Inaugural Winfield Literacy Award winners are annnounced
Hulme Grammar School announced the winners of the inaugural Winfield Literacy Award, a competition aimed at inspiring young writers and promoting literacy in Oldham. Winners received prizes, and the event was attended by notable figures including the Mayor of Oldham. The competition is part of a broader literacy initiative at the school.
Hulme Grammar School crowned three young authors as the first-ever winners of the Winfield Literacy Award for Oldham last week, honoring their 500-word short stories at a ceremony held at the Madeleine Lindley Book Centre.
Aira Waseem, 5-7 age category winner, took home the prize for “Esme and the Lost Star,” while Mikaeel Iqbal won the 8-13 division with “If I Had One Wish.” Ayaan Hussain claimed the 14-18 category with “The Last Train to Oldham.” Each winner received a £50 book voucher and £500 worth of books for their school, prizes sponsored by Madeleine Lindley, Oldham Athletic, and Hulme Grammar alumni.
The Mayor of Oldham, Cllr Zahid Chauhan, joined Chaddy the Owl, Oldham Athletic’s mascot, at the celebration where a panel of authors, educators, and alumni selected the winners from what organizers called an “overwhelming response” of entries across Oldham.
“We are thrilled with the incredible enthusiasm shown by young writers across Oldham,” said John Budding, Co Head of Hulme Grammar School. “The standard of entries was truly outstanding, and it has been inspiring to see so many young people engage with storytelling.”
The competition, launched to address literacy challenges in the region, forms part of a broader initiative that includes the renaming of the school’s library to the Winfield Library in honor of former headmistress Miss Margaret Winfield. Creative writing workshops have supported the effort to foster what Budding calls “a love for reading and writing” throughout the community.
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