The generous contribution of a donor has paved the way for Robinson College to be part of an enriching partnership between the University of Cambridge and the BBC on the National Short Story Award and Young Writers Award. The National Short Story Award is widely regarded as the most prestigious accolade for short stories nationally. Many readers will have enjoyed listening to the shortlisted stories, some by major writers and others by exciting new voices, broadcast on Radio 4 each September (and available on BBC Sounds). The Young Writers Award, meanwhile, showcases the astonishing work of writers aged 14-18, and reaches an enormous and diverse audience when they are broadcast on Radio 1. The BBC have been running the Awards in collaboration with the University since 2018, with contributions coming from the Faculties of English and Education, the Schools of Arts and Humanities and Humanities and the Social Sciences, the University Library, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the Institute of Continuing Education. For the 2024-26 iteration of this prestigious partnership, the group of Cambridge stakeholders is expanding to include two colleges – Robinson and Downing – in order to develop the ways in which the partnership impacts our students.  

One of the immediate benefits of this partnership to Robinson is the opportunity it affords the College to host visiting shortlisted young writers, who win a Cambridge Experience Day in September, just before the winners are announced, during which they meet current students, enjoy creative writing workshops at the Fitz or the UL, and learn from English and Education academics. This serves as an important outreach opportunity; many former shortlisted students comment that their experience day inspired or cemented their intention to apply to Cambridge.

Last Friday Robinson College was delighted to welcome the 5 shortlisted students of the BBC Young Writers Award 2024 for their Cambridge Experience Day. Hosted by Dr Lizzi Rawlinson-Mills (Robinson Fellow in English and Education) the shortlistees enjoyed a fascinating tour of the University Library ‘Treasures Behind the Scenes’ with Emily Dourish, deputy keeper of rare books and early manuscripts.  It was a huge honour to handle the first edition books and visit the historical printing room.  After lunch, in the Robinson College Garden Room, Yvonne Battle-Felton, from ICE, led a writing workshop, and we were very impressed by the young writers' creativity and willingness to share their work with one another. Thank you to everyone involved in making the day a fantastic experience for the young writers, especially our undergraduate helpers Alex Davies, Sabrine Ahmed and Daisy Bates.
The Awards Ceremony takes place tonight, Tuesday 1 October, at Broadcasting House: good luck to you all!

You can enjoy the Young Writers’ shortlist stories here  and the winners are announced during a live broadcast of Radio 4’s Front Row tonight Tuesday 1 October from 7.15pm here

Two other Awards-related events enrich our literary calendar: Robinson undergraduates are invited to get involved in hosting the Awards Ceremony at BBC Broadcasting House in September, working alongside BBC colleagues to welcome guests (including writers and celebrities) to the live broadcast of Radio 4’s Front Row and the subsequent celebration event. In 2023, four Robinson third-years enjoyed the opportunity to network with writers, judges and BBC staff – and their help was very much appreciated! (College members who are interested in attending or helping at this year’s Awards Ceremony should get in touch with Lizzi Rawlinson-Mills). In addition, we look forward to welcoming the National Short Story Award-winner to Robinson College later in the year; last year’s Masterclass with prize-winner Naomi Wood was enjoyed by many students across the University.

The partnership also offers a place on a unique new training programme to one of the College's postgraduates. This three-year programme, developed in conjunction with the ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership, provides a valuable insight into broadcasting, institutional partnering, administrative and legal aspects of arts management. Alongside some bespoke training opportunities connected to their doctoral research, the student will attend meetings of the Awards steering group, shadow the process of recording and producing a short story for radio, and will have the opportunity to act as a paid “sifter” to support the judges’ shortlisting activities. This truly sets Robinson and Downing apart as the only colleges offering specialised professional training of this kind, and we look forward to hearing about their experience from the selected student in due course.

Lizzi Rawlinson-Mills, who has been the Faculty of Education representative in this partnership since 2019, eloquently articulated the significance of the prizes at the Awards Ceremony at Broadcasting House in 2023. She emphasised the profound impact these stories have in opening our eyes to different perspectives and experiences. They offer us a glimpse of our rapidly changing world, compel us to reflect on our place within it, and inspire us to effect change.

She particularly praised the young writers who achieved the distinction of appearing on 2023’s outstanding shortlist, reminding listeners that these are not the writers of the future, but the writers of today. Their work grapples with society's most pressing questions in ways that are as urgent and visionary as the stories on the adult prize shortlist. They audaciously follow the "what if" of storytelling, with voices that are assured, ambitious, and often poetic.

To sum up, the donor's contribution has a far-reaching impact. It not only bolsters the literary culture of the country and aligns with the University's mission to engage with society, but also enriches the academic and cultural experiences of current students, and provides valuable professional development opportunities for future students.

This article is from the October edition of Bin Brook.