Poetry Competition Brings Generations Together, with 110-Year-Old Marjorie Leading the Way"
By Jill Dando News
Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton’s ‘Together in Verse’ free poetry competition has sparked creativity across the Northwest, uniting people of all ages.
Engaging people across the community, connecting them to chapters of their lives through the art of poetry, fostering creativity, building bridges between generations and sparking meaningful conversations that connect us all, the competition has also caught the attention of the oldest person in the Northwest 110-year-old Marjorie Hodnett Aylward.
Affectionately known as Aunt Marj, Marjorie is a resident at Formby Manor Care Centre in Formby and an avid poetry enthusiast.
A retired schoolteacher, writer and poet, she will be submitting her
own poem into the competition and also judging the children’s category.
Entries have been received from individuals of all ages, with the youngest participant aged just four years old to Aunt Marj who will turn 111 years of age on 1 April.
“Whether you are a writer or not, poetry is a great way to boost your mental health, happiness and wellbeing,” says Laura Ferries, local poet and founder of Wordcraft Workshops.
“I felt that partnering with a charity that supports older people locally who might struggle with their mental health and wellbeing over the winter months was perfect direction for my work and am so pleased that the competition has been so well received by all ages.”
Home manager at Formby Manor, Nikki Foster, added: “When Aunt Marj heard about the competition, she was really keen to enter. She has been writing poems for the majority of her life and we have a large collection of her work here at Formby Manor – it’s incredible.
She has penned a new poem for the competition which has already been submitted, but it has sparked her to do more writing this week and work on some ideas for more poems before her 111 th birthday in April.
It is a pleasure to sponsor this competition as it has brought our communities together.” Holly Mannion, Team Leader at Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton agreed: “Together in Verse is more than poetry, it’s about reaching out to people in our community, who may struggle to get out of their home or may feel cut off from society. Through reflection and writing we hope to bring a sense of belonging to our clients and vulnerable older adults across Liverpool and Sefton. We are
delighted that it is already bringing old and young together.”
In recognition of their oldest entrant, Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton and Wordcraft Workshops have invited Aunt Marj to judge the children’s category and will be engraving all of the winners’ trophies in her honour.
Entry to Together in Verse free but a small donation would be greatly welcomed by Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton. The link to donate is: https://ageconcerndonate.gofundraise.co.uk/
Competition Details: www.wordcraftworkshops.com/
The competition features three inclusive categories:
Open Category: Welcoming poets of all ages and backgrounds from anywhere in the country, on any theme.
Older People Living in Liverpool & Sefton: Encouraging voices from older people within the local community (50 years +).
School-aged Children (4-19): Inviting young writers to collaborate with or write about an older person in their lives.
Entry Fee: Free for all participants.
Submission Deadline: 14th February 2025.
How to Enter: Poems can be submitted via email to laura@wordcraftworkshops.com
By post to:
Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton
1st Floor, The Frances Suite
151 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2JH
To support participants, a free poetry writing guide is available for download at:
https://www.wordcraftworkshops.com/product/17028258/together-in-verse-poetry-writing-guide
Prizes and Recognition: Winners in each category will receive exciting prizes, including:
• £50 Tesco vouchers
• £20 Waitrose vouchers
• Cinema tickets for the Plaza Community Cinema, Waterloo
• Tickets for Cineworld
• Theatre tickets to see Shirley Valentine at the Everyman Playhouse in March 2025
• Tickets for a LFC stadium tour of Anfield
• Tickets for Everton Stadium tour
• The opportunity to read their poem on BBC Radio Merseyside
For more stories by Jill Dando News click here
For more stories by Jill Dando News click here
