Winchester News Online
Winchester Poetry Prize opens for entries
Winchester Poetry Festival opened entries for their Poetry Prize competition at the beginning of this month.
The Festival “aims to promote and foster exciting talent with this open award.”
All entries will be judged by Jacqueline Saphra, an award-winning poet and writer, who teaches at The Poetry School.
There are cash prizes for the top 3 entries, £1,000 for first place, £500 for second place and £250 for third place. A special prize is also being offered to a Hampshire-based poet.
Anyone aged 16 or over is allowed to enter the competition. The poem can be on any subject and written in any style, but must be no longer than 40 lines.
There is an entry fee of £5 for the first poem submitted and £4 for each entry after that.
The winner of last year’s competition, Lewis Buxton, won for his poem titled “un-seaming the tendon”.
Ten entry fees have been paid for by Mr Buxton: “I’m supporting 10 poets on low incomes to enter the Winchester Poetry Prize in 2021, and in doing so support them in continuing to be part of a poetry community.” These are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
The closing date for the competition is the 31st of July.
A prize-giving event is to be held on 9 October 2021, depending on Covid restrictions.
Festival Manager, Madelaine Smith, told Winol: “We hope very much that Covid restrictions allowing we will be able to host a live event at the Winchester Discovery Centre which has always been the ‘hub’ of our festival. In 2020 we successfully moved the event online and will do so again if need be.”
“The event invites all the ‘longlisted’ poets to the ceremony and they are then called upon to read. The poets do not know at this point who has won.”
Since the competition opened there have been a few entries each day, but according to Madelaine “the vast majority of entries come in in the last month. In 2020 85% entries were received in July.”
Winchester News Online
Police hunt man who threw chair and threatened shoppers
A man threw a chair and threatened bystanders in the centre of Gosport on Friday.
Police say the man, who was behaving aggressively, threw the chair on the ground and shouted threats at nearby shoppers before running away. No one was injured.
It happened just before noon, outside a Greggs Bakery on the High Street.
Hampshire Police say the man was white, bald and in his late 40s. He was wearing a baseball cap and a grey hoodie.
Officers are asking anyone who saw the incident to contact them.
Winchester News Online
Police officers injured during anti-migration rally
Twelve people were arrested after 350 anti-migrant protestors clashed with police overnight in Gosport following reports of a small boat landing in the area.
A small number of officers needed medical treatment following the protests near Walpole car park.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said: “Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest, our position on this has been clear that we will investigate thoroughly and take robust action against anyone responsible.
“Our officers did not deserve to be assaulted as they worked incredibly diligently on Sunday to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.”
Police had banned face coverings and had issued a dispersal order ahead of the protests across Gosport.
Those arrested were held on suspicion of assaulting officers or being drunk and disorderly.
The protest marks an increase in tensions within the UK after protests at Portsmouth, Taunton, Basingstoke and Glasgow in recent months.
Gosport Reform UK councilor Paul Carter told GB News: “If you think about this last night, no one really knew what was happening… I think a lot of people are really worried.”
Winchester News Online
Residents warned over closure of recycling centre
People in Romsey are being warned that the town’s recycling centre will be closing for a month for repairs.
The closure of Casbrook recycling centre will take place from 12 October to 12 November.
The council says that repairs are essential to keep the site safe, after heavy vehicles damaged the tarmac beneath waste containers.
Councillor Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader, said: “We are investing in essential improvements to preserve the surface of Casbrook HWRC (Bunny Lane) and ensure the facility continues to serve residents safely and effectively for many years to come.
“I thank residents for their patience during these works and confirm that capacity is available at nearby HWRCs to ensure residents that usually use Bunny Lane, can still dispose of their waste during this time.”
Locals have been advised to use alternative centres in Winchester and Eastleigh while the repairs take place.
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