Members' Competitions Results 2025

Kevin Machin • 6 September 2025

Here are the results of the members' competitions 2025. Congratulations to all.


Open Poetry

Winner

Searchlight by Alison Ringrose – Northumbrian Writers.

Runners Up

Bluebells for Remembrance by Jan Huntley – Holmfirth Writers' Group.

In the Woods by Susan Nutall – Northumbrian Writers.

The Captain by Vincent Bernard – Holmfirth Writers' Group.

Highly Commended

Tyne Green by Geof Keys – Northumbrian Writers' Group.

Sestina

Winner

Witness (St Wystan's Church, Repton) by Shelagh Wain – Burton Monday Writers.

Second

Sutton Scarsdale Hill, Bolsover by Gary Carr – Runaway Writers.

Third

Nature and Nurture by Jo Roberts – Writers' Hub, Coventry.

Highly Commended

An Early Spring Walk by Orian Norfolk – Northumbrian Writers' Group.

Toshie by Robert Rayner – Northumbrian Writers' Group.

Short Story (with a clock)

Winner

Electric Clocks Tick by John Glander – Harlow Writers.

Runners Up

The Trouble with Dave by Janine Duncan – Hexham Writers.

F.I.S.H. by Penny Ellis – Ross Writers @ the Royal.

Keeping Time by Nick Brigham – Hexham Writers.

Historical Fiction

Winner

Cooking for 3 by Alana Beth Davies – Swansea and District Writers' Circle.

Runners Up

An Exchange of Thoughts by Jerry Sutton – Hinckley Scribblers.

1962 Cuban Missile Crisis by David Lake – Writers in Somerset.

Portrait of Vermeer by Judith Roberts – SWit'CH.

Ghost/Horror Story

Winner

Jasmine by Andy Humphrey – Independent.

Runners Up

Night at the Mystery Museum by Emma Finlayson-Palmer – Wombourne Writers.

Who's A Pretty Boy Then? by William Liggins – Writers' Hub, Coventry.

Cry Wolf by Alison Ringrose – Northumbrian Writers.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Winner

Beyond the Blue Planet by Graeme Hunter – Northumbrian Writers.

Runners Up

Marcus by Yvonne Hutchinson-Ruff – Llanelli Writers' Circle.

Sword and Senility by Mark Pattison – Northumbrian Writers.

I'm Not a Robot by Richard Layton – Derbyshire Script Writers.

Highly Commended

Flight 365 by Lynda Turner – Burton Monday Writers.

Romantic Fiction

Winner

Mr Papadopoulis Returns to Greece by Chris Raetschus – Hexham Writers @ the Abbey.

Runners Up

Lost Connection by James Edwards – Northumbrian Writers.

A Crack in the Stone by Alana Beth Davies – Swansea and District Writers' Circle.

That Boy! By Kerri Simpson – Northumbrian Writers.

Comedy Writing

Winner

Don't Tell Anyone by John Hope – Fellowship of the Pen.

Second

Mr Unwin Instead by Bob Crockett – Hinckley Scribblers.

Third

Butyllithium by Andy Humphrey – Independent.

Highly Commended

Return to Sender by Bob Shepherd – Yeovil Creative Writers.

Science and Nature

Winner

Whalefall by Penny Ellis – Ross Writers @ the Royal.

Runner Up

A Rose by Any Other Name by Peter Pool – Northumbrian Writers.

Highly Commended

The Other Net Zero by Shelagh Wain – Burton Monday Writers.

"How To" Guide

Winner

A Guide For How To Succeed at Target Archery by David Walton – Runaway Writers.

Runners Up

How to Cook for One by Graeme Hunter – Northumbrian Writers.

How to be the Hero of Your Own Story by Victoria White – Saturday Sentence.

How to Survive A Pony Club Rally in 10 Easy Steps by Alison Hallett – Runaway Writers.

Crime Fiction

Winner

A Smell in the Basement by Nick Brigham – Hexham Writers.

Runners Up

A Sunset in Sorrento by Helen Jane Somers – Writers in Somerset.

A Lust of the Eyes by David Potter – Hinckley Scribblers.

Trapped by James Edwards – Northumbrian Writers.

Countdown to Murder by Ian Johnson – Tyldesley Creative Writers.

Highly Commended

7:32 by John Glander – Harlow Writers.

Foolproof by Alison Ringrose – Northumbrian Writers.

Memoir

Winner

Fracture by Melanie Oliver-Trotter – Northumbrian Writers.

Runners Up

Growing Up With Fossils by Orian Norfolk – Northumbrian Writers.

On The Step by Carol Hurley – Wombourne Writers.

Rita's Untold Story by Bob Crockett – Hinckley Scribblers.

Shortbread by Sam Davey – Hastings Writers' Group.

Highly Commended

Ian by Karen Evans – Wombourne Writers.

Having Your Cake and Not Eating It by Jo Roberts – Writers' Hub, Coventry.

10 Minute Play/Monologue

Winner

The End Game by Stephen Palmer – Carlisle Writers' Group.

Runner Up

What is the Point? by Yvonne Hutchinson-Ruff – Llanelli Writers' Group.

Highly Commended

When Bobby Baxter Came to Call by Jan Keegan – Northumbrian Writers.

Hinterland 2 by Hilary Feeney – Northumbrian Writers.

Children's Prize

Joint Winners

Easter by Sylvi Cabaniuk (Jan Huntley).

The Break In by Elijah Robinson (Helen Jane Somers).

Group Anthology

Winner

Entanglement – Burton Runaway Writers.

Second

Through the Writer's Eye – Burnley and District Writers' Circle.

Third

Three's a Crowd – Bold Writers.

Fourth

The Outline of Memory – Carlisle Writers' Group.

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