30 Sept 2003, The Daily Telegraph

Young writers shine at science festival

Sir Peter Williams with,from left,the winning writers Claire Bithell,Lewis Brinkley,William McDowall and Clare Neve

The winners of the nation’s most prestigious science writing competition were praised yesterday by the president of the British Association, Sir Peter Williams.

"They will be helping the dialogue between the whole of science and the general public," Sir Peter said.

The competition, now in its 16th year, is sponsored by The Daily Telegraph and the chemical company BASF. Sir Peter was joined by the winners and runners-up. Clare Neve, 17, of Grange School, Cheshire, won the younger writer category and Lewis Brindley, 19, of Manchester University, was runner-up. Claire Bithell, 26, of Manchester University, won the senior cateory and William McDowall, 24, of Leeds University, was runner-up.

At the meeting, Sir Peter criticised the Government’s strategy for women in science, engineering and technology, which he said was inadequately funded.

A one-off payment of £1.5 million did not go far and a third would be swallowed up by day-to-day administration costs.