The fifth Ripon Poetry Festival came to a close yesterday after four days of readings, performances, workshops and book unveilings at venues across the city.

Among the highlights were the launches, at a packed Ripon Arts Hub operatic hall, of two anthologies containing the works of children and adults who entered the festival poetry competition.

Festival curator Andy Croft told the Stray Ferret:

“There was a record 260 entries from children and adults this year and the standard of writing was so high that the judges found it difficult to decide which of the poems to select for inclusion in each of the books.

“We published the children’s anthology for the first time this year and it was delightful to hear them reading out their work.

“One little girl, who was too small to reach the microphone, went on stage holding her mum’s hand and delivered her poem like a seasoned professional.”

In the children’s category, the under 11 winner was Merry Reeves, while the 11 to 18 prize was awarded to Beatrice Harrison.

A moving poem titled Three-legged Dog by Simon Strickland, which featured the impact of a colliery’s closure on a mining community, was selected as the best poem in the category for adults.

Ripon Poetry Festival curator Andy Croft

First-time competition entrant Nicky Hasson achieved a remarkable treble when three of her poems were selected for publication in the adult anthology and there was double delight when her daughter Jess, a third-year student studying English literature and creative writing at Lancaster University, also had her poem selected for inclusion.

Nicky said:

“I was amazed because I only started writing poetry in November and I certainly wasn’t expecting this. I was also delighted for Jess.”

The festival, which is the largest of its kind in Yorkshire, featured the published works of well-known poets Linda France, Helen Mort, Tara Bergin, Henry Raby and Jim Greenhalf, alongside amateur wordsmiths who write for pleasure.

Tickets are now available for Ripon Poetry Festival, which has grown year on year to become the biggest event of its kind in Yorkshire.

The four-day feast of readings, performances, workshops and book launches, runs from September 22 to 25 at venues across the city.

Claire Thompson, who is outreach librarian at Ripon Library and one of the judges for the festival poetry competition, told the Stray Ferret:

“We attracted a record 260 entries this year from poets of all ages.

“This prompted us to produce separate anthologies of poems written by children and adults, selected for publication after catching the eyes of judges.”

The respective children’s and adult anthologies will be launched at 5.30pm and 7.30pm on September 24 in the Operatic Hall at Ripon Arts Hub.

Ripon Bowling Club at Bondgate Green is the venue on September 23 for The Testament of Jake Thackray.

Festival curator Andy Croft, who is a talented poet, prolific author and publisher, said:

“We were so impressed with the standard of entries received from children, that we decided they should have a book of their own.

“This will be the fifth time that we have staged the festival and this year’s line-up includes well-known poets Linda France, Helen Mort, Tara Bergin, Henry Raby and Jim Greenhalf.”

The festival will include posthumous launches of new books by Yorkshire poets David McAndrew, who taught English for many years at Ripon College and Vernon Scannell, whose work titled Farewell Performance, is being published to mark the centenary of his birth.

Humorous songs written by the late singer-songwriter, journalist and poet Jake Thackray, will  be performed by Mike Wilson and Keith Wilshere in an evening of entertainment at Ripon Bowling Club.

In addition to the arts hub and bowling club, a wide range of venues will be used to increase accessibility to events.

These include Community House, Evolve, The Walled Garden, Jennyruth Workshops, The Leper Chapel on Magdalen’s Road, Ripon Library, The Walled Garden and Thorpe Prebend.

As well as being available through the Ripon Poetry Festival website tickets can be purchased on the door or in advance from the Little Ripon Bookshop on Westgate.