Winners of 2026 D.H. Lawrence Children’s Writing Competition announced

Among the stories from winners in the international competition, celebrating this year’s theme of friendship, were the tale of Astronaut Poppy’s encounter with alien Blub on Planet Twinkle, and the story of two friends’ last day together in the Japanese town of Atima before a big move to Tokyo.

The team of judges from the D.H. Lawrence Society, Nottingham City of Literature, Eastwood Writers’ Group and Broxtowe Borough Council loved reading all the entries. With 365 from right across Broxtowe, the UK, Turkey, Bangladesh, the USA and UAE, they had the difficult task of narrowing them down to just a few winners.

The winners were:

• Age 4-7
  • 1^st – Nidhaan, ‘A Friendship out of this World’
  • 2^nd – Agatha, ‘The Squabble’
  • 3^rd – Lola, ‘Poem’
  • Highly Commended – Samuel, ‘The Friendship Parade’ 
  • Highly Commended – Mary, ‘The Story of Friendship’
• Age 8-11
  • 1^st – Aira, ‘Friends are like Shooting Stars’
  • 2^nd – Helena, ‘Friendship Poem’
  • 3^rd – Indie-Rose, ‘Friendship’
  • Highly Commended – Henry, ‘Friends’
• Age 12-16
  • 1^st – Caden, ‘The Weight of a Ticket'
  • 2^nd – Aryana, ‘Room 207’
  • 3^rd – Charis, ‘What I remember’
  • Highly Commended – Andrew, ‘Ben’
• Best of Broxtowe
  • Age 4-7 winner – Louie, ‘Rex and I’
  • Age 4-7 Highly Commended – Saffron, ‘Me and My Friends’
  • Age 8-11 Winner – Eddie, ‘Friendship’
  • Age 8-11 Highly Commended – Nefeli, ‘Best Friend Chant’
  • Age 12-16 Winner – Bluebell, ‘untitled’
  • Age 12-16 Highly Commended – Erika, ‘The Girl and Her’

Winners were invited to a ceremony at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum on Saturday 27 June, and presented with their awards by Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sarah Webb.

A selection of winning entries will be animated and displayed in an online exhibition on the Broxtowe website. View winners from 2025’s competition at www.broxtowe.gov.uk/writingcompexhibition2025

Portfolio Holder for Health and Leisure, Councillor Teresa Cullen, said, “Entries to this competition amaze me every year, there’s stories to make you laugh and cry from young people right across the Borough, country, and the world – all the entrants should be extremely proud of themselves!

“Our writing competition is a great way to get young people interested in Lawrence and literature in general, encouraging them to get creative and have fun while doing it.”

The D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum is where this literary legend was born on 11 September 1885. Only 30 minutes from Nottingham city centre, the Museum is a must see for fans of literature, and for those wanting to delve deeper into Nottingham’s literary heritage.

Step back in time to experience the traditional Victorian wash house, see the parlour; a room only for special guests, and have a wander around the parental and other bedrooms. The museum’s permanent exhibition features items from Lawrence’s family and even paintings created by the author himself.