A DOWNEND primary school pupil’s experience of using a hearing aid inspired him to write a story that won him an invitation to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen.
Jack Brewer, a Year 5 pupil at St Augustine of Canterbury Primary School, made the top 50 of the BBC’s 500 Words, a national short story competition for young writers.
His story, The Whispering Forest, was one of 25 chosen from among 45,000 entries in the competition’s 8-11 age category.
Jack’s story featured a character who wears a hearing aid – and discovers it can help him hear a secret voice whispering to him in a forest, leading him to a magical discovery.
His mum Kate said: “It was a personal and meaningful choice for him.
“When he first started wearing one, he struggled to find books with characters like himself, so he decided to write his own.”
The last line of Jack’s story proved to be prophetic, as it said: “Sometimes, hearing things in a new way opened doors to places you never expected.”
Jack said: “I wanted to create a character who wears a hearing aid so other children like me can see themselves in stories too.
“Being at Buckingham Palace and meeting so many incredible and talented people was an unforgettable experience!
“Everyone was so kind and gave me really amazing comments about my story. It was a day I’ll never forget.”
The BBC 500 Words competition is the UK’s biggest children’s writing contest and has been championed by Queen Camilla since 2015, as part of her commitment to literacy and creative writing.
As well as the Queen, the event at the palace was attended by Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman, McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, comedian Matt Lucas, actress and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, singer and presenter JB Gill, comedian Rob Brydon, and Gladiators Fire and Nitro.
The finalists also met the 500 Words judges: Sir Lenny Henry, Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and authors Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson and Malorie Blackman.
St Augustine’s head teacher Mark Hilliam said: “We are all so very proud of Jack for his achievement.
“Reaching the last fifty of the 500 Words competition is very impressive.
“I must also add how delighted I was that other children in Jack’s class also made it through to the last 5,000 – we clearly have amazing writers here at St Augustine’s!”
You can read or listen to Jack’s story at tinyurl.com/2khswwrv.