Our friends at Winchester Poetry Festival have just released details of their Hampshire Young Poets competition.
The theme this year is Friendship.
“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends.” Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
In 2025, people across the world are celebrating the birthday of Hampshire author Jane Austen, who was born 250 years ago. Jane had many friends and often wrote about friendship in her novels. Inspired by Jane, her life and the stories she wrote, you are invited to explore the theme of ‘Friendship’ – we want to read about what friendship and your friends mean to you.
Write a poem of no more than 14 lines on this theme and send it to us for a chance to be one of the winning poets announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday 11 October 2025, at The Arc, Winchester as part of Winchester Poetry Festival
Open: now
Closes: Monday 30 June 2025
Judge: Hampshire Poet, Damian Kelly-Basher
Free to enter and open to young people across Hampshire in three age categories:
4-7 years | 8-11 years | 12-16 years
Info: www.winchesterpoetryfestival.org/young-poets-competition
First prize in each category:
£50 National Book Token
plus £50 P&G Wells Book Token for your school/education provider
Second prize in each category:
£25 National Book Token
plus £25 P&G Wells Book Token for your school/education provider
Third prize in each category:
£10 National Book Token
plus £10 P&G Wells Book Token for your school/education provider
Additionally, certificates will be awarded to three commended poems and three poems with the best line in each age category.
Hampshire Young Poets is a partnership between Hampshire Cultural Trust and Winchester Poetry Festival. Winchester Poetry Festival is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England Prizes kindly sponsored by P&G Wells and Paris Smith.
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