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Thank you to everyone who entered the 2019 Poetry Competition from around the world!
2019 Poetry Competition Results
To read some of the poems and the feedback from our judge, Professor David Morley, click here
Age 18 & Over
WINNER
Lucy Watt, ‘City, sleet and snowdrops’
Special Mention
Estelle Price, ‘Elegy for a Podsnezhnik’
Lucy Watt, ‘City, sleet and snowdrops’
Special Mention
Estelle Price, ‘Elegy for a Podsnezhnik’
Highly Commended
Tammy Armstrong, ‘Double Snowdrops, Nova Scotia’ Bethany Rivers, ‘Herald of Spring’ Lizzie Smith, ‘The Hunter’ Angela Topping, ‘The Great Snowdrop Orchestra’ Mark Totterdell, ‘Snowdrops’ Jo Young, ‘On Account of the Way They Persuade Her to Hope’ |
Commended
Marc Brightside Jade Cuttle Deborah Harvey Rosie Jackson Poppy James Emma Simon Susan Székely Margaret Wilmot |
The Shepton Mallet Prize
Polly Hall, 'If Not a Vision'
Polly Hall, 'If Not a Vision'
Age 12 to 17
WINNER
Lucy Thynne, ‘Snowdrops’
Special Mention
Hannah Farrugia, ‘Pioneer Poem’
Lucy Thynne, ‘Snowdrops’
Special Mention
Hannah Farrugia, ‘Pioneer Poem’
Highly Commended
Uma Menon, ‘girl of snowdrops’ Emily Moores, ‘The Snowdrop’, Schools Commendation – Wells Cathedral School Alexander Morgan, ‘The Gift’ Freya Hyde, ‘The First Snowdrop’ Kate Shipley, ‘hierde’ |
Commended
Jess C. Anderson, ‘Winter Bloom’ Chantelle Aston, ‘These are the flowers that are called snowdrops’ Alix Barruol, ‘Snowdrops’ Emily B0 Cooper, ‘Snowdrops in Solitude’ Rachel Deakin, ‘A Writer’ Lucy French, ‘Snowdrops’ Oliwier Jukiewicz, ‘Snowdrops’ Faith Nicole Gelacio, ‘The Wonder of a Wandering Mind’ Karolina Jaksova, ‘Galanthus: The Milk Flower’ Tomas Lockyer, ‘The Illusion’ Schools Commendation – Whitstone School Rhys Schuster, ‘Gala Anthos’ Chloe Stone, ‘Winter is Over’ |
Age 11 & Under
WINNER
Emmeline Phillipson, ‘I am the Promise of Spring’
Special Mention
Harry Hellier, 'For I Am a Snowdrop'
Schools Commendation – Wells Cathedral School
Emmeline Phillipson, ‘I am the Promise of Spring’
Special Mention
Harry Hellier, 'For I Am a Snowdrop'
Schools Commendation – Wells Cathedral School
Highly Commended
Charlotte Allen, ‘Playing in the Snowdrops’ Aurora Blue, ‘Where’s the Sound?’ Martha Blue, ‘Hiding from the Cold’ Nancy Emery, ‘The Beauty of Snowdrops’ Schools Commendation – Croscombe Junior School Lola Gregory, ‘Snowdrop Feelings’ Declan Hynde, ‘A Snowdrop is like a Showerhead Facing Down’ Rosie Kemp, ‘The Hidden Life of a Snowdrop’ |
Commended
Muhammad Amin, ‘A Snowdrop’ Henry Baker, ‘Milk Flower’ Jacob De Burca, ‘Snowdrops’ Georgia Chappell, ‘Lonely Snowdrop’ Tilia Connett, ‘Silky Petals’ Tom Parkman, ‘Snowdrop Poem’ Isobel Hill, ‘Journey of a Snowdrop’ Schools Commendation – Whitstone School Mariam Razouk, ‘You’re Just a House’ Daisy Wannell, ‘Penny for a Posy’ Charlie Ward, ‘Snowdrop Poem’ Ruby Warren, ‘The Winter Is Ending’ Schools Commendation – Ditcheat Primary School Josh White ‘Spring Firsts’ Emily Williams, ‘As I Start Till I End’ Shannon Williams, ‘Snowdrops’ |
The Winners, Special Mention and a selection of Highly Commended poems will be read at the Poetry Reading and Prize-Giving at the Festival, hosted by the 2020 judge, Jane Draycott
2pm at the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul in Shepton Mallet Town Centre
We will also be printing an Anthology of the Winners', Special Mention and Highly Commended, which will be for sale at £3 per copy at the festival
2pm at the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul in Shepton Mallet Town Centre
We will also be printing an Anthology of the Winners', Special Mention and Highly Commended, which will be for sale at £3 per copy at the festival
THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION IS OPEN UNTIL 11PM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th
There are three age groups:
Up to 11 - prize £50 12 to 17 - prize £70 18 & Over - prize £200 |
Entry fees are £4 per poem for the '18 & Over' age group, and free of charge for the 'Up to 11' and '12-17' age groups Enter via Submit.com |
CLOSING DATE: 11pm 31 DECEMBER 2019
The competition will be judged by poet Jane Draycott, www.janedraycott.org.uk
Jane's thoughts on the 2020 competition are:
"James Allen’s two most enduring snowdrop varieties ‘Magnet’ and Merlin’ both suggest in their names a kind of electric, invisible power. Perhaps he was searching for names to describe the strong pull these tiny white flowers have on our eyes and hearts in midwinter, that electric spark of green life in the monochrome when all seems so dead. What sort of powers can a small flower hold?"
Readings of shortlisted poems and the presentation of prizes, and certificates for all three categories will take place on the afternoon of Saturday the 15th February 2020 in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Shepton Mallet.
All shortlisted participants will be notified in advance. The judges may also award a certificate and prize for best poem from an entrant living in the Shepton Mallet area. All are welcome to this culmination of the competition and the occasion offers poets and members of the public the opportunity to meet and enjoy each other’s achievements. |
Shortlisted poems will be included in a specially printed poetry booklet which will be given free to all shortlisted poets and will be available for purchase in the festival.
A list of the successful poets together with the titles of their poems will be posted on the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival website immediately after the conclusion of the festival, and all winning poems will be shown on it. It is likely that the overall winner will also have their poem also published in the local media. |
The Poetry Competition rules can be found HERE
All entries must be submitted as Microsoft Word docs.
You can register for and enter the competition by clicking 'ENTER' below
If, for some reason, you are unable to enter online please contact us at yourpoems@sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk
CLOSING DATE: 11 pm 31 DECEMBER 2020
All entries must be submitted as Microsoft Word docs.
You can register for and enter the competition by clicking 'ENTER' below
If, for some reason, you are unable to enter online please contact us at yourpoems@sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk
CLOSING DATE: 11 pm 31 DECEMBER 2020
Despite his fame in his lifetime, very little is known about Mr. Allen now, and it’s believed that only one photograph of him survives to this day.
More information on his life and his horticultural endeavours in Victorian Shepton Mallet can be found on our website at:
www.sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk/story
Who knows, you may be able to find out more...
More information on his life and his horticultural endeavours in Victorian Shepton Mallet can be found on our website at:
www.sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk/story
Who knows, you may be able to find out more...
The Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival is an initiative of the Shepton Mallet Horticultural Society - a not-for-profit membership group