What people are saying.

  • “Running any prize is a challenge. Running a prize for short fiction like Laura and Robyn did for eight years with the Sunday Times Short Story Award, with thousands of stories coming in from all over the world, is a huge logistical task. And yet they managed the process, every year, brilliantly and with great good humour and elan. Without their coolness and efficiency the prize simply couldn’t have worked.”

    — Andrew Holgate, former Literary Editor of The Sunday Times

  • “A dynamic duo, with a zest for work, a passion for excellence and a bank full of ideas.”

    — Philip Jones, Editor, The Bookseller

  • "I hired Laura Mell to run a portfolio of promotional book projects at Booktrust and she was an absolute pleasure to work with. Always calm, pragmatic, conscientious, super organised - alongside creative ideas and a fresh approach. She gets on with everyone, can dial up or down her communication and has a great sense of humour. I'd work with her again in a heartbeat."

    Claire Shanahan, Executive Director, The Women's Prize Trust

  • “Always a pleasure to work with due to the ease with which she managed high stakes events with multiple pressures, Robyn was across the details and glamorous to boot, making attendees feel welcome and celebrated, and imbuing the team working with a real sense of occasion. From handling tens of thousands of entries, to elevating the profile for revenue-raising competitions while boosting the artistic engagement of others - her involvement directly led to the growth and success of both The Ted Hughes Award and the National Poetry Competition during our time at the Poetry Society.”

    — Sophie Baker, Former Head of Marketing at the Poetry Society

  • "Skilled at managing a dynamic and variable stable of prizes. A true pro with excellent people skills, high levels of organisation and a packed contacts book. An absolute pleasure to work with"

    Arifa Akbar, former Trustee of The Orwell Foundation