A NATIONAL writing competition has been launched in Morpeth in tribute to Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison.
The campaigner died in June 1913 after she was struck by the King’s horse in the Epsom Derby when she tried to pin the Suffragette colours to the reins.
Now an Emily Inspires programme is running to mark the centenary of the Suffragette’s death and celebrate her life.
And this week a writing competition was set up.
Entrants are asked to write from Emily’s point of view as she left her mother’s Longhorsley home for Epsom, or imagine the feelings of her mother Margaret, or neighbour Bob who drove Emily to Morpeth Railway Station to catch the train.
It can be prose, a blog, letter up to 300 words or a poem of up to 50 lines.
Judges include authors Wendy Robertson and Janet MacLeod Trotter.
Prizes will be awarded to the three winners, with a further three donated by Sanderson Arcade for the best Northumberland entries.
The winning pieces will be read out during the Emily Inspires Centennial Weekend in June and recorded for the website www.listenupnorth.com
The contest is being run by writer Rachel Cochrane, who set up the website as a platform for her radio plays and to showcase others’ work.
She said: “Emily was a prolific writer so it is entirely fitting that one of the important elements of the Emily Inspires centennial programme should be a writing competition.
“Emily studied English Literature at Oxford University where despite gaining a first class degree she was not allowed to graduate because she was a woman.
“We welcome entries from new and established writers and we look forward to reading every submission.”
The competition is open to any UK resident aged 18 and over on Friday, May 10. Entries must be submitted by 5pm on May 10, either handed into a Northumberland library in an envelope marked Emily Inspires Writing Competition, or by email to emilyinspires@listenupnorth.com
Alternatively, post it to Emily Inspires, Greater Morpeth Development Trust, The Lodge, Carlisle Park, Morpeth, NE61 1YD.
A separate competition is being offered to middle and high schools. Details are available from schools@listenupnorth.com