Let your imagination flow with the 2025 Elmbridge Literary Competition

This year, The Elmbridge Literary Competition celebrates its 20th Anniversary. It was initially conceived as a one-off project in collaboration between The R C Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council, but over the last two decades it has evolved into a truly international event, with entries received from around the globe.

This year’s theme is ‘The River’.

This year’s theme commemorates another notable anniversary in the literary world: the death of R C Sherriff, a local patron of the arts, playwright and screenwriter whose World War One play, ‘Journey’s End’ won wide critical acclaim.

R C Sherriff spent many cherished hours rowing on the river. As a reminder of his passion for rowing, the R C Sherriff Trust commissioned the ‘Rowing Eight’, a stunning sculpture and a familiar sight for residents and visitors to the stretch of the River Thames by Molesey Boat Club.

With 3 rivers flowing through the borough (the Wey, Mole and Thames), Elmbridge residents are never very far from the water. 

Rivers have always been a source of inspiration for writers and poets, whether as tributaries meandering through life’s journey, or as the passage to the underworld.

They have served as home to Mr Toad and friends, the lair of goat-eating trolls and have been the ultimate symbol of freedom for famous novel characters, as Huckleberry Finn or the three men in Jerome K Jerome’s classic story can attest.

More recently, rivers have found themselves at the heart of environmental debates. 

Competition details: 

The competition is open to all, with specific age categories and word counts detailed in the terms and conditions.

In addition to prizes for each age category, the competition includes The Elmbridge Prize for the best story or poem submitted by an Elmbridge resident.

• Entry Fee: £8 for adults, free for under 18s
• Closing Date: Friday, February 24, 2025

Councillor Simon Waugh, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Commercial Strategy, said, “We are delighted with the success of the Elmbridge Literary Competition. Over the last two decades, it has grown significantly, attracting an increasing number of participants. We would love to see more Elmbridge schools getting involved this year and hope they might consider including the competition into their curriculum”.

Pete Allen, Director of the R C Sherriff Trust, said: "It is always a joy to read the entries for the Elmbridge Literary Competition. The borough is brimming with creativity, which is beautifully expressed through writing. We believe this year’s theme will particularly appeal to residents, as rivers are such a defining feature of our borough. We would love to see more entries from mailto:https://www.rcsherrifftrust.org.uk/elmbridge-literary-competitionlocal children. To support them, the Literary Competition is offering writing workshops for schools this year. We encourage teachers to take advantage of these workshops to inspire their students, and we look forward to receiving many entries from them”.

For full details and to download the terms and conditions, visit R C Sherriff Trust  or email elmbridgelitcomp@outlook.com.