Hannah Teasdale appointed as Fenland’s new Poet Laureate

2024 Fenland Poet Laureate, Hannah Teasdale (image: Tim Chapman)

‘Very worthy winner’ succeeds Qu Gao to become sixth Fenland Poet Laureate

Fenland has appointed Hannah Teasdale as the sixth Fenland Poet Laureate.

The honour was bestowed upon the talented wordsmith at the Fenland Poet Laureate Awards ceremony, held at March Town Hall on Friday, March 15.

Hannah, who has recently published her third poetry collection, ‘Indelicate Sundays’, won the appointment with ‘The Un-Coupling’, a poem inspired by her winter sightings of migrated swans in Fenland fields.

From left to right, outgoing Fenland Poet Laureate, judge and co-host Qu Gao; new 2024 Fenland Poet Laureate Hannah Teasdale; runner-up Pen Avey, and Fenland Poet Laureate judge and co-host, Councillor Elisabeth Sennitt Clough (image: Tim Chapman)

“It feels so surreal,” she said, reflecting on her appointment, “but I feel like I’m home.”

Hannah, who was born in the Midlands and lived in the South West before moving to The Fens, is eager to get stuck into her new role:

“I’ve got lots of plans for the year ahead,” she said, “and I can’t wait to get started.”

Chair of Fenland District Council’s Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee, Councillor Elisabeth Sennitt Clough organised this year’s awards in partnership with Fenland District Council.

Young Fenland Poet Laureate winner Lacey Vinn (centre), with second place runner-up Nathanael Wilson (right) and third place runner-up Lydia Shillings (image: Tim Chapman)

The councillor – an award-winning poet herself – described Hannah’s entry as “a very worthy winner”.

All of the poems submitted were shortlisted by members of the Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee, and judged by Cllr Sennitt Clough and former Fenland poet laureate, Qu Gao, who was last year’s winner

In all, this year’s Fenland Poet Laureate Awards saw a total of 63 eligible entries: with 28 adult entries and 35 in the Young Fenland Poet Laureate category (open to those aged 17 and under).

Cllr Sennitt Clough said reading all of the poems had been “a nourishing experience,” which had illustrated “the growing popularity of poetry within Fenland.”

She added: “Ultimately, they reminded me of the importance of poetry and its hallowed place among the arts.”

Pen Avey, an author, illustrator and course director at the College of West Anglia in Wisbech, won second place with her poem, ‘transient,’ while third place went to Jonathan Moore for ‘A Fenland Ode’.

Sir Harry Smith Community College student Lacey Vinn took first place in the Young Fenland Poet Laureate competition with her entry, ‘Christmas Truce’; a moving piece inspired by the famed Christmas Day football match played in ‘No-man’s Land’ during the First World War.

Second place went to Wisbech Grammar School student Nathanael Wilson for ‘River’s Rest’, while third place was awarded to fellow WGS pupil Lydia Shillings for her poem, ‘I the eel of Ely’.

Cllr Sennitt Clough explained how the Fenland Poet Laureate Award is now recognised as “one of the most prestigious awards of its kind in Cambridgeshire.”

“You can see why when you look at the literary talent that emerges year after year,” she added.

His Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Dan Schumann described the poetic creativity and talent on display as “truly remarkable”.

“To find such creativity and talent in such a small area is hugely impressive and I think it’s amazing that the district council and all the supporters continue to put this event on in tough and challenging times when arts are often the first thing to go.”

As well as receiving a trophy sponsored by the Etec Group, all of the winners and runners-up saw their poems published in a Fenland Poet Laureate anthology.All of the winning and shortlisted poems are available to read at www.fenland.gov.uk/FenlandPoetLaureate.