Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has encouraged young people in Milton Keynes to enter the Orwell Youth Prize 2022 after two constituents won prizes in this year's competition.
The Orwell Youth Prize is a writing prize for young people aged 12-18, using the writing of George Orwell, his values of fairness and integrity, and his commitment to social justice, as a starting point to inspire young people to think and write about the world they live in. The theme for the 2021 prize was 'A New Direction: Starting Small.'
18-year-old Jude Leese, from Milton Keynes North, won one of the awards for his poem, 'Work Experience as a Young Campaigner', which explored the work that goes into grassroots politics. Varscha Arul, also from MK North, was another award recipient for her piece 'Why?' which sheds light on the horrifying impact of the civil war in Sri Lanka, and the resulting social injustices and generational trauma experienced both by her own family and Sri Lankan people more widely.
This year's theme is COMING UP FOR AIR: WRITING THE CLIMATE CRISIS
Entrants are being asked to think and write critically and creatively about how the climate crisis affects the people, places, and things around you. Inspired by Orwell, we're encouraging you to look afresh at the way the climate crisis and the environment is discussed and reported today. What is missing from the conversation? And if you had the power, what changes would you make?
Ben Everitt MP said: "The fact two Milton Keynes North constituents won in this year's Orwell Youth Prize just shows the incredible talent we have here in Milton Keynes and the wonderful way they have both been able to articulate their different experiences so firstly I want to offer a huge congratulations to Varscha and Jude.
"Secondly I hope this inspires other young people across Milton Keynes to get involved with the Orwell Youth Prize and submit their own entry in 2022, especially with the theme being the climate crisis which as we all know is an extremely pressing topic and I know MK is right at the heart of our ambitions to go green."
Find out more about the Orwell Youth Prize here: https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/2018-youth-prize/introduction/
Personalised feedback is offered to all entrants - the feedback deadline is Friday 22nd April 2022 and thefinal deadline is Friday 3rd June.
When you're ready, enter here: https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/abouttheyouthprize/enter-the-orwell-youth-prize/