Jersey Post releases book written by children

Jersey Post has launched its first book - a collection of short stories written by children on the island.

Once Upon a Letter features more than 30 stories from Jersey Post's writing competition, held last autumn for children aged five to 11.

Each story had been written in the form of a letter and aimed to showcase the creativity of young Islanders, organisers said.

All proceeds from book sales would support the Friends of Jersey Oncology (FOJO), which works with the hospital oncology unit to support cancer patients and their families throughout their treatment journey, they added.

Mark Siviter, CEO of Jersey Post, said: "There is something incredibly special about receiving a handwritten letter.

"It can make us feel connected, transport us into another world, and leave a lasting impression in a way that digital messages often cannot.

"The creativity shown by Jersey's young writers has been truly inspiring, and we are delighted to showcase their stories in this beautiful collection."

The competition was launched to encourage children to rediscover the joy of letter writing in an increasingly digital world.

More than 300 children took part, with entries judged on creativity, plot and originality.

The standard of writing was so inspiring that Jersey Post decided to publish a selection of the stories in a special book for the community to enjoy, bosses said.

Local children's author Penny Byrne and Nicola Mackereth, education programme manager from Every Child Our Future, were among the competition judges, alongside representatives from Jersey Post.

Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.