Writing Rammy winners 2019

Treat yourself to cuppa, settle down, and enjoy the incredibly high quality short fiction and poetry that our 2019 winners produced.

We celebrated our wonderful Writing Rammy winners at a wonderful event during Book Week Scotland. Helen MacKinven did a top-notch job playing host. She created a lovely atmosphere for everyone to get up and read their incredible work.

Junior story winners

Writing Rammy junior winners
Writing Rammy junior winners

The Bin Brigade by Grace Malcolm

Garden Warfare by Aaron Pollock, age 10

Junior poetry winners

Bees by Violet Beattie, age 11

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All by Amelia Dewar, age 10

Teen Winner

We fell in love in October by Charlotte Donaldson, age 15

Adult winners

Writing Rammy adult and teen winners
Writing Rammy adult and teen winners

Winner: Scarred by Linda Sharkey

Runner-up: Home by Hazel Beattie

Highly commended: Homepride Curry by Liam Furby

Highly commended: The Over Seer by Gary Oberg

Family Rammy Winners

Winners: The Garven Family

About the Writing Rammy

The Writing Rammy is for everyone because we believe everyone has a story to tell. We were lucky to have our winners not only join us to celebrate last year, but also get up and read their stories. Huge thanks to all of them for participating and sharing their wonderful work.

Garden Warfare by Aaron Pollock, age 10

Junior Writing Rammy 2019 runner-up

Sunny, Queen of the Sunflower Maids of Garden Shiny wanted to wage war against her neighbours, the Grey Caps because she hated their dull appearance. However, she had never taken part in war before. So she and her fellow comrades travelled to the Garden of the Succulents for advice. When she arrived, she was confronted by a tall green cactus with long, unequal arms and narrow eyes.

“Admiral Spike, first in command of the Succulents at your service, Queen Sunny.” He saluted, although his hands could barely touch his head.

“I know our kingdoms are not aligned, but I seek counsel about starting a War.” She replied.

A shiver of fear ran through to his roots. “The best advice is not to bring war upon your enemies” he urged.

Undeterred, Sunny headed to the Rose Garden. A tall red rose towered over her. “I am Red, Queen of Roses” she said in a posh voice. “Why have you come here today?” Sunny replied “for advice…” Red interrupted her “What for different costume designs or a new sparkly cro…”Sunny interrupted her this time “NO, advice about starting a war!” Red harrumphed, “Well I only have advice about making outfits…”Before Red could say anymore, Sunny and her crew had already began the journey home.

When she arrived, she saw her youngest sunflowers playing alongside the young mushrooms. She admitted that while the mushrooms were dull in colour, they were very kind and playful. She decided to take Admiral Spike’s advice.

(c) Aaron Pollock

The Bin Brigade by Grace Malcolm

Winner in the Junior Writing Rammy 2019

Sally and Bob lived in an ordinary house, in an ordinary street.  Sally was keen on recycling but Bob hated the very idea of it, he thought it was a complete waste of time.

Sally would go outside every night and sort through the green and blue bin making sure the right materials were in the correct bin.  She nicknamed the bins in her garden, green was Gooey and Blue was Basher and they became her best friends. 

One night her brother went out and mixed up all the bins, he took great pleasure in doing this.  He was mean. The next morning Sally’s mum shouted “Sally and Bob get down here now!”  “Who has messed up all the bins?  There is rubbish all over the garden! You are both grounded until further notice!”  Sally was so upset, she went to her room, she knew Bob had done it to annoy her.  She sat and thought how she could stop him from doing it again.  “AHA!!! I know” thought Sally and off she went to get her writing pad and pen.

Sally wrote a letter to Paul Garner her local councillor,

Dear Councillor Garner,

We need more bins as a matter of urgency so we can recycle more and save our planet.  We need to recycle food, glass, garden waste and lots more for sustainability.  I want to breathe clean air and I want wildlife to be safe in their habitats.

 I expect you to consider my request.

Yours sincerely

Sally

One morning Sally saw a lorry arriving, she ran down the stairs and out of the front door to see what was being delivered.  To her amazement, four more bins came off of the lorry for every house in the street.  Sally was delighted!  She couldn’t believe that Councillor Garner had actually read her letter and took on board her suggestions.

She had more bins and more friends instantly! There was a brown bin which she called Bushy, a black bin that she nicknamed Banger, a grey bin that she called Grotty and finally, a purple bin that she named Precious. 

Sally no longer needed any more friends, she had everything she needed. She was going to breathe fresh air and animals would too.

Bob her brother was devastated when he saw more bins coming and couldn’t believe his eyes, how was he going to prank his sister with 6 bins?  He was either going to get caught or he was just going to have to recycle like her, “no chance” thought Bob,” I will find a way.”

Gooey and Basher told Bushy, Banger, Grotty and Precious how wonderful Sally was at recycling but how mean Bob was.  So the 6 bins put their bin lids together and came up with a plan. The next morning Bobs room was a rubbish dump, Mum said “if this isn’t clean by the time I am out of the shower, your X-Box will be removed forever!” 

Did he recycle?

(c) Grace Malcolm