World Book Day competition celebrates Eastwood's most famous son

The DH Lawrence Children’s Prize: Writing Competition 2023 – launched to mark World Book Day – focuses on the theme of ‘my neighbourhood’ and judges will be looking for pieces of no more than 500 words inspired by the local area and what makes it special.

The award is named in honour of Eastwood-born writer DH Lawrence, who often wrote about the local area in his own works.

There are two categories – under 11s and aged 12-16 – with first place in both categories winning a Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. Second place in each category will receive £50 in National Book Tokens and third place will receive £30 in National Book Tokens.

Entries close on May 31, 2023, and can be submitted to [email protected] or delivered to the DH Lawrence Birthplace Museum, on Victoria Street, Eastwood – please include name, age and contact details.

The museum is where this literary legend was born on September 11 1885. Visitors can step back in time to experience a traditional Victorian wash house, see the parlour; a room only for special guests, feel the warmth of the fire in the kitchen and have a wander around the parental and other bedrooms. The museum’s permanent exhibition features items from Lawrence’s family and even paintings created by the author himself.