The Bridge, Generations: Junior Prizewinners 2026

The Bridge: Generations – Davina Oladele, junior runner up

Stranded. Lonely. Abandoned. A powerful arch was grounded in the heart of the flourishing forest. In the enchanted forest, lush trees whispered secrets to the wind. The trees were like forceful roots gripping the earth. The sunlight peered through the colossal trees, creating kaleidoscopes of light. There, in the centre, stood a bridge containing qualities of strength and beauty. It had pillars made of stone, overpowering any mankind creation; a broad base, constructed with rock; and a foundation as solid as steel. Green vines hugged the pillars, like snakes slithering around. Underneath, a still stream glided past the structure. The bridge was alive, pulsing with a connection between a young boy called Alex and his grandad, John.

Alex, a young boy with an imagination as wild as the forest itself, had grown up with his grandad, as close as ever. They had connections as strong as gold, and relationships as tight as knots. John was the heart of the bridge, radiating his joys and absorbing his misery, like a sponge. All his life, the bridge stood undefeated. However, as Alex grew older, his grandad started to fade. John was close to his ending, but Alex was just getting started. John started to slither back into the forest, intertwining the branches. As he did, the bridge began to tremble. Cracks echoed through the bridge, increasing by the second. The arch faltered. Alex was now trapped in his own imagination, seeing his strong connection begin to crumble beneath his feet. Lost in the darkness, he collapsed, feeling his heart ring with pain.

As the last connection with John plummeted into the stream below, all hope had been lost. Alex rose and looked down at the now-ongoing waterfall. He felt a piece of him shatter, like broken glass. In that moment, Alex now realised the bridge was more than a basic structure – but more like a fragile heart. Alex knew he had to restore John’s memories.

With the passage of time, a glimmer of light filtered through the forest, brightening the cracks in the bridge, as if an enchantment were renewing the greenery, scenting the atmosphere and restoring the bridge. In an unexpected turn, Alex’s daughter was born, Alicia, a sparkling light that ignited Alex’s heart. A renewal of hope, more like reincarnation, a familiar presence renewing a shared bond, a path across the bridge once shared together. The bridge was just as strong, extending into another generation, with its core full of memories. The arch was like giant hands, overflowing with laughter and tears. The bridge represented Alicia’s beating heart. The pillars were like milestones. Each one grows taller and stronger than the other. This created a grand bridge. With each step on the bridge, a glimpse of a memory flushes your mind. The colossal structure marks John’s presence and love, a never-ending bridge that supports generations and sustains bonds, experience, and renewed hope.

Dear Grandpa – Annabel Lord, junior runner up

Dear Grandpa, are you on your way?

Please come soon, I’ve been waiting for you all day.

I wait for your presence, I feel it forthcoming,

But every so often I think, is Grandpa even coming?

I hear footsteps approaching, could he be here?

“But what if it isn’t him”, I fear.

Heart beating fast, the doorbell is ringing,

No grandpa in sight, and I feel my heart stinging.

My nan walks in and I hug her the tightest,

But it doesn’t fix my broken heart in the slightest.

Back at the window, I’m starting to lose hope,