Winner of the Flambard Poetry Prize 2017 revealed Published on: 15 December 2017 Lydia Kennaway has walked away with this year’s Flambard Poetry Prize. High praise Lydia, from Yorkshire, won £1,000 for the winning entry, which was announced last night (14 December). She is a student on the Writing Poetry MA at Â鶹´«Ã½ and her poems have been published in Pennine Platform, The Rialto and the Hippocrates Prize Anthology. Her collection of poems, which are all linked by the theme of travelling on foot, drew high praise from judges, poets Ellen Phethean and Rebecca Goss. “‘I am delighted to have won the Flambard Poetry Prize, an award all the more significant when the judges were two of my poetry heroes, Rebecca Goss and Ellen Phethean,” said Lydia. “As a late-starting early career poet, I couldn’t ask for more timely encouragement.” Lydia Kennaway speaking at the Flambard Poetry Prize ceremony. Image by Lucrezia Lamanna Journey of Discovery “Her idea to document different bodies walking through an array of landscapes was fascinating and highly original,” said Rebecca Goss. “Every time I read Kennaway’s entry, I put the poems down wanting more.” Ellen Phethean said: “Lydia Kennaway took us on a journey of discovery. The theme of walking that linked the poems gave them a coherence, and meaning was strengthened by rhythm and thoughtful line breaks, leaving us wanting to read the rest of the collection.” The Flambard Poetry Prize is awarded annually to the best group of up to five poems submitted by a poet who has not yet published a single-authored pamphlet or collection. It is run by , and was created in recognition of the achievements of the Flambard Press, which was one of the finest small independent presses in the country. It published acclaimed poetry and fiction before it closed in 2012. The University holds the . Vibrant poetry The judges praised runner-up Natalie Ree’s work too. Rebecca Goss said: “Her hugely imaginative poems burst with engaging detail and tender observation.” Ellen Phethean said: “They moved and intrigued us and left a sense of mystery, of more to be discovered.” Sinéad Morrissey, Director of the NCLA said: “This year’s competition shortlist is proof of the vibrancy of contemporary poetry in the UK, and of the very high standard of poets at the beginning of their careers. All entries are judged anonymously, and we’re especially delighted that one of our own students is this year’s competition overall winner, with another former student also being shortlisted. Â鶹´«Ã½ is clearly the go-to destination for aspiring poets.” Share: Latest News Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Student leader drives misogyny law change A Â鶹´«Ã½ student leader has helped change the law after creating a petition to make misogyny a hate crime, which gathered over 114,000 signatures, prompting action in Parliament. published on: 12 June 2026 Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ see construction of new Castle Leazes The Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ and other key stakeholders have become an indelible part of new student accommodation at Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Castle Leazes. published on: 12 June 2026 Facts and figures
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