Nominations for the annual Ruth Rendell Award are now open
by Educate Magazine June 23, 2021 · Education News
To mark National Writing Day and celebrate the brilliant and dedicated authors and writers who have helped to raise children and young people’s literacy levels in the UK over the past year, the National Literacy Trust and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) have opened nominations for the annual Ruth Rendell Award 2021.
The award began in 2016 to honour of the author Ruth Rendell, who tirelessly championed literacy throughout her lifetime and supported the National Literacy Trust since its foundation in 1993. Former winners include Andy McNab, Cressida Cowell, Tom Palmer and last year Karl Nova was honoured for his outstanding services to literacy, inspiring children to engage in reading and writing through hip hop and poetry.
New research published today by the National Literacy Trust shows that writing for pleasure can support children’s wellbeing and creativity. Nearly a quarter (23%) who write in their free time at least once a month write because it makes them feel happy and half (50%) of these writers do so because it helps them feel creative. Many of these young people will have been inspired by authors who have been working hard to keep encouraging children to read and write.
From today, publishers, booksellers, libraries, schools, charities and families are invited to nominate the author or writer they believe has had the most significant influence on literacy in the UK in the past year.
Nominations close on 20 September 2021 and the winner will be announced at the end of November.
Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “We are thrilled to open nominations for the Ruth Rendell Award 2021 in partnership with ALCS, and celebrate the authors and writers who have been such an inspiration and beacon of hope to so many young people during an unprecedented time. Authors play such an important role in sparking a love of reading and writing which can really help young people on their way to being confident readers, communicators and give them the best life chances.”
To find out more or submit a nomination to the Ruth Rendell Award 2021, please visit: literacytrust.org.uk/ruth-rendell-award
