John Nettles with a group of young poets
The John Betjeman Poetry Competition Charitable Trust seeks to foster a love of poetry in young people. It is our aim to support literacy and creativity, encouraging children aged 10-13 to explore the world they see around them through rhythm and language.
Since its inception, the John Betjeman Poetry Competition has been supported by some of the country’s leading poets and writers, including Sir Andrew Motion, Roger McGough, Hugo Williams, Luke Wright, Valerie Grove, Laura Dockrill and Ian McMillan.
Our prize giving event at St Pancras station in October moves poetry off the page and into public spaces. The winners are invited to read their poems aloud to an audience of parents, teachers, judges and members of the public on the station concourse next to the bronze statue of John Betjeman.
Apart from the £500 prize which is theirs alone, the winner is given the opportunity to donate the second £500 to their school, local library, community hall or church as the recipient of the prize as this fosters the sense of community and philanthropy in young people.
