The Rhona Butler Award is now open for entries. The award is named in honour of the well-respected Shetland author Rhona Butler (1929-1994) who wrote both prose and poetry, being noted for her work in Shetland dialect. The award is being sponsored by leading dialect organisation Shetland ForWirds and will be judged by members of the Butler family. This year budding writers are being asked to submit a short story under the title ‘Boannie Blue’ which is named after one of Rhoda’s poems. Mary Blance, convener of Shetland ForWirds said that they were delighted to keep Rhona’s memory alive while also encouraging the use of writing in Shetland dialect.

Stories must be in Shetland dialect and no more than 2,500 words in length, and in typescript. The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2016. The winning entry will be published in the New Shetlander magazine and the winner will receive a trophy inscribed with their name. For more information, or an entry form, please contact info@shetlanddialect.org or phone Mary Blance at Lerwick on 01595 694104.