This year’s competition saw the highest entry ever – 550+. The standard was high and the poems diverse – the judges had much difficulty in selecting the three prize winners. Concensus was eventually reached, hard though it was. Both felt that their views were impossible to amalgamate into a joint report, so this year there are two separate contributions, with Julia’s concentrating on the process, while Janet gives a more details appraisal of the winning and shortlisted poets. Many thanks to them and to everyone who entered, and many congratulations to the winners and runners-up.
Joy Howard