Lynn Jones MBE Visit

On Wednesday 28^th September, Lynn Jones MBE visited St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy to host a special assembly and to present the first and second prizes of the Gareth Jones Award for Excellence, a city-wide creative writing competition in memory of Lynn’s late husband, Gareth, who led the Stoke-on-Trent English Excellence Partnership for several years.

We were extremely proud that both the first and second place winners were SMWCA students. The first prize winner was Talya Alkaheel in Year 9, for her short story ‘The Dreamless and her Dream’. In second place was Patricia Nguekam in Year 11, for her short story ‘Reves Lucide’. Both winners received gift vouchers, and Lynn Jones also presented the school with a £300 book bundle for the school library.

Both Talya and Patricia beautifully read aloud their prize-winning entries to the Year 9 assembly and accepted their awards. Talya graciously thanked a friend who had supported her entry by proof-reading and making suggestions.

Lynn Jones congratulated the winners and commented on Year 9’s exemplary behaviour and decorum. Well done to the prize winners and all of Year 9 for an excellent assembly.