Jack Clemo Poetry Award Winners 2020 & 2023

Awards Day 25th November 2023

We were delighted to hold the awards event for the winners of the Jack Clemo Poetry Competitions in 2020 and 2023 at Trinity House, London.

All three winners from the 2023 competition were present and we also welcomed the first and second place winners from the 2020 competition plus a representative of the third pace winner.  The awards were presented by ordained priest, radio broadcaster and former singer of The Settlers,  Rev Cindy Kent MBE, who also interviewed each poet, asking them what the motivation was behind the writing of their winning entries.

We were very grateful that professional actor, Sarah Finch was on hand to read out all the poems.  Sarah took a break from preparing for her play ‘Etty In Transit’.

The winner from 2020, Morag Burnard  held the trophy for 6 months before it was passed on to 2023 winner, David Walrond.

David Walrond & Morag Burnard.                Photo: Jason Blackwood

The winners of the 2020 competition with the theme of  Lockdown were:

1st Prize: Morag Burnard for her poem ‘Allowed’.

2nd Prize: Olive Malcolm for ‘Advent Hope’.

3rd Prize:  Philip Burton for ‘Gethsemane’.

The winners of the 2023 competition with the theme of

Being born in a different time and background were:

1st Prize: David Walrond for ‘Hanna’s Parents’.

2nd Prize: Josh Geffin for ‘Shronedarragh Co. Kerry’ .

3rd Prize: Rev John MacKenzie-Chisholm for ‘My Mother’s Grave’.

Our thanks go to Chair Susanne Scott who put an enormous amount of work into planning the awards, and of course to Tony Jasper who has run every competition since the 90s and is in charge of engaging judges and overseeing the quality and purpose of the competition.

The winners enjoyed the day and 93 year old Rev John MacKenzie Chisolm received such a boost that he has started writing poetry again after a hiatus.

Rev. John MacKenzie-Chisholm