Louth mum is runner up in national writing competition

The Foundation, an education charity, confirmed Judith Jenkinson,47, secured second place with her poem, ‘Within These Pages’.

The competiton attracted entries from writers of all ages, using the theme, ‘My education helped me...’ - to help inspire young students currently in school.

Following her impressive placing, Ms Jenkinson said: “I was so pleased to win second place. It really made my day hearing the news.”

The charity behind the competition is a non-profit organisation, dedicated to providing school places for children living in poverty who otherwise cannot afford to be educated.

Ms Jenkinson explained her poem used the metaphor of a book for education and used her own children as ‘test judges’ before submitting the piece.

All the competition entries were judged by author Qaisra Shahraz.

Commenting on Ms Jenkinson’s piece, Ms Shahraz said; “I loved the use of a book as a metaphor for education.

“The imagery was great and really paints a picture in your mind.”

Ms Shahraz admits that it can be tricky to make a poem rhyme - and maintain it - without the work being laboured.

However, she says Ms Jenkinson’s poem ‘flowed easily’ and described it as a ‘lovely poem to read’.

Ms Jenkinson shared joint second place win with Emily Withers, a university student in Cardiff.

First place went to Rhian Holvey from Cambridge, whose winning entry, Learning Life.

It will now go on be included in hundreds of READ Foundation schools, to help inspire students in their education.

To find out about next year’s contest, please visit: www.readfoundation.org.uk/writing.