Launched in 2022 the Early Career Bursaries programme was created to provide annual craft and career support to three London-based writers on a low income. Funded by a generous philanthropic donation by Sam and Rosie Berwick, the programme offered each writer a £10,000 cash bursary plus a £5,000 activity fund to cover the cost of development opportunities over a twelve-month period. In 2022 it was the joint winner of the Achates Prize for Individual Philanthropy.
In February 2025 at the end of its second year, Spread the Word will be closing the Early Career Bursary for London Writers programme. In consultation with Sam and Rosie Berwick it was decided to refocus their annual donation to fund other developmental work, which will incorporate enhanced support for writers on a low income. This programme will be announced in September 2024.
We would like to thank the bursary recipients, who will continue to be supported, and the writers who have supported it as judges, mentors and tutors. In this difficult economic climate, we continue to offer the majority of our work for free and bursary places for all our paid for workshops and events. Our mission remains to help London’s writers get their work into the world through delivering targeted programmes for writers underrepresented in UK publishing.
If you have any queries or would like to offer your support in helping us achieve our mission, please contact [email protected].
Published: 29 August 2024