At the WRITE ABOUT TREES showcase finale of the Urban Tree Festival organised by the Museum of Walking and skilfully hosted by poet Arji Manuelpillai, author Sarah Wheeler and poet Chris Cuninghame were declared winners of the Festival’s writing competition taking on the accolade of Writers-in-Residence for the 2022 Urban Tree Festival.

 

Sarah Wheeler is an erstwhile lawyer, aspiring writer, frazzled mother. Sometime Londoner, returned to my rural roots. Now often found outside, with a double expresso, talking to hens. Her winning story: My Blackthorn is a tree

 

 

 

Christopher Cuninghame lives in east London and has worked internationally. He plays music sometimes, closing the windows if he remembers. His winning poem: On looker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris wrote : “Thank you so much for all your work on this competition and for the whole festival. I attended online a few of the other events, all of which were tremendously engaging and enjoyable.

I am still dumbstruck to have been named a winner and furthermore I now really do feel nervous!”

What they won

Their prizes funded in part by the Mayor of London, include an artwork created by Alban Low in response to their writing (see above) and the opportunity to have their own illustrated chapbook edited by Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone and published Sampson Low Publishers.

Read their work and that of a dozen other nature writers

Picked from a short list of 16 poems and stories, that were chosen from over 120 competition entries, you can read all the works by the shortlisted writers in ‘Canopy’, the illustrated chapbook published by Sampson Low Publishers and the Museum of Walking. All proceeds form the sale go towards supporting the 2022 Urban Tree Festival. Visit the Festival shop here

We are very grateful to have received funding from the Mayor of London to support the Urban Tree Festival writing competition.