‘Remarkable’ poem wins reporter contest
A REMARKABLE young writer’s poem about her father’s death and much more has won a prize in a competition.
Molly Akers, 18, of Lower Earley, won the 12-18 section of the competition to write about positive experiences of life in lockdown.
Despite her loss, Molly, a student at The Piggott School, Wargrave, achieved the competition’s aim to great effect.
The young reporter contest was run by the virtual Hurst Show and Country Fayre.
Molly’s father Mac Akers, a former headteacher at South Lake Primary School, Woodley, died on May 9.
He had been ill with dementia for some time.
“The poem is about my Dad, but also about the things you learn from hardship and about the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Molly.
“Through the pandemic people have complained about not going out and socialising. You do miss people and it makes you realise howmuch you miss giving them a cuddle.
“But there have been positives brought to life, like reduced pollution due to less road use.
“In our familywe have a group Zoom call every Sunday so nowwe talk to them more than we did before.
“There’s a message in my writing and it also helps me figure things out.” She hoped herwriting would help others.
She added: “There is a lot of strength in pain, a lot of things to gain from it.
“It has set me up for life now and means I appreciate things I would not have done before.”
She said her father, who wrote children’s poetry books, would be proud of her success.
She praised The Piggott School teachers for their support and said she wants to study international business with maths at Leeds.
Mollywent to Robert
Piggott Infant and Junior Schools atWargrave.
Hermother Sally Ann Akers has recently resigned as executive head of Robert Piggott Infant and Junior Schools Federation.
She was to take early retirement last summer to look after her husband but agreed to stay on for two days a week.
Organiser of the young reporter competition,
Sophie Vyse, praised the winners’ work: “Reading their pieces was inspirational and theymade me laugh as well as cry,” she said.
The contest judge was local journalist Sue
Corcoran.
The primary section winners were: juniors, Sophie Randles, 10, and infants, Will Randles, seven, who go to St Nicholas School, Hurst.
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