Dickens Fellowship Celebrating Gavin Fleming
Gavin Fleming, a sixth year student in the college was recently awarded the Dickens fellowship award for his short story, ‘Benjamin Bufford’. It is set in Victorian England and written in the style of Charles Dickens and is about a young boy who is sent out as a mud-lark to scour the river Thamesfor valuable items and witnesses a murder. Gavin received news in July that his story had been chosen as the winner and in addition to receiving a £150 monetary reward will receive an award at the St.Colman’s College Prize night on the 17th of December. When asked about his reasons for entering the competition, Gavin assured me that although the money was a good incentive, he simply has a passion for Victorian literature and thoroughly enjoys creative writing in his spare time, a hobby that has no doubt proven to pay off.
However, word of Gavin’s achievement reached Queen’s University Belfast and he was invited by Dr. Leon Litvack to attend a luncheon and to read his story at the Ulster Reform Club in honour of Charles Dickens bicentenary. Dr. Litvack is the lecturer of Victorian studies at Queen’s University and also the head organiser of the Dickens 2012 NI celebrations which include numerous readings, exhibitions and competitions that have been running throughout the year. He received word of Gavin winning the Dickens fellowship award and invited him to attend the gathering at the Reform Club, within which he has a number of trustees.
The Ulster Reform Club itself has Victorian origins and is situated along theRoyal AvenueinBelfast, it originally formed as the result of a group of Ulster Liberals who banded together in order to “advance the cause of the liberal party”. However today it is known less for its political views and more as a purely social club which is frequented by numerous bankers, politicians and businessmen.