One of this year’s winners of a Lancaster Creative Writing Award already has a connection with the University. 18-year-old Sophie Brown, a student at Fakenham Sixth Form, North Norfolk, achieved first-place in the prose category for her short story “Ashes to Ashes”. The judge, Jenn Ashworth of the English Literature and Creative Writing Department, described the work in the following terms “A well-controlled, evocative and intriguing piece of prose written with technical confidence and a real flair for atmosphere and mood."

Sophie has been a pupil at the school since she was 12. During her time in the Sixth Form (Year 12 and 13) she has been a participant in the school’s innovatory mentoring programme. Her mentor has been Martyn Sloman, an economist who, together with his wife, has retired to a nearby Norfolk village. Martyn was one of the early students at Lancaster: a member of Cartmel College; he graduated in 1968 and went on to be the first of the University’s Parliamentary Candidates (Labour, Leominster 1970).

He describes Sophie as a prolific and talented writer with a most promising future and fun to work with – ‘always reliable and committed and determined to make the best of every opportunity that presents itself’.

Reflecting on the mentoring relationship, Sophie offered the following comments: "It has been a pleasure to work with Martyn; I believe we have both learnt from each other due to our shared interest in writing. Not only has Martyn been encouraging, but has helped me through the first year of A Levels and my university application. I am very grateful for his guidance."