Lord Provost awards winners of Poetry Prize 2021

The Lord Provost awarded the winner and runners up of The Lord Provost's Poetry Prize yesterday (5 November 2021) at a celebratory event in Glasgow's City Chambers.

Pupils were tasked with writing a piece of poetry based on this year's theme Our World: Our Future", which was inspired by the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference which is currently being hosted by the city of Glasgow. Young people were encouraged to use their poetry to explore the issues of climate change and sustainability.

This year's winning entry came from Cathy Piper of Bankhead Primary School with her poem 'Close Your Eyes'. She was awarded with a Mac Book Pro for her school, generously donated by CGI. 

Lord Provost, Philip Braat applauded the entrants efforts and said: "I am delighted, as Lord Provost, to take this opportunity to congratulate all the young people who took part in my Poetry Prize Competition. It is such a great way to celebrate and showcase the work of our talented young people."

"Choosing an overall winner is never an easy task when you are assessing excellent entries. It has been an absolute privilege and joy to read all the poems."

"Our young poets deserve our praise and appreciation. My thanks to all the schools who gave their support and my congratulations to all the promising poets who participated. I know, like me, you will be hugely impressed by the marvellous work our young people have produced. Well done everyone and carry on writing!"

Helping the Lord Provost choose a winning entry was Jim Carruth, a Glasgow poet Laureate. Mr Carruth has helped judge the competition for many years. He said: "A memorable poem can also capture perfectly an emotion, or a thought or a moment in time.  Many of the poems we received as part of the competition this year would fit into this category as pupils looked forward to the opportunity that COP26 in Glasgow brings."

"Many highlighted the worrying current state of the planet and the challenges it faces in relation to weather, pollution, fossil fuels and the decline in animals and plants.  In doing so they displayed both an incredible in depth understanding of the problems we face but also a drive and desire to do something about it."

"In going forward may they not lose this passion and continue to show the previous generations the way forward.  I would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply and congratulate all the winners."

Over one thousand pupils from 37 primary and secondary schools across Glasgow participated in the competition. 

The following lists the prizes that were awarded at yesterdays prize giving, including the Winner and all Runners up:

• First Prize

"Close Your Eyes"
By Cathy Piper, Bankhead Primary School

• Runner Up

"Our World: Our Future"
By Steven Bennie, Garrowhill Primary School 

• Runner Up

"Our World: Our Future"
By Sarah Majid, Cuthbertson Primary School 

• Runner Up

"Our World: Our Future"
By Ana McDonald, St Ninian's Primary School

• Runner Up

"My Magic Tesla"
By Ryan McDonald, Avenue End Primary School

• Runner Up

"Imperfect"
By Niky Nejad, Hillhead High School

• Runner Up

"Sorry" 
By Judith Omoruyi, St Andrews Secondary School 

• Runner Up

"Save Our Planet"
By Leila Rowe, Broomhill Primary School 

• Runner Up

"Where are the White Bears Daddy?"

By Kevin Mattia Weeramunda, St Andrew's Secondary School