Travel news
A Scots hotel group is calling on the country’s children to help fill a new bedtime storybook to feature in its properties.
To mark National Storytelling Week, Crieff Hydro has launched a search for budding young authors to submit stories for inclusion. Children aged 5-14 can submit a short story of up to 200 words, fact or fiction, with the 30 shortlisted stories being printed in a limited edition book. The entries will be split into three age categories and one story from each category will be brought to life in an illustration for the book – as well as the three authors winning a family hotel stay.
The eight hotels within the family are all set in iconic locations, and children are encouraged to submit their true or fictional story based or inspired by one of the hotels. The submissions will be read by a panel of independent judges – John Bray, Helen Grant and Susy Mcphee – selected with help from Strathearn Arts.
Strathearn is home to a number of published authors and all three judges are local residents. Bray’s fantasy children’s writing started as a way of keeping his young son interested in stories and led to the creation of the Jack Reusen series of books. Grant’s work tends more towards the spooky and macabre and, as such, appeals to older children and young adults, while Mcphee’s work is aimed at a more grown-up audience. She has extensive experience working with schools to inspire and encourage writing creatively.
Entries must be submitted by March 1. The book will be created by summer and if restrictions allow, shortlisted entries will be welcomed to a Mini Book Festival at Crieff Hydro Hotel in July to be presented with their prizes.
Nic Oldham, head of customer and commercial, Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: “We hope this competition will inspire young people and get the creative juices flowing as we eagerly anticipate restrictions lifting so we can experience our own adventures again. “Many families are currently home schooling and we hope this may be a welcome assignment for imaginative youngsters. We can’t wait to read the entries and our one piece of advice is to remember that imagination knows no bounds!”
Entries should be submitted to nsw@ crieffhydro.com. Full details, terms and conditionscrieffhydrofamily.com/ national-storytelling-week
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