Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has announced that the live final for the station’s ‘500 Words’ short story competiton will be held at Windsor Castle this year.
The 500 Words contest was first created by presenter Chris Evans in 2011 and has since attracted huge numbers of entries from children aged between 5 and 13. Many schools across the UK take part in the contest and the decision to host the live final at Windsor Castle has caused much excitement.
Ball said: “I’m so proud and excited to be launching 500 Words 2019. It is incredible what Chris Evans has achieved since he first created it back in 2011. I encourage all of our younger listeners to delve deep into their imaginations, and perhaps it could be you heading to the live final at one of the world’s most iconic buildings, Windsor Castle, in June!”
Oxford University Press is supporting the contest and providing support to schools who are taking part, to help them encourage pupils to enter. Last year there were some 134,000 entries.
The launch of the contest on Radio 2 involved three schools taking over the playlist between 7 and 9am. Famous writers Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Charlie Higson will be judges for the contest and were on hand at the live launch to offer writing tips to interested youngsters.
Entries to the short story writing competition must be in by Thursday 8th March and the final will take place at the Windsor Castle on Friday 14th June.
