My Life In Reigate: A true Story.

My Life in Reigate: A True Story written by 10-year old Heidi Penrose Buckley, is the 2021 winning entry. Heidi is a pupil at Reigate Priory Junior School Her ‘zeitigisty’ story has an original narrator in Mishi the dog, Our judges praised her creativity, local setting and her descriptive language.

You can read it HERE

Ella Dutton, a runner-up in 2020 and Max Eggleton were worthy and close runners-up.

Ella’s wonderful story – Ondine takes in modern day Reigate as seen through the eyes of Margot Fonteyn . Read it HERE

Max takes Reigate’s annual Holly Run as inspiration for Escape From the Cold. The first time this iconic community winter run has featured .

It almost makes you want to take part. Almost…

The 2021 entries made use of every corner, nook and cranny of our borough. Readers are taken by the hand for thrilling fairground adventures in Memorial Park; or to gallop across Banstead Downs on a racehorse; maybe attend an old-fashioned ball at Reigate Priory or take part in daring WWII missions from Reigate Hill.

Brilliant, funny, quirky and imaginative tales. We are proud of our young writers.

Sid Anderson, Emily Field and Caitlin Evans are Highly Commended. Sid , the youngest writer to be placed.

To all those writers who just missed out. J.K Rowling received six rejections before she received a publication deal.

Keep writing. Keep dreaming.

Reigate and Banstead Writes began as an annual short-story competition for the borough’s young people. It has evolved into a blog, review site and more and showcases writing from across the area. It is the brainchild of Kay Hymas.