This competition is the first of a series of writing challenges aimed at both staff and students, with a prize of a £50.00 Amazon voucher for each group.
Organised by the English Department, the competition aimed to strengthen persuasive writing and critical thinking — skills essential in both academic and professional communication. Participants were asked to write a review of a product (real or fictional), reflecting on its features, benefits, and user experience while keeping clarity, tone, and structure.
Winner of the student category, Michael Van der Gucht who is currently studying Level 3 Extended Diploma in Games Design and Development wrote a review of the re-launch of a childhood favourite 3D platform game featuring Spyro, an adorable and mischievous little dragon on a gigantic adventure.
Micheal encouraged fellow students to take part in the next competition, saying:” For me it was a great experience. With a background rooted in Dungeons and Dragons and having loved the original Spyro games that came out in 1998 my challenge was to adopt a critical style of writing. I think the main thing to work out is ‘being you.’ Whether that’s the vocabulary, highlighting favourite bits or writing in a way that you’d speak, essentially, it’s your opinion and that’s what counts.”
The staff category winner was Steph Wade, Occupational Health Technician here at New College Durham. Steph wrote a review of one of the latest additions to the North East’s and indeed the nation’s diet, the Greggs’ vegan sausage roll!
Steph urged everyone to have a go at this kind of competition, saying: “It was a great way to try something a bit different. Most of us will write hundreds of words a day, whether it be in reports, emails or even text messages to friends. This was a great chance to write something for fun and for others to perhaps enjoy. I’d certainly recommend it!”
“The competition encouraged both staff and students to engage with ‘real-world’ writing formats,” said competition judge, Chris Stolting (Curriculum Manager in English.at New College Durham). “The English Department were delighted to see such a creative and wide-ranging spectrum of responses which showed such an array of individual and original writing styles. We’d like to thank everyone for their contributions.
Students and staff alike engaged with a range of subjects with reviews from films, food, games, maternity experiences and courses, and they did this with humour and a candid, articulate personal expression which was fantastic to see and read.
We loved Steph’s wit and how she showed the north east’s self-deprecating humour and really enjoyed Michael’s articulate nostalgic bent on a new iteration of a new game
We’ll be looking forward to running the next instalment of the writing competition in the coming term.”
Finally, if you’d like a little inspiration to take part in the next competition, just ask yourself the question that Steph posed. "Have you ever had the urge for a vegan sausage that is so soft it almost tastes pre-chewed?” 😊