AND THE WINNER IS.....

The Gods of Literature were well and truly focused on Newham on Saturday 12th September, particularly on Stratford Library where not only were we blessed with stunningly glorious weather, but more than 200 people showed up to the awards ceremony for the Changing Face Newham Writing Competition.

As Newham writer in Residence, I, along with poetry judge, Charlie Dark, Short Play judge, Georgia Fitch and Short Story judge, Maureen Duffy welcomed Councillor Corbett (left) from Newham council, who wished all the winners well as they received medals, trophies and cash prizes for their literary efforts.

Maureen Duffy as ALCS President, spoke about writing and copyright on behalf of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society, recounting the exceptional work they do on behalf of writers, and I must say it was indeed a pleasure to have the support of the ALCS who were the kind sponsors of the young people's awards which meant every entrant under 21 received a leather-bound notebook.

We were also blessed with sublime performances from local poets Marc Seetal, Samuel Jimah and Holli Wood as well as readings from some of the winners. Highlights for me were 7 year old Dise Ockri overwhelmed at winning the short story prize in the Primary School section, 79 year old Lillian Rabey receiving a commendation and 88 year old Sheila Madge Lee winning a prize in the poetry section; the shock on Klaudija Visockyte's face on picking up a 2nd award for poetry and the same for Annette du Plessis grabbing a 1st, 3rd and commended prizes in poetry and short story followed by whoops of joy for Julian Hilaire as he won the poetry 1st prize.

The full lineup of winners is listed below with some of the winning poetry entries published below them. if you want to see a comprehensive catalogue of photographs of the event courtesy of Camilla at Spread the Word, check out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42495411@N08/sets/72157622348437284/

Also don't forget for further information on events and literature opportunities in Newham email nathalienewham@spreadtheword.org.uk and for info on opportunities across London and beyond go to http://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/

So until we meet again under the great oak tree... Tally Ho!
Newham Writing Competition 2009 Results

POETRY
1st Prize
Julian Hilaire - Newham is Proud

2nd Prize

Jacqui Durand - That Battle

3rd Prize

Elaine Baker - I have seen

Commended Koel Mukherjee

PRIMARY SCHOOL Category

1st Prize

Piotr Ambrozik - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

2nd Prize

Joshua Brian - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

3rd Prize

Jamie Brooks - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

Commended Simran Dovedi, Joe Young

SECONDARY SCHOOL Category

1st Prize

Rida Hasan - Changing Face

2nd Prize

Fahima Khanum - The New Building

3rd Prize

Klaudija Viscockyte - The Changing Face

Commended Ann Adesolabomi, Oluwatunmise Daniels, Akil Job Omari

UNDER 21 Category

1st Prize

Natasha Mwansa - The Changing Face

2nd Prize

Sophia Mahmood - The Changing Face

3rd Prize

Shuhena Bhanu - The Ghostly Face of Newham

POETRY OVER 60'S Category

1st Prize

Gordon Kirkley - The Changing Face

2nd Prize

Janet O’Brien – Hurdler’s Dream

3rd Prize

Sheila Madge Lee - A Morning In The Park

Commended Lilian Rabey

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Category

1st Prize

Annette du Plessis - Hopeless Homeless

2nd Prize

Barry Freedom Taylor - The Changing Face

3rd Prize

Klaudia Visockyte - The Changing Face

SHORT STORY

1st Prize

Sylvester Onwordi - Galleon’s Reach

2nd Prize

Joy Stone - Changing Places

3rd Prize

Colette Fleming - Nellie

Commended Jacqueline Applebee, Annette du Plessis

PRIMARY SCHOOL Category

1st Prize

Dise Ockri - The Changing Face

2nd Prize

Grace Raji - The Changing Face

SECONDARY SCHOOL Category

1st Prize

Irsalan Ahmed - The Greenway

2nd Prize

Sherena Hamilton - The Changing Face Of Hope

3rd prize

Afrida Alam - Envisioning Glory

Commended Billy Tonks, Zeenat Abdoolwahed

UNDER 21 Category

Joint 1st Prize =

Zele Huma Butt - Aurora Borealis-The Lady Aiken
Remya Unnithan - Tom Cruise’s Diary

OVER 60'S Category
1st Prize

Alan Lancaster - A Face In The Mud

2nd Prize

Trevor Hadley - The Wallet

3rd Prize

Christine Edwards - Rose’s First Telegram

Commended Carol Price, Cynthia Adejayan

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Category

1st Prize

Sandra Nam - A Day in Newham

2nd Prize

Rajagopalan Giridharan - From East With Glory

3rd Prize

Annette du Plessis - Forgotten

Commended Chiedza Penelope Mwandiambira

SHORT PLAY

1st Prize

Annette Kamara – The 104 Bus Stop

2nd Prize

Clive Power – Hollow The Leader

3rd Prize

Paula David – Second Chance

Commended Deb Scott-Lovric

Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who took part in this, Newham's first ever borough-wide creative writing competition for residents and those who work or study in the borough. We're already looking ahead to next year's competition, but in the meantime, take a look below at some of the winning poetry submissions...

Poetry 1st Prize

NEWHAM IS PROUD, NEWHAM IS GREAT
1966 Born in Newham was I
Bobby Moore, Hurst, and Peters had taken us to a new high
East London , Born and Bred
Names like Ethel, Bill, Elsie and Fred

Changes over the decades we have seen some
But still Newham remains popular, and still they come
From around the world to see Cockney Life
Trying to forget their ‘Troubles and Strife’

From Forest Gate to Canning Town
So many changes No need to frown!
The sixties came the sixties went
‘Love and Peace’ surely words that were heaven sent

Our proud Newham Heritage from years gone by
Leave for Barking, Hornchurch and farthest Essex?
I wonder why?
People from different countries came
But underneath we’re all the same

We still have our pie, We still have our mash
Now at Christmas, and Dilwali, we All have a bash!
In the Seventies we had disco and flares,
Reggae and Skins, Kids without any cares

Markets at Rathbone, East Ham, and Green Street,
Get your Saltfish, Fruit n Veg , Halal Meat
The eighties gave us New Romance,
Punks, well they never really had a chance.

Famous places and Famous faces, all with lots of style
Businesses that stand the test of time just like Tate and Lyle
Lennox Lewis, Vera Lynne and The Brave Jack Cornwall
And FANTASTIC buildings like our Newham Town Hall

If it’s Sport you want to play until dark
We have Wanstead Flats and West Ham Park
Exercise everywhere at Newham’s Leisure,
Never forget, West Ham United, our local treasure.

Labour, Tory, Liberal or Respect
We also have Newham Police to serve and protect
We need Someone who really CARES,
That’ll be Sir Robin, he’s OUR Mayor

Past the nineties, into a new millennium
From Eastern Europe our newest friends have come
Different, yes, but people the same,
Lets make them PROUD it’s to Newham they came,

We have to invest in our youngsters TODAY
More jobs, No KNIVES, let them have a say,
We must give them the tools to cope
To give them a future a place with HOPE,

Our biggest victory was yet to be won,
The chosen borough, for Olympic fun,
To show the world stage, what we are about,
Newham is PROUD, Newham is Great, Let’s hear you shout.

Julian Hilaire

1st Prize Poetry - Primary School

I DO NOT KNOW BUT I DO KNOW
I do not know how to speak Chinese
The words you can hear are all the same
Why do they like to talk about dragons?

But I do know how to speak Polish
The sound of my language
Hearing it every day and every night
And even the dark moon
And the bright shiny stars talking to me.

I do no know how it feels to die and be under the ground,
The feel of the sand on my face,
The dreams of what is happening in the real world.
But I do know how the 02 Arena looks like,
The big empty field and suddenly people
Surrounding around me.
The sound of Michael Jackson having a practice lesson.

I do not know how it feels like to be a twin.
People staring at us, our mums and dads.
We look the same like two plums in a large field.
But I do know that my name is Piotr
And it belongs to me forever.

Piotr Ambrozik, Plaistow Primary School

1st Prize Poetry - Under 21

THE CHANGING FACE
So many people dream of Caribbean Isles
Enriched with golden sands
Or thermal spa getaways
Complete with manicures and cocktails.

However pleasant such places may be
The destination my soul craves rests at home
And more precisely
My bed.

For it is the transition of moon to twilight
Where my eyes twitch
And from twilight to eve
Where my breathing slows
And the tight clothing that binds me are released.

Truly this is bedtime.

A haze of slumber wafts before me
And the dots of light beneath my shut eyelids
Dance in synch with my thoughts
Like glitter ballerinas.
Then I drift
And I sail
And I fly.

I have asked God why the world is round
And questioned my mother of my existence
I have asked Rosa why she didn’t just stand up
And Martin why he didn’t just sit down
I have touched the serenity of Mount Everest
And felt the wrath of Mount Vesuvius.

As I am roused bitterness engulfs me
As I realise that my unconscious adventures
Bear no significance
In what we call reality.

Natasha Mwansa

1st Prize Poetry - Over 60's

THE CHANGING FACE:
MODESTY

Depends on what you mean.
The changing face of me, or the country?

I remember I was a baby when I was born.
My face, my self have changed since then.
‘Cos I was all wrinkled,
Like a prune

And as I got older,
The wrinkles appeared again!

But I’m still a very handsome chap.

Gordon Kirkley

1st Prize Poetry - English as a Second Language

Hopeless Homeless
Dear old man,
What have you seen?
The evolution of concrete mountains?
The multiplying tittering of tongue?

Deal old man,
where have you been?
Crow’s feet have trampled your legs.
Your lifetime mapped on your skin.

Dear old man,
birthed from war,
living on tar river banks,
cannibalised honour eating on Newham floor.

Old man,
hear whispers say:
“Change is earned
when effort’s displayed.”

Annette du Plessis

PHEW, WHAT A SCORCHER!

Hot sweltering days while an airborne virus swills its way through the populace... R Fed wins Wimbledon (or should I say the

Brit guy lost -

again)... a famous pop star gains immortality and the Tube's closed again... and oh, yeah, if you didn't know, there's a recession on. But despite all that, it's all good in the hood. Why?

Because the Judges for The Changing Face 2009 Newham Writing Competition have drawn up their final shortlists for the poetry, short story and short play competitions. A grand awards ceremony will take place on Saturday 12th September at Stratford Library where prizes will be awarded to the winners and commended writers in all 6 categories.

Before displaying the lists, may I remind you that the 'Breaking Into Freelance Journalism' course currently underway at East Ham Library ends o

n 18th July. This 3 week course facilitated by Journalist Jo Mears gives 15 local participants tips and advice from her vast experience working with some of Britain's leading broadsheet newspapers and magazines.

I should also tell you about the Forest Gate Street Festival which is in its 10th year and takes place on Saturday 18th July in Osborne Road, E7. As Newham Writer in Residence, I'll be there manning a stall alongside The Gate Library. Look out for a wonderful tapestry designed and made by members of Age Concern Newham, one of our partners in another project working with older residents called A Picture Paints a Thousand Words. Why not pop along to this vibrant festival which has an average attendance of around 3,000 visitors with music, performan

ces, food stal

ls and other interesting exhibitions.

Another interesting opportunity is a writers' advice session with freelance editor Patsy Isles onJuly 23rd at Stratford Library. Any local writer who would like advice on their work or their career can book an appointment to meet with Patsy. There will be further Writers' Advice sessions on 27th August and 24th September. To book any of these sessions emailannette@spreadtheword.org.uk or call 020 7735 3111.

July's Ride The Word poetry and short story reading evening takes place on Wednesday 29th July at Cafe Yumchaa Tea Shop, 45 Berwick Street, Soho, W1. The night boasts an exciting

lineup of writers including Luke Kennard, Cherry Smyth, Jay Merrill, Vincent de Souza and yours truly. There are additional readings from Tom Chivers, Dzifa Benson andDavi

d Caddy, editor of guest

magazine Tears in the Fence as well as an open mic floor spot for budding poets.

Now it's Crunch Time! Below is the shortlist for the 2009 Newham Writing Competition. We had a tremendous response to the competition and the judges, Maureen Duffy judging short stories, Charlie Dark judging poetry and Georgia Fitch judging short plays had the unenviable task of selecting work from all the entries.

I'd like to offer congratulations and a jolly well done to all the writers but * please note that the lists below are in alphabetical order only. Actual winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on 12th September 2009 at Stratford Library.

Those listed will be invited to attend the Awards Ceremony where they get the opportunity to read their work, win a prize and possibly qualify for publishing in an anthology.

Good luck!

2009 NEWHAM WRITING COMPETITION POETRY SHORTLIST

GENERAL CATEGORY

Elaine Baker - I have seen

Jacqui Durand - That Battle

Julian Hilaire - Newham is Proud

Koel Mukherjee - Newham’s Face

UNDER 21

Shuhena Bhanu - The Ghostly Face of Newham

Sophia Mahmood - The Changing Face

Natasha Mwansa - The Changing Face

POETRY OVER 60'S

Gordon Kirkley - The Changing Face

Sheila Madge Lee - A Morning In The Park

Janet O’Brien – Hurdler’s Dream

Lilian Rabey - I Was Old Before I Was Young

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Piotr Ambozik - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

Joshua Brian - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

Jamie Brooks - I Do Not Know But I Do Know

Simran Dovedi - Changing Face

Joe Young - If I Was A Cabbage

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Ann Adesolabomi - Love at First Bite

Oluwatunmise Daniels - The Giraffe

Rida Hasan - Changing Face

Fahima Khanum - The New Building

Akil Job Omari - Looking Forward

Klaudija Viscockyte - The Changing Face


ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Annette du Plessis - Hopeless Homeless

Barry Freedom Taylor - The Changing Face

Klaudia Visockyte - The Changing Face

2009 NEWHAM WRITING COMPETITION SHORT STORY SHORTLIST

GENERAL CATEGORY

Jacqueline Applebee - Mother, Maiden, Crone

Annette du Plessis - Forgotten

Colette Fleming - Nellie

Sylvester Onwordi - Galleon’s Reach

Joy Stone - Changing Places

UNDER 21

Zele Huma Butt - Aurora Borealis-The Lady Aiken

Remya Unnithan - Tom Cruise’s Diary

OVER 60'S

Cynthia Adejayan - The Changing Face

Christine Edwards - Rose’s First Telegram

Trevor Hadley - The Wallet

Alan Lancaster - A Face In The Mud

Carol Price - Life Could Be A Dream

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dise Ockri - The Changing Face

Grace Raj - The Changing Face

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Billy Tonks - Chasing A Dream

Afrida Alam - Envisioning Glory

Zeenat Abdoolwahed - For The Better

Irsalan Ahmed - The Greenway

Sherena Hamilton - The Changing Face Of Hope

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Sandra Nam - A Day in Newham

Annette du Plessis - Forgotten

R. Giridharan - From East With Glory

Chiedza Penelope Mwandiambira - Picture Perfect

2009 NEWHAM WRITING COMPETITION SHORT PLAY SHORTLIST

SHORT PLAY

Paula David – Second Chance

Annette Kamara – The 104 Bus Stop

Clive Power – Hollow The Leader

Deb Scott-Lovric – Keeping Abreast