This fourth volume of stories and poems by the finalists of our creative writing competition 2012 confirms that the young writers of Nottinghamshire have a wealth of talent and imagination. Some of these creative young people are new to us while others have entered in previous years. This year, the number of entries doubled and therefore the number of finalists rose to 27. I am sure you will be as delighted with the quality of the entries as we are. We are delighted that the number of entries in our annual competition grows each year and astounded by the flair and ingenuity shown, especially when you remember that some of these young people are just 8 years old. If they continue with their writing, we could well be reading the early works of a future Dickens or Shakespeare! Julie Malone, Founder and President of New Writers UK