John Betjeman Poetry Competition

The John Betjeman Young People's Poetry Competition is open to 11-14 year-olds living in the British Isles. Entrants are limited to one poem each about their local surroundings or any aspect thereof, whether it be a house, a street, a garden, a park, a city or a wider landscape. The spirit behind the competition is to encourage young people to understand and appreciate the importance of place. The prize is £1,000 (£500 to the winner and £500 to the English department of his or her school). We very much welcome entries from home educated children.

Children can submit their entries online http://www.betjemanpoetrycompetition.com/pages/2010-competition/submit-entry
.asp or by downloading the entry form from the website www.betjemanpoetrycompetition.com The deadline for entries is 31st July and the prize-giving event will take place on the upper concourse of St Pancras International station on Tuesday 5th October. Attendance at the event is by invitation only. Entries should be posted to The John Betjeman Young People's Poetry Competition c/o Justin Gowers, 72 Vicars Hill, London, SE13 7JL. Enquiries regarding the competition should be sent to the prize's administrator Justin Gowers. The email address is info@betjemanpoetrycompetition.com