An innovative poetry competition designed to raise awareness of the impact of adoption on Northwest families and individuals is to be staged again following the success of last year’s challenge.
Organisers from Adoption Matters Northwest were so impressed by the quality of entries to its poetry competition last year that they’ve decided to open the challenge to an even wider audience and want the budding poets of the Northwest to get scribbling.
Last year’s theme - Belonging - attracted personal and moving entries from people of all ages and from all walks of life, many of them adopted after spending years in care.
An emotional celebration was staged at Gorton Monastery in Manchester where winners were presented with their awards. The event was hosted by leading writers including Cheshire’s longest serving Poet Laureate, W. Terry Fox.
“Feedback from participants, judges and the community as a whole was so positive that we’ve agreed run the competition again this year, and we’re delighted to be doing so,” said AMNW Chief Executive Norman Goodwin.
The theme of this year’s competition is ‘The Magic of Family’ and the competition is open to two age categories- 17 years and younger, and over 18 in Cheshire and North East Wales, Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire.
With as many as one in four people likely to have some direct link with adoption, this competition will be used to highlight the 4,000 children still in care nationally who are waiting for the opportunity to have what most of us take for granted - being part of a stable, secure and loving family.
Finalists from each county will be invited to a VIP poetry event held around National Adoption Week, October 31 to November 6, where the winners’ poems will be announced and prizes awarded.
AMNW Chief Executive Norman Goodwin said: “Adoption affects so many people and we hope that this competition will help get people of all ages to think about and be more aware of the issue.”
Commenting on last year’s competition, Macclesfield poet Joy Winkler said: “Everyone has the right to be heard and poetry is such an effective way to voice experiences and opinions.
“By entering a poetry competition like this one, not only will you be heard but also you will be 'saying it' for other people who aren't able to be expressive in that way.”
The closing date for entries is October 8. To enter please email your poem as a word document to adoption@thinkdewinter.co.uk or post to:
Poetry competition,
de Winter PR
Fidelity House
12a Stocks Lane
Chester CH3 5TF
