It’s hard not to lead this brief report with news of Emma Storr and her domination of this year’s Saltaire Festival Poetry Competition. Having previously got a third place in 2019, for Engagement, she didn’t just go one better this time around, but completed a hat-trick, picking up both the first prize, for Dancing Girls, and the second prize, for Eighteen Miles. The theme was ‘Our heritage: the evolving history of Saltaire’.

Stuart Fortey has won first prize and a commendation for two poems in the Roger McGough Poetry Prize 2020 (results delayed by Covid) run by Arts Richmond. Both poems were written for the Writers’ Circle—one for a competition and one for a Manuscript Evening—so Stuart bears witness to the benefits of being a member of the Circle.

Linda Fulton was longlisted in the Frome Literary Festival Short Story Competition for Kip’s Wake. Pat Pickvance was also longlisted in the Bridport Short Story Prize for All It Takes. Although neither went on to be shortlisted, a longlisting in such prestigious competitions is a major achievement. Linda expresses thanks to those members who helped with critique of her story.

Ella Sanderson has written to let us know that she’s been interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds, talking about her poetry. You can drop in on her slot with Gayle Lofthouse here. It begins at 2.18.59.