Frank in praise of youth

Published: 10 May 2021
Reporter: David Upton

Frank Cottrell Boyce (left) with Danny Boyle

Leading screenwriter and novelist Frank Cottrell Boyce has praised the ‘resilience and kindness’ of the UK’s young people—saying history should remember the great sacrifices they’ve made during the pandemic.

The award-winning author, famed for children’s novels including Millions, Runaway Robot and The Unforgotten Coat, is acting as a judge for the Hope Springs Eternal art prize, organised by Liverpool Hope University and open to school pupils across the UK.

The 61-year-old, a Professor of Reading and Communication at Hope, said, “the pandemic has been a reversal of all the natural norms.

“Usually adults protect the young. This time we’ve asked the young to lock themselves away in order to protect the older and more vulnerable. I think they’ve been incredible—the huge amounts of creativity, kindness and resilience everywhere."

The Hope Springs Eternal art prize is a video competition for schools, run in conjunction with Merseyside-based Morecrofts Solicitors and the Joyce Lund Charitable Estate, with £4,000-worth of prizes.

Groups or classes submit a short video clip, no more than 60 seconds long, demonstrating the theme Hope Springs Eternal in whatever way they wish.

The closing date for entries is Friday May 28.

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