New Garstang poetry award aims to get youngsters writing

A new poetry award has been created to honour the memory of former Lancashire resident Professor James Dodding.
Professor James DoddingProfessor James Dodding
Professor James Dodding

It is hoped the award will encourage young poets to get writing.

James, who tutored generations of actors on both sides of the Atlantic and was renowned as a teacher of drama and poetry, retired to Garstang and was instrumental in creating a Poetry Appreciation Society in the town.

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Now society members have raised around £1,000 to fund an annual award for young poets of primary and secondary school age.

Entries are invited from young people who live in or attend schools in Garstang, Bilsborrow, Myerscough, Claughton-on-Brock, Catterall, Barnacre with Bonds, Cabus, Bleasdale, Forton, Winmarleigh, Kirkland and Nateby. The competition is open to those in school years 4-6 (junior section) and Years 2-9 (senior section). The first prize for the senior section will be a £20 voucher and for the junior section a £15 voucher.

The topic for poems this year is ‘Canals and Waterways’, prompted by this year marking the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Lancaster Canal.

There is no maximum or minimum length of poem. Entry forms can be collected from Garstang Arts Centre or Market Place News. The closing date for entries is noon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. Judging will take place during summer 2019 and the winners will be announced in late summer.

Professor Dodding died in March 2018.

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