A YOUNG writer from Frome was a runner up in the first ever food waste story writing competition held by Somerset Council.

Children across Somerset were invited to craft imaginative tales inspired by five of Somerset Council’s food waste recycling mascots, known as Benny the Bread, Patty the Potato, Nana the Banana, Charlie the Cheese and Carrie the Carrot.

Evlyn, from Frome, was one of four runners up of the competition, alongside Veet, from Wellington, Sonny from Minehead, and co-authors Harry and Olivia from Burnham-on-Sea.

The two winners of the competition were Candice, from Taunton, who wrote ‘The Food Waste Story’, and Freya from Street, who is the author of ‘A Rubbish Day!’.

The competition was held as a partnership between Somerset Council, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK and Somerset based author Ben Pulletz, who created an eco-conscious character called Luna the Globetrotter.

Children displayed a lot of creativity and imagination in this competition, aimed to get young people thinking about the benefits of food waste recycling and to use their creativity to inspire others to recycle.

The winners will receive book vouchers and a copy of Mr Pulletz’s book, Luna Explores Somerset.

The judges Somerset Council’s waste services’ team, SUEZ, and Mr Pulletz praised the young authors for their enthusiasm, originality, and environmental awareness.

They also enjoyed their humour and understanding of the importance of food waste recycling.

They said: “We were blown away by the creativity, humour, and heart in every submission. A huge congratulations to our winners.

“We’d like to thank every child who entered. Your stories made us smile, think, and cheer for a greener future. Keep writing, keep recycling, and keep believing in your power to change the world - one kitchen caddy at a time!”

Food waste recycling is processed in Somerset by Anaerobic Digestion.