An 11-year-old student from north London, U.K., has been named the winner of The Royal Mint Museum’s annual short story competition, capturing the top prize with a tale that resonated deeply with judges. Ione Knight, a pupil at Rhodes Avenue Primary School, earned the grand prize with her story centred around the theme “Coins and the Sea.”
As the grand prize winner, Ione received a £5,000 (about C$8,750) voucher for her school to spend on books and equipment through Peters, a specialist supplier for primary and secondary schools. Additionally, Ione was awarded a commemorative coin set and a framed copy of her story, beautifully illustrated by celebrated artist and coin designer David Lawrence.
Greg Jenner, one of the competition’s judges, praised Ione’s work, saying, “The Girl with the Hair Like Fire is an example of truly sublime writing and emotive storytelling. It’s totally heartbreaking! It is so beautifully written and very moving, with the dialogue and scene-setting so elegantly handled. The writer shows immense skill, with such great command of language, and the final image of the long-lost pair still at the helm is dreadfully sobering.”
The annual short story competition, open to pupils aged 8 to 11, encourages young writers to craft a 500-word story on the chosen theme. The Royal Mint Museum provides inspiration and downloadable teaching resources on the competition’s website, aiming to ignite the imagination of aspiring young authors across the country.