CNIB Braille Writing Contest 2025

Opening Date: Saturday 1 March
Who: 5 to 17 years
Closing Date: Saturday 31 May

Take Part in the CNIB’s Creative Writing Competition!

Since 1997, the CNIB has organised a Canada-wide Braille Creative Writing Contest for children and youth. This important competition celebrates braille literacy and encourages young people to flex their creative muscles while practicing their braille skills. Put the power of literacy at your fingertips! Write a short story, essay, or poem on any topic or re-purpose something you’ve written for school this year.

Entry criteria

We can accept original stories, essays or poems written in:

Contracted or uncontracted braille – use the Braille you know!
Perkins or computer (6-key entry)
Computer braille is accepted – please contact activities@victa.org.uk so that we can confirm the best format for you to send it in

Who can enter

The contest is open to children and young people aged between 5-17 years old who are registered or are registrable as blind or partially sighted
Entrants must be permanent residents of the UK
The online entry form must be completed by a parent/carer
We want to read YOUR writing. By entering, you will be agreeing that any entry you submit to our contest has been produced without substantial assistance of ChatGPT or other Artificial Intelligence
By completing the online entry form, you agree to your child’s entry as well as your child’s name and age being used by VICTA, including being displayed on the VICTA website, on our social media channels and on charity emails.

How to enter

The online entry form must be completed for your entry to be accepted.

You can send your entry via post to Braille Creative Writing Competition, VICTA, Challenge House, Sherwood Drive, Milton Keynes, MK3 6DP.

All entry forms must be completed by Saturday 31 May 2025. We will accept postal entries that come in up to seven days after this date as long as the entry form has been completed.

If you would like to send in your entry via email, please send it to activities@victa.org.uk.

Why enter

Everyone that enters the contest will receive a small participation prize.

Under 10? Come and join us as a Young Achiever as this counts as an activity towards your Create badge! For more information on our Young Achiever’s Award, please visit: Young Achievers Award – victastudents.org.uk

Over 10? Fancy writing for our Student Portal? We are looking for students to help contribute and produce content to celebrate your writing skills and talents. To visit the Student Portal, click: Welcome to the VICTA Student Portal (victastudents.org.uk)

For further information on the Young Achievers Award or producing content for the Student Portal, get in touch with the Activities Team on activities@victa.org.uk

Apply for the CNIB Braille Writing Contest 2025

Full name of VI child/young person *

Date of birth *

Title of your creative writing piece (please also include this with your postal entry) *

Parent/Guardian contact details

Parent/guardian full name *

Email *

Vision impairment information

If this is the first VICTA activity that you are applying for, please note that applicants must be registered sight impaired or severely sight impaired, or be able to provide proof that they are registerable. Any information or documents supplied must include the applicant’s name, date of birth and visual acuity. *

I confirm the applicant is registered or registerable Sight Impaired or Severely Sight Impaired

Supporting documentation If the applicant is registered, please include a copy of one of the following registration documents:
- Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI)
- Blind Registration Card issued by local authority

If the applicant is not registered, please provide:
- a letter from an ophthalmologist confirming visual acuity.
- a letter from your local council outlining the individual to be registered
Please note, applications cannot be processed without these documents.

Uploading documents

File Upload

Click or drag a file to this area to upload.

If you would like to upload any supporting documents such as a copy of your registration document, you can do so here. If supplying a CVI, please include Parts 1 & 2. If you are including a copy of a Blind Registration Card, please remember to include both sides. Only files saved as a jpeg or pdf formats will be accepted by the upload. Alternatively, you can email them to activities@victa.org.uk

Has your child entered a creative writing competition before? *

Would you like to receive emails updates from VICTA regarding our activities and services? *