Our short story writing competition is back after the success of last year’s which produced some very high quality entries. This is the 16th year of the competition, originally started by our patrons, RC Bridgestock, international crime writing authors and the 10th year that Sight for Wight has been at the helm.
Chris Cane, competition organiser, said, “This is an exciting opportunity for budding Island writers to become published authors and win some great prizes by very talented people. This year’s theme is ‘superhero’. We really want everyone to let their imaginations run wild with this one. A superhero could be a family member or friend that goes above and beyond to help and be a special hero to you or you might like to create your own superhero with special powers.”
The Award Ceremony will be on Friday 12th December at the Riverside Centre. Doors open at 6:30pm with a 7:00pm start. We will have entertainment as usual, Huxley has confirmed, and you will hear some of the winning stories.
There are some great prizes to be won, including the five winning categories who will have their story recorded by one of our celebrities. They will also have the opportunity for their winning stories to be published in the County Press and Isle of Wight Observer. In addition there are also ferry vouchers, family days out at Island attractions, meal vouchers and much more!
We are delighted to announce this year’s celebrity readers who have kindly agreed to donate their time to read the winning stories.
CHESNEY HAWKES
Chesney is an English pop singer and occasional actor. He started his career at the age of 19 when he appeared in the film Buddy’s Song, which featured his best-known single “The One and Only”, which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks and reached the top 10 in the United States. Follow-up single “I’m a Man Not a Boy” peaked at 27 in the UK, with subsequent singles including “What’s Wrong with This Picture?”, “Stay Away Baby Jane” (a collaboration with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne) and “Another Fine Mess” also charting in the top 100.
Aside from music, he appeared on Channel 4’s The Games in 2005, winning a Bronze Medal. Chesney appeared on the shows, Hit Me Baby One More Time, Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, and Sing If You Can. He also appeared in the musical, Can’t Smile Without You, as the role of Tony Lowiman. He recently came 5th in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother. This is Chesney’s third year reading for us.
RICHARD CADELL
Richard is a British illusionist, puppeteer and screenwriter, best known for being the in-vision presenter and the hand of puppet Sooty since succeeding Matthew Corbett in 1998.
He is a Gold Star Member of the Inner Magic Circle and Past President of the British section of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He once owned Brean Leisure Park in the coastal village of Brean in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, from 2002–2014.
In January 2008, he appeared in The Convention Crasher. He also works as a consultant for TV and stage productions.
This is Richard’s fifth year reading for us; he has been extremely supportive of the Charity to which we are truly grateful.
ANDY JACKSON
Andy Jackson has been a familiar voice on the radio in the south for around 30 years, including 25 years on Wave 105, and now can be heard daily on Easy Radio weekdays from 10am – 3pm, and on the Nation Radio drive-time show from 4pm every afternoon.
As a teenager Andy lived in London, and was part of the launch team for the Lewisham Talking Newspaper for the Blind, one of the first ventures of its kind, where volunteers would read the local newspapers and send them out on weekly audio cassettes to hundreds of people in the local area!
Andy said, ‘I’m really pleased to be a part of this competition and I’m looking forward to reading one of the winning categories.’
KATE WESTON
Kate Weston was born and brought up in the West Country, Kate developed a passion for singing and performing from a very young age, so it was perhaps inevitable this would become her career. On leaving school, she gave herself ten years to ‘see how thing’s worked out’ and set off round the globe singing in bands and as a solo artist. She never looked back!
Before long, Kate was asked to join the team at GMTV presenting the Saturday morning children’s show ‘Rise & Shine’. This led to work for Sky Sports, Channel 5, ITV, Wedding TV and eventually Wave 105, where she has spent many happy years laughing her way through the Teatime and Big Drive Home shows, before moving to Rick Jackson in the Morning in January 2017.
She can now be heard on Easy Radio South with her breakfast show. This is Kate’s second year reading for us.
DARREN WALSH
Having worked as an illustrator, animator and short-film maker, life-long Monty Python nerd and official giant, Darren Walsh decided to try his hand at Stand-up in 2010 using props and strange sound effects he’d made in his bedroom.
In 2015 Darren took his debut hour show to the Fringe and was listed by Timeout as their Top 12 Newcomers to see that year. He was also invited by the BBC to perform as part of their BBC Presents’ Showcase. His show Punderbolt made the top 10 joke list’s of the Guardian, Telegraph, Mirror and Independent before finally going on to win Dave’s Funniest Joke Of The Fringe.
In 2016 he was asked by Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival to help them promote their new UK Pun Day Initiative, appearing on various BBC Radio stations.
IN 2018 he performed his 3rd show Massive Punt at the Edinburgh Fringe where he took audiences on a round-the-world flight, closely followed by his 4th show Punimal Farm to great reviews.
Darren recently appeared on Out There (ITV) a new pilot format which lifts comics out of the comedy club and plonks them in real-life situations.
He can often be found out and about on the streets asking people if they want a free pun and will be at Ventnor Fringe Festival on Saturday 26th July 2025.
Entry forms are available from the Sight for Wight Headquarters, Millbrooke House, 137 Carisbrooke Road, Newport, Dress for Less, 57 Pyle Street, Newport and Waterstones on the High Street, Newport. You can also email Chris admin@iwsb.org.uk or you can download an Entry Form by clicking HERE.
We will have our usual five categories:
Under 8’s
8 – 11’s
12 – 17’s
18+
Edana Minghella Award – This category winner will be for a story with strength, depth, emotion, well-being and creativity.
We do hope you will enter this year’s competition and just to let you know that the under 18’s are a suggested donation of £2.00 per story to enter and 18+ is £8.00 per story.
If you have any questions about the competition, please do not hesitate to give Chris a call on 01983 522205 or email him – admin@iwsb.org.uk
Good Luck!
