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This competition is held by Coram Voice, a children’s rights organisation that uplifts the voices of care-experienced children and young people. Each year, Coram Voice invites young people in care and care leavers to reflect on their experiences through creative writing. This year, applicants were invited to submit entries on the theme ‘What makes me different?’
Callum, a young person who is currently in care in North Somerset, was a finalist in the competition. His poem, ‘The Tapestry of My Life’, details his experiences as a care-experienced, gay Christian young person, and was shortlisted in the Upper Secondary Category.
All the shortlisted writers were invited to the awards ceremony in London on 17 February, which was hosted by Peter Capaldi and Claire Wilden (2020 winner). Callum was commended for his poem during the event.
Councillor Catherine Gibbons, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: “Well done to Callum on being shortlisted in this prestigious national writing competition – it’s a fantastic achievement. His poem ‘The Tapestry of My Life’ is a beautiful and impactful piece of work, and reading about his experiences as a young person in care in North Somerset was deeply moving.
“If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer for North Somerset, we’d love to hear from you. We welcome carers of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and relationship statuses, so if you’d like to make a real difference to children’s lives then please do get in touch.”
To find out more information about fostering in North Somerset, visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@n-somerset.gov.uk or call 01275 888 999.