Two young people from Verwood have been recognised for their creativity.

Isla Budd was the Key Stage 1 winner of The Paddling Pool, and Benjamin Clarke the Key Stage 1 runner up in Home-Start South East Dorset’s creative writing competition.

Back in September, the charity launched a writing competition to encourage local families to share their stories. Some excellent prizes were up for grabs, including signed books, book vouchers and hampers. Shortlisted entries were judged by local bestselling children’s author Sarah Lean whose latest book ‘The Good Bear’ was the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month for November.

Each age category had its own writing topic, from favourite outdoor activities to parenting highs and lows and more.

Sarah Lean said: “It was a joy to read through all the entries to the Home-Start writing competition. The Key Stage 1 entries were full of fun and really made me smile as they talked about their favourite outdoor activities. In Key Stage 2, the theme was ‘If I were a headteacher’ and some of the entries were extremely funny and inventive. The Key Stage 3 and parent entries were very moving and self-reflective, with the Key Stage 3 winner demonstrating a very mature grasp of poetry with excellent rhythm and intelligent use of mirror phrasing.”

The other winners were: Key Stage 2, ‘If I were Headteacher’ by Shanaya Telang, Canford Heath, runner Up, Grace Stratton from Upton for ‘Hectic Headteacher’.

Key Stage 3, ‘When will it stop’, a poem by Aoife from Bournemouth, runner up, ‘I just don’t get it’, a poem by Katie from Bournemouth. Parent winner: ‘My Boy’, a poem about how parents feel about watching their child grow up, by Becky Walters,

runner up, An inspiring story about being a parent with ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), by Wendy Parrott

Gayleen Hodson, the founder of Hodson Writing Services, who sponsored the competition, said: “Writing and creativity are so important for children and adults alike, and I am delighted that through this competition, we have inspired local families to share their stories. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the entries and I hope that the winners can continue their love of stories using the book vouchers they won.”

Caroline Pope, community and corporate engagement manager at Home-Start South East Dorset, said: “The standard of entries we received was fantastic. We were all inspired by the creativity of the children and adults in our local area. I can’t thank Sarah Lean and Hodson Writing Services enough for getting involved in the competition and supporting our work with families.”

All the winning stories and poems can be read on the Home-Start website: https://homestartsoutheastdorset.org.uk/writing-competition-winners-announced/