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Our current competition: New Writers Poetry Writing Competition 2026 – Deadline: 15th July 2026. Prizes: 1st: £1,000; 4x Runners-up: £100.
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The Scottish Wildlife Trust is once again inviting you to tell your story of Scotland’s wildlife and wild places. What are the natural waymarkers that you look for that signal the transition from one season to the next? Which species do you most look forward to seeing at certain times of year? And what signs are you seeing that our seasons are changing as our planet warms?
Submissions can be in English, Scots or Gaelic up to 1,000 words long and written in any form: poem, letter, short story, essay, song lyrics – whichever works best to tell your story. This year’s theme is “Changing seasons”.
A winner from each age and language category will be selected by the panel of judges and will receive an amazing prize bundle:
Adult winners (18 years and over)
– 24-litre Swarovski backpack
– £100 voucher for NHBS
– £50 voucher for Wild Fungarium
– 70cl bottle of Seòlta Spiced Rum
– Complete series of Melissa Harrison’s Seasons anthologies
– Opticron 10x magnification hand lens
– 2027 Scottish Wildlife calendar
– 1-year’s membership to the Trust or a wildlife adoption
Junior winners (under 18 years)
– Trail camera starter bundle (including a Num’axes camera, memory card and batteries)
– £50 voucher for Wild Fungarium
– Swarovski baseball cap
– Complete series of Melissa Harrison’s Seasons anthologies
– Opticron 10x magnification hand lens
– 2027 Scottish Wildlife calendar
– 1-year’s membership to the Trust or a wildlife adoption
Two runners-up in each category will also receive a 2027 Scottish Wildlife calendar.
Winners will be announced at a special event as part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in October.
Your submission will be judged on its originality, creativity and inspirational qualities by a brilliant panel of judges: Craig Aitchison, Susi Briggs, Taylor Dyson, Anne Frater, Martin MacIntyre, Eve McIntosh, Sandy NicDhòmhnaill Jones, Rachel Stewart, and Dr Kenny Taylor.
Details