate the careers of writers, poets, playwrights and more who are looking to take the next step.

“The Ignite Fellowship programme is flexible to meet the needs of the awardee, which we know is more important now than ever. We encourage those writing in English, Scots and Gaelic to submit.”

Catriona Lexy Campbell, 2019 Ignite Fellow, said: “The Ignite Fellowship has been an incredible opportunity, providing me with the time and space to develop this project with exceptional mentorship from Aisling Walsh.

“I’m so excited to see where the next stage of this project takes me and I’m so grateful to Scottish Book Trust for their support throughout this time.”

Writers based in Scotland are encouraged to apply for the Ignite Fellowship. Applicants must meet the criteria for Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature Database, though do not need to be on the database to apply.

Applications are welcome from writers, comic makers, poets, illustrators, storytellers, playwrights and spoken word artists.

The Ignite Fellowship will support writers who are embarking on a particular project including novels, poetry, screenplays and radio scripts. To apply, writers must have a project that still needs work. This project can be in the very early stages of development, such as an idea, outline or pitch, or already a work in progress.

Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said: “The Ignite Fellowship has so far offered Gaelic writers the opportunity to work on folklore, poetry and screen adaptations.

“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Scottish Book Trust to support another writer in creating new work and developing their career, and we will welcome applications across all forms and genres of literature.”

Gaelic entries will be assessed by the Gaelic Books Council.

Awardees will receive:

  • A £2000 bursary
  • Tailored creative project support

    In addition to the tailored creative project support the following opportunities will also be available:
  •  
  • A week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor, alongside writers from Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Awards programme (subject to ongoing circumstances)
  • Optional training in Press, PR and Social Media and Performance and Presentation
  • A showcase event (to be organised with the selected writers)
  • Networking opportunities
  • Other reasonable support (including marketing, promotion and press) as needed
  • Reasonable travel expenses for all trips to attend programme commitments

     
    To apply for the Ignite Fellowship, please visit:

    https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/ignite-fellowship

     
    The deadline for applications is Wednesday 29 September, 12pm.


    If you have any specific questions about your application or eligibility please send them to: applications@scottishbooktrust.com

Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour Summer Competition

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour helps young people discover the life changing power of reading, bringing the magic of an author visit to classrooms and living rooms.

To help make reading fun this summer, author and illustrator Cressida Cowell is helping us launch a magical competition with some amazing book prizes.

For your chance to win, invent your very own dragon and tell us all about it!

The lucky winner will receive an e-reader, the entire collection of Cressida Cowell’s books, and a one year Historic Scotland family membership (this will open in a new window), granting free access to all Historic Scotland sites and other discounts across the UK.

Entries close at midnight on August 2, 2021.

For more details and to find out more about entering the competition, visit the Scottish Book Trust website.

For more info on the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour and how we bring books to life, check out our virtual tour videos on our on demand library.

If you’d like to receive updates on when the tour is visiting your area, please sign up to our schools newsletter. 

Only one entry per household. Full terms and conditions apply.

Children’s Laureate announces winners of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge 2021

The winners of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge 2020-21 have been announced online by the Children’s Laureate and bestselling author of the How To Train Your Dragon series, Cressida Cowell (above).

Now in its fifth year, the First Minister’s Reading Challenge is run by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing.

The awards recognise the efforts of schools and pupils to support reading for enjoyment and create a reading culture in their school, home or community. All those who submitted this year will receive book tokens, with the winners also receiving a trophy.

The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Reading is something that always brings me joy, and no matter how I am feeling there’s something to match my mood. During the pandemic, it has been a lifeline, and I know it has been for countless others.

“The reading challenge was launched to inspire as many young people as possible to discover a joy of reading, and I have been so impressed with all the innovative work schools and communities have been doing this year, rising to the challenge of doing this during these extraordinary times, and doing so with great ingenuity.

“Huge congratulations to the winners, as well as everyone who submitted incredible entries.”

The national winner, receiving the School Reading Journey Award, was Grange Primary School in Angus.

Their submission was full of fun and innovative ideas, from moving their Reading Café to pupils’ homes to their virtual book fair. The impact on families and pupils was clear and the work of the support staff was highlighted for their dedication.

Victoria Tweed, Acting Headteacher at Grange Primary School said: “We have a real culture of reading for pleasure here at Grange Primary School and it’s very much led by the children, which makes us super proud to have won the School Reading Journey part of the First Minster’s Reading Challenge.”

The national winner for the Reading Inspiration Challenge was Preston Lodge High School in East Lothian.

Their entry was put together by their superstar school librarian and promoted reading with a variety of events despite the school closure. They ran a Virtual Library Escape Room and lockdown library clubs and the panel commended their creativity and resilience on trying new ideas to keep the whole school reading.

For the School & Community Partnership Reading Journey Award category, there were some fantastic community engagement ideas, despite the challenges with Covid-19 restrictions.

The national winner for the School & Community Partnership was Elphinstone Primary School in East Lothian.

The judges felt that the partnerships this school built around reading for pleasure were incredibly meaningful and placed reading at the centre of their community with their Elphy Tales project. They worked closely with a local storyteller to embed storytelling into everyday school life, including during lockdown.

The national Gaelic Medium Education (GME) Reading Journey was awarded to Goodlyburn Primary School in Perth & Kinross.

The judges felt that they had gone above and beyond since winning the category in 2018, introducing an exciting and inclusive project called Mother Tongue to Other Tongue and integrating popular genres across their work. The school worked hard to embed books and reading across their GME curriculum.

The Community Reading Culture award celebrates the groups who work outside of school to give young people further opportunities to read for pleasure. The national winner of the Community Reading Culture award was Heriot Mini Book Bank in Scottish Borders.

Their entry stood out to the judging panel due to the creative ways they managed to keep their reading culture going in such a rural area, despite all the restrictions. When they had to close, they took reading on the road in their very remote community with their Book Bike and held an inspiring virtual author event.

This year, the Pupil Reading the Most Books award was won by Camryn from Seaton School in Aberdeen, who read 49 books.

The national winner of the School Reading the Most Books was Crosshouse Primary School in South Lanarkshire. With a pupil role of 401 they have read 3868 books over the course of the Reading Challenge.

For the Pupil Reading Journey award category, there were five national winners:

  • Mrs Jalland’s Primary 1 class at Carmuirs Primary School in Falkirk. The Primary 1s did a whole range of activities led by their favourite books, and even ran a project with a school in America. It was clear the children took ownership of their reading journeys, taking part in Everyone Reading in Class (ERIC) time and listening to each other’s stories.
  • Primary 2 class at Oakgrove Primary School, Glasgow. The Primary 2 class focused their reading journey around their class story, and used that as inspiration for lots of reading activities, from designing a home to exploring feelings. They were very creative in their entry, showing enthusiasm for the class story through all of their wonderful ideas.
  • Primary 4A at Newington Primary School in Dumfries & Galloway. The class put together an entry detailing all of their reading throughout the year, what they’ve done in school and at home, and what they’ve enjoyed the most. They even managed to create some great links with their local community during lockdown.
  • The Primary 5 award was received by Finn who is home-schooled at Fields Schoolhouse in Angus. The judges were impressed by Finn’s enthusiasm and determination to read during the pandemic. He was commended for extending and developing his knowledge and interest in farming by reading the Farmer’s Guide and being interviewed by them regarding his very own egg business.
  • Caleb from Findochty Primary in Moray was awarded the Primary 6 Pupil Reading Journey award. The judges were impressed by the progress Caleb had achieved in his reading this year and by his initiative to ask for help when needed.

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge was launched in 2016 for Primaries 4 to 7 and expanded to include all primary and secondary schools as well as libraries and community groups in its third year.

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, delivers this exciting reading initiative on behalf of the Scottish Government and every school in Scotland is invited to take part.

From Monday 14 June to Friday 18 June, Scottish Book Trust is hosting the First Minister’s Reading Challenge Festival, with digital events that schools can join online via their website.

Events include creative writing with Patrice Lawrence, a draw along with Ross Collins and a wildlife walk with Hamza Yassin. Events will be available to watch on demand until the end of August.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Congratulations to all our First Minister’s Reading Challenge awardees. It’s wonderful to see schools across Scotland reading for pleasure and building reading cultures in the classroom and at home.

“Thank you to our funders for making this programme possible, and to Cressida Cowell for announcing our amazing winners. We hope everyone will enjoy our first ever celebration festival, which can be joined from our website.”

National charity opens for New Writers Awards submissions

“The award was the most important turning point in my career”

Scottish Book Trust has opened for applications for the New Writers Awards 2022.

Each year the national charity champions a group of emerging writers, providing them with the time and support they need to take their writing to the next level.

A number of New Writers Awardees have been published by major houses including HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster, Harvill Secker, Atlantic Books, Vintage Books and Sandstone Press. Awardees have also been shortlisted for prestigious awards, including The Booker Prizes.

The New Writers Awards are run by Scottish Book Trust in association with Creative Scotland, and each year they provide unpublished writers with financial support to enable them to concentrate on developing their work, as well as professional guidance to help them move towards publication. The awards are free to apply to, with travel expenses covered and awardees are chosen by an independent panel of judges.

Since 2009, the awards have helped to nurture writers such as Helen Sedgwick, who went onto become a bestselling author with her debut novel The Comet Seekers (Harvill Secker) in 2016. It was selected as Book of the Year by the Herald and Glamour Magazine and her second novel The Growing Season was shortlisted for the Saltire Society’s Fiction Book of the Year. The latest instalment in her new crime series, Where the Missing Gather (Oneworld) will be released this June.

Helen Sedgwick, author and former New Writer Awardee, said: “The New Writers Award was the most important turning point in my career, and it comes with the kind of wide-ranging and long-lasting support that can be life changing.

“From that first opportunity to join a community of writers, to professional advice, writing retreats, training, publicity, live events and even voice coaching, Scottish Book Trust has been an invaluable part of building my confidence and career over the past decade. I encourage everyone to apply!”

Scottish Book Trust also provides an Access Fund as part of the New Writers Awards, to help support awardees with any barriers they may face. The programme is flexible and the charity works closely with awardees to help them participate as fully as possible.

Support might include help with childcare costs, accommodation or equipment. Scottish Book Trust welcomes and supports writers who are carers, unemployed or unable to work for health reasons or who face any other barriers.

The Awards will run from January 2022 – January 2023. During the programme, awardees receive:

  • A £2,000 cash award to support their writing in whatever ways suit best
  • Tailored creative development opportunities, which can include mentoring from established writers and industry professionals
  • Press and marketing, social media, performance and presentation training
  • The opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents
  • A retreat offering time, space and the freedom to create new work in idyllic surroundings with flexible structure based on each awardees needs (subject to circumstances and dependent on any applicable travel restrictions)
  • A year’s free membership to the Society of Authors and a bespoke training session for awardees on contracts and rights
  • The chance to meet and engage with a group of writing peers

There are three categories: Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction (also known as creative non-fiction), Poetry and Children’s and Young Adult Fiction. Applications may only submit to one category per year. Entries are invited in English, Scots and a combination of both.

There are also two awards for Gaelic writers, run in association with the Gaelic Books Council. There is a separate application form for writers interested in applying for a Gaelic award.

Also this year, the Callan Gordon Award is open for applications for young writers aged 18 to 35. Entries are invited in English, Scots and a combination of both. One award is given every two years, for writers of short stories or poetry. The award is in memory of Callan, a young Scottish writer who took his life ten years ago.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “A New Writers Award is often the beginning of an exciting journey for those seeking publication.

“At Scottish Book Trust, we are proud to offer support and opportunities to our awardees and continue to champion their work as they develop and grow. We look forward to receiving submissions from all across Scotland, and across genres from children’s fiction to poetry.”

Alan Bett, Head of Literature & Publishing, Creative Scotland, said: “The New Writers Awards have been the first major step for many Scottish authors and poets – those whose work is now enjoyed and respected well beyond our borders, securing industry traction with major publishers and appearing on awards shortlists.

“The programme not only develops the creative practice of these writers, but also their professional profile. Creative Scotland is delighted to be associated with a programme that supports and mentors these new and exciting literary voices and helps bring their work to readers.”

Tim Craven, New Writer Awardee 2021 said: “Having my work recognised in the form of a New Writers Award was a wonderful, motivating fillip. The staff at Scottish Book Trust are the warmest people, all of whom are absolutely focused on ensuring my writing realises its full potential by removing barriers and facilitating a programme packed full of opportunities.

“I’m incredibly grateful for being invited into this community of dedicated readers and talented writers, and I’m certain the experiences provided to me by the New Writers Award will have a lasting impact on my work.”

The full eligibility criteria and application for the New Writers Awards is available on Scottish Book Trust’s website.

The New Writers Awards 2021 Digital Showcase is now available to watch here.

Celebration: Booker Prize winner joins call for Scotland’s stories

Scottish Book Trust opens annual Your Stories for submissions

Booker Prize winner and Glasgow born author Douglas Stuart has joined forces with national charity Scottish Book Trust to encourage people of Scotland to submit their real-life stories.

The ‘Your Stories’ campaign is open to everyone, regardless of writing experience.

This year’s theme is Celebration, with the hope of shedding light on the positives of an otherwise difficult year. The submission can be about celebrating yourself, celebrating a loved one, or sharing how you celebrate.

Douglas Stuart won the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel, Shuggie Bain (Picador), set in Glasgow in 1981, exploring love, poverty and pride.

Douglas Stuart said: “As someone who grew up in a home without books, I understand the importance of stories. They bring together families, friends and communities.

“Your Stories is an opportunity for the people of Scotland to pick up their pen and share their experiences: from the small steps to the bigger milestones. Our nation is rich with culture, language and traditions, and this is the perfect time to celebrate and treasure them.”

Submissions can be made in English, Scots, or Gaelic in any form – story, poem, comic strip, play or letter – of up to 1,000 words.

Every entry will appear on Scottish Book Trust’s website and a selection of pieces will be published in a free book distributed to libraries, community groups and schools during Book Week Scotland (15 – 21 Nov 2021) – the national celebration of books and reading.

Scottish Book Trust has also commissioned authors to share their stories to mark Celebration. Author Elle McNicoll will explore her journey writing Show Us Who You Are (Knights Of)during lockdown, and the overwhelmingly positive response she has had from the neurodivergent community.

Poet Courtney Stoddart will celebrate writing as a form of resistance. Author Ross Sayers will share fond memories of his English teacher, reflecting on school as a writer now himself.

Morag Law, author of Cuibhle an Fhortain (Wheel of Fortune, Luath Press), describes the pleasures of a new garden built during lockdown, and poet Eòghan Stewart will explore celebration in a poem about joy, salvation and the many nuanced translations of the Gaelic word gàirdeachas.

His first collection, Beum Sgeithe (Wing Beat), will be published by Acair Books later this year.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Sharing stories is a great Scottish tradition: whether over a drink or around the dinner table, we have a long-established culture of telling tales for comfort or entertainment.

“For many, Your Stories has been the tentative first step of sharing their writing. At Scottish Book Trust, we look forward to hearing about what you have celebrated over the last year, from the small successes to the bigger milestones.”

Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said: “This year’s theme challenges us to find reasons for celebration in the midst of adversity.

“We hope Gaelic speakers will embrace the invitation to celebrate their language and tell their own stories – with some to be published alongside Morag and Eòghan’s pieces in this year’s Book Week Scotland publication.

“We are delighted once again to be working with Scottish Book Trust to encourage everyone to love reading and try their hand at writing.”

Scottish Book Trust will share a variety of prompts through their website and social networks to help inspire those hoping to submit.

There will also be free, digital workshops run by poet Alice Tarbuck, writer Samina Chaudhry, playwright and poet Hannah Lavery, and film and TV writer Michael Lee Richardson.

The digital nature of the workshops will allow the writers to engage with an audience no matter their location, allowing the opportunity to be as inclusive as possible.

Given the current climate, online workshops can provide the public with a safe space to be creative, supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

For more information and to sign up to a workshop, visit Eventbrite 

Books transcending borders

Scottish pupils to travel around the world in one week with digital events

Next week (Monday 22 March – Friday 25 March), the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will travel around the world for the very first time with its virtual Connected: Continents tour.

Pupils will join events and meet authors live from different parts of the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.

From celebrating different cultures and languages, to exploring mythology and magic to drawing manga, the Connected: Continents tour is jam-packed with fun events for all the family.

Scottish pupils will explore the continents from their classroom or home through six different events. Schools all over the globe were invited to join the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour, made possible by the virtual format.

For the first time since the tour’s inception 23 years ago, a school from Canada will tune in alongside Scottish pupils.

Connected: Continents tour schedule

  • From Spain, author Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara will take pupils on a whistle-stop tour of Europe to visit some of the great figures showcased in her own book series Little People, Big Dreams: including Greta Thunberg, Rudolf Nureyev and Marie Curie.
  • Award-winning designer, author and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max will be joined by a guest writer from Africa for a mini-festival of stories and celebration. The event will explore roots, family, equality, mythology and magic.
  • Joining from Dallas, Texas, American Muslim author, designer and entrepreneur Hafsah Faizal will discuss her journey to becoming a writer and the influences behind her award-winning, Arabian-inspired Sands of Arawiya duology.
  • Live from Australia, bestselling author Jessica Townsend will chat about her fantasy series Nevermoor – soon to be a major movie. The first book in the series was the biggest-selling Australian children’s debut since records began.
  • Joining from Peru, illustrator Issa Watanabe will explain her wordless picture book Migrants. Award-winning bi-lingual author and literary translator Lawrence Schimel will also take part in the event, which will be in Spanish with a translator.
  • A live interactive workshop with Japanese artist Chie Kutsuwada will finish the tour, bringing the work of Shakespeare alive for manga fans and Shakespeare enthusiasts alike.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.

Fun, educational video content and live events for classroom and home learning have to-date reached an audience of over 100,000 through Scottish Book Trust’s Home Activities Hub, On Demand library and social media content.

Events from the Connected: Continents tour will be available to watch later via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand Library.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “For the very first time, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will transport pupils from Africa to Australia.

“The magic of an author’s visit has a lasting impact on young people’s learning, and the diverse and exciting Connected: Continents events will inspire students with stories from other cultures and languages.”

Carol Ann Neil, Primary Teacher at Bridge of Allan Primary School said: “It’s amazing how one book can inspire so much. The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour was fantastic and helped support remote learning for Primary 6 pupils at Bridge of Allan Primary School.

Thank you so much to Scottish Book Trust for the wonderful opportunity.”

The Scottish Friendly Children’s virtual Book Tour unlocks support for children during lockdown

128 schools across 32 local authorities in Scotland have joined the virtual Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tours since the start of lockdown last year, with educational video content viewed over 100,000 times.

The ‘Connected’: Space tour recently hosted five days of ‘out-of-this-world’ virtual events, telling the stories of space adventures through science fact and fiction.

The digital events took place online from Monday 22 February to Friday 26 February, with schools from Aberdeen, Argyll & Bute, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Moray, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire and West Lothian signed up for events, reaching over 750 pupils.

The events are available to watch on demand via Scottish Book Trust’s website.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.

For over 20 years the tour has visited schools the length and breadth of the UK, bringing the world’s best authors directly in front of children in classrooms. Since covid-19 the tour has adapted to the restrictions and changing landscape and has gone fully digital to continue vital work in supporting children, reaching around 8,000 P1-S3 pupils.

Fun, educational video content and live events for home learning and in the classroom have to-date reached an audience of over 100,000 through the Scottish Book Trust social media, Home Activities Hub and On Demand library.

Carol Ann Neil, teacher at Bridge of Allan Primary School said: “Having the opportunity to engage with the Space Explorers event reignited the children’s enthusiasm for reading as individuals and as a class team to share stories during the pandemic.”

The Connected: Space tour featured a diverse mix of book events, including: illustrator and graphic designer Matt Carr, creator of Rocketmole; author and astronomer Dr Sheila Kanani and author Libby Jackson, one of the UK’s foremost space experts and author of book Space Explorers. 

P5-7 pupils had the opportunity to meet Dr Alastair Bruce, Dynamic Earth’s very own resident Astronomer. Joined by Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost, pupils took the role of captain and decided the fate of their own space mission.

The previous tour, Connected: Polar, is now available to watch via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand library hub. Events include Sarah Airreiss and British Antarctic Survey, live from the Antarctic and Shackleton’s Journey with William Grill and RRS Discovery, Dundee.

The next virtual Connected tour: Continents, will take place from Monday 22 March – Friday 25 March.

Pupils will have the chance to join events and meet authors live from different parts of the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.

From celebrating different cultures and languages, to exploring about mythology and magic to drawing manga, the Connected: Continents, tour is jam-packed with fun events for all the family. Schools can find out more and sign up via Scottish Book Trust’s website. Events will be available to watch later via Scottish Book Trust’s On Demand Library.

Kevin Brown, Head of PR at Scottish Friendly, said: “As soon as the pandemic hit and schools were closed, our number one priority was to provide educational and exciting content to help children, teachers and parents with engaging video content that can be viewed either via live social media streams or at a time of their choosing.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Scottish Book Trust is delighted to bring the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour virtually into classrooms and homes across Scotland.

“Since the pandemic started a year ago, it has been more important than ever to provide young people with engaging and exciting content.

“The Connected tours aim to transport pupils to new worlds through author events, offering opportunities to spark their creativity and imagination. The feedback from schools and families has been fantastic, and our On Demand library allows anyone to watch the tour, at any time, and no matter their location.”

Four Edinburgh-based writers receive New Writers Awards

Scottish Book Trust today announces the 11 recipients of the New Writers Awards 2021, which provide a selection of talented writers who have not yet published a full-length book or collection with professional guidance to help them move towards publication, as well as financial support.

Funded by Creative Scotland and run by Scottish Book Trust, the awards have supported over 100 creative individuals since 2009.

Four Edinburgh-based writers have received a New Writers Award: Hazel Knox, Deborah Chu, Thomas Stewart and Tim Craven:

  • Hazel is a Children’s Occupational Therapist originally from Thurso. She was shortlisted for the 2020 Chicken House Open Coop and given an honourable mention in a 2020 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators slush pile challenge looking for funny middle grade.
  • Deborah Chu was born in Taipei and raised in Vancouver, moving to Scotland to complete an MSc in Literature and Modernity at the University of Edinburgh. She is currently a Content Editor at The List. She was the recipient of the 2019 Fringe Society’s Allen Wright Award for excellence in arts criticism.
  • Thomas Stewart is based in Leith, originally from Cardiff, Wales. A writer and an English teacher, his debut pamphlet empire of dirt was a Poetry Book Society selection and is published by Red Squirrel Press.
  • Tim Craven was raised in Stoke-on-Trent and is now based in Edinburgh. He has an MFA from Syracuse University and completed his PhD thesis at the University of Edinburgh on the characterisation of mental illness in Confessional poetry. His pamphlet, Lake Effect is published by Tapsalteerie.

The prestigious judging panel included Scots Makar Jackie Kay, Niall Campbell and Colin Waters for poetry; Tendai Huchu, Janice Galloway, Denise Mina and Alan Bett judging fiction; and Dean Atta, Lari Don and Hannah Sycamore (Scottish Book Trust) judging Children’s and YA entries. The Gaelic Books Council selects the two Gaelic New Writer Awardees.

Former New Writers awardees include Nicola White, whose novel The Rosary Garden (Profile) was re-released in January; Helen Sedgwick’s third novel Where the Missing Gather (Oneworld) will be published in May 2021 and Man Booker Prize shortlistee Graeme Macrae Burnet will release Case Study (Saraband) in October 2021.

The 2021 awardees are:

Poetry

Nasim Rebecca Asl

Thomas Stewart

Tim Craven

Children’s and Young Adult

Hazel Knox

Sally Costelloe

Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Deborah Chu

Gillian Shearer

Hannah Nicholson

Samantha Dooey-Miles

Gaelic

Beth Frieden

Roddy Neithercut

Each of the 11 recipients will receive a £2,000 cash award and support tailored to their needs including mentoring from writers and industry professionals, training opportunities, and the platform to showcase their work to publishers and agents.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “In uncertain times, it is more important than ever to celebrate and discover new writers in Scotland.

“Working within COVID restrictions, Scottish Book Trust will support the awardees through online training, workshops and mentoring. As always, the standard of the applications were very high and we look forward to future publications from this group.”

 Alan Bett, Interim Head of Literature, Languages & Publishing, Creative Scotland said: “The list of past winners speaks for itself and gives us all reason to expect that the names on this year’s list will be on bookshelves across the country in future.

“It was a pleasure to sit on the fiction panel and the wealth of talent, while hugely encouraging, made decision making a near impossible process.”

Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said: “The Gaelic Book Council’s on-going partnership with Scottish Book Trust allows us to give Gaelic writers this valuable opportunity early in their careers to work with experienced mentors and develop their craft, and we are excited to be working with new writers of Beth and Roddy’s calibre this year as they work towards their first publications.”

The New Writers Showcase, a celebration of work by last year’s awardees, will be held online through Scottish Book Trust’s social media accounts on Wednesday 31 March. Information about tickets will be available on Scottish Book Trust’s website soon.

Businesses unite to spread Christmas cheer to thousands through shoebox appeal

·        Royal Bank of Scotland’s Winter Sparkle festive campaign aims to bring cheer to 10,000 people and families this Christmas

·        Bank’s charity partner BaxterStorey is distributing 100,000 meals to the country’s most vulnerable as part of the drive

·        Businesses and organisations including The Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Amazon back the drive

·        Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project help take the programme to Scotland’s neediest communities

Royal Bank of Scotland has partnered with hospitality provider BaxterStorey and security company G4S, to distribute more than 10,000 shoeboxes full of toys, books, games, food and items of clothing for vulnerable people and families across Scotland, as part of the bank’s Winter Sparkle initiative.

The shoeboxes – which have been packed in a socially distant setting at the bank’s Gogarburn HQ in Edinburgh – are being given to charity partners Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project, to distribute amongst thousands of individuals and families they support across the country.

Catering company BaxterStorey will also prepare and deliver an additional 100,000 cooked meals for vulnerable families in Scotland, thanks to generous donations of fresh produce from a number of the Royal Bank’s agricultural customers. 

Other supporters of the project include the Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Business in the Community, while employees and customers of the bank have been able to purchase items via a bespoke Amazon wish list.

The shoebox initiative is the latest project from the team behind the foodbank distribution centre at Gogarburn. It was set up in March by bank employee, Sheena Hales, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to offer charities a space to store large food deliveries. In October, Sheena was awarded a British Empire Medal in recognition of her efforts.

Since opening, the foodbank centre has distributed around 6,000 meals per week, taken in huge donations including 220,000 items of new clothing, and welcomed truckloads of potatoes and carrots – all to be issued by charities to those in need.

Along with donations of food and clothing, the foodbank has also helped furnish a homeless shelter in Glasgow and through a partnership with the Scottish Book Trust, has provided families with learning packs, storybooks and even tablets and Wi-Fi access to support with remote learning.

Sheena Hales, Programme Capability Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland and Manager of the Gogarburn distribution centre, said: “Christmas can always be a challenging time but the events and added pressures of 2020 have undoubtedly created extra stress and anxiety for many families.

“The foodbank has been committed to supporting those in need since the onset of the pandemic and while the food parcels will be essential, it’s also our hope that the little extra treats in the boxes will put a few smiles on faces this festive season.

“Crucially, this has been a team effort and none of it would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers or the generosity of our staff, customers and strategic partners who have worked tirelessly to make the foodbank what it is”

Caroline Bacigalupo, Operations Manager at BaxterStorey, said: “We are delighted to have been working with local community councils and local charities, supplying a variety of sweet treats and hearty meals.

“This Christmas, we plan to fill over 10,000 boxes for Christmas gifts and food packages to help those in need across Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

“With the ongoing support of our team at BaxterStorey, G4S and of course Royal Bank of Scotland, we will be out delivering the packages in the run-up to Christmas.”

Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland said: “The work that our foodbank team has delivered throughout 2020 has been truly admirable and the results achieved reflect the unwavering commitment of our staff, customers and partners, who have all gone above and beyond to support those in their local communities.

“Under Sheena’s leadership, the team have been working behind the scenes to coordinate, manage and store huge deliveries and have all been busy packing up the shoeboxes ready for distribution. Our charity partners will then take the wheel, allocating the boxes to the incredibly deserving individuals and families within their support networks.”

Edinburgh Ignite Fellowship awardees announced

Scottish Book Trust has announced the third Ignite Fellowship awardees.

The Fellowship supports established writers who are embarking on a significant project. This year, the panel selected poet and performer Courtney Stoddart and artist and filmmaker Raman Mundair. Poet and translator Niall O’Gallagher has been selected as the Gaelic Ignite Fellowship awardee, funded by the Gaelic Books Council.

The Ignite Fellows will receive a £2000 bursary and tailored creative support to suit their individual projects. The fellowship will run for one year, from December 2020 to December 2021.

Courtney Stoddart, from Edinburgh, is a Scottish-Caribbean performer whose work focuses racism, womanhood and growing up in Scotland.

She has featured in various theatrical productions, including Hannah Lavery’s Lament For Sheku Bayoh at the Lyceum Theatre. Courtney recently featured at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and appeared on Damian Barr’s The Big Scottish Book Club.

During her Ignite Fellowship, Courtney will work on her first poetry pamphlet featuring themes of race, identity and the ramifications of colonialism and imperialism.

Courtney Stoddart said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been selected for this year’s Ignite fellowship. I am incredibly thankful to Scottish Book Trust for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started on my project.”

Raman Mundair is an Indian born writer who is based in Shetland and Glasgow. She is an award-winning author and was longlisted for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative Award and is a winner of the Robert Louis Stevenson Award and a Leverhulme Fellowship.

Raman has published poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction and has performed and exhibited her artwork around the world from Aberdeen to Zimbabwe. She is currently a dramaturg and mentor for Scottish Youth Theatre on the Stories 2020 project. Raman will use the fellowship to bring her work into focus with the help of her mentor.

Raman Mundair said: “I am delighted to be offered this opportunity and look forward to possibilities that it will open for me and chance to amplify my voice and work as a hitherto overlooked writer, artist and director.”

Niall O’Gallagher, based in Glasgow, is the author of three books of poetry in Gaelic and was the recipient of a New Writers Award from the Scottish Book Trust ten years ago.

In 2019 Niall was named Bàrd Baile Ghlaschu, the City of Glasgow’s first Gaelic Poet Laureate. In 2020 he won the Gaelic prize in the Wigtown Poetry Competition for his poem ‘Penelope’.

During his fellowship, Niall will be working on his fourth book, a verse-novella called Litreachan Plàighe (Plague Letters), told through a series of letters between characters who find themselves separated from one another.

Niall O’Gallagher said: “I’m delighted. The New Writers Award I received from Scottish Book Trust and Gaelic Books Council in 2010 really helped me take my poetry from my notebook into print.

“I’m excited to work with them again as I develop my work further.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The Ignite Fellowship is important as it helps to give already established artists a boost in their career.

“In what has been a challenging year, we hope this award will provide inspiration and support, and we look forward to seeing the new projects from the writers.”