This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Schools to enter Queen's poetry competition
04/10/2001
Budding writers were coached by six Scottish poets on a
train trip to mark National Poetry Day today as schools
were invited to use their pupils' creative skills and take
part in the Queen's Golden Jubilee Poetry Competition.
In 2002 the Queen will be celebrating her Golden Jubilee
and three of the best entries will receive prizes from HRH
at a special awards ceremony in July.
A panel chaired by the Poet Laureate, Professor Andrew
Motion, will judge entries. Poems may be written in
English, Gaelic, Scots, Welsh, Irish or Ulster Scots.
Today Education Minister Jack McConnell
visited a Gaelic-speaking class at Tollcross Primary
School in Edinburgh to encourage them to enter the
competition.
Endorsing all Scottish schools' participation, he
said:
"Scotland has an international reputation for poetry,
which future generations should try to emulate. This
competition is an ideal opportunity for young people to try
writing poetry and, will boost our efforts to raise the
standards of literacy for all children.
"I particularly welcome the inclusion of Scots and
Gaelic into the competition and hope that this encourages
entries from all parts of Scotland.
"I am sure that every age group will provide us with
outstanding examples of pupils' achievements and I urge all
schools to take part and contribute to the success of the
competition."
Arts, Culture and Sports Deputy Minister Allan Wilson
witnessed the result of these creative skills. The Minister
was presented with a poem written by 30 primary school
children and six Scottish poets on the Edinburgh-Glasgow
shuttle.
Speaking to the children when they arrived at Queen
Street Station in Glasgow, Mr Wilson said:
"I am honoured to be the first to hear this excellent
new poem read aloud and for inviting me here to meet you
after such an exciting journey.
"In offering young people the opportunity to explore
their creative potential, events like today's are central
to what we are encouraging through our National Cultural
Strategy.
"I would encourage all young people to further explore
this talent and take part in the Queen's Golden Jubilee
Poetry Competition being launched today."
BACKGROUND
1. The Poet Laureate, Professor Andrew Motion has
organised - with others from Buckingham Palace and the
Poetry Society and Education Departments - a poetry
competition for every school in the UK. It is customary for
the Poet Laureate to write something to mark significant
events in the Royal calendar
2. Professor Andrew Motion and Sir Michael Peat, keeper
of the Privy Purse, are launching the competition at
Buckingham Palace today, and a booklet explaining the
competition and the rules is being produced and will be
sent to all schools in Scotland, England, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
3. The age categories are 7-11 (Primary 3-6), 11-14
(Primary 7 to Secondary 2), and 14-18 (Secondary 3
onwards). There are 2 versions of the booklet: one for the
7-11 age category and one for the older age categories.
4. The theme of the competition is The Queen's Golden
Jubilee. It is expected that the poems will range in their
choice of subject from being about The Queen herself, to
considering some aspect of her time on the throne: a
particular incident, a historical event, the changes and
developments in our national identity - anything which
summarises or illuminates the period.
5. The prizes for the best three entries in each of the
three categories will be medals especially commissioned for
the occasion. All participating schools will receive a free
booklet containing the fifty best entries after the results
of the competition have been announced.
6. 30 pupils from Preston Street Primary School,
Edinburgh and six Scottish poets were present on the
Scotrail train from Edinburgh to Glasgow. The poets were
Aonghas MacNeacail, Magi Gibson, Mary McCabe, Catherine
Orr, Jonathan Meres and Dilys Rose.