This year’s Lochaber Rotary Competitions attracted a record entry - with over 110 youngsters vying for the titles of Young Writer and Young Photographer of 2023.
Winners of the Lochaber stage – which invites entries from our four high schools – Ardnamurchan,
Kinlochleven, Lochaber and Mallaig – go forward to the all-Scotland stage in April.
The theme of this year’s competitions was “rebuilding” – a challenging topic.
The winner of the Young Photographer intermediate category was 13-year old Luca Achim from Acharacle.
Luca attends Ardnamurchan High School and, in describing the background to his entry, said: “I took the photo as it was a nice sunny day and I liked the colours and textures of the landscape.
“The pile of stones represents the theme of rebuilding within the landscape and reminded me of the traditional stone building techniques used to make the black houses in this part of Scotland.
“I have tried to make these stones piles myself and know it isn’t easy. It requires practice and skill. My
photograph preserves this achievement.”
Winner of the senior category in Young Photographer was Jackson Lee from Torcastle, who attends Lochaber High School.
In his submission describing the image, he wrote: “Just as the Royal Albert Dock where this picture was taken played a crucial role in rebuilding Liverpool’s cultural life, so does the sun setting, symbolising a new day and giving the world strength to thrive.”
Runner-up was 15-year old Ardnamurchan High School student Rowan Willis, from Lochaline.
The competition was judged by local photographer Iain Ferguson in conjunction with Rotary Convener Mike MacGruer.
Iain said: “The entrants were all excellent and fitted perfectly within the requirements laid down in the competition rules.
“Well done not only to each winner, but also to everyone who entered.”
Once again, the prospects of earning the accolade of Lochaber’s Young Writer of the Year attracted a huge number of entries and the task of selecting the winners and runners-up fell to retired English teacher Moira Leadbitter.
Moira says was very impressed by the quality of writing, adding: “I found myself inundated with over 100 entries across various age groups.
“The chosen topic of ‘rebuilding’ written in an imaginative and creative way appears to have been quite daunting, particularly for the younger contestants, but with true Lochaber grit, they rose to the occasion.
“There were poems, imaginative yarns, personal recollections and some interesting analytical commentaries on current affairs.
“All in all the youngsters acquitted themselves amazingly well.”
Winners of the Young Writer challenge were, at senior level, 16-year old Anna McKellar from Corpach and, at intermediate level, Aisling Flavin, who is 11, from Spean Bridge.
Runners-up were 16-year old Josie Ball from Lochyside at senior and 13-year old Finn Watt from Roybridge at intermediate.
Rotary President Flora McKee and Past-President Donald McCorkindale presented the awards to the successful entrants.
Flora said: "I was very happy with the level of response that these competitions attract year-on-year and would like to express my appreciation of the work put in by the school staff and particularly by Mrs Leadbitter."
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