Leeds Peace Poetry Prize Celebration

The 2020 Leeds Peace Poetry Competition (held in partnership with the Poetry Centre) recently culminated with an online video showcase of the winners reading their poems.  Our Douglas Caster Poetry Fellow Zaffar Kunial was this year's chief judge and he was very impressed by the rich array of poems which the theme of 'The Impact of Water' had inspired from around the world.

The Adult category winner was Sammy Weaver's 'Flash Flood'. Runners-up were 'Glories'  by Julian Turner and 'Where Shallows Run Deep' by Michaela Coplen.

In the Secondary School category the winner was 'Abhainn' by Imogen Philip from Rugby High School while the runners-up were 'Message in a Bottle' by Elise Scotney, also from Rugby High, and 'Afterwards' by Libby Rusell of Hailsham.

The Primary School winner was 'The Impact of Water' by Gargi of Katesgrove Primary School, Reading. The runners-up were 'The Gentleness of the Waterfall' by Ella of Kirkburton First School and 'The Storm' by Eve of Jump Primary School, Barnsley.

Kirkburton First School won the prize for the Best Class submissions.

Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted poets. The theme for the 2021 competition will be announced soon.