All entries to be submitted through PLAY AND PERFORM by JANUARY 23rd, 2026
AWARDS CEREMONY: SUNDAY 15TH MARCH 2.30PM
Adult Adjudicator: Jo O’Neill
Children’s Adjudicator: Melanie Hyo-In Han
Entry Fees:
Years 1-6: £3.50 Years 7-13: £4.00 Adults: £6.00 Concessions: £6.00
All entries to be submitted by January 24th, 2025.
Entries have now been moved on to the new Play & Perform entry system, inline with the rest of the festival.
– Please place all your entries using this website
– This platform will capture your details and allow upload of a document either at the time of entry or later (up until the closing date)
– Entry fees can also be paid via the website via PayPal or by bank transfer.
– Paper copies can be sent by arrangement.
Any questions, please also feel free to email bmafcw@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Section Secretary: Amy Underdown
Email: bmafcw@gmail.com
Phone: 07572545488
CLASSES
ARTICLES – Non Fiction, own choice of subject – topical, contemporary or historical in nature. The article should be persuasive and informative irrespective of the chosen topic.
| CW1 | Years 4-6 | Up to 500 words |
Award: Charles Lamb Cup (Shared between CW1 – CW3)
| CW2 | Years 7-13 | Up to 2,000 words |
Award: Charles Lamb Cup (Shared between CW1 – CW3)
| CW3 | Adult | Up to 2,000 words |
Award: Charles Lamb Cup (Shared between CW1 – CW3)
LETTER WRITING – Own choice of subject on one A4 sheet with 1.5 line spacing. Please set out in letter format with Dear <name>, date and sender’s (can be fictional) address. Addressee info on a separate sheet.
| CW4 | Years 1-2 |
Award: Tony Corbin Trophy
| CW5 | Years 3-6 |
Award: Marian Grey Cup
| CW6 | Years 7-13 |
Award: Basingstoke Writers’ Circle Cup
| CW7 | Adult
Award: Angela Hurley Cup |
POETRY – Own choice of subject and style up to a maximum length of 40 lines. Styles can include Blank verse – almost always iambic pentameter, Rhymed poetry, Narrative poetry, and Haiku.
| CW8 | Primary Years 1-2 |
Award: Richard Watterson Cup
| CW9 | Primary Years 3-4 |
Award: David Anderson Trophy
| CW10 | Primary Years 5-6 |
Award: Garland Cup
| CW11 | Secondary Years 7-13 |
Award: Warton Cup
| CW12 | Adult |
Award: Cliddesden Shield
SHORT STORIES – conveying setting, conflicts, characters, plot, theme, and perspectives. Own choice of subject, maximum length as defined below:
| CW13 | Years 1-2 | Up to 500 words |
Award: Amy O’Connell Shield
| CW14 | Years 3-6 | Up to 800 words. |
Award: Roy Hurley Cup
| CW15 | Years 7-13 | Up to 1,000 words |
Award: Bryn Strudwick Cup
| CW16 | Adult | Up to 2,500 words |
Award: Sony Broadcast Cup
SCRIPT WRITING – A one-act play on any subject. Please include – outline of setting, props required, character names, production directions and intended medium (i.e. Radio, stage, or TV). Durations as shown.
| CW17 | Years 4-6 | 10 mins. |
| CW18 | Years 7-13 | 15 mins. |
Award: Jane Austen Steventon Trophy
| CW19 | Adult | 20 mins. |
Award: Micheldever Trophy
SONNETS – Normally 14 lines and 10 syllables per line. Please state the Sonnet Form i.e. Italian, Shakespearean, Petrarchan or Spenserian.
| CW20 | Years 5-13 |
Award: Bryn Strudwick Trophy
| CW21 | Adult |
Award: Jim Briggs Cup
FLASH FICTION 500 WORD CHALLENGE – Own choice of subject. The story should be substantially set in Basingstoke or the Borough (i.e. Basingstoke & Deane). Marks will be deducted otherwise.
| CW22 | Years 5-13 | 500 words. |
Award: Brecon Beacons Cup
| CW23 | Adult | 500 words. |
Award: Destination Basingstoke Trophy
Introduced in 2019, the exceptional challenge and aim of flash fiction is to outline or indicate,
in just 500 WORDS, a clear portrayal of both character and plot development. An additional
goal should be to imply a much larger backstory.
POEM INTO POEM
An amazing 110 languages, including sign-language and other communication
systems, are used across the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council administrative
area. The aim of Poem into Poem is to encourage the sharing of verses, poems or
songs from other languages by translating them to poetry in English.
1) Please provide a copy of the original, whether your own writing or a published poem.
2) In 100/150 words, outline why you chose or wrote the original poem and now wish to
share it.
3) Individually, or collaboratively, recreate and produce as a poem in English.
Entrants should live within the Borough of Basingstoke and can enter as an individual
or as part of a tutored, collaborative school group. Please indicate any form of
assistance given at the foot of the entry.
| CW24 | Years 1-6 | Up to 30 lines. |
Award: Alethea Award (Shared with CW25)
| CW25 | Years 7-13 | Up to 40 lines. |
Award: Alethea Award (Shared with CW24)