2015 winners
Organisers of Gorsedh Kernow’s Holyer an Gof Publishers’ Awards are once again actively seeking recently published books about Cornwall to enter in the 2016 competition.
Among the many winners from last year was a group of year 7 students from Redruth School who took part and were awarded a top prize for a series of six books ‘An A-Z of Cornwall – What We Love About Cornwall’.
The students produced the series of books as part of Redruth School’s participation in REAL Projects – a new kind of project based learning that connects deep subject content with real world problem solving and enables all students to engage in learning at school and create extraordinary work that matters.
“Redruth School’s entry through REAL Projects demonstrates how hard many of today’s children are working to connect with the real world,” said Holyer an Gof co-organiser Rael Harvey, “ and we will do all we can to encourage schools to think about publishing their own book about Cornwall and the Cornish language.”
Redruth School students were asked to take on various roles and create a book within six weeks of arriving at the school – a tight deadline.
“I helped with the improvement and punctuation,” said Sam, one of the editors.
“My letter was R so I did ‘Redruth’,” said Jenna, who wrote a page in the book.
Students were interviewed at the Holyer an Gof Awards ceremony by Tiffany Truscott of BBC Radio Cornwall and spoke of their delight at being shortlisted, and of winning an award.
“It was a really good idea because we all knew quite a bit about Cornwall and it’s good to do a book about the place where we live. It’s really exciting to be at an awards ceremony.”
“It was really great to help us get to know each other and the school, and it was really fun.”
“We are very proud of the Holyer an Gof competition and I am continually amazed by the support we receive from all the publishers who submit entries each year.” said Grand Bard of Cornwall Merv Davey.
There is still time to submit entries and all books about Cornwall or the Cornish language and people published between 1st January and 31st December 2015 are eligible.
The closing date for entries is Friday 26th February 2016.
Further notes
The Holyer an Gof Publishers’ Awards are promoted annually by Gorsedh Kernow for publications relating to Cornwall or the Cornish language and her people and were launched in 1996 in memory of Redruth Publisher and Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, Leonard Truran, whose bardic name was Holyer an Gof – Follower of The Smith.
Books published etween 1st January and 31st December 2015 are eligible for entry into the 2016 Awards. The closing date for entries is Friday 26th February 2016.
These prestigious awards are becoming a must-have for publishers and were established and organised by members of Gorsedh Kernow to raise the standard and profile of publishing in Cornwall.
An extensive panel of readers, drawn mainly from the Gorsedh Kernow College of Bards and others with particular expertise, review carefully all the books submitted each year by publishers and last year’s entries exceeded 100 volumes.
Winning entries in each one of 12 categories are announced and prizes awarded at a special Presentation evening at Waterstones in Truro, with each category winner receiving a certificate from Gorsedh Kernow.
The Holyer an Gof Trophy, given by and presented on behalf of the late Joan Truran, is perpetual and awarded for the most outstanding entry in the competition.
Nominees and winners of all the Holyer an Gof Publishers Awards will be publicised through a press release and Gorsedh Kernow’s website www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk and Facebook page. Further details at www.holyerangofawards.org.uk
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Delia Brotherton
Myrghwyn Melynor
Communications Officer
GORSEDH KERNOW