Teen writing group calls for members

ONE of Edinburgh’s writing groups aimed at teenagers could fold unless new members come forward, its founder warned today.

Young Edinburgh Writers (YEW), which offers classes to teenagers aged between 13 and 18 in the Capital’s Central Library, recently lost around half of its members when a number of individuals left to go travelling and begin university.

Tutor Dorothy Baird, who set up YEW in 2009, said she had since been unable to recruit replacements.

She said her group needed at least 12 members to remain viable and that it may not be able to continue unless six new teenage writers could be persuaded to sign up.

Ms Baird said: “The group could fail if we don’t get new members.

“It would be a huge shame if that happened. When I set the group up three years ago, there was nothing else like it available in the city, outside of schools.

“The group is about learning through writing, and the great thing about it is that members meet people from other schools – people they would not meet normally.”

Young Edinburgh Writers meets twice a month on Tuesdays in the Central Library, George IV Bridge, from 4.30pm - 6.30pm. It costs £5 per session.