Leave a Comment · Posted on October 18, 2025
Beth reads at Off the Shelf Festival of Words
As part of Off the Shelf Festival of Words, Hive poet and Sheffield Poet Laureate Beth Davies will be reading with Peter and Ann Sansom in celebration of the forty best poems of the last forty years, gathered from The North, the UK’s inspirational poetry magazine produced by Sheffield’s The Poetry Business.
The North’s first issue included work by two future Poet Laureates and over four decades it has continued to publish many wonderful writers. Ann and Peter Sansom from The Poetry Business and guests will read poems from this enriching anthology. They will be joined by Beth Davies, Sheffield’s own Poet Laureate, who will read from her prize-winning New Poets List pamphlet published by The Poetry Business. 24th Oct 2025 6pm more info here.
Beth, Sheffield’s current Poet Laureate, will read from her prize-winning New Poets List pamphlet published by The Poetry Business The Pretence of Understanding.
Leave a Comment · Posted on October 18, 2025
Congratulations Nathan! Foyle Young Poets…
A huge congratulations to 16-year-old Nathan Graham – one of the 15 winning poets of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year 2025! Nathan is a member of Rotherham Young Writers run through Hive in partnership with Flux Rotherham.
This year a record-breaking 28,344 poems were entered into the competition from 10,920 young poets. Young people from 135 countries took part from as far afield as Botswana, Fiji, Vietnam, and Venezuela, as well as the four corners of the UK. From these poems this year’s judges Colette Bryce and Will Harris selected 100 winners, made up of 15 top poets and 85 commended poets. Devised and run by The Poetry Society, and developed with long-standing partnership funding from The Foyle Foundation, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is firmly established as one of the world’s leading writing competitions for young people aged 11 to 17 years. The judges, poets Will Harris and Colette Bryce, had a difficult job choosing the top 100 winners but were inspired by what they read.
Colette reflected on the experience of being a judge: “Reading thousands of poems in a short period is a noisy and thankfully rare occurrence. I’m encouraged for the future of our ancient and ever-changing art, and amazed by the confidence, humour, invention, curiosity, and sheer intelligence on display. It’s an honour to bring a selection of these poems to a wider audience and I commend everyone who entrusted us with their writing.”
Will shared these thoughts: “It was a joy to read through thousands of poems of wonder, mourning, rage, silliness, longing, invention, and humour, and pick out a hundred poems which, in combining some (or all) of those qualities, stayed with us. It’s tempting to use “precocious” to describe work like this, but that can feel patronising. These are poets who are not just developing their art early but – as with poets of any age and place – seeing clearly and writing truly. Under their gaze, a complex world is made brutally simple, and simple truths shatter into complexity.”
You can read the winning poems here
Rotherham Young Writers is supoported by Flux Rotherham
Massive thanks to The Poetry Society for all you do to support and encourage poets of all ages!
Leave a Comment · Posted on October 9, 2025
Ourselves Reflected Back Launch
On October 2nd, at the Rotherham Civic Theatre, members of the Hive Young Writers Network took to the stage for the launch of Ourselves Reflected Back: a brand-new poetry anthology published by Flux Rotherham as part of their Spread the Word project, featuring a whopping 70 local poets and 137 poems.
Twelve Hive poets contributed to the anthology, and three from Rotherham Young Writers performed beautifully on the night, opening the show with confidence, humour and heart. We’re so proud of them!
The anthology shines a light on the incredible range of voices that make up Rotherham’s creative community and nearby, and it’s a real celebration of poetry, collaboration, and place. You can pick one up at the Grimm & Co shop in Rotherham or via [email protected]
Leave a Comment · Posted on September 26, 2025
Congratulations BBC Young Writers’ Award 2025
A massive congratulations to 17-year-old Sheffield Young Writer Rebecca Smith, winner of the BBC Young Writers’ Short Story Award 2025 with Cambridge University!
‘Scouse’s Run’ by Rebecca Smith
A ‘Skilful’ story written in dialect, ‘Scouse’s Run’ tells the story of the titular boy, Scouse, who bets his friends that he can ride a shopping trolley down a hill without screaming or crying out, only to have the challenge go horribly wrong. Praised by the judges for its ‘strong voice’ and ‘tension’ of the fun with the ‘undercurrent of danger and violence’, the story was inspired by a writing group prompt, and explores peer pressure, toxic masculinity and the consequences of bullying and young men’s reactions to feeling powerless.
The five shortlisted writers have had their work made into radio pieces read by professional actors. You can listen to Scouse’s Run and all of the shortlisted here
Congratulations also to the following stories and shortlisted:
‘Wildfolk Report 2025’ by Holly Dye, 17,from Tunbridge Wells
Adu, Lasun and Marcha’ by Anoushka Patel, 18, from Leicester
‘Roast Beef’ by Edith Taussig, 17, from New Malden, Greater London
‘The Omen’ by Anna Tuchinda, 17, from Thailand, an international student in Edinburgh
The BBC Young Writers’ Award 2025, run in partnership with Cambridge University, is a nationwide competition open to writers aged 14–18, inviting them to submit original short stories of up to 1,000 words. This year’s judging panel is chaired by Radio 1 presenter Lauren Layfield and includes poet and former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, novelist Jessica Moor, poet Matt Goodfellow, and writer Lottie Mills, a former winner of the Award. From hundreds of entries, five outstanding stories are shortlisted; these are recorded by professional actors and broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Sounds. The overall winner will be announced live on Radio 4’s Front Row on Tuesday 1 October 2025.
Leave a Comment · Posted on August 20, 2025
Slug Manifesto: An exhibition-inspired creative writing workshop
Slug Manifesto: An exhibition-inspired creative writing workshop
Sunday 2nd November 1pm to 3.15pm (with refreshments)
For ages 14 to 19 | Pay what you can | book here
Are you a young person interested in creative writing and art? Then this is the perfect opportunity to join us for a fun and relaxed writing workshop inspired by Site Gallery’s upcoming exhibition, Slime Mother, opening 3rd October.
Led by writer Vicky Morris from Hive Young Writers Network, this workshop is open to anyone aged 14-19, whatever your experience, with an interest in sparking creative word-based responses to this fascinating new exhibition and its themes.
We’ll spend time exploring Slime Mother together before turning to the page and then, through prompts and gentle guidance, you’ll be encouraged to respond in your own way – be that snippets of fiction, fragments of thought or poetic wanderings
This workshop is about curiosity, noticing, and giving yourself space to experiment with words. The exhibition will act as a starting point, but where your writing takes you is entirely up to you.
Come, slow down, connect with your creativity, and discover what happens when art meets imaginative response!
Note: Participants from the workshop will be invited to come and read, from either anything produced in the workshop or whatever they wish, in an open mic (for ages 14+) the following week (details coming soon)
Produced in partnership with Site Gallery
Leave a Comment · Posted on July 16, 2025
Luke Worthy ‘In the Mist’ commissioned poem
Congratulations to Hive poet Luke Worthy, whose commissioned poem ‘square moon; little raft’, responding to ‘In the Mist’, a VR film experience by Chou Tung-Yen, is currently being exhibited alongside the film at Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam [July 16-18].
The film is part of the ‘Architectures of Intimacy’ program curated by Kato van der Speeten, which explores intimate and shared spaces. This VR film, a production of 狠主流 & 狠劇場 VM Studio & Very Theatre, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2021.
The programme, curated by Kato van der Speeten, focuses on the ephemeral connections and fleeting encounters that occur in spaces like taxis, public bathrooms, and other shared environments, which resonates with the themes of “In the Mist”.
In the Mist is a ‘Dreamlike, poetic virtual reality experience, set in a gay sauna. In a dimly lit room filled with mist, blurred figures of men emerge, desiring intimacy yet caught in moments of solitude.
Find out more here.
Leave a Comment · Posted on June 25, 2025
Luke Worthy shortllisted for the Northern Debut Award for Poetry
A huge congratulations to Hive poet and Sheffield Young Writer alumnus Luke Worthy, whose collection On What Could Sting has been shortlisted in the Northern Debut Award for Poetry in the 2025 Northern Writers Award.
Judges Kathleen Jamie and Alycia Pirmohamed read and discussed the collection with interest and were impressed with its language use and sense of rhythm. The title poem was especially praised.
More about the Northern Writers Award
Established in 2000 by New Writing North, the Northern Writers’ Awards supports work-in-progress by new, emerging and established writers across the North of England. The Awards support writers creatively as they develop their work towards publication, as well as helping them to progress professionally and navigate their way through the publishing industry.
The awards support both new and established writers to develop their work towards publication and to progress their careers as writers. For new writers, winning a Northern Writers’ Award can help to connect you to the publishing industry and to develop your work towards publication; for established writers, awards can help to buy time to write to support the development of new work and offer creative opportunities. With high-profile literary judges and support and interest from across the publishing industry, the awards are now recognised nationally as a major talent-spotting programme that identifies and supports great writing and writers. Browse our previous winners to see the published work that the awards have supported.
The Northern Writers’ Awards are produced by New Writing North and supported by Northumbria University, Arts Council England and a range of partners. For more information: www.newwritingnorth.com
Leave a Comment · Posted on June 24, 2025
Young Northern Writers Awards 2025
A huge congratulations to Charlie Jolley, Haider Nazir and Maisie Mair, who were all placed in the Young Northern Writers Awards 2025! What lovely comments from the judges!
Charlie Jolley – Winner of the Young Northern Writers Award (aged 15-18)
“Very original and accomplished.”
Maisie Mair – Highly Commended in the Young Northern Writers Award (aged 15-18)
“Fresh, risky, fun and unexpected.”
Haider Nazir – Highly Commended in the Matthew Hale Award
“Haider is not just a writer, he is a force.”
The awards were announced in a ceremony at Northumbria University in Newcastle on 24th June 2025.
Previous Hive writers who’ve been placed in the Young Northern Writers Awards: Isabella Merino Garzon, Lauren Hollingworth Smith, George Woodhead, Hala Mukhair, Nefeli Frida, Isabelle Pollard, Eloise Unerman, Naomi Thomas and Ciah White
More about the Northern Writers Award
Established in 2000 by New Writing North, the Northern Writers’ Awards supports work-in-progress by new, emerging and established writers across the North of England. The Awards support writers creatively as they develop their work towards publication, as well as helping them to progress professionally and navigate their way through the publishing industry.
The awards support both new and established writers to develop their work towards publication and to progress their careers as writers. For new writers, winning a Northern Writers’ Award can help to connect you to the publishing industry and to develop your work towards publication; for established writers, awards can help to buy time to write to support the development of new work and offer creative opportunities. With high-profile literary judges and support and interest from across the publishing industry, the awards are now recognised nationally as a major talent-spotting programme that identifies and supports great writing and writers. Browse our previous winners to see the published work that the awards have supported.
The Northern Writers’ Awards are produced by New Writing North and supported by Northumbria University, Arts Council England and a range of partners. For more information: www.newwritingnorth.com
Leave a Comment · Posted on May 20, 2025
The Young Science Writer Award 2025 – Congratulations Tom!
A huge congratulations to Sheffield Young Writer and High Storrs student Tom Stephenson who has been highly commended in The Young Science Writer Award 2025! The award celebrates the best creative approaches to science writing by young writers aged 14 to 16. The Association of British Science Writers said:
“This year, we received over 600 incredible submissions from passionate young writers across the UK. Your essays made us laugh, moved us deeply, and opened our eyes to new ideas. From exploring the threat of deadly diseases and the ethics of artificial intelligence to compelling calls for action on the climate emergency, your words demonstrated the power of science storytelling to inform, challenge, and inspire.”
The Young Science Writer Award (YSWA) celebrates the creativity and passion of young writers who explore the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Open to students aged 14-16 from state-funded, non-selective schools across the UK (or those home-schooled due to disability), this prestigious competition encourages participants to write engaging, informative essays on scientific topics that matter. Whether tackling climate change, AI, healthcare, or exploring the future of space exploration, YSWA aims to foster critical thinking, storytelling, and a deeper understanding of how science shapes our world. Join us in this exciting journey of scientific discovery and communication.
Leave a Comment · Posted on May 18, 2025
Tower Poetry Competition 2025
A massive congratulations to Hive Writer Charlie Jolley who has been commended in Tower Poetry Competition 2025!
Judged by Lemn Sissay OBE, Camille Ralphs and Dr Anna Nickerson, over 1,700 submissions were whittled down to just 13 prize winners. Dr Nickerson said:
‘This was a particularly special competition as we were marking the 25th anniversary of Tower Poetry and the 500th anniversary of the foundation of Cardinal College, later re-established as Christ Church. The theme, “Roots”, was an invitation to think about origins: the foundations of an institution, the sources of identity, the beginnings of a poem. We were looking for originality, but that originality needed to be grounded in an awareness of the rich history of English poetry. It was a pleasure to read so much accomplished new verse-writing, and we congratulate the winners.’
About the Competition
The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition has been running for over two decades, and in that time has rewarded over 120 young winners aged 16 to 18 and their poems with valuable cash prizes. Tower Poetry was founded in 2000 when a donation was made by the late Christopher Tower to stimulate an enjoyment and critical appreciation of poetry and to challenge young people to write their own poetry.
The competition is judged anonymously by two guest judges, who are different each year, and the Christopher Tower Student. Each year the theme is chosen with the intention of giving entrants free rein to interpret it as widely as they like.