Farnham Poetry Competition
The Farnham Poetry Competition is back and for 2024 the theme is ‘Friendship’.
This year, entrants are asked to write a poem on the theme of friendship – what it means to them, who their friends are, what is important about friends, anything about friendship.
There are two categories – under-16 and adult. Please state with your entry which you are entering.
Poems should be sent by email to poetry@badshotleaandhale.org or by post to Farnham Poetry Competition, St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, Farnham, GU9 0LT, to arrive by 5pm on Friday, February 16.
Poet Coral Rumble will be judging the children’s poetry and the adult category will be judged by poet Linda Daruvala.
The competition is free to enter and there will be prizes for both the first prize-winners and runners-up in both categories. The winners will be announced at the poetry final evening on Saturday, March 9, at St Mark’s Church at 5pm, when there will also be an open mic for anyone to share their poetry, and the two judges will also perform their work.
How to Enter
It’s free to enter and the winners will be announced at the poetry final evening on Saturday, March 9, at St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, at 5pm where there will also be an open mic for anyone to share their poetry, and the two judges Linda Daruvala and Coral Rumble, will perform their work.
Write a poem about whatever friendship means to you and send it to poetry@badshotleaandhale.org or by post to Farnham Poetry Competition, St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, Farnham, GU9 0LT to arrive by 5pm on Friday, February 16th.
There are prizes for the first prize-winners and runners-up in both categories.
The Rules
Write a poem about whatever friendship means to you and send it to poetry@badshotleaandhale.org or by post to Farnham Poetry Competition, St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, Farnham, GU9 0LT to arrive by 5pm on Friday, February 16th.
There are two categories – under-16 and adult – and please state with your entry which you are entering. Adults with particular educational needs may enter the under-16s category (please call 07842761919 or email for further information).
There are prizes for the first prize-winners and runners-up in both categories
It’s free to enter and the winners will be announced at the poetry final evening on Saturday, March 11, at St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, at 5pm where there will also be an open mic for anyone to share their poetry, and the two judges Linda Daruvala Coral Rumble, will perform their work.
The judges for the competition are:
Under-16s – Coral Rumble
Adults – Linda Daruvala
The Farnham Poetry Competition is part of the Farnham Literary Festival in association with the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale.
The Judges
Coral Rumble is a popular, award-winning poet, with 5 poetry collections, plus 170+ anthology contributions. The Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat (picture book), was longlisted for the Oscars Book Prize Award.
Coral won the Caterpillar Poetry Prize, 2018. Her collections have been promoted by education magazines and shortlisted for awards. Her verse novel, Little Light (2021) was a recommendation for National Poetry Day 2021, and was a chosen text for Empathy Day 2022. It has also been longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2023. Her debut novel, Jakub’s Otter will be published in 2023
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!
