Staff Poetry Competition

'A poem for our times’ - a poem that captures the spirit of now, spanning everything from where we are to where we want to be.

Whether you’re a witty ditty writer, Haiku hell-raiser or a sonnet superpower… if you're a staff member, let your creative juices go and enter the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Poetry competition, judged by none other than the current English poet laureate, Simon Armitage, appointed by HM The Queen. 

Inspiration might include; family; equality; health; political debate; social debate; wellbeing; thanks.

WIN: 

• A 'cultural night for two' in Leeds
• A signed copy of Simon Armitage's work
• Have your poetry judged by high profile British poets
• See your words published online
• Poems printed into large posters and displayed across corridors and hospital areas.
• Proposal to be part of a printed collection of poems
• Local and regional press coverage

More about the judges:

Born in Huddersfield, Simon Armitage CBE is an English poet, playwright and novelist. Poet Laureate is an honorary position appointed by The Queen, with an expectation that the holder will write verse for significant national occasions.

The poems will be judged by a panel made from the University of Leeds Poetry Centre together with Leeds Teaching Hospital staff, headed up by Simon Armitage, poet laureate and Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds.

To enter:

Write your poem on a word document. Make sure your name is on the page and that it is sent together with the declaration form to communications.lth@nhs.net 

Download the competition declaration form

DOWNLOAD A POSTER TO PROMOTE THE COMPETITION IN YOUR AREA

Closing Date: 10 December. Winner announced early January.

 Rules:

1. Entries may be on any subject related to the theme of 'Our times'.
2. Poems must be written in English.
3. Poems must be the entrant’s original work.
4. Entrants must be employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
5. Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on a website personal blog, or made public on social media, broadcast or featured among the winners in another competition before 31 January 2022.
6. All entries must be submitted with a completed declaration form to communications.lth@nhs.net by midnight on 10 December 2021 GMT.
7. Copyright remains with the entrant, however, by entering your work into the competition you grant permission for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to publish the work in print, digital, online communications and in the wider media and social media.