Knapp wins Ruth Rendell Award for literacy contribution

Cecilia Knapp, playwright, novelist and the Young People’s Laureate for London, has won the Ruth Rendell Award for her outstanding contribution to raising literacy levels in the UK over the last year.

The winner was announced on 7th December at a ceremony at the House of Commons. The award was launched by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) and The Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) in memory of author Ruth Rendell in 2016.

Knapp was unanimously chosen by this year's judges for her work delivering four residencies as part of the Young People's Laureate for London programme run by Spread the Word. This included work with partner organisations Young Refugee and Roots Council, the South London Gallery, mental health charity Calm and the Royal Court over the past 12 months. She also initiated "Knapp Chats", speaking to some writers whose work she admired, to celebrate the power of writing, as well as organising an online campaign #WriteThroughThis, which involved free workshops and videos to get young people through the pandemic, culminating in an anthology of 15 young poets.

The poet worked with First Story as an ambassador for National Writing Day 2020 to deliver an online workshop on identity, reaching more than 3,500 young people and teachers and became the First Story writer-in-residence at Hampstead School, working across Year 9 in the first term and with a selected cohort in the second term.

On winning the Ruth Rendell Award, Knapp said: “This is a total and gorgeous shock. I care deeply about making literature accessible to young people, and making sure they feel entitled to the world of stories and poetry as something they are entitled to; a space they can occupy however and whenever they want, on their own terms. It was a free workshop that sparked my love of literature back when I was younger. It made me see that reading and writing doesn’t have to feel scary and impenetrable, that it doesn’t have to be a test, that our own voices and stories are just as valid as whatever has gone before.

“So I always knew I wanted to pay that forward and help more young people develop a love of reading and writing, as it had such a transformative experience on my life. It’s enough of a prize to get to hang out with brilliant young people and see them grow through the sharing of stories, but this prize is an added honour, it feels just wonderful that it recognises what I set out to do.”

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the NLT, commented: “It is an honour and a privilege to announce Cecilia as winner of the Ruth Rendell Award 2021. In her short career, Cecilia has already amassed a roll call of achievements that would leave most of us reeling. The judges were all in awe of her passion and commitment to bring poetry to young people, who might not have experienced it before.

“Cecilia has also been developing and delivering workshops, campaigning on the airwaves and supporting teachers with resources, whilst continuing to write stand-out and inspiring poetry and plays. She’s been tireless in encouraging young people to discover writers and poetry and to use writing and reading to express themselves creatively. Congratulations to Cecilia – a hugely well-deserved recipient of the Ruth Rendell Award.”

Barbara Hayes, deputy chief executive of the ALCS, added: “Cecilia is a true inspiration to young girls and boys. She works hard to open up the world of reading and writing, and strives to make young people feel that they too can write; their stories are worth telling; and can have a place in the world. We are delighted to see Cecilia recognised for all her hard work. Congratulations!”