EMAILS
Enquiries: info@thamesvalleywriterscircle.org
© Thames Valley Writers’ Circle
Created with Xara Designer Pro+
Following on from a series of successful puzzle books, Neil was
honoured to be asked, and delighted to accept, a commission to produce
what must be any puzzle composer’s dream:
The Official Strictly Come Dancing Puzzle Book
Neil’s offering is packed with Strictly-related puzzles. Whether it’s Mystery Sudokus, deliberating over fun facts, teasing conundrums, cryptograms or word searches, the book contains something for everyone whether an occasional Strictly viewer or an ardent fan. Good luck Neil. We think you’ve got a winner there.
25 Sep 2025: Neil’s Latest Puzzle Book
- and it’s a cracker!
26 Nov 2025: It’s a Winner!
We said it would be. Neil’s puzzle book based on the BBC’s hit show Strictly Come Dancing is a big success, making into the UK top 100 best selling list - actually it reached a high of 40! The reaction to the Strictly puzzles has been so good that Neil has been asked if he can repeat that success with another, perhaps for a different show. Of course, he has accepted the challenge. Watch this Space
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who took
part, either with a story or the judging. Thank you also to Walter for
managing the website and to Nick for managing the judging.
20 Jan 2026: Barbara Olive Smith Memorial Trophy Competition
There were eleven excellent entries for this year's competition and
most of these were read at our Zoom meeting on 20 Jan. There was a
healthy response to the judging and every entry had received votes.
A clear winner emerged and the results are below.
by Alison Trott
by Mark Holman-Lisney
by Les Cooper
1st
2nd
3rd
The Beauty of Hunting
All That Glisters
Percy
from Les Williams
27 Jan 2026: Alison Receives Trophy
Marking her second sucess in just a few months, Alison was presented with the Barbara Olive Smith Memorial Trophy by Nick (who seems to be holding another, invisible, trophy).
At a recent Zoom meeting, Richard read his story – a true account – of his first ANZAC
Day in Australia. He was then just a lad of twenty-something, working as a trainee
journalist for the South Australian agricultural paper, The Adelaide Stock & Station
Journal.
Two of his colleagues, and stalwarts of the paper, were Bazil Crump, the sub-editor and
Jason Hopton, a senior writer. Both had flown aircraft against the invading Japanese
forces in WWll and, like most heroes, said little about their experiences, but joined the
thousands of other Aussie servicemen and women in the annual ANZAC Day activities.
They spoke of the day as the day of the year to remember and Richard should not miss it.
He didn’t! He joined the thousands watching this enormous parade of men of women of
all ranks from past and present Aussie fighting forces, which included his newspaper
colleagues, as they marched through the city to the sounds of several massed bands.
ANZAC day is a day to remember those who fought not only in WWll but all conflicts.
Richard found it was quite overwhelming. Baz and Jason had told him they would meet
up after the parade in one of the many pubs decorated for the day…”
And he did, and that is where in a back room he found himself with three veterans of
WWl. Richard recorded his experience of that day in his piece entitled The
Little Man with only One Arm.
When he returned to Australia with Heather a few years back, he entered the
story in a Writing & Art competition organised by the Veterans Association and
supported by the Australian government – it came second. Quite rightly in
Richard’s opinion, as the piece that beat him was penned by a veteran who
had actually experienced the horrors of the trenches and battlefield.
Richard’s grand-daughter Josie, not yet one year-old, joined in the day’s
celebrations and, as you can see, was impressed!
All at the Zoom meeting were moved by Richard’s account of that day so it’s
presented here for the benefit of those not able to attend Zoom meetings.
2 Jun 2026: Recollections of ANZAC Day
Click on either picture above to read Richard’s piece
21 Jul 2026:
Alison Wins Arthur Redway Trophy
for the Second Year Running!
It was a very close run thing this year with four entries sharing second place but Alison Trott’s The Most Wonderful Hair was the clear winner. In second place were: Rob Stallard - The Best of Intentions Mark Holman-Lisney - Going Wild in the Country Sally Johnson - Just Another Day at the Office Joyce Robinson - The Créme Caramel Incident27 Jan 2026: Alison Receives Trophy
Marking her second sucess in just a few months, Alison was presented with the Barbara Olive Smith Memorial Trophy by Nick (who seems to be holding another, invisible, trophy).
Following on from a series of successful puzzle
books, Neil was honoured to be asked, and
delighted to accept, a commission to produce
what must be any puzzle composer’s dream:
The Official Strictly Come Dancing
Puzzle Book
Neil’s offering is packed with Strictly- related puzzles. Whether it’s Mystery Sudokus, deliberating over fun facts, teasing conundrums, cryptograms or word searches, the book contains something for everyone whether an occasional Strictly viewer or an ardent fan. Good luck Neil. We think you’ve got a winner there.
EMAILS
Enquiries: info@thamesvalleywriterscircle.org
© Thames Valley Writers’ Circle
Created with Xara Designer Pro+
25 Sep 2025: Neil’s Latest Puzzle Book
- and it’s a cracker!
26 Nov 2025: It’s a
Winner!
We said it would be. Neil’s puzzle book based on the BBC’s hit show Strictly Come Dancing is a big success, making into the UK top 100 best selling list - actually it reached a high of 40! The reaction to the Strictly puzzles has been so good that Neil has been asked if he can repeat that success with another, perhaps for a different show. Of course, he has accepted the challenge. Watch this Space
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who
took part, either with a story or the judging. Thank you also to
Walter for managing the website and to Nick for managing the
judging.
20 Jan 2026: Barbara Olive
Smith Memorial Trophy
Competition
There were eleven excellent entries for this year's competition
and most of these were read at our Zoom meeting on 20 Jan.
There was a healthy response to the judging and every entry had
received votes.
A clear winner emerged and the results are below.
by Alison Trott
by Mark Holman-Lisney
by Les Cooper
1st
2nd
3rd
The Beauty of Hunting
All That Glisters
Percy
from Les Williams
At a recent Zoom meeting, Richard
read his story – a true account – of
his first ANZAC Day in Australia. He
was then just a lad of twenty-
something, working as a trainee
journalist for the South Australian
agricultural paper, The Adelaide
Stock & Station Journal.
Two of his colleagues, and stalwarts
of the paper, were Bazil Crump, the
sub-editor and Jason Hopton, a
senior writer. Both had flown aircraft
against the invading Japanese
forces in WWll and, like most heroes, said little about their
experiences, but joined the thousands of other Aussie
servicemen and women in the annual ANZAC Day activities.
They spoke of the day as the day of the year to remember and
Richard should not miss it.
He didn’t! He joined the thousands watching this enormous
parade of men of women of all ranks from past and present
Aussie fighting forces, which included his newspaper colleagues,
as they marched through the city to the sounds of several
massed bands.
ANZAC day is a day to remember those who fought not only in
WWll but all conflicts. Richard found it was quite overwhelming.
Baz and Jason had told him they would meet up after the parade
in one of the many pubs decorated for the day…”
And he did, and that is where in a back room he found himself
with three veterans of
WWl. Richard recorded
his experience of that day
in his piece entitled The
Little Man with only One
Arm.
When he returned to
Australia with Heather a
few years back, he
entered the story in a
Writing & Art competition
organised by the Veterans Association and supported by the
Australian government – it came second. Quite rightly in
Richard’s opinion, as the piece that beat him was penned by a
veteran who had actually experienced the horrors of the trenches
and battlefield.
Richard’s grand-daughter Josie, not yet one year-old, joined in
the day’s celebrations and, as you can see, was impressed!
All at the Zoom meeting were moved by Richard’s account of that
day so it’s presented here for the benefit of those not able to
attend Zoom meetings.
2 Jun 2026: Recollections of ANZAC Day
Click on either picture above to read Richard’s piece
21 Jul 2026: Alison Wins
Arthur Redway Trophy
for the Second Year
Running!
It was a very close run thing this year with four entries sharing second place but Alison Trott’s The Most Wonderful Hair was the clear winner. In second place were: Rob Stallard - The Best of Intentions Mark Holman-Lisney - Going Wild in the Country Sally Johnson - Just Another Day at the Office Joyce Robinson - The Créme Caramel Incident
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