Rochdale writers shortlisted for awards

Rochdale writers shortlisted for awards

Rochdale’s Riverside Writers has been shortlisted for the 2024 Creative Lives Awards. The awards shine a spotlight on the amazing creativity taking place in local communities.

A total of 34 creative groups have been shortlisted from across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Voting is now open for the public to choose the winner of People’s Choice Award, so let’s get voting for our own Riverside Writers.

Winners are to be announced at Awards Ceremony in London on Thursday 26 September 2024. From murals, mosaics and movement, to pantomime, poetry and photography, Creative Lives is celebrating the everyday creativity of groups from across the UK and Ireland through this year’s Creative Lives Awards.

Riverside Writers is a creative writing group that meets weekly in Rochdale. All writers aged over 18 are very welcome to attend their sessions and all genres of creative writing are encouraged.

In 2024 Riverside Writers created and maintained its own website and has delivered workshop sessions on a range of topics relating to the culture and customs of our area in order to create a knowledge of and pride in our heritage.

The group also created workshops to help members develop new techniques, genres and styles in their writing. Riverside Writers has written for the Manchester City of Literature Festival of Libraries and is currently preparing for its Festival of Summer following a very successful first event in 2023.

The group is proud to announce that Mr William Pollard, the writer of the biography of M. R. Lahee, the lost Rochdale Poet, will be speaking at the festival.

The festival will bring together, not only Riverside Writers writers and poets, but also local community groups including musicians, clog dancers, a ukulele band and the U3A choir. The event will be followed by an open-mic session for those who are still standing.

This year one member is the recipient of the Presidents Cup for poetry by the Edwin Waugh Society. Judging panels from each nation will choose a winner for England, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, while members of the public can vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice Awards.

Voting in the People’s Choice Award is open until July 29, 2024. To learn more about the shortlisted projects and to cast your vote, please visit www.creative-lives.org/2024-shortlist.

Winners will be announced at the Creative Lives Awards ceremony in Cecil Sharp House, London in September, partnering with the Everyday Creativity Research Network conference.

Winners will receive a bespoke award, framed certificate, cash prize and access to support and training.

Visit: Riverside Writers