Somerset children are invited to get creative in Somerset Council’s latest story writing competition.
The competition, which opens today, is being run in partnership with the Council’s waste contractors, Biffa and SUEZ.
Building on the successful competition in 2025, the contest will encourage children to explore why and how food should be recycled, using Somerset’s food characters as inspiration.
In a bid to get everyone using their food recycling service, children aged 4 to 11 can get creative and write a short story on the theme of “The Great Somerset Food Recycling Adventure. A story competition to save the planet – one peel at a time.”
This year, the partnership is offering a £30 book voucher to the winning entry and five runners-up will each receive a £15 book voucher.
New for this year, one participating Somerset school will also receive a £200 book voucher, thanks to a donation from Biffa.
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council said:
We know children have fantastic imaginations, and this competition is a fun way to channel that creativity into an important message about food recycling.
Every banana peel, apple core and leftover scrap recycled can help make a difference, and we hope this competition inspires families across Somerset to think about the part they can play.
We’d like to give special thanks to Biffa for generously supporting the new school prize. I can’t wait to see the stories Somerset’s young writers come up with.
Sam Fisher, Senior Community Liaison Officer at SUEZ said:
Children are often fantastic family representatives for recycling. I’m excited to read the creative ideas that will inspire siblings, parents and grand parents to do more with their food recycling. Our recycled food truly does go on a great adventure – to create valuable energy and fertiliser for a more sustainable Somerset. I can’t wait to see how the amazing stories bring this important message to life.
Somerset children are invited to write a short story, no more than 500 words, on the theme of food recycling. Children looking for inspiration can visit the webpage to find out more about the food waste friends.
Encouraging young writers to think about their environment and the impact of food recycling, this competition is a wonderful opportunity for Somerset’s youth to engage in creative writing and make a positive difference.
In Somerset, 7 out of 10 people recycle their food, however on average, around 21% of a household’s general rubbish bin is food (by weight). Recycling food is good for the planet and can be used to create green electricity and fertiliser.
To enter, children must write their stories and send them to recycle@somerset.gov.uk by 14 September 2026. Handwritten or printed copies can also be dropped off at any Somerset library. Entries must include the child’s name, age, and their parent or guardian’s email address or phone number and location.
For more full terms and conditions, please visit the council’s food campaign webpage.
