New Children's Poetry Competition Raises Money For Charity

An exciting new poetry competition for school children will see the literary works of 96 youngsters published alongside the efforts of a range of stars.

The 2nd annual Pound A Poem competition will raise funds for Rays of Sunshine, a charity that makes wishes come true for terminally and seriously ill children between the ages of 3-18 in the United Kingdom. The competition – which promotes literacy, healthy eating, and celebrates good citizenship – is open to children aged 5-11, in school years 1 to 6, and costs £1 per entry. The theme is “fruit and vegetables”, and the 96 winning entries will appear in the Pound a Poem book alongside poetry from celebrities including Piers Morgan, Julie Christie, Darcy Bussell, and Dermot O’Leary.

The poems will also be judged by celebrities, including TV personality Esther Rantzen, children’s authors Jacqueline Wilson, Annabel Karmel and Dan Freedman, presenter Dom Wood, actress Tracy Ann Oberman, and comedian James Campbell.

Based on last year’s competition, organizers believe they will make over $12,000 for the UK based charity to spend on children’s wishes, equipment, and hospital funding.

The overall winner will win a week’s holiday for four to Barbados, with their school receiving £1000 to spend on equipment. More information can be found at www.poundapoem.co.uk.