The Charles Causley Trust is delighted to announce the winners of the 2024 Young Person’s Poetry Competition. Thank you to all who entered and submitted a poem. Being a teacher as well as a poet, encouraging the creative arts for children was a passion of Charles Causley’s, and something we as the Trust are proud to continue in his legacy.

Our judges were amazed by the quality of submissions this year all inspired by the theme of ‘magic’, so choosing our winners was no easy task.

A special thanks therefore must go to our head judge Rachel Piercey and our shortlisting panel Nicola Nuttall, Jasmine Slade and Lily Finch.

5-11 years Category:

First place is awarded to Maya Pal with their poem ‘A Song of Magic.’ You can read their poem here.

Our runners up are…

Maria Guriteanu with their poem ‘The Moon.’ You can read their poem here.

And Macy Sheffield with their poem ‘Where the Magic Lives.’ You can read their poem here.

11-16 years Category:

First place is awarded to Faith Lydall with their poem ‘Redhead.’ You can read their poem here.

Our runners up are…

Mia Atkinson with their poem ‘The Purple Beach.’ You can read their poem here.

And Bernadette Lee with their poem ‘My Mother’s Spell.’ You can read their poem here.

16-18 years Category:

First place is awarded to Violet Wan with their poem ‘Siren.’ You can read their poem here.

Our runners up are…

Bea Jopling with their poem ‘Within the greats.’ You can read their poem here.

And Mathias Adler with their poem ‘I have lived with mermaids.’ You can read their poem here.

A huge congratulations to all of our winning poets.

See below some of our winners receiving their awards at the North Cornwall Book Festival on Friday 27th September.