Swindon poets celebrate book success

Winners from a Swindon poetry competition will be celebrating this Easter when they see their poems in print in a one-off anthology created by Greenbridge Retail and Leisure Park.

The competition, run in celebration of World Poetry Day this Wednesday today, launched a search across Swindon primary schools to find the best Easter-themed rhymes.

The 18 winning entries were chosen by a panel of judges to be compiled into a professionally-printed poetry book, which will be sold at selected Greenbridge retailers and schools that have had successful entries.

Books will go on sale for £1.50 from Monday, with all proceeds going to Swindon-based charity The Cancer and Leukemia Movement (CALM).

Kay Rigg, centre manager for Greenbridge Retail and Leisure Park, said: "We received more than 300 entries and it was a really tough job narrowing down the winners.

"Some of the poems have been included because they remember the real Easter message and others we have included simply because they made us smile.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to enter and we hope that Greenbridge customers will help to support CALM charity by buying the poetry book."

Spencer Allen, year5 and 6 strategic leader at Penhill Primary school, said: "My pupils are absolutely delighted to have some of their poems included in the Greenbridge poetry book.

"It was an exciting project for our class that gave us a real purpose for writing."