Wirral Libraries, in conjunction with the Chris Salmon Foundation would like to thank everyone who has entered The Chris Salmon Poetry Extravaganza 2012. We received over 400 fabulous entries and the difficult task of judging has now taken place. This years awards evening took place on Friday 27th April at Bromborough Civic Centre and was hosted by the renowned Liverpool Poet Levi Tafari.

The theme was "2012- This Special Year” and the competition was open to all Primary, Secondary and 6th Form Students in Wirral. Cash prizes will be awarded to both winners, runners up and highly commended in each category. Leanne Cunningham won the Chris Salmon Poetry Extravaganza cup and Beth Kady is now Wirral’s Young Poet Laureate for the following 12 months and their school West Kirby Grammar School received £100 in book tokens.
 

 
The winners in each age category are:
 
Age 16+
 
Winner- Leanne Cunningham - West Kirby Grammar School
2nd Prize: Beth Kady - West Kirby Grammar School
3rd Prize: Liv Johnson - West Kirby Grammar School
Highly Commended: Amy Grabe- Birkenhead High School Academy
 
Age 11-16
 
Winner: Xanthe Brennan - Birkenhead High School Academy
2nd Prize: Isobel Wilton - Weatherhead High School
3rd Prize: Bobby Jones - St Anslem's College
Highly Commended : Eleanor English - St Mary's Catholic Collge
Highly Commended: Sophie Louann Jones - Birkenhead High School Academy

Aged 11 & under
 
Winner : Kathleen Bennett - Barnston Primary School
2nd Prize: Nicole Marnell - Greenleas Primary School
3rd Prize: Jack Gibson - St Bridgets C of E Primary School
Highly Commended: Sean Vaughan - Greenleas Primary School
Highly Commended: Robyn Gallard - Our Lady of Pity
 
Judges Special Award for outstanding achievement
 
Sam - Hayfield School
 
 
The anthology containing all the winning poems and with the foreword written by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy is now available for sale directly from the Foundation for £5 or from Amazon and Waterstone's websites for £6. Copies of the 2011 anthology are still available to purchase from the Foundation for £3 or as a special offer both the 2012 & the 2011 can be purchased for £6. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Christopher Salmon Foundation. Thank you for your continued support.