Joshua Brearley Poetry Prize

The winners of the first Joshua Brearley Poetry Prize competition have been announced by UCL's Department of English Language & Literature.

The prize is in memory of English student Joshua Brearley, who died suddenly in December 2002 and is funded by a donation from Joshua's parents.

"Joshua was a gregarious and vivacious presence in the department, widely known and warmly liked. His midwinter death was an abrupt and shocking end to a short life of great promise. His parents have kindly made a number of gifts to the English Department in his memory, including the donation to support an annual poetry prize," said Dr Helen Hackett (English Language & Literature).

The competition was open to all undergraduates in the English Department who were invited to submit a poem or group of poems of not more than 200 lines. The judges, made up of departmental staff, awarded two prizes as the standard of entries was so high. The winners were Ms Kenny Fadipe and Mr Declan Ryan, both second year students.

Although creative writing is not taught at UCL, The Literary Society offers a forum for publication in its magazine, 50 Metres Fully Clothed, and organises regular 'open mic' evenings where authors can try out their work on an audience. Students have also been inspired in the past year by workshops and readings held by the department's first Writer in Residence, Francis Spufford.

To find out more about English Language & Literature at UCL, use the link below.

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Link: UCL Department of English Language & Literature