Extracts from Letters from Recent Beneficiaries

I was stunned and overjoyed by the news you gave me on the phone. I can scarcely say what the Committee's generous words have done for my self-esteem, or what the award itself will give me in the way of security.

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I am writing – still in a state of shock, I think – to thank you, and to ask you to pass on my sincere thanks to the members of the Committee, for making such a wonderfully generous grant to me. Such a burden has been lifted from my shoulders that words simply cannot express the depths of my appreciation .

* * * *

This has taken a huge weight off my mind. To be honest, I was starting to think that, at my age, I would never dig myself out of my financial problems. Now I can breathe again and more importantly, get back to concentrating on my writing.

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Please give the Committee my heartfelt thanks for this wonderfully generous grant which will help so much to tide me over a difficult time. It's going to make a huge difference to my frame of mind, which will be all important over the next few months … I can't thank the RLF enough.

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You simply have no idea of the extent of the relief that swept over me. As far as writers are concerned the RLF is a body like no other, and judging from the research I have recently been doing into writerly archives, it has been an institution of incomparable and unique support to a medley of curious, classical, rare, strange and often broke writers of all genres since the 18 th century.

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‘Thank you' seems a poor thing to say in response to the lifeline extended to me in the form of this grant. Be sure, however, that you have my deepest appreciation. The cancer count is very high and the matter is now ‘serious' in the words of the consultant. I had not expected the news to be quite so bad, but the grant that you have extended to me will mean that financial worries will not complicate this period of investigation. For this I am most grateful.