Farnham Poetry Competition 2027
Submit a poem based on the theme of Heatwave for a chance to win. The competition is free to enter, open to poets of any age, and entries close on Monday 15 February 2027.
If you have a query, please contact [email protected]
Rules and Regulations
- Open to all ages
- Your work must be unpublished
- The work must be your own, original writing
- Only works of poetry will be accepted
- The work submitted must be original and not produced or edited by ChatGPT or any other AI creation tool
Important: all entries are judged anonymously.
Do not include your name or any other personal information in your submission document.
- Save as a Word Document with the poem title as the file name
- Do not include your name in with the file name. All entries are judged anonymously. Do not include your name or any other personal information in your submission document
- Entries must be in English
The competition is free to enter and there is no limit to the number of submissions per person
Key dates
Entry deadline: Monday 15 February 2027
Results: Saturday 13 March 2027
The winners and runners-up in all categories will be announced at the Farnham Poetry Competition awards ceremony on Saturday 13 March 2027 at St Mark’s Church (Alma Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 0LT).
Award winners are encouraged to read their poems. This will be followed by an open mic session for anyone to share their poetry.
Following the awards of the 17 and under categories there will be an interval allowing any child the option to leave before the over 18 category awards.
Refreshments will be available on the night.
Meet the Judges
Linda Daruvala
Linda Daruvala is the author of Selah and Hesed, both books of her own poetry published by Onwards and Upwards Publishers in 2021 and 2025 respectively. The poem Diamonds on the sole of his shoes inspired the commission of a beautiful painting which now hangs in St Mary the Virgin church in Charlton-on-Otmoor.
Her poem Forgiveness was highly recommended in the South Downs Poetry Festival in 2022 from 350 entries, and she performed at their evening festival event. She has been interviewed by UCB radio.
Linda grew up in Dorset, and fell in love with poetry while studying Thomas Hardy’s poems for O-level – she can still recite some of them! An only child, she has always found solitude a comfortable and creative space to inhabit.
Her Christian faith, travel, contemplation, quiet, photography and art all enable her to meditate and compose her poetry, reflections and prayers. Linda is now retired but was a primary school teacher and has two adult sons. Since being healed from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2010, Linda has particularly relished the fresh blessings and opportunities of each new day.
Linda leads poetry and creative workshops in her church, St Alban’s, Hindhead. She sings in the church worship band and gospel choir, and her joy is to spend time at a little rented beach hut on Hayling Island. She loves listening to God, new travels, sunsets, watercolours and is known for her lemon drizzle cake!
Farnham Poetry Competition 2026 Results
Under 7
Winner: Grass Beneath my Toes – Dolcie Della Jennings
Runner-Up: Noisy and Quiet – Charlie Unsworth
Runner-Up: What Does Peace Mean To Me – Lotti Dos Santos
Age 8 – 11
Winner: Peace to me – Toby Hughes
Runner-Up: On a Wooden Lounger – Theo Palmer
Runner-Up: Peace to me – Max Heath
Age 12 – 17
Joint Winner: A Dying Moon – Fraeshu Joan
Joint Winner: Peace is not Gentleness – James Brindle
Runner-Up: Ode to Teenage Gatherings – Emelia Walkingshaw
Adult
Winner: Before Resting in Peace – Indranil Banerjee
Runner-Up: Woven Fabric – Sheila Thadani
Runner-Up: Deer – Cathie Mason