Originally published 17 July 2003

On 10am on Tuesday 22nd of July 2003, popular comedy fantasy author Terry Pratchett will meet the young person who will hold the first ever Terry Pratchett scholarship allowing them to attend the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth’s Summer school.

Terry Pratchett kindly agreed to the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (which is based at the University of Warwick) naming one of their Summer School Scholarships after him. The Scholarship pays the fee of a gifted young person, from a less privileged background, who wishes to take part in the creative writing stream of one of National Academy's for Gifted and Talented Youth Summer Schools.

Terry Pratchett, who was declared to be one of the UK's top 2 favourite authors in the BBC's Big Read Survey - only he and Dickens had no less than 5 books nominated in the Big Read top 100, already has close associations with the University of Warwick. He is an Honorary Graduate of Warwick and has co-written books with two Warwick researchers - Professor Ian Stewart, and Dr Jack Cohen - using his Discworld universe to explain real scientific concepts. Both Ian and Jack participated in last years National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth Summer School.

Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen

The first Terry Pratchett scholar will be 15 year old Adam Birch, of Whitemoor Road in Kenilworth who attends the local Kenilworth School. Adam is looking forward to meeting Terry and particularly wants to ask him if, after such a long running series as the Discworld, it becomes harder to think of new plots and character variations for new books.

Adam will be one of around 550 young people taking part in the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth’s Summer Schools this year. The Summer Schools are taking place at the Universities of Warwick, Durham, Exeter, and Canterbury Christ Church University College.

Interview/photo opportunity:

There will be an opportunity to interview Terry Pratchett, the young scholar, and the Director of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, Deborah Eyre at 10am on Tuesday 22nd July in the Westwood refectory on the Westwood campus of the University of Warwick. See building 41 on the map at: Link to Westwood Campus map

Note for Editors: Parents and young people can find out more about the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth at: This link to the Academy's web site