Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes: Winners 2005Winning PoemsFirst prizeEleanor Williams, The Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton, Middlesex Second prizeThird prizeMiranda Cichy, St Francis' College, Letchworth, Hertfordshire Runners-up Francesca Beasley, Wallington High
School for Girls, Surrey Press Release and PhotographsPoets of gravity mark five exciting years for Tower PoetrySix young writers are enjoying their success today after fending off strong competition to win the prestigious 2005 Christopher Tower poetry awards with their fresh and original poems on the subject of "Gravity". The Christopher Tower competition, launched in 2001, is itself celebrating five years as one of the most respected and lucrative poetry competitions for young adults in the UK. It is a major focus for poetry writing in schools and colleges, and plays a vital role in Tower Poetry's commitment to introducing educational initiatives which encourage and promote the writing talent of young people in the UK. Sixth-form student Eleanor Williams has won the £1,500 first prize in this year's competition, which was judged by Philip Pullman, Gillian Clarke and Peter McDonald. At a reception for the prize winners at Christ Church, Oxford, Dr Peter McDonald, poet and Tutor in Poetry at Christ Church, spoke of his admiration for the winning poets: "Every year, the judges are surprised and encouraged by the skill and creativity of the winning poems, and this year is no exception; the work we are celebrating today shows adventurousness and confidence, as well as impressive maturity in the handling of poetic forms and styles". Eighteen year-old Eleanor Williams, a student at The Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton, received her prize, as well as a £500 cheque for her school, from the poet Gillian Clarke. The winner of the £750 second prize is Craig Farrell from Glasgow, while the £500 third prize goes to Miranda Cichy, who is a pupil at St. Francis' College, Letchworth. The other short-listed winners, who each received £200, were: Francesca Beasley of Wallington High School for Girls, Surrey, Rebecca Hawkes of Ranelagh School, Berkshire, and Shin Woo Kang of Prior Park School, Bath.
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