Writing competition marks 20th anniversary in 2025

A writing competition in Surrey will mark its 20th anniversary in 2025.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition was conceived as a one-off event in 2005, but has developed into a contest that attracts entrants from around the world.

The theme for the 2025 event is the river.

This has been chosen to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of local writer R C Sherriff, author of the play Journey's End and a keen rower.

The author's link to the area is marked by the Rowing Eight, a sculpture close to Molesey Boat Club.

Entry to the competition costs £8 for adults, but is free to under-18s, and the closing date is 24 February.

Simon Waugh, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and commercial strategy at Elmbridge Borough Council, said: "Over the last two decades, it has grown significantly, attracting an increasing number of participants.

"We would love to see more Elmbridge schools getting involved this year and hope they might consider including the competition into their curriculum."

Pete Allen, director of the R. C. Sherriff Trust, said: "The competition is offering writing workshops for schools this year.

"We encourage teachers to take advantage of these workshops to inspire their students, and we look forward to receiving many entries from them."

Full details can be found on the trust's website here.

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