The 2020 Poetry Competition Results 

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11 & Under

WINNER
I Dream of an Invisible Realm - Aurora Blue

SPECIAL MENTION
The Snowdrop - Jasmine Kneebone, Stanchester Academy

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Snowdrops - Lexy Buckland, Schools Commendation, Sidcot School
Snow drops - Daniel Lewis & Riley Candy-Nicholls, Whitstone School
Snowdrops - Josh Gane, Schools Commendation, Croscombe Primary School
I Like Snowdrops - Jonathan Carroll, Croscombe Primary School
Snowdrops - Phoebe Hopkins, Schools Commendation, Ditcheat Primary School
Snowdrop Winter - Sophie Meader, Ditcheat Primary School
Snowdrops - Leo Wiseman
The White Army - Archie B, Schools Commendation, Wells Cathedral Junior School

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12 to 17

WINNER
about the rebirth - Anya Trofimova

SPECIAL MENTION
The Coders - Tomas Lockyer, Schools Commendation, Whitstone School

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Nanu - Jenny O'Gorman
Snowdrops - Riley Green, Whitstone School
Snowdrop Tapestry - Dhylan Patel
Explosion - Cornéliu Tocan, Canada
A Field of Snowdrops - Isabelle Horrocks-Taylor
Ol' Bernadette and the Snowdrops - Jolin Chan, USA
Five Uses for a Snowdrop - Madeleine Oliver

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18 & Over

WINNER
Quiet Curves - Sarah James

SPECIAL MENTION
Daughters - Estelle Price
The Snowdrops are out in the Park - Alison Riley

HIGHLY COMMENDED
White - Dilys Wood
On quiet small days - Virginia Astley
Would there be snowdrops? - Jenny Dooley
The Hungerford Line - John Wheeler
Snowdrops, Highfield House - James Baty
For deliverance from snowdrops - Dominic Fisher

THE ALLEN PRIZE FOR 'BEST OF SHEPTON'
The Power of Nature - Belinda Blackwell

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The competition will be judged by poet Jane Draycott, www.janedraycott.org.uk

Jane's thoughts on the 2020 competition are:

"James Allen’s two most enduring snowdrop varieties ‘Magnet’ and Merlin’ both suggest in their names a kind of electric, invisible power. Perhaps he was searching for names to describe the strong pull these tiny white flowers have on our eyes and hearts in midwinter, that electric spark of green life in the monochrome when all seems so dead. What sort of powers can a small flower hold?"

Readings of shortlisted poems and the presentation of prizes, and certificates for all three categories will take place on the afternoon of Saturday the 15th February 2020 in the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Shepton Mallet.
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All shortlisted participants will be notified in advance.  
​The judges may also award a certificate and prize for best poem from an entrant living in the Shepton Mallet area.
 
All are welcome to this culmination of the competition and the occasion offers poets and members of the public the opportunity to meet and enjoy each other’s achievements.

Shortlisted poems will be included in a specially printed poetry booklet which will be given free to all shortlisted poets and will be available for purchase in the festival. 
 
A list of the successful poets together with the titles of their poems will be posted on the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival website immediately after the conclusion of the festival, and all winning poems will be shown on it.
 
It is likely that the overall winner will also have their poem also published in the local media.

Read some of the poems from previous competitions by clicking the year links below:
2019
2018

The Poetry Competition rules can be found HERE
All entries must be submitted as Microsoft Word docs.
​CLOSING DATE: 11 pm 31 DECEMBER 2020