Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge entries now open

Media release
12 March 2013

It’s time to write up a storm, or a caterpillar, or a seagull...

Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge entries now open

Local primary and intermediate students are being encouraged to pick up their pens and write up a storm, or a caterpillar, or a seagull… or whatever amazing adventure their imagination takes them on, for Barfoot & Thompson’s sixth annual Young Authors Challenge.

The short story writing competition provides the chance for up to eight young writers or groups to become published authors while raising much-needed funds for the children at Starship.

“Over the last five books published, we’ve had caterpillars that eat teachers, seagulls that write in a diary and everything in between,” says Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson.

“The imagination and talent of our local young writers has never ceased to impress the judges and we are really excited to see what the participating students will come up with this year.”

Winning students are also helped through the publishing process with the assistance of an Authors Workshop hosted by renowned children’s author John Parker, and their stories will be brought to life through illustrations by rugby legend Keven Mealamu.

“Not only do the winning authors get the rare chance to showcase their work in a published book, they’ll get the pride of helping make other children’s time in Starship that bit easier.

“Every cent raised from the sale of the storybooks goes towards the Starship Foundation, and since 2008, the Young Authors Challenge has raised more than $100,000 for Starship. We also provide 20,000 books to children who stay overnight in Starship Children’s Hospital and the Whangarei Hospital Children’s Ward as part of our Magic of Reading programme.”

Last year’s compilation called The Miracle at Gulls’ Bay and Six More Super Stories was very popular, featuring stories by Remuera Primary, Somerville Intermediate, Bayfield Primary, Northcross Intermediate, Pukekohe Intermediate, Don Buck School and the Northern Health School in Ronald McDonald House Auckland.

Peter Thompson says that this year the judges are after a developed, original idea, interesting characters and setting and a story with an inspirational and positive message.

Important information:
The Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge is open to all primary and intermediate students in Auckland and Northland.
Individuals, groups and classes can enter a story of up to 750 words by Friday 31 May.
For more information, visit www.barfoot.co.nz/challenge.

ENDS

Barfoot & Thompson knows Auckland best. It is the city’s leading real estate company, selling around one in three Auckland residential homes, significantly ahead of all other competitor brands.

The Magic of Reading programme & Young Authors Challenge is fully funded by Barfoot & Thompson, who are five star sponsors of the Starship Foundation. Combined, the programmes see thousands of dollars raised and 20,000 books put in the hands of Starship patients each year.

Keven Mealamu is Barfoot & Thompson’s Sponsorship Ambassador. As well as being a talented rugby player, Keven is also a keen amateur artist.

John Parker is one of New Zealand’s best known authors, having written nearly 130 books for children ranging from picture-books to novels for teens.

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