Triple success for Newbatlle Abbey College students
THREE Newbattle Abbey College students are looking forward to making their mark in the literary world after winning a selection of prestigious creative writing awards.
Jacqui Reade, from Newtongrange, and Anthony Stevens, who is originally from Northampton, impressed the panel of industry professionals at the UK Skills Creative Writing Competition with their short stories based on the theme, 'exile'.
Anthony (28) picked up the gold award, while 38-year-old Jacqui won the bronze.
The talented duo collected their prizes at the UK Skills Arts and Media Exhibition in Wolverhampton, where their work is now on display alongside some of the UK's finest creative talent.
UK Skills winner Jacqui Reade, who recently completed the Arts and Social Sciences Award at Newbattle Abbey College, said: "Writing is everything to me and to win an award for something I love is amazing.
"Coming to Newbattle Abbey College has been a pivotal point in my life; the experience has acted as a starting point for lots of new beginnings."
Jacqui, of Newbattle Road, will be beginning a degree course in sociology and politics at Edinburgh University in September.
Jacqui is married to Malcolm (43) and the couple have three step children, Samantha (24), Michelle (20), Nathan (18) and two children Ashleigh (18) and seven-year-old Morgan and two weeks ago she became a granny to Kaydi.
She said: "I have always written for my own pleasure and never really took it that seriously, although when I started at Newbattle Abbey College my intention was to go into journalism.
"My piece was centered around Tilda who has amnesia, so her memories were exiled, hence the title Exiled Memories. It focuses on her diaries which her psychiatrist requests her to write.
"Her psychiatrist is supposed to focus on helping her regain her memory. He refrains from doing this as she was abused as a young girl which led to many years of trouble for her, years which he thinks best left in the depths of her mind.
"I can't really say that I get my inspiration or ideas from any particular source, I tend to start writing and ideas, characters and plot seem to just flow.
"Winning this award has given me the confidence and drive to go on and write more, I have started on a book, and it would be a dream to follow in the footsteps of some of our very talented Scottish Writers."
Fellow Newbattle Abbey student Martin Morrisey is also celebrating after winning the Newbattle Student Writers' Challenge 2007 award.
Martin (48), from Sheffield, clinched the college prize with his descriptive essay about the change in the environment of a former coalfield during and after the miners' strike.
Newbattle Abbey College has some illustrious literary connections; poet Edwin Muir, was a past principal of the college, while author and poet George McKay Brown was a mature student during the the 1950s.
Lecturer Catrina MacGillivray, said: "The competition featured entrants from across the UK and for Newbattle Abbey students to win two of the prizes is a tremendous achievement and testament to their hard work and dedication."
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Weather for Dalkeith
Friday 25 May 2012
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