Back l to r: John Simmonds, Cabinet Member, Leyland Ridings, KCC Chairman and Leo Whitlock, KM Editor of the Kentish Gazette. Nathaniel Shaughessy, winner of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 stands in front with runners up behind at County Hall, Maidstone.
Bethany Read
Bromstone Primary School finalists Molly Thompson, Lauren Gibbs and Tom Gurlesan
Entry - Lauren Gibbs
Entry - Benjamin Marshall
Entry - Frances Baker
Entry - Gwendy Grynfeld
Entry - Joseph Johnson
Entry - Josh Holness
Entry - Luke Foster
Entry - Luke Thomas Bentley
Entry - Lydia Hipps
Entry - Milly Massy
Entry - Niall Matthews
Entry - Sophie Murray
Entry - Tom Gurlesan
Hayley Heath
James Hannah
John Simmonds, Cabinet Member presents a trophy to Nathaniel Shaughessy, from St Stephen's Junior School, Canterbury, winner of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 at County Hall, Maidstone.
L to R: Jordan Neagle and Hayley Brickell, from St Eanswythe's CE Primary School, Folkestone with joint runner up certificates of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 at County Hall, Maidstone.
Lewis Anderson
Mereworth School finalists Lydia Hipps and Sophie Murray
Molly Thompson, from Bromstone Primary School, Broadstairs with a runner up certificate of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 at County Hall, Maidstone.
Nathaniel Shaughessy, from St Stephen's Junior School, Canterbury, winner of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 with his trophy and certificate at County Hall, Maidstone.
North Borough Junior School finalists Sunisha Thapa, Frances Baker, Milly Massy
Runner up - Hayley Brickell
Runner up - Jordan Neagle
Runner up - Molly Thompson
Runner up- Sunisha Thapa
St. Eanswythe's CE (aided) School finalists Niall Matthews, Joseph Johnson, Arthur Fenton, James Hannah, Lewis Anderson, Hayley Heath, Bethany Read, Luke Bentley & Benjamin Marshall
St. Stephen's Junior School finalists Nathaniel Shaughnessy, Gwendy Grynfeld, Josh Holness and Luke Foster
Sunisha Thapa, from North Borough Primary School, Maidstone with a runner up certificate of the Young Writer of the Year 2006 at County Hall, Maidstone.
Winner - Nathaniel Shaughnessy
Winner Nathaniel Shaughessy (front) with the other finalists at County Hall. Behind them are (left to right) John Simmonds, Leyland Ridings and Leo Whitlock. Picture: JOHN WESTHROP
CREATIVE energy were the buzz words at the Young Writer of the Year awards at County Hall, where the county's next generation of wordsmiths received their prizes.
Winner Nathaniel Shaughnessy from St Stephen’s Junior School, Canterbury received a trophy for his winning entry in the competition organised by Kent County Council and the Kent Messenger Group.
Nathaniel, an aspiring sports journalist, was joined by runners-up Sunisha Thapa from North Borough Primary School in Maidstone, Jordan Neagle and Hayley Brickell from St Eanswythe's CE Primary School in Folkestone and Molly Thompson from Bromstone Primary School in Broadstairs, and each were presented with a certificate and engraved pen.
KCC chairman Leyland Ridings welcomed the finalists and their families to his office for the celebration with John Simmonds, Mr Ridings' successor as KCC cabinet member for education and school improvement and Leo Whitlock, South and East Kent senior editor for the Kent Messenger Group.
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During the informal gathering Mr Ridings presence gave the children a flavour of the ceremonial duties he undertakes and Mr Simmonds reflected upon the books that captivated him in his school days.
Mr Whitlock offered words of encouragement of his own and talked about the pressures of a newsroom.
Before taking the children for a tour, Mr Simmonds applauded the children's enthusiasm for writing. "It's so important that children such as yourselves enjoy writing and creating," he said.