Singer sounds out teen’s words

A Minster School pupil has won a national writing competition, beating more than 1,000 other teenage entrants.

Kate Baguley (16) of Blenheim Avenue, Lowdham, won the NSPCC’s Paper Cuts competition that asked 13 to 18-year-olds to write 100 words about something that mattered to them.

It was organised to promote the NSPCC’s free confidential 24-hour helpline, ChildLine.

Kate’s story, entitled Margaret, was inspired by residents at Victoria Cottage Residential Home, Lowdham, where she did work experience and still helps out.

The story will be published by Penguin in an anthology entitled 100 Words That Matter.

It was read by singer-songwriter Sandi Thom at Penguin’s offices in London during a celebrity event that Kate attended.

Kate said: “It was weird to hear her reading it, as they’re my thoughts, but she was really good.”

The video of Sandi Thom, whose debut album sold more than a million copies worldwide, reading Kate’s story can be viewed below.

Kate, who is studying English literature, English language, history, and government and politics, saw the competition advertised on the BBC website during the summer.

All the entries were narrowed down to a shortlist of 100, which appeared on Penguin’s website for teens, Spinebreakers.co.uk

Visitors to the site were then able to vote for their favourite.

“I was astounded to get to the public vote, never mind win because things like that only happen to other people, and I would encourage other young people to enter anything they can,” Kate said.

The competition entries were also read by a panel of Paper Cuts judges, made up of a Penguin publisher, NSPCC representatives and Rod Stanley, editor of the youth style publication Dazed and Confused.

The anthology will be distributed nationwide in January.